1st Special Operations Wing

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

1st Special Operations Wing
1st Special Operations Wing emblem
Active1932–43, 1944–1948, 1962 – present
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Air Force
RoleSpecial operations
Size5,194 personnel authorized:[1]
  • 4,674 military personnel
  • 520 civilian personnel
Part of
CMSgt. Joey R. Meininger
Notable
commanders		Gen Charles R. Holland
Gen Norton A. Schwartz
Lt Gen Thomas J. Trask
Lt Gen Marshall B. Webb

The 1st Special Operations Wing (1 SOW) at Hurlburt Field, Florida is one of three United States Air Force active duty Special Operations wings and falls under the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC).

The 1st Special Operations Wing is a successor organization of the 16th Pursuit Group, one of the 15 original combat air groups formed by the Army before World War II.

Heraldry

The unit's current emblem was approved on 6 June 1963.

The 16th Pursuit Group's emblem was approved in 1934. It has four lightning bolts—representing the four assigned squadrons—depicting destruction from the sky.

History

16th Pursuit Group

a blue shield with 4 diagonal yellow lightning bolts emblazoned across it
Emblem of the USAAF 16th Pursuit Group
picture of a Curtiss P-36A Hawk fighter plane
Curtiss P-36A 38-33 16th Pursuit Group 1940 (16P33)

The beginnings of the 1st Special Operations Wing can be traced to the authorization by the

Albrook Field, Canal Zone. The unit, however, was not activated until 1 December 1932. The 16th Pursuit Group spent its entire existence in the defense of the Panama Canal. The Group was progressively redesignated, in keeping with the changes sweeping through the Army Air Corps
, becoming first the 16th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) in 1939 and finally the 16th Fighter Group in 1942. It was disbanded in the Canal Zone on 1 November 1943.

Although subordinate squadrons assigned to the Group changed over the years the Group headquarters remained at Albrook Field throughout its existence. Squadrons assigned were:

As the U.S. prepared for

9th Bomb Group
20 November, to whom it was also attached).

In June 1941, relief for the P-36A's arrived in the form of 6

32d Pursuit Group
.

As of the outbreak of war in December 1941, the Group had 20 serviceable P-40C's (plus five others awaiting disposition and three unserviceable – two from the 24th Pursuit Squadron and one from the headquarters squadron (HHS), 41-13498) but 10 new P-40E's had arrived, although one of these was promptly crashed. One other P-40C did not have a prop, and all elements of the Group were dispersed at Albrook Field.

By mid-January 1942, it was found expedient to send a detachment of the Headquarters to

Ferrying Command
. Besides these, the Group had 23 P-40C's, eight P-40E's and 14 of its former P-36A's back at Albrook.

As of mid-February 1942, the Group elements still stationed at Albrook had the following aircraft on hand but only had 11 pilots between them of whom only seven had more than one year experience on pursuit aircraft (the numbers in parentheses indicate the number of each type operational):

  • Curtiss P-40C = 19 (15)
  • Curtiss P-40E = 8 (6)
  • Curtiss P-36A = 9 (7)
  • North American BC-1 = 1 (1)

As the squadrons of the group moved through their various deployments from the start of the war on, the group headquarters became less and less important in day-to-day operations and, finally, on 17 January 1943, the Group Headquarters was moved from Albrook to La Joya Auxiliary Airdrome No. 2 to attempt to get the men assigned at Group back into the midst of "field" operations that were being endured by the subordinate squadrons.

In actuality, the Group was disbanded on 31 October 1943, at which time the HHS still had a solitary Curtiss P-36A assigned. The Command and Control responsibilities of the surviving former Squadrons of the Group then came under the umbrella of the XXVI Fighter Command.

1st Air Commando Group

upper case letter gee, white on a blue background, imposed on it is a red number one, imposed on both is the grey head of a smiling mule, with eagle wings spread from each ear and holding a machete in its teeth
Emblem of the USAAF 1st Air Commando Group
a pair of Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter planes flying low over an airfield
P-47 Thunderbolts of the 1st Air Commando Group, 10th Air Force, taking off. Republic P-47D-23-RA Thunderbolt, AAF Ser. No. 42-28152, in foreground exhibits the diagonal fuselage identification stripes that were unique to 1ACG aircraft

The next unit in the lineage of the 1 SOW is the 1st Air Commando Group, which inherited the history and lineage of the 16th Fighter Group.

President

Hap Arnold. Arnold chose Colonel John R. Alison and Colonel Philip Cochran as co-commanders of the unit.[4]

Alison was a veteran flight instructor of

North African Campaign noted for his unconventional aerial tactics.[5]

As a result, the 5318th Provisional Air Unit was formed in India in late 1943. As a miscellaneous unit, the group was comprised until September 1944 of operational sections (rather than units):

L-5 Sentinel liaison aircraft led by Major Andrew Rebori and Lt. Col. Clinton B. Gaty.[6] The group tested the United States' first use of a helicopter in combat, six Sikorsky R-4s led by Lt. Col. Clinton B. Gaty, in May 1944.[7]

A tragic accident occurred where 2 CG-4 gliders towed by one of the unit's Skytrains collided killing several American and British Chindits. The commander of the British unit, Lt. Col. D.C Herring restored confidence in the Americans who were worried whether the Chindits would trust them to fly them on operations by sending the Air Commandos a message that became the unit's motto;

Please be assured that we will go with your boys any place, any time, anywhere.[8]

The unit was redesignated the 1st Air Commando Group on 25 March 1944. It provided fighter cover, bomb striking power, and air transport services for the

Burma. Operations included airdrop and landing of troops, food, and equipment; evacuation of casualties; and attacks against enemy airfields
and lines of communication.

The 1ACG started receiving better-performing P-51B Mustangs in April 1944. They converted from

B-25 Mitchell bomber section in May 1944.[citation needed
]

In September 1944, after the original unit was consolidated with the headquarters component of the new establishment (also called 1st Air Commando Group), the sections were replaced by a troop carrier squadron, two fighter squadrons, and three liaison squadrons. The group continued performing supply, evacuation, and liaison services for allied forces in Burma until the end of the war, including the movement of Chinese troops from

Burma to China in December 1944. It also attacked bridges, railroads, airfields, barges, oil wells, and troop positions in Burma; and escorted bombers to Burmese targets, including Rangoon. Switched back to P-51 Mustangs (D-models) in January 1945. Left Burma in October and inactivated in New Jersey
in November 1945.

On 15 March 1945, 40

P-51D Mustangs armed with drop tanks
attacked Don Muang airfield, which harbored little more than 100 Japanese aircraft. At 1:30 pm (1330 military time), the Mustangs strafed every aircraft in sight, and destroyed at least 50% of the aircraft there. More Japanese aircraft that managed to takeoff were shot down and destroyed. On 9 April 1945, a second attack was launched with 33 Mustangs total. Anti-Aircraft fire was heavy, and three Mustangs were shot down.

During their brief (less than two-year) combat operations in the

Normandy Landings on D-Day. They also used helicopters in combat for the first time, executing the first combat medical evacuations. They pioneered the use of air-to-ground rockets. These firsts and others had a lasting effect on how air operations would directly support ground operations.[10]

Vietnam

Republic of Vietnam Air Force
markings flies over Vietnam
See also: Operation Farm Gate

In April 1961 General

Curtis Lemay directed HQ Tactical Air Command
to organize and equip a unit to train USAF personnel in World War II–type aircraft and equipment; ready surplus World War II-era aircraft for transfer, as required, to friendly governments provide to foreign air force personnel in the operation and maintenance of these planes develop/improve: weapons, tactics, and techniques.

In response to Lemay's directive, on 14 April 1961 Tactical Air Command activated the 4400th Combat Crew Training Squadron (CCTS) at Hurlburt Field, Florida. The unit had an authorized strength of 124 officers and 228 enlisted men. The 4400th CCTS consisted of World War II aircraft: 16 C-47 transports, eight B-26 bombers, and eight T-28 fighters. The declared mission of the unit would be to train indigenous air forces in counterinsurgency and conduct air operations. The 4400th CCTS acquired the logistics code name "Jungle Jim", a moniker that rapidly became the nickname of the unit.

As the military conditions in

Robert S. McNamara
actively began to consider dispatching United States military forces to test the utility of counterinsurgency techniques in Southeast Asia. In response, Air Force Chief of Staff General Curtis LeMay pointed out that the 4400th was operationally ready and could serve as an Air Force contingent for that force.

On 11 October 1961, President John F. Kennedy directed, in NSAM 104, that the Defense Secretary "introduce the Air Force 'Jungle Jim' Squadron into South Vietnam for the initial purpose of training Vietnamese forces." The 4400th was to proceed as a training mission and not for combat at the present time. "Jungle Jim" was a code name and nickname of the original 4400th CCTS and Air Commandos. Members wore an Australian-type green fatigue slouch hat in the style Johnny Weissmuller wore in the Jungle Jim films.[11]

The mission was to be covert. The commandos were to maintain a low profile in-country and avoid the press. The aircraft were painted with

Raven Forward Air Controllers in the Secret War in Laos from 1966 to 1974 would continue this sanitized routine during their service there.[12][13]

Elevated to group level as 4440th Combat Crew Training Group, 20 March 1962. The provisional TAC group was replaced by AFCON 1st Air Commando Wing in Apr 1962 and assumed air commando operations and training responsibility. Trained

counter-insurgency, psychological warfare, and civic actions throughout the Vietnam War
.

From the 1970s

Between 11 January and 30 June 1974, the USAF Special Operations Force and 1st Special Operations Wing merged their operations, and on 1 July 1974, concurrent with its redesignation as the 834th Tactical Composite Wing, the wing assumed responsibility for operating the USAF Air Ground Operations School, which trained personnel in concepts, doctrine, tactics, and procedures of joint and combined operations until 1 February 1978, and the USAF Special Operations School, which trained selected American and allied personnel in special operations, until March 1983.

Elements of the wing participated in the Operation Eagle Claw attempt in April 1980 to rescue U.S. hostages held in Tehran, Iran. Thereafter, continued to work closely with multi-service special operations forces to develop combat tactics for numerous types of aircraft and conduct combat crew training for USAF and foreign aircrews. Conducted numerous disaster relief; search and rescue; medical evacuation; and humanitarian support missions.

A notable rescue operation they participated in was the rescue of tourists from the roof of their 26 story hotel during the

1980 MGM Grand fire in Las Vegas. Part of the unit was participating in the yearly Exercise Red Flag at Nellis AFB when the call came from local authorities that several hundred people were trapped on the roof of the enflamed MGM. It took several local and military helicopters several hours flying in dangerous conditions to rescue as many people as they could, only being able to take about twenty people per trip.[citation needed
]

Supported

rescue of US nationals in Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury), October to November 1983, and the restoration of democracy in Panama
(Operation Just Cause), December 1989 to January 1990.

Beginning in August 1990, the wing deployed personnel and equipment to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield/Storm. These forces carried out combat search and rescue, unconventional warfare, and direct strike missions during the war, including suppression of Iraqi forces during the Battle of Khafji, January 1991.

Deployed personnel and equipment worldwide, performing combat search and rescue, and supporting contingencies, humanitarian relief, and exercises that included

Bosnia-Herzegovina
, 1993 to 1995.

It supported

Desert Fox
, 17 to 21 December 1998. It assumed an additional mission, supporting the Aerospace Expeditionary Forces in February 2000.

In 2001 and 2002 the wing deployed elements to

"war on terror"
operations.

Units in March 2015

Source: Official Air Force @ https://www.afsoc.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/1045330/1st-special-operations-wing/

- 1st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron - 1st Special Operations Maintenance Squadron - 801st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron - 901st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron

  • 1st Special Operations Mission Support Group:

- 1st Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron - 1st Special Operations Communications Squadron - 1st Special Operations Contracting Squadron - 1st Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron - 1st Special Operations Force Support Squadron - 1st Special Operations Security Forces Squadron

  • 1st Special Operations Medical Group:

- 1st Special Operations Medical Operations Squadron - 1st Special Operations Medical Support Squadron - 1st Special Operations Aerospace Medicine Squadron - 1st Special Operations Dental Squadron

Overview in the late 2010s

The 1st SOW mission focus is

counter-terrorism, combat search and rescue, personnel recovery, psychological operations, aviation assistance to developing nations, "deep battlefield" resupply, interdiction and close air support. The wing has units located at Hurlburt Field, Florida, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada
.

The wing's core missions include aerospace surface interface, agile combat support, combat aviation advisory operations, information operations, personnel recovery/recovery operations, precision aerospace fires, psychological operations dissemination, specialized aerospace mobility and specialized aerial refueling.

The 1st SOW also serves as a pivotal component of AFSOC's ability to provide and conduct special operations missions ranging from precision application of firepower to

exfiltration, resupply and refueling of special operations force operational elements. In addition, the 1st SOW brings distinctive intelligence
capabilities to the fight, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance contributions, predictive analysis, and targeting expertise to joint special operations forces and combat search and rescue operations.

The wing's motto of "Keeping the Air Commando promise to provide reliable, precise Air Force special operations air power... Any Time, Any Place," has repeatedly shown to be true since the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks. MH-53 Pave Lows responded almost immediately to support relief efforts in New York City and Washington, D.C.

Since the United States invasion of Afghanistan began in October 2001, the wing's aircraft have flown more than 25,000 combat sorties, amassing more than 75,000 combat hours. The wing has also deployed more than 8,500 personnel to 16 geographic locations around the world. The continued high operations tempo of the 1st SOW truly put the Air Commandos assigned here at the "tip of the spear."

Units in December 2020

The following units and aircraft are assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing as of April 2020: [14]

  • 1st Special Operations Wing (1st SOW)
    • 1st Special Operations Air Operations Squadron (1st SOAOS)
    • 1st Special Operations Comptroller Squadron (1st SOCPTS)
    • Equal Opportunity Office
    • History Office
    • Information Operations Office
    • Safety Office
    • Staff Judge Advocate
    • Plans And Programs
    • Public Affairs
    • Chaplain
    • 1st Special Operations Group (1st SOG)
    • 1st Special Operations Maintenance Group (1st SOMXG)
      • 1st Special Operations Maintenance Squadron (1st SOMXS)
      • 1st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (1st SOAMXS)
      • 801st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (801st SOAMXS)
      • 901st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (901st SOAMXS)
    • 1st Special Operations Medical Group (1st SOMDG)
      • 1st Special Operations Aerospace Medicine Squadron (1st SOAMDS)
      • 1st Special Operations Dental Squadron (1st SODS)
      • 1st Special Operations Medical Operations Squadron (1st SOMDOS)
      • 1st Special Operations Medical Support Squadron (1st SOMDSS)
    • 1st Special Operations Mission Support Group (1st SOMSG)
      • 1st Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron (1st SOCES)
      • 1st Special Operations Communications Squadron (1st SOCS)
      • 1st Special Operations Contracting Squadron (1st SOCONS)
      • 1st Special Operations Force Support Squadron (1st SOFSS)
      • 1st Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron (1st SOLRS)
      • 1st Special Operations Security Forces Squadron (1st SOSFS)

Lineage

16th Fighter Group
  • Authorized on the inactive list as 16th Pursuit Group on 24 March 1923
Activated on 1 December 1932
Re-designated: 16th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 6 December 1939
Re-designated: 16th Fighter Group on 15 May 1942
Disestablished on 1 November 1943
  • Reestablished and consolidated with the 1st Special Operations Wing on 1 October 1993
1st Air Commando Group
  • Constituted as: 5318th Provisional Air Unit late 1943
Re-designated: 1st Air Commando Group on 25 March 1944
Replaced the 1st Air Commando Group (a miscellaneous unit) that was constituted on 25 March 1944
Activated in India on 29 March 1944, and consolidated on 9 August 1944 with the headquarters unit of the new establishment
Inactivated on 3 November 1945
Disbanded on 8 October 1948
1st Special Operations Wing
  • Established as: 4400th Combat Crew Training Squadron, and activated by HQ TAC, 14 April 1961
Re-designated: 4400th Combat Crew Training Group, 20 March 1962
  • Provisional TAC 4400th CCTG inactivated and replaced by: 1st Air Commando Wing, which was established and activated on 1 June 1963
Re-designated: 1st Special Operations Wing on 8 July 1968
Re-designated: 834th Tactical Composite Wing on 1 July 1974
Re-designated: 1st Special Operations Wing on 1 July 1975
Re-designated: 16th Special Operations Wing on 1 October 1993
Re-designated: 1st Special Operations Wing on 16 November 2006

Assignments

Original unit assigned to 9 August 1944, establishment assigned thereafter
Redesignated: Air Force Special Operations Command, 22 May 1990 to Present

Components

Groups
  • 1st Special Operations (later, 16th Operations): 22 September 1992 to Present
  • 549th Tactical Air Support Training: 15 December 1975 to 1 January 1977
  • 930th Tactical Airlift (later, 930th Air Commando Group;
    930th Special Operations Group
    ): 1 June 1968 to 18 June 1969
Squadrons

Stations

Original unit: Asansol Airfield, India, 20 May 1944 to 6 October 1945 (original unit to 9 August 1944, establishment thereafter)
Detachment 1 deployed to Mali, West Africa (covername "Sandy Beach"), August 1961 (Dates undetermined)
Detachment 2 deployed to
T-28 Trojan
unit.

See also

References

  1. ^ "GAO report on Special Operations Forces (FY2014)" (PDF). gao.gov. July 2015. p. 52. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  2. ^ "Patrick T. Dierig".
  3. ^ Busch, Bryan Cooper Bunker Hill to Bastogne: Elite Forces and American Society 2006 Brasseys, p. 176
  4. ^ "95 Year Old Air Commando Legend Shares History with Today's Special Operators". Archived from the original on 4 November 2013.
  5. ^ "Remembering Colonel Philip G. Cochran". Archived from the original on 14 February 2012.
  6. ISBN 978-0-7643-0447-7
  7. ^ "Sikorsky R-4B Hoverfly". National Museum of the US Air Force. 20 April 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  8. ^ Y'Blood, William T. Air Commandos Against Japan: Allied Special Operations in World War II Burma Naval Institute Press, 2008, p. 82
  9. ^ Y'Blood, William T. Air Commandos Against Japan: Allied Special Operations in World War II Burma Naval Institute Press, 2008, p. 126
  10. ^ Young, Frank. "1st Air Commando, USAAF". Chindits special force Burma 1942–44. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  11. ^ "Armed Forces: Operation Jungle Jim". Time. 29 June 1962. Archived from the original on 23 August 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  12. ^ The Ravens: The Men Who Flew in America's Secret War in Laos. pp. 7–9.
  13. ^ Hit My Smoke: Forward Air Controllers in Southeast Asia. pp. 113–114.
  14. ^ "1st Special Operations Wing". US Air Force. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  15. ^ Herk, Hans van (29 August 2021). "USAF's Combat Talon II received last PDM". www.scramble.nl. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  16. ^ "Hurlburt Field reactivates 73d SOS". Hurlburt Field Public Affairs. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  17. ^ Haulman, Daniel L. (8 July 2015). "Factsheet 5 Expeditionary Airborne Command anc Control Squadron (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 27 March 2017.

External links

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