711th Special Operations Squadron
711th Special Operations Squadron | |
---|---|
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Major General Richard S. Haddad[2] |
Insignia | |
711th Special Operations Squadron Emblem[b][3] | |
711th Bombardment Squadron emblem[c][4] | |
World War II fuselage code[1] | IP |
447th Bombardment Group tail marking | Square K |
Combat Aviation Advisor beret flash[5] |
The 711th Special Operations Squadron is an active reserve squadron of the United States Air Force, part of the 919th Special Operations Wing at Duke Field, Florida. The unit is operationally gained by Air Force Special Operations Command if called to active duty.
The squadron was first activated during
The squadron was activated in the reserves as a
The squadron activated in 1971 as the 711th Tactical Airlift Squadron at
Mission
In May 2013, the 711th ended its 42-year mission operating the Lockheed C-130 aircraft to transition to an aviation foreign internal defense mission flying
History
World War II
Training in the United States
The squadron was first activated on 1 May 1943 at
The original mission of the squadron was to be an
Combat in the European Theater
The squadron was stationed at RAF Rattlesden, England, from December 1943 to August 1945. It flew its first combat mission on 24 December 1943 against a V-1 flying bomb launch site near Saint-Omer in Northern France.[12]
From December 1943 to May 1944, the squadron helped prepare for the invasion of the European continent by attacking
The unit supported
The squadron aided in
On 2 November 1944,
The 711th redeployed to the United States during the summer 1945. The air echelon ferried their aircraft and personnel back to the United States, leaving on 29 and 30 June 1945. The squadron ground echelon, along with the 709th squadron sailed 3 August 1945 on the
Pre-Korean War reserve operations
The squadron was redesignated as a
Reserve fighter operations
The reserve mobilization for the Korean War left it without aircraft, and the reserve did not again receive aircraft until July 1952.
Despite its
However, the Joint Chiefs of Staff were pressuring the Air Force to provide more wartime airlift. At the same time, about 150 Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars became available from the active force. Consequently, in November 1956 the Air Force directed Continental Air Command to convert three reserve fighter bomber wings to the troop carrier mission by September 1957. In addition, within the Air Staff was a recommendation that the reserve fighter mission given to the Air National Guard and replaced by the troop carrier mission.[24] As a consequence in November 1957, the 711th[4] and the remainder of the 448th Wing were inactivated[19] when reserve operations at Hensley converted to the airlift mission and the 69th Troop Carrier Squadron moved to Hensley from Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.[25]
Reserve special operations
The unit reactivated in 1971 at
In late 1974, the squadron began transitioning to the AC-130A Spectre aircraft[3] and when transition to gunships was complete the squadron was redesignated as the 711th Special Operations Squadron in the summer of the following year.[3] Close air support of conventional and special operations ground forces became the unit's primary duty, but additional capabilities included the ability to perform armed interdiction, reconnaissance, and escort, forward air control and combat search and rescue in conventional or unconventional warfare settings.[26]
Because the Spectres' advanced sensors were useful in range reconnaissance and range clearing tasks, the 711th also provided missile range support to the Air Force's
The 711th flew pre-strike reconnaissance,
The 711th again flew combat missions during
The squadron's primary mission changed in late 1995 as the unit transitioned to the MC-130E Combat Talon I aircraft. In its new role, the squadron provided long-range clandestine delivery of special operations forces and equipment. It periodically deployed personnel and aircraft to support special operations contingency operations worldwide, as well as numerous humanitarian missions.[3] Beginning on 1 October 1997, the 711th also provided the flight portion of MC-130E Combat Talon I training for both Air Force Special Operations Command and Air Force Reserve Command.[3]
After September 2001, the 711th frequently deployed aircraft and personnel to Iraq and Afghanistan in support of
The squadron ended forty-two years of operating with the Hercules in 2013, when it transitioned into the
On 15 December 2022, the squadron retired the C-145A from active service.[32] According to two 2022 articles in Task & Purpose, the 711th was programmed to be inactivated.[33][34] However, as of 2023, the 711th is still shown on the 919th Special Operations Wing's af.mil website as an active squadron.
Lineage
- Constituted as the 711th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 6 April 1943
- Activated on 1 May 1943
- Redesignated 711th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 20 August 1943
- Inactivated on 7 November 1945
- Redesignated 711th Bombardment Squadron, Light on 10 May 1949
- Activated in the reserve on 27 June 1949
- Ordered to active service on 17 March 1951
- Inactivated on 21 March 1951
- Redesignated 711th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 12 April 1955
- Activated in the reserve on 18 May 1955
- Inactivated on 16 November 1957.
- Redesignated 711 Tactical Airlift Squadron on 17 June 1971
- Activated in the Reserve on 30 July 1971
- Redesignated 711 Special Operations Squadron on 1 July 1975[3]
Assignments
- 447th Bombardment Group, 1 May 1943 – 7 November 1945
- 448th Bombardment Group, 27 June 1949 – 21 March 1951
- 448th Fighter-Bomber Group, 18 May 1955 – 16 November 1957
- 919th Tactical Airlift Group(later 919 Special Operations Group), 30 July 1971
- 919th Operations Group (later 919th Special Operations Group),[g] 1 August 1992 – present[3]
Stations
|
|
Aircraft
|
|
|
Awards and campaigns
Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Gallant Unit Citation | 6 October 2001-1 July 2003 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[36] | |
Combat "V" Device |
1 February 2001–31 January 2003 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
30 July 1971-31 March 1973 | 711th Tactical Airlift Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1975-31 January 1977 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 October 1983-1 June 1985 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 June 1987-31 May 1989 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 8 December 1989-7 January 1990 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 June 1990-31 May 1992 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 June 1992-31 May 1994 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 June 1994-31 May 1996 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 June 1996-31 May 1998 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 June 1998-31 May 2000 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 February 2003–30 September 2003 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 October 2003–31 December 2004 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 January 2005–31 December 2005 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 January 2006–31 December 2006 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 January 2007–30 April 2007 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 October 2008–30 July 2010 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] |
Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
American Theater | 1 May 1943 – 11 November 1943 | 711th Bombardment Squadron[4] | |
Air Offensive, Europe | 29 November 1943 – 5 June 1944 | 711th Bombardment Squadron[4] | |
Normandy | 6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944 | 711th Bombardment Squadron[4] | |
Northern France | 25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944 | 711th Bombardment Squadron[4] | |
Rhineland | 15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945 | 711th Bombardment Squadron[4] | |
Ardennes-Alsace | 16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945 | 711th Bombardment Squadron[4] | |
Central Europe | 22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945 | 711th Bombardment Squadron[4] | |
Just Cause | 20 December 1989 – 31 January 1990 | 711th Special Operations Squadron, Panama[3] | |
Defense of Saudi Arabia | [h] | 711th Special Operations Squadron | |
Liberation and Defense of Kuwait | 9 February 1991 – 19 March 1991 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Campaign | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] | ||
Consolidation II | 1 November 2006 – 30 November 2006 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Transition of Iraq | 2 May 2003 – 28 June 2004 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
National Resolution | 16 December 2005 – 9 January 2007 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Iraqi Sovereignty | 1 January 2009 – 31 August 2010 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
New Dawn | 1 September 2010 – 31 December 2011 | 711th Special Operations Squadron[3] |
References
Notes
- Explanatory Notes
- ^ This was the most recent aircraft type flown by the squadron.
- ^ Approved c. 1977
- ^ Approved 6 September 1943. Description: Over and through a light blue disc, outlined dark blue, a yellow orange aerial bomb on white speed segment, piercing lower rim of disc, and deflecting a pair of dice to top and bottom of disc on white impact rays, dark blue spots 6, 5, and 4, showing on upper die and 1, 2, and 3, on lower die, with the spots 5 and 2 on the top of the dice.
- Kingman AAF, AZ on 20 December 1945. It was sold for scrap in July 1946. Baugher, Joe (6 May 2023). "1942 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
- Eglin AFB. It is the first Hercules built. Baugher, Joe (8 April 2023). "1953 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
- ^ The drop of the 15,000 pounds (6,800 kg) bomb was made at the Utah Test and Training Range on 15 July 2008.
- ^ This 919th Special Operations Group is not the same unit that the squadron was assigned to from 1971 to 1993. That unit is now the 919th Special Operations Wing. Robertson, Factsheet 919 Special Operations Wing (AFRC).
- ^ The 711th received credit for this campaign. However unit histories show that the squadron did not deploy until the campaign ended. Dollman, Factsheet 711 Special Operations Squadron.
- Citations
- ^ a b Watkins, pp. 92–93
- ^ "United States Air Force Biography Major General Richard S. "Beef" Haddad" (PDF). House of Representatives. 16 April 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
- ^ 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 ag ah ai aj ak al am Dollman, TSG David (16 October 2016). "Factsheet 711 Special Operations Squadron (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 712–713
- ^ Roux, Capt Monique (8 January 2018). "Quiet Professionals don brown beret". Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs Office. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
- ^ King, TSG Samuel (18 April 2013). "Air Force Combat Talons fly for last time". 919 Special Operations Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
- ^ King, Jr., TSG Samuel, 919 Special Operations Wing Public Affairs, Eglin Flyer, Beacon Newspapers, Bayou Enterprises, Niceville, Florida, Friday 17 April 2015, pp. 1,6.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 321–322
- ^ Surridge & Dooley, p. 18
- ^ Surridge & Dooley, pp. 19–21
- ^ Freeman, p. 257
- ^ "Abstract, History 447 Bombardment Group May 1943 – Apr 1944". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
- ^ "447th Air Expeditionary Group". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
- ^ "Abstract, History 447 Bombardment Group Mar–Jun 1944". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
- ^ "Abstract, History 447 Bombardment Group Apr 1945". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
- ^ Freeman, p. 180
- ^ Surridge & Dooley, pp. 214–215
- ^ Cantwell, p. 74
- ^ a b c Ravenstein, p. 244
- ^ Cantwell, pp. 92–93
- ^ Cantwell, p. 139
- ^ Cantwell, p. 146
- ^ Cantwell, p. 148
- ^ Cantwell, p. 168
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 258
- ^ a b Robertson, Patsy (22 June 2017). "Factsheet 919 Special Operations Wing (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
- ^ Bergeron, pp. 39–40
- ^ Bergeron, pp. 104–106
- ^ See "919th Special Operations Wing". 919th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs. 9 June 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ^ "Rolling in". 911th Special Operations Wing. 31 December 2013. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
- ^ Comtois, Col. Anthony (13 October 2012). "State of wing, future of Duke". 911th Special Operations Wing. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
- ^ Gentile, Dylan (19 December 2022). "C-145A Combat Coyote makes final run after decade of service". 919th Special Operations Wing. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ Brown, Ethan (12 August 2022). "Air Force will shut down program that trains foreign pilots". Task & Purpose. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ Roza, David (10 October 2022). "The end of the brown beret: Air Force special ops squadron shuts down after 28 years advising allied aviators". Task & Purpose. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ Station number in Anderson.
- ^ "Air Force Recognition Programs". Air Force Personnel Center. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
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 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
- Bergeron, TSG Randy G. (2001). Desert Shield/Desert Storm: Air Force Special Operations Command in the Gulf War (PDF) (Reprint ed.). Hurlburt Field, FL: Air Force Special Operations Command History Office. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
- Cantwell, Gerald T. (1997). Citizen Airmen: a History of the Air Force Reserve, 1946–1994. Washington, D.C.: Air Force History and Museums Program. ISBN 0-16049-269-6. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Freeman, Roger A. (1970). The Mighty Eighth: Units, Men and Machines (A History of the US 8th Army Air Force). London, England, UK: Macdonald and Company. ISBN 978-0-87938-638-2.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. pp. 321–322. LCCN 61060979.
- 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.
- Surridge; Dooley, Edward C., eds. (1946). Pictorial History of the 447th Bombardment Group (H). World War II Regimental Histories No. 107. Tampa, FL. p. 18. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Watkins, Robert (2008). Battle Colors: Insignia and Markings of the Eighth Air Force in World War II. Vol. I (VIII) Bomber Command. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-1987-7.
External links
- No byline. "919th Special Operations Wing". 911th Special Operations Wing Public Afffairs. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
- No byline (2008). "Birth of the "Spectre" Gunship". Spectre Association. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
- No byine (August 2006). "Library: Fact Sheets 919th Special Operations Wing". 919th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs. Archived from the original on 13 November 2007. Retrieved 30 May 2023.