3rd Special Operations Squadron
3rd Special Operations Squadron | |
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Insignia | |
3rd Special Operations Squadron emblem (approved 5 May 2006)[1] | |
Patch with unofficial 3rd Air Commando Squadron emblem | |
1st Photographic Section emblem (approved 23 July 1932[2] |
The 3rd Special Operations Squadron flies
History
World War I
Organized in France in April 1918, the Photographic Section No. 1 processed aerial photographs taken by flying units working with the I Corps (American) and the French 38th Army Corps, 5 April–November 1918.[1]
Inter-war years
The 1st Photographic Section, from September 1919 until becoming the 3rd Observation Squadron on 1 June 1937, processed aerial photography of associated observation squadrons in Texas.[1]
World War II
At
Strategic Reconnaissance
Activated again in May 1952 under
Vietnam War
As the 3rd Air Commando Squadron in South Vietnam, it absorbed resources of the
Electronic warfare training
The 3rd Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron was not equipped with aircraft. Rather, it operated
Special operations
Provided remotely piloted aircraft support to special operations forces, 2005 – present.[1]
Lineage
- Photographic Section No. 1
- Organized as Photographic Section No. 1 on 4 April 1918
- Demobilized on 3 July 1919
- Reconstituted and consolidated with the 1st Photographic Section as the 1st Photographic Section on 23 March 1924[3][4]
- 3rd Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron
- Authorized as the 1st Photographic Section on 15 August 1919
- Organized on 27 September 1919
- Consolidated with Photographic Section No. 1 on 23 March 1924[4]
- Redesignated 3rd Observation Squadron on 1 June 1937
- Redesignated 3rd Observation Squadron (Medium) on 13 January 1942
- Redesignated 3rd Observation Squadron on 4 July 1942
- Redesignated 3rd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 11 August 1943
- Disbanded on 2 July 1944
- Reconstituted and redesignated 3rd Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Medium on 9 May 1952
- Activated on 28 May 1952
- Inactivated on 1 July 1958
- Consolidated with the 3rd Special Operations Squadron and the 3rd Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron as the 3rd Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron on 19 September 1985[3]
- 3rd Air Commando Squadron
- Constituted as the 3rd Air Commando Squadron and activated on 5 April 1968 (not organized)
- Organized on 1 May 1968
- Redesignated 3rd Special Operations Squadron on 1 August 1968
- Inactivated on 15 September 1969
- Consolidated with the 3rd Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron and the 3rd Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron as the 3rd Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron on 19 September 1985[3]
- 3rd Special Operations Squadron
- Constituted as the 3rd Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron on 13 May 1976
- Activated on 15 May 1976
- Consolidated with the 3rd Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron and the 3rd Special Operations Squadron on 19 September 1985
- Inactivated on 30 September 1991
- Redesignated 3rd Special Operations Squadron on 20 October 2005
- Activated on 28 October 2005[3]
Assignments
- I Corps Observation Group, April 1918
- First Army Observation Group, November 1918 – April 1919
- Unknown, – 3 April July 1919
- 1st Wing, 27 September 1919
- 1st Surveillance Group, c. 12 November 1919
- Eighth Corps Area, June 1922 (attached to 1st Cavalry Division)
- 2nd Division Air Service (later 2nd Division Aviation), 24 March 1923 (attached to 1st Cavalry Division until June 1926)[5]
- Eighth Corps area, 15 February 1929 (attached to 2nd Division)[5]
- 3rd Attack Group, 8 May 1929 (attached to 2nd Division until 1 October 1930,[5] then to 12th Observation Group)
- 12th Observation Group, 31 October 1931
- Eighth Corps Area, 1 March 1935 (attached to 12th Observation Group until 1 June 1937)
- Third Corps Area, 20 June 1937 (attached to Coast Artillery School)
- Coast Artillery School, c. 1939
- I Air Support Command, 1 September 1941 (attached to Coast Artillery School)
- 73rd Observation Group, 12 March 1942 (attached to Coast Artillery School until 5 April 1942)
- II Ground Air Support Command)
- IV Ground Air Support Command(later IV Air Support Command), 7 September 1942 (attached to II Ground Air Support Command (later II Air Support Command) until 23 September 1942)
- Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics, 21 January 1943
- Air Support Department, AAF School of Applied Tactics (later, Tactical Air Force, AAF Tactical Center), 18 February 1943 (attached to 432nd Observation Group(later 432 Reconnaissance Group 432 Tactical Reconnaissance Group), 27 Mar – 1 November 1943)
- Tactical Air Division, AAF Tactical Center, 4 January 1944
- Orlando Fighter Wing, 20 February 1944
- AAF Tactical Center, 28 March–2 July 1944
- 26th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 28 May 1952 – 1 July 1958
- Pacific Air Forces, 5 April 1968 (not organized)
- 14th Air Commando Wing(later 14 Special Operations Wing), 1 May 1968 – 15 September 1969
- 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 May 1976
- 6200 Tactical Fighter Training Group, 1 January 1980 – 30 September 1991
- 16th Operations Group (later 1st Special Operations Group), 28 October 2005 – present[3]
Stations
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Aircraft
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Notable former members
References
- Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Dollman, TSG David (17 October 2016). "Factsheet 3 Special Operations Squadron (AFSOC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 23–24
- ^ a b c d e f Lineage, including assignments in Dollman, except as noted
- ^ a b Clay, p. 1369
- ^ a b c Clay, p. 1267
- ^ Wilson, p. 128
Bibliography
- Clay, Steven E. (2011). US Army Order of Battle 1919–1941 (PDF). Vol. 3 The Services: Air Service, Engineers, and Special Troops 1919–1941. Fort Leavenworth, KS: Combat Studies Institute Press. OCLC 637712205. Archived from the original(PDF) on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2012.
- 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.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Wilson, Art (2008). Runways in the Sand. Blythe, California: Art Wilson.