4th Space Operations Squadron
Encyclopedia
The United States Air Force
's 4th Space Operations Squadron (4 SOPS) is a satellite
operations unit located at Schriever AFB, Colorado
. 4 SOPS controls the Milstar communication satellite
constellation.
in May 1941. Performed aerial mapping primarily over the southwestern United States prior to the Pearl Harbor Attack using P-39 Aircobra sub-variants (F-2) which were equipped for the ground-attack and reconnaissance roles.
After the United States entry into World War II, flew aerial mapping missions over Western Canada and the Alaska Territory
, mapping uncharted territory to support the building of the Alaska Highway
. Deployed to South America in 1942–1943; mapping locations in British Guiana
and Brazil
for locations of emergency airfields as part of the development of the South Atlantic Transport Route.
Reassigned to 13th Air Force in late 1944; engaged in long-range mapping and reconnaissance over combat areas in support of seaborne landings in the Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA) and the liberation of the Philippines. Remained in the Pacific Theater after the Japanese Capitulation performing reconnaissance mapping flights over Japan, Korea and China. Unit largely demobilized on Okinawa. Inactivated in early 1946.
Reactivated in 1947 as part of Strategic Air Command
. Mission was to gather intelligence on a global scale. Squadron operated RB-47H Medium bombers refitted for aerial reconnaissance and mapping mission. Flew flew day and night strategic reconnaissance missions over a global scale. Inactivated due to budget reductions in 1958.
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...
's 4th Space Operations Squadron (4 SOPS) is a satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
operations unit located at Schriever AFB, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. 4 SOPS controls the Milstar communication satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
constellation.
Mission
The mission of 4th SOPS is to ensure the Milstar system provides survivable, enduring, critical essential command and control communications through all levels of conflict for the president, the Secretary of Defense, and war fighting combatant commanders worldwide. 4th SOPS operates the $31 billion Milstar system executing communications management, satellite command and control, and ground segment maintenance for the Milstar constellation. 4th SOPS' motto "Linking the Forces" reflects Milstar's responsibility to enhance the nation's secure communications capability for today's military forces.History
Established under the 1st Photographic Group1st Photographic Group
The 1st Photographic Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 311th Photographic Wing, stationed at Buckley Field, Colorado. It was inactivated on 5 October 1944.-History:...
in May 1941. Performed aerial mapping primarily over the southwestern United States prior to the Pearl Harbor Attack using P-39 Aircobra sub-variants (F-2) which were equipped for the ground-attack and reconnaissance roles.
After the United States entry into World War II, flew aerial mapping missions over Western Canada and the Alaska Territory
Alaska Territory
The Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
, mapping uncharted territory to support the building of the Alaska Highway
Alaska Highway
The Alaska Highway was constructed during World War II for the purpose of connecting the contiguous U.S. to Alaska through Canada. It begins at the junction with several Canadian highways in Dawson Creek, British Columbia and runs to Delta Junction, Alaska, via Whitehorse, Yukon...
. Deployed to South America in 1942–1943; mapping locations in British Guiana
British Guiana
British Guiana was the name of the British colony on the northern coast of South America, now the independent nation of Guyana.The area was originally settled by the Dutch at the start of the 17th century as the colonies of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice...
and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
for locations of emergency airfields as part of the development of the South Atlantic Transport Route.
Reassigned to 13th Air Force in late 1944; engaged in long-range mapping and reconnaissance over combat areas in support of seaborne landings in the Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA) and the liberation of the Philippines. Remained in the Pacific Theater after the Japanese Capitulation performing reconnaissance mapping flights over Japan, Korea and China. Unit largely demobilized on Okinawa. Inactivated in early 1946.
Reactivated in 1947 as part of Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
. Mission was to gather intelligence on a global scale. Squadron operated RB-47H Medium bombers refitted for aerial reconnaissance and mapping mission. Flew flew day and night strategic reconnaissance missions over a global scale. Inactivated due to budget reductions in 1958.
Lineage
- Constituted as 4th Photographic Squadron on 15 May 1941
- Activated on 10 June 1941
- Redesignated: 4th Mapping Squadron on 13 January 1942
- Redesignated: 4th Photographic Mapping Squadron on 9 June 1942
- Redesignated: 4th Photographic Charting Squadron on 11 August 1943
- Redesignated: 4th Reconnaissance Squadron, Long Range, Photographic, on 15 June 1945
- Redesignated: 4th Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range, Photographic, on 20 November 1945
- Inactivated on 14 April 1946
- Redesignated 4th Reconnaissance Squadron, Photographic, on 5 September 1947
- Activated in the Reserve on 20 September 1947
- Inactivated on 27 June 1949
- Redesignated 4th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Medium, on 9 May 1952
- Activated on 28 May 1952
- Inactivated on 1 July 1958
- Redesignated 4th Space Operations Squadron on 1 April 1992
- Activated on 30 April 1992.
Assignments
- 1st Photographic (later, 1st Mapping; 1st Photographic Charting) Group1st Photographic GroupThe 1st Photographic Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 311th Photographic Wing, stationed at Buckley Field, Colorado. It was inactivated on 5 October 1944.-History:...
, 10 June 1941 - 311th Photographic (later, 311th Reconnaissance) Wing311th Air DivisionThe 311th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, being stationed at Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas...
, 5 October 1944 – 14 April 1946
- Attached to: Thirteenth Air ForceThirteenth Air ForceThe Thirteenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Hickam Air Force Base on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. 13 AF has never been stationed in the continental United States...
, c. 7 November 1944 - Attached to: 4th Photographic Group4th Reconnaissance GroupThe 4th Reconnaissance Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Thirteenth Air Force and was stationed at Clark Field, Philippines. It was inactivated on 15 January 1946....
, December 1944 - Attached to: 6th Reconnaissance Group6th Reconnaissance GroupThe 6th Reconnaissance Group is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. Its last assignment was with Fifth Air Force, stationed at Irumagawa Air Base, Japan...
, 3 May 1945 - Attached to: 308th Bombardment Wing308th Bombardment Wing (World War II)The 308th Bombardment Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Far East Air Forces, based at Nagoya, Japan. It was inactivated on 30 June 1948....
, 22 October 1945 – 14 April 1946
- First Air ForceFirst Air ForceThe First Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida....
, 20 September 1947 - 26th Reconnaissance Group, 23 October 1947 – 27 June 1949
- 26th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 28 May 1952 – 1 July 1958
- 50th Operations Group50th Operations GroupThe 50th Operations Group is a component of the 50th Space Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Space Command. The group is stationed at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado....
, 30 April 1992–present
Stations
- Moffet Field, California, 10 June 1941
- March Field, California, 10 December 1941
- Detachments operated from various bases in AlaskaAlaskaAlaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, Canada, Central America, the CaribbeanCaribbeanThe Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, and South America, 1942–1944)- Peterson FieldPeterson FieldPeterson Field is a public-use airport located three nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Plains, a city in Sumter County, Georgia, United States. It is privately owned by G. Thomas Peterson.- Facilities and aircraft :...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, 4 January 1944 - Buckley Field, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, 1 July – 14 October 1944 - Hollandia Airfield Complex, Netherlands East Indies, 7 November 1944
- Peterson Field
- Detachment operated from: Wama Airfield, MorotaiMorotaiMorotai Island Regency is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai Island. The population was 54,876 in 2007.-History:...
, Netherlands East Indies, December 1944 – January 1945 - Detachment operated from: Australia, January–May 1945
- Detachment operated from: San Roque Airfield (Moret Field), Zamboanga CityZamboanga CityThe City of Zamboanga : is a highly urbanized, independent and a chartered city located in Mindanao, Philippines....
, MindanaoMindanaoMindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
, Philippines, April–June 1945 - Detachment operated from: Clark Field, LuzonLuzonLuzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, Philippines, June–August 1945
- Tacloban Airfield, Tacloban CityTacloban CityThe City of Tacloban is a port city approximately 360 miles southeast of Manila. It is the first in Eastern Visayas to be classified as a Highly Urbanized City. It is the capital of the Philippine province of Leyte and is the largest city in terms of population in Eastern Visayas...
, LeyteLeyteLeyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
, Philippines, 11 July 1945
- Detachment operated from: Okinawa, August–October 1945
- Seoul AirportIncheon International AirportIncheon International Airport is the largest airport in South Korea, the primary airport serving the Seoul national capital area, and one of the largest and busiest airports in the world...
, South Korea, 25 October 1945 – 14 April 1946 - Niagara Falls Municipal Airport, New York, 20 September 1947
- Buffalo AirfieldBuffalo AirfieldBuffalo Airfield , formerly known as Buffalo Airpark and Gardenville Airport , is an airport located in the town of West Seneca in Erie County, New York...
, New York, 3 May 1948 – 27 June 1949 - Lockbourne AFB, OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, 28 May 1952 – 1 July 1958 - Falcon (later, Schriever) AFB, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, 30 April 1992–present
- Seoul Airport
Aircraft
- P-39/F-2 Aircobra, 1941–1942
- A-29 Hudson, 1942
- B-34 LexingtonLockheed VenturaThe Lockheed Ventura was a bomber and patrol aircraft of World War II, used by United States and British Commonwealth forces in several guises...
,, 1943–1944 - B-24/F7 Liberator, 1943–1946
- Unknown, 1947–1949
- YRB/RBB-47E Stratojet, 1953–1958
- Satellites, 1992–present
Commanders
- Lt Col Charles Thompson (March 1992 to June 1993)
- Lt Col Kimber McKenzie (June 1993 to January 1995)
- Lt Col Michael Mantz (January 1995 to August 1996)
- Lt Col Philip Fitzjarrell (August 1996 to March 1999)
- Lt Col Allan Kirkman (March 1999 to February 2001)
- Lt Col Roger Teague (February 2001 to June 2003)
- Lt Col Ronald Huntley (June 2003 to June 2005)
- Lt Col John Shaw (June 2005 to June 2007)
- Lt Col Tommy Roberts (June 2007 to June 2009)
- Lt Col Doug Schiess (June 2009 to June 2011)
- Lt Col Scott Trinrud (June 2011 to present)