65th Special Operations Squadron
65th Special Operations Squadron | |
---|---|
Insignia | |
65th Special Operations Squadron emblem (subdued)[1] | |
65th Bombardment Squadron emblem[note 1][3] | |
65th Bombardment Squadron emblem[note 2][3] |
The 65th Special Operations Squadron is an
The squadron was activated again in October 1946 at
From 1986 to 1991, as the 65th Strategic Squadron, it controlled bombers and tankers deployed at
Mission
The 65th Special Operations Squadron, provides combatant commanders intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and precision strike capabilities through remotely piloted aircraft operations around the globe.[4]
History
World War II
Initial organization and training
The
The squadron moved to
Combat in the Southwest Pacific Theatre
The squadron reached Australia via
In November 1944 the squadron moved to the Philippines, helping the ground campaign on
Medal of Honor
On 16 June 1943, Captain Jay Zeamer Jr. and his crew flew a photographic reconnaissance mission, targeting Japanese installations on Buka. When the mission was nearly completed, their B-17 was attacked by about 20 enemy fighters. The navigator, Lieutenant Joseph Sarnoski, fought off the first fighter attacks, permitting Captain Zeamer to complete the plotted course for the mission. He remained at the nose guns of the bomber, firing at the attacking Japanese and shooting down two fighters. A 20 millimeter shell knocked him back from his position, but he crawled back, and despite severe injury continued firing until he collapsed over his guns. Captain Zeamer maneuvered the plane to permit the crew's gunners to repel the attacks until the fighters broke off their attacks after 40 minutes, then, despite wounds to his arms and legs that caused lapses into unconsciousness, directed the plane back to its base, about than 580 miles (930 km) away. Both men were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions.[5][7][8]
As a result of this mission, the Zeamer crew has been called the most decorated aircrew in United States Air Force history. Each other member of the crew was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.[9][note 5]
Strategic Air Command
Early SAC operations
The squadron was reactivated under
SAC’s mobilization for the Korean War highlighted that SAC
The emergence of the Soviet
B-58 operations
The squadron moved to Carswell Air Force Base without personnel or equipment on 15 April 1960, and was not manned or equipped until August.[13] Then it took over personnel and equipment from the 3958th Combat Crew Training Squadron and the 6592d Test Squadron, which were discontinued.[14] The squadron immediately began training crews on the Convair B-58 Hustler. The squadron was equipped with experimental and training models of the Hustler, along with Convair TF-102 Delta Daggers, to perform Category II and III evaluations of the new bomber, along with its training responsibilities. The evaluations of the Hustler ended in 1962.[13]
In 1962, a crew from the 65th won the Mackay Trophy and the Bendix Trophy for setting a trio of transcontinental speed records in a round trip from Los Angeles to New York and back during Operation Heat Rise.[15]
At the beginning of the
In September 1964, the 43d Wing and the squadron moved to
Control of SAC units in the Pacific
The squadron was redesignated the 65th Strategic Squadron and activated at
Air Force Special Operations Command
The squadron was redesignated the 65th Special Operations Squadron and activated at Hurlburt Field, Florida in December 2018.[2] It operates General Atomics MQ-9 Reapers that are located at other stations.[4]
Lineage
- Constituted as the 65th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 20 November 1940
- Activated on 15 January 1941
- Redesignated 65th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 21 September 1943
- Inactivated on 29 April 1946
- Redesignated 65th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy and activated on 1 October 1946
- Redesignated 65th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 2 July 1948
- Inactivated on 31 January 1970
- Redesignated 65th Strategic Squadron on 7 April 1986
- Activated on 1 July 1986
- Inactivated on 2 October 1991
- Redesignated 65th Special Operations Squadron on 26 September 2018
- Activated on 17 December 2018[2]
Assignments
- 43d Bombardment Group, 15 January 1941 – 29 April 1946
- 43d Bombardment Group, 1 October 1946 (attached to 43d Bombardment Wingafter 10 February 1951)
- 43d Bombardment Wing, 16 June 1952 – 31 January 1970
- 43d Strategic Wing (later 43d Bombardment Wing), 1 July 1986
- 376th Strategic Wing, 1 July 1990 – 2 October 1991
- 1st Special Operations Group, 17 December 2018 – present[2]
Stations
- Langley Field, Virginia, 15 January 1941
- Army Air Base Bangor, Maine, 29 August 1941 – 17 February 1942
- Sydney Airport, New South Wales, Australia, 28 March 1942
- RAAF Base Williamtown, Victoria, Australia, 23 June 1942
- Longreach Airport[6] Torrens Creek, Queensland, Australia, 15 August 1942
- Iron Range Airfield, Queensland, Australia, 13 October 1942
- Mareeba Airfield, Queensland, Australia, 7 November 1942
- Jackson Airfield,[6] Port Moresby, New Guinea, 20 January 1943
- Dobodura Airfield, New Guinea, c. 11 December 1943
- Nadzab Airfield, New Guinea, March 1944
- Schouten Islands, Netherlands East Indies, c. 11 July 1944
- Tacloban Airfield, Leyte, Philippines, c. 24 November 1944
- Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines, c. 16 March 1945
- Okinawa, c. 24 July 1945
- Fort William McKinley, Luzon, Philippines, 10 December 1945 – 29 April 1946
- Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 1 October 1946
- Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, 15 March 1960
- Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, 1 September 1964 – 31 January 1970
- Anderson Air Force Base, Guam, 1 July 1986
- Kadena Air Base, Japan, 11 December 1990 – 2 October 1991
- Hurlburt Field, Florida, 17 December 2018 – present[19]
Aircraft
- North American B-25 Mitchell, 1941
- Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1941–1943
- Consolidated B-24 Liberator, 1942–1945
- Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1946–1950
- Boeing B-50 Superfortress, 1948–1954
- Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1954–1960
- Convair TF-102 Delta Dagger[13]
- Convair B-58 Hustler, 1960–1970
- Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, 1986–1991
- Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, 1990–1991[20]
- General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper, 2018–present[4]
Awards and campaigns
Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Distinguished Unit Citation |
2 October 1942 – 23 January 1943 | Papua New Guinea 65th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Distinguished Unit Citation | 2-4 March 1943 | Bismarck Sea 65th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
1 August 1960 – 1 August 1962 | 65th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 30 June 1990 – 30 June 1991 | 65th Strategic Squadron[2] | |
Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation | 17 October 44 – 4 July 45 | 65th Bombardment Squadron[2] |
Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Air Offensive, Japan | 17 April 1942 – 2 September 1945 | 65th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
China Defensive | 4 July 1942 – 4 May 1945 | 65th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Papua | 23 July 1942 – 23 January 1943 | 65th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
New Guinea | 24 January 1943 – 31 December 1944 | 65th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Northern Solomons | 23 February 1943 – 21 November 1944 | 65th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Bismarck Archipelago | 15 December 1943 – 27 November 1944 | 65th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Leyte | 17 October 1944 – 1 July 1945 | 65th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Luzon | 15 December 1944 – 4 July 1945 | 65th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Southern Philippines | 27 February 1945 – 4 July 1945 | 65th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Western Pacific | 17 April 1945 – 2 September 1945 | 65th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
China Offensive | 5 May 1945 – 2 September 1945 | 65th Bombardment Squadron[2] |
See also
- Old 666
- United States Army Air Forces in Australia
- B-17 Flying Fortress units of the United States Army Air Forces
- B-24 Liberator units of the United States Army Air Forces
- List of B-47 units of the United States Air Force
- List of B-52 Units of the United States Air Force
References
Notes
- Explanatory notes
- ^ Approved 9 September 1954. Description: On a disc red, bordered black, a pair of dice tilted at an angle so that the four and three are showing at the top and the six and five are shown on the tilted front view. Although not approved until 1954, this emblem was used by the squadron during World War II during the time it flew B-24 Liberators. Watkins, pp. 84-85.
- ^ Used by the squadron in the Southwest Pacific during the time it flew B-17 Flying Fortresses. Watkins, pp. 84-85.
- 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, to which it was assigned when this photograph was taken.
- ^ Aircraft is Consolidated B-24D-115-CO Liberator, serial 42-40945 "The Ace O' Spades". Photo taken 20 December 1943.
- ^ There were two other occasions on which two members of an AAF crew were awarded Medals of Honor for the same mission, and one other occasion in which all members of a crew were awarded a Distinguished Service Cross, but there was never a combination such as this. Hayes.
- ^ Aircraft is Boeing B-29A-70-BN Superfortress, serial 44-62234. Taken at San Francisco in 1947.
- ^ This reorganization, called the "Dual Deputy" Organization. Under this plan flying squadrons reported to the wing Deputy Commander for Operations and maintenance squadrons reported to the wing Deputy Commander for Maintenance
- ^ Aircraft is Convair B-58A-CF, serial 59-2442 "Untouchable". It participated in Operation Quick Step and set three world records for class including 2000 km closed course flight averaging 1061.80 mph carrying payload. It became last B-58 to leave Little Rock AFB for the Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center. Brewer, Alex P.; Brewer, Randy A. "B-58.com, The B-58 Hustler Page: Inventory". B-58.com. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
- ^ The availability of KC-135s to refuel the B-58s was the main factor in relegating them to the second cycle of the war plan. KC-135s were primarily dedicated to refueling B-52s. See Kipp et al. p. 30 and following for SAC bomber actions during the Cuban Crisis.
- Citations
- ^ a b "65th Special Operations Squadron Emblem". 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af Haulman, Daniel L. (15 November 2018). "Factsheet 65 Special Operations Squadron". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
- ^ a b Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 245-246
- ^ a b c "Hurlburt Field: Units, 65th Special Operations Squadron". 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 99-101
- ^ a b c d See "History of the 403d Bomb Squadron". liberatorcrash.com. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
- ^ "Stories of Sacrifice: Jay Zeamer, Jr". Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- ^ "Stories of Sacrifice: Joseph Raymond Sarnoski". Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- ^ Hayes, Clint. "Above and Beyond: The Incredible True Story of Zeamer's Eager Beavers". Zeamer's Eager Beavers. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- ^ Mueller, pp. 101-102
- ^ Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 97, 100, 318
- ^ Deaile, pp. 175-176
- ^ a b c Ravenstein, pp. 70-73
- ^ Knaack, p. 384
- ^ "Operation Heat Rise". National Museum of the US Air Force. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
- ^ Kipp et al., pp. 57-58, 61
- ^ "Abstract (Unclassified), History of the Strategic Bomber since 1945 (Top Secret, downgraded to Secret)". Air Force History Index. 1 April 1975. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
- ^ Knaack, p. 248 n.41
- ^ Station information in Haulman, Factsheet, except as noted.
- ^ Aircraft through 1991 in Haulman, Factsheet, except as noted.
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Deaile, Melvin G. (2007). The SAC Mentality: The Origins of Organizational Culture in Strategic Air Command 1946-1962. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
- Kipp, Robert; Peake, Lynn; Wolk, Herman. "Strategic Air Command Operations in the Cuban Crisis of 1962, SAC Historical Study No. 90 (Top Secret NOFORN, FRD, redacted and declassified)". Strategic Air Command. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
- Knaack, Marcelle Size (1988). Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems. Vol. 2, Post-World War II Bombers 1945-1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-59-5.
- 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.
- 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.
- Watkins, Robert A. (2013). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force In World War II. Vol. V, Pacific Theater of Operations. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-4346-9.
External links
- "Kensmen: 43rd Bomb Group (H) 5th AAF". 43rd BG Association. Retrieved 2 February 2023.