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16th Special Operations Squadron | |
|---|---|
 AC-130A Hercules of the 16th Special Operations Squadron[a] | |
| Active | 1942–1944; 1944–1945; 1968–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Special operations |
| Part of | Air Force Special Operations Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Cannon Air Force Base |
| Motto | Spectre |
| Engagements | Vietnam War |
| Decorations |  Distinguished Unit Citation Presidential Unit Citation Gallant Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award withCombat "V" Device Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm[1] |
| Insignia | |
| 16th Special Operations Squadron emblem[b][1] |  |
| 16th Special Operations Squadron emblem[c][2] | .png) |
| 16th Combat Cargo Sq emblem[d][3] |  |
| 16th Ferrying Squadron emblem |  |
The16th Special Operations Squadron is part of the27th Special Operations Wing atCannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operates theAC-130J Ghostrider[4] aircraft in support of special operations.
Train and maintain its combat-ready force to provide highly accurate firepower in support of bothconventional andunconventional forces.[5]
The squadron ferried aircraft from factories to units in US and Canada and conducted pilot training from April 1942 – April 1944. In June 1944 it came under command of the4th Combat Cargo Group. It flew combat aerial transportation missions from India into Burma and China from December 1944 – October 1945.[1]
The 16th flew combat missions in Southeast Asia where it was charged with attacking convoys on theHo Chi Minh Trail, the defense of hamlets and fire bases, providingclose air support to troops in contact with the enemy, providing convoy escort, and battlefield illumination, November 1968 – July 1974. As the war drew to a close the squadron supportedOperation Eagle Pull, the evacuation ofPhnom Penh,Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation ofSaigon and figured prominently in therescue of the Mayagüez. 52 members of the 16 SOS werekilled in action during theVietnam War.[5]
In November 1979 the 16th set a flight endurance record[clarification needed] of 29.7 hours, flying non-stop fromHurlburt Field, Florida toAndersen Air Force Base,Guam.[5]
The 16th supported the multi-national assault onGrenada on 25 October 1983. It provided last-secondsurveillance and intelligence to theair assault forces, silencinganti-aircraft artillery emplacements, knocking out enemyarmored personnel carriers, defending political dignitaries surrounded by enemy troops, and relieving troops in combat.[5]
From late December 1989 to 14 January 1990, the squadron participated in the invasion ofPanama duringOperation Just Cause. 16 SOS aircrews received theMacKay Trophy and the 1989Military Airlift Command Aircrew of the Year, for their actions in destroying the headquarters for thePanamanian Defense Force, and providing fire support for theArmy Ranger assault on Rio Hato Air Base.[5]
On 12 September 1990 The 16th arrived inSaudi Arabia to supportOperations Desert Shield andDesert Storm, the protection of Saudi Arabia and the liberation ofKuwait. The squadron flew 50 combat missions in Desert Storm and lost one aircraft and 14 airmen on 31 January 1991, while supporting coalition forces engaged in theBattle of Khafji.[5]
During 1993 and 1994, the 16th deployed to Africa in support ofOperation Continue Hope, the United Nations relief effort in Somalia. Squadron crews based out ofDjibouti struck targets inMogadishu, and later deployed toKenya to ensure security for UN forces. During this deployment, a gunship was destroyed due to an in-bore detonation of the 105mm gun while airborne. Eight of the 14 aircrew members lost their lives in this accident.[5]
The 16 SOS deployed to Italy in support ofOperation Deny Flight periodically from July 1993 until its termination on 28 August 1995. 16 SOS aircraft actively patrolled the skies overBosnia and Herzegovina, providing protective air cover and close air support to UN protection forces.[5]
While maintaining the Operation Deny Flight mission, the 16 SOS also deployed to other parts of the world for 184 days. From 18 September-19 October 1994, it deployed toCuba in support ofOperation Uphold Democracy and provided air support to coalition forces during the ouster of GeneralRaoul Cédras and the restoration ofJean-Bertrand Aristide in Haiti. Additionally, from 30 January −2 March 1995, the 16th SOS returned to Africa in support ofOperation United Shield, the withdrawal of UN forces from Mogadishu, Somalia. On the final night of this operation, the gunships provided real-time intelligence to ground commanders via armed reconnaissance and surveillance during theU.S. Marine amphibious withdrawal from Mogadishu.[5]
Operation Deliberate Force began on 19 August 1995. It was the largestNATO air operation in history. The 16 SOS flew multiple combatsearch and rescue sorties from 6–8 September in support of the rescue attempt of a FrenchMirage aircrew downed by asurface-to-air missile nearPale. During the operation, which lasted until 15 September, the 16th expended 268 rounds of105mm and 125 rounds of40mm againstearly warning radar sites andcommand and control facilities. The 16th also participated in Operations Decisive Endeavor,Joint Endeavor, Assured Response, Deliberate Guard, Joint Guard, Goal Keeper, and Wintering Over.[5]
Following the11 September terrorist attacks the 16th deployed on 11 November 2001 to an undisclosed location nearAfghanistan to supportOperation Enduring Freedom. The day after arriving in Afghanistan, the 16th attackedTaliban andAl-Qaeda forces near the city ofKonduz in support ofNorthern Alliance forces, and was directly responsible for the city's surrender the next day. On 26 November the squadron supported the suppression of a rebellion at the prison fort of Qala-i-Jangi While supporting the beleaguered U.S. CIA and allied British forces throughout the night with withering 40mm and 105mm fire, Spectre succeeded in ending the rebellion of Taliban and Al-QaedaPOWs.[5]
The 16th also flew missions overMazār-e Sharīf,Kunduz,Kandahar,Shkin,Asadabad,Bagram,Baghran,Tora Bora, and nearly every other part of Afghanistan. The squadron has participated in a number of operations within Afghanistan including Operations Full Throttle, Roll Tide, andEagle Fury. It also performed on-call close air support and armed reconnaissance over Kandahar after an assassination attempt againstAfghanistan's President,Hamid Karzai.[5]
In March 2002, the 16th flew 39 combat missions in support ofOperation Anaconda in Afghanistan. With only 3 aircraft and 3 crews, the squadron amassed 322 combat hours over 12 days, resulting in 45 enemies killed in action, nine vehicles destroyed, 11 damaged vehicles, and 12 destroyed and 25 damaged buildings. During the intense fighting, the squadron expended more than 1,300 40MM and 1,200 105MM rounds. Their actions earned them the 2002 Mackay Trophy, and 2002 Air Force aviator valor awards. In addition, in 2002 the 16th SOS was the third most deployed unit in the Air Force.[5]
After over three decades with Hurlburt Field as its home station, the squadron relocated toCannon Air Force Base in 2009. On 27 May 2015, AFSOC retired the final AC-130H Spectre Gunship in service, tail number #69-6569 "Excalibur".[6] The squadron converted to AC-130W Stinger IIs (previously designated MC-130W) during 2015.[7]
The 16th commenced transition to the AC-130J Ghostrider aircraft in April 2022[8] and retired its last AC-130W in July 2022.[9]
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This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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