66th Weapons Squadron | |
|---|---|
 66th Weapons SquadronA-10A Thunderbolt II | |
| Active | 1941–1945; 1946–1958; 1969–1981; 2003–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Advanced Close Air Support Training |
| Part of | Air Combat Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada |
| Nickname(s) | Wild Weasel (1969-1981) |
| Engagements |  Mediterranean Theater of Operations[1] |
| Decorations |  Distinguished Unit Citation (3x)  Air Force Outstanding Unit Award .jpg) French Croix de Guerre, with Palm[1] |
| Insignia | |
| 66th Weapons Squadron emblem(reinstated and modified 18 January 1978)[1] |  |
| 66th Fighter Weapons Squadron emblem(approved 20 March 1970)[1] |  |
| Patch with 66th Fighter Squadron emblem(approved 2 January 1942)[1] |  |
| Tail Code | WA |
TheUnited States Air Force's66th Weapons Squadron is aUnited States Air Force Weapons SchoolFairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II instructional flying unit, atNellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
Thesquadron was first activated in the build up of the American military prior to its entry intoWorld War II as the66th Pursuit Squadron. After training in the United States, it deployed to North Africa in 1942, and participated in combat in theMediterranean Theater of Operations. The squadron moved forward through Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia withAllied forces, moving to Italy in 1943. The 66th earned threeDistinguished Unit Citations for its combat actions before returning to the United States for inactivation in 1945.
The following year, the squadron was activated for theair defense of Alaska. It served in this role, and briefly in the air defense of California, before inactivating in 1958. It was reactivated in 1969 as the66th Fighter Weapons Squadron, an advanced training unit forWild Weasel tactics until inactivating in 1981.
Active since 2003, the 66th Weapons Squadron teaches graduate-level instructor courses that provide training in weapons and tactics employment to officers of the combat air forces and mobility air forces. The 66th focuses on theA-10 Thunderbolt II, with the climax of the course being the mission employment phase, a two-week staged battle over the Nevada Test and Training Range.
Upon graduation, the new weapons officers return to the field to serve as unit weapons and tactics officers, providing advanced instruction and technical advice to their commanders, operations officers, and personnel.
Formed as aP-40 Warhawk pursuit squadron in January 1941 as part of the Army Air Corps Northeast Defense Sector (laterI Fighter Command) atMitchel Field, New York. Trained in New England and provided air defense of the northeast after the Japanese attack onPearl Harbor.
Was reassigned to the U.S. Army Middle East Force in Egypt, July 1942, becoming part ofIX Fighter Command. Took part in the BritishWestern Desert campaign, engaged in combat during theBattle of El Alamein and, as part ofNinth Air Force, supported the CommonwealthEighth Army's drive acrossEgypt andLibya, escortingbombers and flyingstrafing anddive-bombing missions againstairfields, communications, and troop concentrations untilAxis defeat inTunisia in May 1943. The unit participated in the reduction ofPantelleria (May–June 1943) and the conquest ofSicily (July–August 1943).
The squadron supported the British Eighth Army's landing atTermoli and subsequent operations in Italy, being reassigned to Twelfth Air Force in August 1943. It flew dive-bombing, strafing, patrol, and escort missions.
In 1944, converted toP-47 Thunderbolt aircraft and flew interdiction operations in Italy. They moved toCorsica on 30 March 1944 to operate as a separatetask force. It flew interdiction missions against railroads, communication targets, andmotor vehicles behind enemy lines, providing a minimum of 48 fighter-bomber sorties per day.
Participated in the French campaign againstElba in June 1944 and in theinvasion of Southern France in August. It engaged in interdiction and support operations in northern Italy from September 1944 to May 1945.
The 66th flew its last combat mission on 2 May 1945. Remained in northern Italy after the end of the European War, demobilizing throughout the summer of 1945. It was reassigned to the United States in August 1945 without personnel or equipment and was inactivated at the end of August.
Reactivated in August 1946 as part ofEleventh Air Force (LaterAlaskan Air Command) as part of the air defense forces in the northwest Pacific. Squadron began training new P-51 pilots atElmendorf Field, Alaska. Later, it was equipped with F-80Bs in March–April 1948, F-80Cs in October–December 1948, F-94Bs in the summer of 1951, and F-89Cs in September 1953. With these aircraft, the squadron provided fighter aircraft defense in support of the Alaska Area until late in the 1950s.
Was reassigned to Oxnard AFB, California in 1957, but was never equipped or manned due to budgetary constraints, inactivated by Air Defense command, January 1958.
Reactivated byTactical Air Command atNellis AFB, Nevada in October 1969 Assumed theF-105C/D Thunderchief assets of the provisional 4537th Fighter Weapons Squadron, tail coded "WC". Mission was to perform "Wild Weasel" training for USAF pilots and electronic warfare officers to be deployed to combat missions in Southeast Asia. Squadron aircraft carried tail code "WA" by October 1971, black/yellow checkered tail stripes. Squadron also assumedF-4C Phantom II assets, tail coded "WD" until October 1971, then changed to same "WA" as the F-105s. Trained with the F-4s and F-105s until July 1975 when Wild Weasel training and aircraft reassigned toGeorge AFB, California.
Remained in non-operational status until October 1977 when reorganized as an A-10 Squadron, tail coded "WA", black/yellow checkered tail stripes. Performed fighter weapons training with the A-10 until the end of 1981, when inactivated and squadron was reassigned to theUSAF Fighter Weapons School, being re-designated as "A-10 Division".
Reactivated in February 2003 as 66th Weapons Squadron (66 WPS), replacingUSAF Weapons School A-10 division. Provides USAF Weapons School syllabus support, priority test mission support and road shows that visit various units throughout the CONUS to ACC units for training.
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This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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