185th Special Operations Squadron

185th Special Operations Squadron
French Croix de Guerre with Palm Belgian Fourragère
Insignia
185th Special Operations Squadron emblem
185 Air Transport Squadron emblem[b]
185th Fighter-Bomber Squadron emblem[1][c]
506th Fighter Squadron emblem[2]
World War II fuselage code[2]	4K

The 185th Special Operations Squadron is a unit of the Oklahoma Air National Guard's 137th Special Operations Wing, located at Will Rogers World Airport (Will Rogers Air National Guard Base), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The 185th is the only National Guard unit (and only US Air Force unit) to be equipped with the MC-12W. The unit is known as the "Sooners".^{[citation needed]} Famous unit alumni include former Vietnam prisoner of war Brig. Gen. James Robinson "Robbie" Risner and Astronaut Captain Fred Wallace Haise Jr., Apollo 13 Lunar Module Pilot.

History

World War II

The squadron was first organized at

The squadron arrived at its first overseas station,

The squadron supported the

During December 1944 and January 1945, attacked German positions during the Battle of the Bulge. Later it supported Operation Lumberjack and the establishment of a bridgehead on the west bank of the Rhine in March 1945. The squadron also flew air interdiction missions, strafing and bombing troop concentrations, railroads, highways, bridges, ammunition and fuel dumps, armored vehicles, docks, and tunnels. It covered bombing missions by Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses, Consolidated B-24 Liberators, and Martin B-26 Marauders.^[4] On 4 May, the squadron flew armed reconnaissance missions that would prove to be its last combat missions of the war.^[5]

The squadron briefly served with U.S. forces in the

Oklahoma Air National Guard

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The 506th Fighter Squadron was redesignated the 185th Fighter Squadron and allotted to the

's 137th Fighter Group.

The 137th Fighter Group provided command and logistical support for both the 185th and the

air defense

training missions over Northern Oklahoma and the panhandle; the 185th trained over Southern Oklahoma to the Texas border.

In April 1949, a tornado struck the Airport at Norman. The damage was considered too extensive for economical repair and the decision was made to move the 185th Fighter Squadron to Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City. The move was accomplished on 6 September 1949. Fortunately, none of the unit's F-51D aircraft were destroyed due to all being checked out by pilots for training flights away from base.

Korean War federalization

The 185th's parent 137th Fighter Group was federalized and ordered to active service on 10 October 1950. The squadron was then assigned directly to the Oklahoma Air National Guard, continuing its air defense mission. However, on 1 February 1951, the squadron was re-equipped with North American RF-51D Mustangs as the 185th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, and began training for tactical aerial reconnaissance and flying aerial photography missions.

The 185th was

, which was simultaneously activated. It was returned to Oklahoma state control and to Will Rogers Airport as the 185th Fighter-Bomber Squadron.

Fighter interceptor mission

Reforming after their active duty service, the 185th was again assigned to the 137th Group on 1 January 1953, becoming

(FAA) for various experimental testing activities.

With the fighter interceptor mission assignment, the 185th also assumed a

at a moment's notice. This event brought the squadron into the daily combat operational program of the USAF, placing it on "the end of the runway" alongside regular USAF air defense fighter squadrons. In June 1959 the squadron traded their F-86Ds for the upgraded F-86L Sabre Interceptor with uprated afterburning engines and new electronics.

Strategic airlift

In April 1961, the 185th was traded its Sabre interceptors for 4-engined Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter transports and became the 185th Air Transport Squadron. With air transportation recognized as a critical wartime need, the 185th augmented Military Air Transport Service airlift capability worldwide in support of the Air Force's needs. Throughout the 1960s, the 185th flew long-distance transport missions in support of Air Force requirements, frequently sending aircraft to the Caribbean, Europe, Australia, Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines, and during the Vietnam War, to both South Vietnam, Okinawa and Thailand.

Part of the squadron's mission was a specially equipped C-97E, 51-0224, the "Miss Oklahoma City" also known as the "Talking Bird". From 1961 though 1963 the aircraft was used as an airborne command post to maintain constant secure communications between the nation's capital and President John F. Kennedy during his visits to foreign countries. The C-97s were retired in 1968 and the squadron re-equipped with

heavy transports. The squadron continued to fly long-distance intercontinental airlift flights until the Globemasters were retired in 1975.

Tactical airlift

In 1975 the squadron became the 185th Tactical Airlift Squadron when it was re-equipped with the

tactical airlifter. In June 1979 the 185th Tactical Airlift Squadron was the first Air National Guard unit to receive C-130H aircraft, receiving new aircraft direct from Lockheed.

In subsequent years the squadron served in humanitarian missions worldwide. During the 1990s the 185th provided counter-drug support coordinated through the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. As of mid-2001, numerous drug enforcement operations had resulted in the destruction of 7.2 million marijuana plants, estimated 4.1 billion dollars in destroyed drugs, 814 arrests, 165 seized weapons, and 1.1 million dollars in currency and assets seized.

Following the

, and contributed logistical assistance in Bosnia in the late 1990s. Personnel from the squadron aided New Mexico ranchers faced with livestock devastation after severe winter storms covered the grasslands with snow. 137th aircrew delivered much needed hay to starving livestock, averting near disaster to New Mexico's livestock industry.

Air refueling

In its

.

Current status

As a result of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015, the squadron transitioned from Air Mobility Command as an associate KC-135R unit at Tinker AFB to Air Force Special Operations Command as a MC-12W unit. The unit ceased operations as an associate unit flying KC-135s in the summer of 2015.

It started receiving its MC-12W aircraft in July 2015, returning to its previous home of

naval project involving remote control attack boats controlled by retrofitted bomber aircraft.

Lineage

• Constituted as the 620th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 25 January 1943

Activated on 4 February 1943

Redesignated 506th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 10 August 1943

Redesignated 506th Fighter Squadron on 30 May 1944

Inactivated on 9 November 1945

• Redesignated 185th Fighter Squadron, and allotted to the National Guard on 24 May 1946[6]

Organized on 18 February 1947

Extended federal recognition on 18 December 1947

Redesignated 185th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 1 February 1951

Ordered to active duty on 1 April 1951

Inactivated on 1 January 1953

Redesignated 185th Fighter-Bomber Squadron and activated in the Oklahoma Air National Guard 1 January 1953

Redesignated 185th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron c. 1 July 1955

Redesignated 185th Air Transport Squadron, Heavy c. 1 April 1961

Redesignated 185th Military Airlift Squadron on 1 January 1966

Redesignated 185th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 10 December 1974

Redesignated 185th Airlift Squadron c. 16 May 1992

Redesignated 185th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 October 2008

Redesignated 185th Special Operations Squadron on 1 October 2015^{[citation needed]}

Assignments

• 404th Bombardment Group (later 404th Fighter-Bomber Group, 404th Fighter Group), 4 February 1943 – 9 November 1945^[6]
• Oklahoma Air National Guard, 18 February 1947
• 137th Fighter Group, 1 September 1947
• 140th Fighter Group
  , 10 October 1950
• Fourteenth Air Force, 1 April 1951
• 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Group
  , April 1951 – 1 January 1953
• 137th Fighter-Bomber Group (later 137th Fighter-Interceptor Group, 137th Air Transport Group, 137th Military Airlift Group), 1 January 1953
• 137th Military Airlift Wing (later 137th Tactical Airlift Wing), 10 December 1974
• 137th Operations Group (later 137th Special Operations Group), 16 May 1992 – present^{[citation needed]}

Stations

Aircraft

References

Notes

Explanatory notes

Citations

Bibliography

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

• Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
• Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946 - 1980 (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 February 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
• Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2017.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History.
  LCCN 61060979
  . Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History.
  OCLC 72556
  . Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Robertson, Bruce, ed. (1961). United States Army and Air Force Fighters 1916-1961. Hertfordshire, England: Harleyford Publishers, Lts.
  ISBN 9780900435126
  .
• Rogers, Brian. (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, UK: Midland Publications.
  ISBN 1-85780-197-0
  .
• Rosenfeld, Susan; Gross, Charles J. (2007). Air National Guard at 60: A History (PDF). Bolling AFB, DC: Air National Guard History Office. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 February 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
• Rust, Kenn C. (1967). The 9th Air Force in World War II. Fallbrook, CA: Aero Publishers, Inc.
  LCCN 67-16454
  .
• Watkins, Robert (2008). Battle Colors. Vol. III Insignia and Markings of the Ninth Air Force in World War II. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing Ltd.
  ISBN 978-0-7643-2938-8
  .

External links

• 137th Air Refueling Wing History
• Globalsecurity.org 137th Air Refueling Wing