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| 2nd Airborne Command and Control Squadron | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1942–1944; 1949–1952; 1952–1954; 1970–1994 |
| Disbanded | 1994 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Command and control |
| Part of | Strategic Air Command |
| Motto | Parvus Sed Intrepidum (Latin for 'Small but Intrepid') (1952-1954) |
| Decorations | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
| Insignia | |
| 2d Airborne Command and Control Squadron emblem[a] |  |
| Original 2d Airborne Command & Control Squadron emblem | .png) |
| 2d Liaison Squadron emblem[b] |  |
| 2d Ferrying Squadron emblem[c] |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| EC-135 Looking Glass | |
TheAirborne Command and Control Squadron[d] was an airborne command and control unit of theUnited States Air ForceStrategic Air Command located at SAC HQ atOffutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. Active in its final form during and after theCold War from 1970-1994, the squadron was an integral part of the United States'Post Attack Command and Control System, performing theOperation Looking Glass mission with theBoeing EC-135 aircraft.
From its activation in April 1942 until it was disbanded in 1944, the2d Ferrying Squadron received aircraft at their factory of origin and ferried them to the units to which they were assigned.[1]
The2d Liaison Squadron provided emergency air evacuation, search and rescue, courier and messenger service, routinereconnaissance and transportation of personnel. It regularly operated betweenLangley Air Force Base, Virginia andFort John Custis with oneBeechcraft C-45 Expeditor and severalStinson L-13s.[1]
In July 1952, the squadron closed at Langley and reopened atShaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, operatingde Havilland Canada L-20 Beavers. It operated a regular courier service toPope Air Force Base, North Carolina andMyrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina. In 1953, the squadron also began operatingSikorsky H-19helicopters. The unit was inactivated in June 1954.[1]
The desire for an Airborne Command Post (ABNCP) to provide survivable command and control ofStrategic Air Command's nuclear forces came about in 1958. By 1960, modified KC-135A command post aircraft began pulling alert for SAC under the34th Air Refueling Squadron (AREFS). On 3 February 1961, Continuous Airborne Operations (CAO) commenced, which meant that there was always at least oneLooking Glass aircraft airborne at all times. Starting in 1966, the38th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron took over the Looking Glass mission. Eventually, on 1 April 1970, the 2nd ACCS took over theLooking Glass mission flyingEC-135C ABNCP aircraft for the duration of the Cold War as a critical member in thePost Attack Command and Control System. There continued to be at least one Looking Glass aircraft airborne at all times providing a backup to SAC's underground command post. Additionally, the 2 ACCS maintained an additional EC-135C on ground alert at Offutt AFB, NE as the EASTAUXCP (East Auxiliary Command Post), providing backup to the airborne Looking Glass, radio relay capability, and a means for the Commander in Chief of SAC to escape an enemy nuclear attack.[2][3]
The 2nd ACCS was also a major player inAirborne Launch Control System operations. The primary mission of the 2nd ACCS was to fly the SAC ABNCPLooking Glass aircraft in continuous airborne operations, however, due to its close proximity in orbiting over the central US, the airborne Looking Glass provided ALCS coverage for the Minuteman Wing located atWhiteman AFB, MO. Not only did Whiteman AFB have Minuteman II ICBMs, but it also had ERCS configured Minuteman missiles on alert. The EASTAUXCP was ALCS capable, however, it did not have a dedicated ALCS mission.[2][3]
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
2d Airborne Command and Control Squadron Website]
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