19th Special Operations Squadron | |
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| Active | 1940–1963; 1964–1971; 1996–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Special Operations |
| Part of | 492nd Special Operations Wing |
| Garrison/HQ | Hurlburt Field |
| Mottos | Deeds, Not Words (1964–1971) |
| Engagements | Admiralty Islands campaign Battle of Khe Sanh |
| Decorations | Presidential Unit Citation Navy Presidential Unit Citation Gallant Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award withCombat "V" Device Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm |
| Insignia | |
| 19th Special Operations Squadron emblem(approved 23 August 1996)[1] |  |
| 19th Air Commando Sq emblem |  |
| Patch with 19th Bombardment Squadron emblem(approved 19 September 1941)[2] |  |
The19th Special Operations Squadron is anAir Force Special Operations Command unit, part of the492nd Special Operations Wing atHurlburt Field, Florida. It conducts crew training forAC-130 andLockheed MC-130 aircraft.
The 19th was established as a GHQ Air Force medium bomber squadron in 1940 as a result of the buildup of theUnited States Army Air Corps after the outbreak ofWorld War II in Europe. It trained with a mix ofDouglas B-18 Bolos andMartin B-26 Marauders.
After theattack on Pearl Harbor brought the USA into World War II, the squadron was transferred to the West Coast, flying anti-submarine patrols fromMuroc AAF, California from December 1941 to the end of January 1942. It was then assigned to the newFifth Air Force, originally based on the Philippines. Leaving the B-18s at Muroc, the squadron moved to the South Pacific where it flew its first combat missions fromGarbutt Field,Townsville, Australia, againstRabaul,New Britain. In addition to frequent raids against Rabaul, the 19th flew against enemy shipping, facilities, and troop concentrations inNew Guinea and providedclose air support forAllied troops fighting there, until being withdrawn from combat in January 1943. With refurbished B-26s, the 19th moved to New Guinea and returned to combat in mid-July 1943.[3]
The squadron was again re-equipped, withConsolidated B-24 Liberators, in early 1944, then returned to combat status on 10 March 1944 with a raid againstManus Island. Most operations were against targets in theBismarck Archipelago until the 19th moved to Owi Island in late July. The squadron flew its first mission to the Philippines Islands on 1 September 1944, hitting Japanese installations atDavao,Mindanao. The B-24s hit enemy facilities in theCelebes and on Mindanao, with an occasional raid against the oil refineries atBalikpapan,Borneo. Raids continued until the squadron moved in early December 1944 toAngaur,Palau Islands. From this station, the B-24s bombed targets throughout the Philippines. In January 1945, the 19th moved toSamar Island, Philippines, before finally relocating in March toClark Field. In the meantime, in mid-February, the 19th raidedFormosa for the first time, and on 21 March, flew its first mission into China. In June 1945, for a week, the B-24s flew from Puerta Princesa,Palawan Island, to hit targets on Borneo in support ofAustralian forces landing there. The 19th flew its last bombing mission of the war on 18 July 1945, to Formosa. In August the squadron moved toOkinawa and flewreconnaissance missions over Japan.[3]
The 19th flew training missions in the Far East until being moved toSmoky Hill Air Force Base,Kansas, in May 1946. It deployed to England in November 1946, where it flew training missions toAccra, West Africa,Aden, Yemen, andArabia, returning in February 1947 to Smoky Hill AFB, then toMarch Air Force Base, California in May. The 19th again deployed to England from November 1949 to February 1950 where the squadron flew training sorties to Germany andDhahran, Saudi Arabia.[3]
The squadron then deployed in July 1950 toKadena Air Base, Okinawa, and flew its first combat mission overKorea on 13 July, hitting marshaling yards atWonsan, North Korea. Bombing missions over both North Korea and South Korea followed, with targets such as bridges, industrial facilities, and railroads. The squadron flew its last combat mission on 19 October, and returned to the USA on 30 October.[3]
Back at March AFB, the 19th trainedBoeing B-29 Superfortress crews to be sent to theFar East Air Forces for combat duty in Korea. In February 1953, the 19th replaced its B-29s withBoeing B-47 Stratojet bombers. The 19 BS made its last deployment to England between December 1953 and March 1954, flying training missions to Sidi Slimane andFrench Morocco. Later the 19th deployed from April–June 1957 toAndersen Air Force Base,Guam, and from there, flew missions to Japan and Korea. In November 1957, the 19th BS received a forward alert obligation, initially sending five B-47s toEielson Air Force Base,Alaska, for six months of cold weather training, then rotating a single aircraft with aircrew for two to four weeks at a time. The alert aircraft were sent in November 1958 toElmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, and then in January 1959 to Andersen AFB, Guam. The 19th ceased operational flying in February 1963 and ferried its B-47s to other units and was inactivated on 15 March 1963.[3]
The 19th Air Commando Squadron was organized on 8 October 1964, atTan Son Nhut Air Base, just outsideSaigon,South Vietnam. The 19th receivedFairchild C-123 Provider aircraft and personnel in 1964 but did not become operational as a unit until March 1965. It flew combat missions including cargo drops, flare missions at night in support of hamlets and outposts under attack, transporting troops and supplies to combat areas, andair evacuation of wounded andrefugees from battle areas. Cargo included munitions, vehicles, spare parts, fuel and various foods. Missions were flown in support of the U.S. Air Force,U.S. Army,United States Navy,U.S. Marines andSouth Vietnamese forces. ARoyal Thai Air Force contingent was attached to the squadron from mid-1966 until inactivation. Whenever Tan Son Nhut Air Base came under rocket and mortar attacks, the 19th would operate for up to two weeks at a time fromPhan Rang Air Base. The 19th also flew increased missions during theTet Offensive of 1968 and shared in a Navy Presidential Unit Citation for support to U.S. Marines defendingKhe Sanh from January to March 1968. In June to August 1970, the 19th flew airlift,airdrop, and evacuation missions in support of Allied forces fighting in Cambodia. On 19 April 1971, the 19 SOS began to transfer the C-123s toSouth Vietnam and the squadron flew its last combat mission on 30 April. The 19th ceased all operations in early May and was inactivated on 10 June 1971. On 19 September 1985, the unit was redesignated and combined with the 19th Tactical Intelligence Squadron.[3]
The 19th SOS was reactivated on 24 May 1996, atHurlburt Field. It currently conducts all formal aircrew training for the AC-130U andU-28A Draco. That training includes the initial mission qualification, requalification, aircraft commander upgrade, instructor upgrade and refresher training. Additionally, the 19th SOS provides training for the CV-22, C-145, MC-130H, and will soon be training all AC-130J aircrew. The 19th SOS uses advanced aircrew training devices (simulators) as well as training coded aircraft for flight and ground training. The Special Operations Forces Aircrew Training System contractor provides the 19 SOS administrative support to training operations, courseware development and maintenance, classroom and flightline instruction and operations and maintenance of training and mission rehearsal devices.[3]
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stock, Australia, 4 Jul 1942; Iron Range, Australia, 15 Sep 1942; Woodstock, Australia, 4 Feb 1943;
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Previously: Philippine Department Air Force (1941); Far East Air Force (1941-1942) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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