29th Attack Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 29th Attack Squadron is an active United States Air Force
training unit flying the MQ-9 Reaper
. It is assigned to the 49th Wing, stationed at Holloman AFB, New Mexico
. It was activated on 23 October 2009.
in the southeast. Equipped with the P-39F-2 Aircobra variant which was capable of both ground-attack and reconnaissance missions. Functioned primarily as a training unit during World War II, providing training of reconnaissance pilots and also supporting various Army training units at Fort Polk
, Fort Campbell
and also the Desert Training Center
in Southern California
. Also flew P-40F Warhawks also equipped for reconnaissance missions. Remained in active service after the war ended as a F-6 Mustang night reconnaissance squadron, but inactivated in 1946 as part of the general demobilization of the USAAF.
Reactivated in 1954 under Tactical Air Command
and equipped with RF-80A Shooting Stars at Shaw AFB, South Carolina
. Performed training of reconnaissance pilots; being upgraded to the RF-84F Thunderstreak in 1955 and the RF-101C Voodoo in 1957 as a component of the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group. Remained at Shaw when the 432d was inactivated and reassigned to the 363d TRW. Inactivated in 1966 with the phaseout of the RF-101.
Reactivated in 1968 and equipped with the RF-4C Phantom II due to a critical need for reconnaissance pilots due to the Vietnam War
. Performed training on the RF-4C until 1971 when inactivated due to the USAF drawdown in Vietnam and budget reductions.
On October 23, 2009, the 29th Attack Squadron (ATKS) was stood up under the 49th Wing at Holloman AFB
, New Mexico
under the command of Lt Colonel James S. Merchant. An initial cadre of twelve instructors (six Instructor Pilots and six Instructor Sensor Operators) manned the unit. The unit was replaced the 432d Operations Group
, Detachment 1 and fell under the auspices of the 432d Wing
at Creech AFB
, Nevada
. It is the one and only MQ-9 Reaper
FTU (Formal Training Unit) in the United States Air Force
.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
training unit flying the MQ-9 Reaper
MQ-9 Reaper
The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper is an unmanned aerial vehicle , capable of remote controlled or autonomous flight operations, developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for use by the United States Air Force, the United States Navy, the CIA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Royal...
. It is assigned to the 49th Wing, stationed at Holloman AFB, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. It was activated on 23 October 2009.
History
Established in early 1942 as an observation squadron; trained under Third Air ForceThird Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
in the southeast. Equipped with the P-39F-2 Aircobra variant which was capable of both ground-attack and reconnaissance missions. Functioned primarily as a training unit during World War II, providing training of reconnaissance pilots and also supporting various Army training units at Fort Polk
Fort Polk
Fort Polk is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, approximately 7 miles east of Leesville, Louisiana and 20 miles north of DeRidder, Louisiana....
, Fort Campbell
Fort Campbell
Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located astraddle the Kentucky-Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and Clarksville, Tennessee...
and also the Desert Training Center
Desert Training Center
The Desert Training Center was a World War II training facility established in the Mojave Desert; largely in Southern California and Western Arizona in 1942....
in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
. Also flew P-40F Warhawks also equipped for reconnaissance missions. Remained in active service after the war ended as a F-6 Mustang night reconnaissance squadron, but inactivated in 1946 as part of the general demobilization of the USAAF.
Reactivated in 1954 under Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
and equipped with RF-80A Shooting Stars at Shaw AFB, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. Performed training of reconnaissance pilots; being upgraded to the RF-84F Thunderstreak in 1955 and the RF-101C Voodoo in 1957 as a component of the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group. Remained at Shaw when the 432d was inactivated and reassigned to the 363d TRW. Inactivated in 1966 with the phaseout of the RF-101.
Reactivated in 1968 and equipped with the RF-4C Phantom II due to a critical need for reconnaissance pilots due to the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Performed training on the RF-4C until 1971 when inactivated due to the USAF drawdown in Vietnam and budget reductions.
On October 23, 2009, the 29th Attack Squadron (ATKS) was stood up under the 49th Wing at Holloman AFB
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
under the command of Lt Colonel James S. Merchant. An initial cadre of twelve instructors (six Instructor Pilots and six Instructor Sensor Operators) manned the unit. The unit was replaced the 432d Operations Group
432d Operations Group
The 432d Operations Group is the flying component of the United States Air Force 432d Wing, stationed at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada.-Overview:...
, Detachment 1 and fell under the auspices of the 432d Wing
432d Wing
The 432d Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command, stationed at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada. The group operates unmanned reconnaissance aircraft which provide real-time reconnaissance, surveillance, and precision attack against fixed and time-critical targets...
at Creech AFB
Creech Air Force Base
Creech Air Force Base , formerly known as Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field, is a United States Air Force base located one mile north of the central business district of Indian Springs, in Clark County, Nevada, United States. It is about northwest of Las Vegas and northwest of Nellis Air...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. It is the one and only MQ-9 Reaper
MQ-9 Reaper
The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper is an unmanned aerial vehicle , capable of remote controlled or autonomous flight operations, developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for use by the United States Air Force, the United States Navy, the CIA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Royal...
FTU (Formal Training Unit) in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
.
Lineage
- Constituted 13th Observation Squadron (Medium) on 5 Feb 1942
- Activated on 2 Mar 1942
- Redesignated: 13th Observation Squadron on 4 July 1942
- Redesignated: 13th Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter) on 2 Apr 1943
- Redesignated: 13th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 11 Aug 1943
- Redesignated: 29th Reconnaissance Squadron (Night Photographic) on 25 Jan 1946.
- Inactivated on 29 Jul 1946
- Redesignated 29th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (Photographic) on 14 Jan 1954
- Activated on 18 Mar 1954
- Inactivated on 1 Jul 1966
- Redesignated 29th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and activated on 20 Jan 1968
- Inactivated 24 Jan 1971
- Redesignated 29th Attack Squadron on 20 October 2009
- Activated on 23 Oct 2009
Assignments
- 4th Observation (later Reconnaissance; Tactical Reconnaissance) Group, 2 Mar 1942
- XIX Tactical Air CommandXIX Tactical Air CommandThe XIX Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. The unit's last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force based at Biggs Field, Texas...
- Attached to: 69th Reconnaissance Group69th Reconnaissance GroupThe 69th Reconnaissance Group is an active United States Air Force unit. Its a unit which is part of Air Combat Command stationed at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota...
, 7 Nov 1945- 69th Reconnaissance Group69th Reconnaissance GroupThe 69th Reconnaissance Group is an active United States Air Force unit. Its a unit which is part of Air Combat Command stationed at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota...
, 18 Feb-29 July 1946 - 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 18 Mar 1954
- 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 8 Feb 1958
- 69th Reconnaissance Group
- Attached to: 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 8 Apr-17 May 1959
- 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 18 May 1959-1 July 1966; 20 Jan 1968-24 Jan 1971
- 49th Fighter Wing49th Fighter WingThe 49th Wing is an air combat unit of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The 49 WG is part of the Air Combat Command Twelfth Air Force....
, 23 October 2009-Present
Stations
- Brooks FieldBrooks FieldBrooks Field may refer to:* Brooks City-Base, formerly Brooks Air Force Base, in San Antonio, Texas, USA.* Brooks Field , a football stadium in Golden, Colorado, USA....
, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, 2 Mar 1942 - Lawson Field, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, c. 8 Mar 1942; - DeRidder Army Airbase, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, 11 Apr 1942 - Esler Field, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, 15 Dec 1942 - Desert Center Army Airfield, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, 28 Dec 1942 - Morris Field, North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, 24 Sept 1943 - Camp Campbell Army AirfieldCampbell Army AirfieldCampbell Army Airfield is a military airport at Fort Campbell, which is located near Hopkinsville, a city in Christian County, Kentucky, United States. Previously Campbell Air Force Base, a U.S. Air Force installation from 1947 to 1959, this U.S. Army airfield has two asphalt paved runways: 5/23...
, KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, 5 Nov 1943
- DeRidder Army Airbase, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, 19 Apr 1944 - Stuttgart Army Airfield, ArkansasArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, 7 Feb 1945 - Brooks FieldBrooks FieldBrooks Field may refer to:* Brooks City-Base, formerly Brooks Air Force Base, in San Antonio, Texas, USA.* Brooks Field , a football stadium in Golden, Colorado, USA....
, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, 8 Dec 1945-29 Jul 1946 - Shaw AFB, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, 18 Mar 1954-1 Jul 1966; 20 Jan 1968-24 Jan 1971 - Holloman AFB, New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, 23 October-Present
- Operated from MacDill AFB, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, 21 Oct-30 Nov 1962
Aircraft
- P-39F-2 Aircobra, 1943-1944
- P-40F Warhawk, 1944-1945
- P-51/F-6 Mustang, 1945-1946
- RF-80A Shooting Star, 1955
- RF-84F Thunderstreak, 1955-1958
- RF-101C Voodoo, 1957-1966
- RF-4C Phantom II, 1968-1971
- MQ-9 ReaperMQ-9 ReaperThe General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper is an unmanned aerial vehicle , capable of remote controlled or autonomous flight operations, developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for use by the United States Air Force, the United States Navy, the CIA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Royal...
, 2009-