16th Special Operations Squadron

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16th Special Operations Squadron
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm[1]
Insignia
16th Special Operations Squadron emblem[note 2][1]
16th Special Operations Squadron emblem[note 3][2]
16th Combat Cargo Sq emblem[note 4][3]
16th Ferrying Squadron emblem

The 16th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operates the AC-130W Stinger II[4] aircraft in support of special operations.

Mission

Train and maintain its combat-ready force to provide highly accurate firepower in support of both conventional and unconventional forces.[5]

History

World War II

The 16th ferried aircraft from factories to units in US and Canada and conducted pilot training from April 1942 – April 1944. It flew combat aerial transportation missions from

Burma and China from December 1944 – October 1945.[1]

Vietnam War

The 16th flew combat missions in Southeast Asia where it was charged with attacking convoys on the

Mayagüez. All 53 members of the 16 SOS were killed in action during the Vietnam War.[5]

Hurlburt Field

In November 1979 the 16th set a flight endurance record of 29.7 hours, flying non-stop from Hurlburt Field, Florida to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.[5]

The 16th supported the multi-national assault on

armored personnel carriers, defending political dignitaries surrounded by enemy troops, and relieving troops in combat.[5]

From late December 1989 to 14 January 1990, the squadron participated in the invasion of

Panamanian Defense Force, and providing fire support for the Army Ranger assault on Rio Hato Air Base.[5]

On 12 September 1990 The 16th arrived in

Desert Storm, the protection of Saudi Arabia and the liberation of Kuwait. The squadron flew 50 combat missions in Desert Storm and lost one aircraft and 14 airmen on 31 January 1991, while supporting coalition forces engaged in the Battle of Khafji.[5]

During 1993 and 1994, the 16th deployed to Africa in support of

Operation Continue Hope, the United Nations relief effort in Somalia. Squadron crews based out of Djibouti struck targets in Mogadishu, and later deployed to Kenya to ensure security for UN forces. During this deployment, a gunship was destroyed due to an in-bore detonation of the 105mm gun while airborne. Eight of the 14 aircrew members lost their lives in this accident.[5]

The 16 SOS deployed to Italy in support of Operation Deny Flight periodically from July 1993 until its termination on 28 August 1995. 16 SOS aircraft actively patrolled the skies over Bosnia and Herzegovina, providing protective air cover and close air support to UN protection forces.[5]

While maintaining the Operation Deny Flight mission, the 16 SOS also deployed to other parts of the world for 184 days. From 18 September-19 October 1994, it deployed to

U.S. Marine amphibious withdrawal from Mogadishu.[5]

Joint Endeavor, Assured Response, Deliberate Guard, Joint Guard, Goal Keeper, and Wintering Over.[5]

Following the

POWs.[5]

An AC-130 fires its flares off, 2007.

The 16th also flew missions over

Shkin, Asadabad, Bagram, Baghran, Tora Bora, and nearly every other part of Afghanistan. The squadron has participated in a number of operations within Afghanistan including Operations Full Throttle, Roll Tide, and Eagle Fury. It also performed on-call close air support and armed reconnaissance over Kandahar after an assassination attempt against Afghanistan's President, Hamid Karzai.[5]

In March 2002, the 16th flew 39 combat missions in support of Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan. With only 3 aircraft and 3 crews, the squadron amassed 322 combat hours over 12 days, resulting in 45 enemies killed in action, nine vehicles destroyed, 11 damaged vehicles, and 12 destroyed and 25 damaged buildings. During the intense fighting, the squadron expended more than 1,300 40MM and 1,200 105MM rounds. Their actions earned them the 2002 Mackay Trophy, and 2002 Air Force aviator valor awards. In addition, in 2002 the 16th SOS was the third most deployed unit in the Air Force.[5]

27 May 2015, retired the final AC-130H Spectre Gunship in service, tail number #69-6569 "Excalibur".[6] Converted to AC-130W Stinger IIs during 2015.[7]

Operations

[5]

Lineage

16th Ferrying Squadron
  • Constituted as the 16th Air Corps Ferrying Squadron on 18 February 1942
Activated on 16 April 1942
Redesignated 16th Ferrying Squadron on 12 May 1943
Disbanded on 1 April 1944
Reconstituted and consolidated with the 16th Combat Cargo Squadron and the 16th Special Operations Squadron as the 16th Special Operations Squadron on 19 September 1985[1]
16th Combat Cargo Squadron
  • Constituted as the 16th Combat Cargo Squadron on 9 June 1944
Activated on 13 June 1944
Inactivated on 29 December 1945
Disbanded on 8 October 1948; reconstituted on 19 September 1985)
Reconstituted and consolidated with the 16th Ferrying Squadron and the 16th Special Operations Squadron as the 16th Special Operations Squadron on 19 September 1985[1]
16th Special Operations Squadron
  • Constituted as the 16th Special Operations Squadron on 11 October 1968
Activated on 30 October 1968
Consolidated with the 16th Ferrying Squadron and the 16th Combat Cargo Squadron on 19 September 1985[1]

Assignments

  • Middle West Sector, Air Corps Ferrying Command (later 5th Ferrying Group), 16 April 1942 – 1 April 1944
  • 4th Combat Cargo Group, 13 June 1944
  • Army Air Forces, India-Burma Theater, 5 September 1945
  • 4th Combat Cargo Group, c. October–29 December 1945
  • 388th Tactical Fighter Wing
    , 19 July 1974 – 8 December 1975)
  • Tactical Air Command, 8 December 1975
  • 1st Special Operations Wing, 12 December 1975
  • 1st Special Operations Group (later 16 Operations Group, 1st Special Operations Group), 22 September 1992
  • 27th Special Operations Group, 1 June 2009 – present[1]

Stations

  • Hensley Field
    , Texas, 16 April 1942
  • Love Field, Texas, 8 September 1942 – 1 April 1944
  • Syracuse Army Air Base
    , New York, 13 June 1944
  • Bowman Field, Kentucky, 16 August–9 November 1944
  • Sylhet Airfield
    , India, 7 December 1944
  • Agartala Airport
    , India, 26 December 1944
  • Chittagong Airfield
    , India, 31 January 1945
  • Namponmao Airfield
    , Burma, 11 June 1945
  • Ledo Airfield, India, 3 September 1945
  • Namponmao Airfield, Burma, October 1945
  • Ondal
    Airfield, India, November–29 December 1945
  • Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, 30 October 1968
  • Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, 19 July 1974
  • Hurlburt Field, Florida, 12 December 1975
  • Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, 1 June 2009 – present[1]

Aircraft

  • Ferried tactical and support aircraft (1942–1944) C–47, 1944, 1945; C–46, 1944–1945. AC–130, 1968–.
  • Douglas C-47 Skytrain (1944, 1945)
  • Curtiss C-46 Commando (1944–1945)
  • Lockheed AC-130A, AC-130E, AC-130H Spectre
    (1968–2015)
  • Lockheed AC-130W Stinger II (2015 – 2022)[1]
  • Lockheed AC-130J Ghostrider (2022 - present)[8]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 16th Special Operations Squadron (United States Air Force).

Notes

Explanatory notes
  1. Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center
    on 15 November 1994.
  2. ^ Approved 19 December 2007.
  3. ^ Approved 15 November 1994.
  4. ^ Approved 23 August 1944.
Citations
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Dollman, TSG David (17 September 2016). "Factsheet 16 Special Operations Squadron (AFSOC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  2. ^ Endicott, p. 448
  3. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 88–89
  4. ^ "Cannon Air Force Base Library: 27th Special Operations Group Fact Sheet". 27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Cannon Air Force Base Library: 16th Special Operations Squadron Fact Sheet". 27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs. 27 February 2012. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  6. ^ "Air commandos retire final AC-130H Spectre gunship". C-130.net. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  7. ^ "16TH SPECIAL OPERATIONS SQUADRON" (PDF). Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  8. ^ https://theaviationgeekclub.com/afsoc-receives-31st-and-final-ac-130j-ghostrider-gunship/

Bibliography

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

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