5th Special Operations Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 5th Special Operations Squadron (5 SOS) is part of the 919th Special Operations Wing
. The 5th is based at Hurlburt Field
, Florida
. It operates U-28 aircraft providing special operations capability.
It conducted psychological operations and humanitarian
programs during the Vietnam War
from, 1965-1969.
It has trained for special operations, inflight refueling
of special operations helicopter
s, and resupply missions, using modified C-130 aircraft since 1995. The 5th has periodically deployed to support special operations contingency operations worldwide.
Vietnam War
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Iraqi Freedom
919th Special Operations Wing
The 919th Special Operations Wing is an Air Force Reserve Command wing of the United States Air Force, operationally-gained by the Air Force Special Operations Command and based at Eglin AFB Auxiliary Field #3 / Duke Field, Florida.-Mission:The 919 SOW provides and maintains the MC-130E Combat...
. The 5th is based at Hurlburt Field
Hurlburt Field
Hurlburt Field is a U.S. Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the Town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin Air Force Base reservation, and is home to Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command , the 1st Special Operations Wing , the...
, Florida
Florida
Florida 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...
. It operates U-28 aircraft providing special operations capability.
History
The 5th transported men and supplies to and evacuated casualties from forward areas in Southwest and Western Pacific from, December 1944-September 1945.It conducted psychological operations and humanitarian
Humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disaster and man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity...
programs during 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...
from, 1965-1969.
It has trained for special operations, inflight refueling
Aerial refueling
Aerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling , air-to-air refueling or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight....
of special operations helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s, and resupply missions, using modified C-130 aircraft since 1995. The 5th has periodically deployed to support special operations contingency operations worldwide.
Operations
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...
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Lineage
- 5th Combat Cargo Squadron (1944–1965)
- 5th Air Commando Squadron (Psychological Operation) (1965–1968)
- 5th Special Operations Squadron (1968–Present)
Assignments
- 2d Combat Cargo Group (1944–1946)
- 2d Air Division (1965–1966)
- 14th Special Operations Wing14th Flying Training WingThe 14th Flying Training Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi.-Mission:...
(1966–1969) - 919th Special Operations Wing919th Special Operations WingThe 919th Special Operations Wing is an Air Force Reserve Command wing of the United States Air Force, operationally-gained by the Air Force Special Operations Command and based at Eglin AFB Auxiliary Field #3 / Duke Field, Florida.-Mission:The 919 SOW provides and maintains the MC-130E Combat...
(1994–Present)
Bases stationed
- Syracuse Army Air Base, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(1944) - Baer Field, IndianaIndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
(1944) - BiakBiakBiak features a tropical rainforest climate with nearly identical temperatures throughout the course of the year. The average annual temperature in the city is 27 degrees celsius, which is also generally the average temperature of each day in Biak...
, Netherlands East Indies (1944–1945) - DulagDulag AirfieldDulag Airfield is a World War II airfield located near Dulag in the province of Leyte, Philippines. It was closed after the war.-History:The airfield was built by the Japanese during the Occupation of the Philippines in 1943...
, 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...
(1945) - Okinawa (1945)
- Yokota Air BaseYokota Air Base, is a United States Air Force base in the city of Fussa, one of 26 cities in the Tama Area, or Western Tokyo.The base houses 14,000 personnel. The base occupies a total area of and has a runway...
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(1945–1946) - Nha Trang Air BaseNha Trang Air BaseNha Trang Air Base is a Vietnam People's Air Force military airfield in Vietnam. It is located northwest of Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa Province....
, South VietnamSouth VietnamSouth Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
(1965–1969) - Tuy Hoa Air BaseTuy Hoa Air BaseTuy Hoa Air Base is a former air force base in Vietnam, being closed in 1970. It was built by the United States between 1965-1966 and was used by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War in the II Corps Tactical Zone of South Vietnam. It was seized by the Vietnam People's Army in April...
, South Vietnem (1969) - Eglin Air Force Base Auxiliary Field Three (Duke Field)Duke FieldDuke Field , also known as Eglin AFB Auxiliary Field #3, is a military airport located three miles south of the central business district of Crestview, in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States-Units:...
, 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...
(1994–1999) - Eglin Air Force BaseEglin Air Force BaseEglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately 3 miles southwest of Valparaiso, Florida in Okaloosa County....
, Florida (1999–2008) - Hurlburt FieldHurlburt FieldHurlburt Field is a U.S. Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the Town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin Air Force Base reservation, and is home to Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command , the 1st Special Operations Wing , the...
, Florida (2008–Present)
Aircraft Operated
- C-46 CommandoC-46 CommandoThe Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando was a transport aircraft originally derived from a commercial high-altitude airliner design. It was instead used as a military transport during World War II by the United States Army Air Forces as well as the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps under the designation R5C...
(1944–1945) - C-47 SkytrainC-47 SkytrainThe Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
(1944–1945) - AC-47 SpookyAC-47 SpookyThe Douglas AC-47 Spooky was the first in a series of gunships developed by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War...
(1965–1969) - U-10 Super CourierHelio CourierThe Helio Courier is a light C/STOL utility aircraft designed in 1949.Around 500 of these aircraft were manufactured in Pittsburg, Kansas from 1954 until 1974 by the Helio Aircraft Company. During the early 1980s, new owners made an attempt to build new aircraft with direct-drive Lycoming engines,...
(1965–1969) - MC-130P Combat Shadow (1994–2008)
- U-28 (2007-Present)