73d Special Operations Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 73d Special Operations Squadron (73 SOS) is part of the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon Air Force Base
, New Mexico
. It operates MC-130W Dragon Spear aircraft in support of special operations.
of the U.S. Second Army from, c. 15 November 1918-1919.
Redesignated the 73d Pursuit Squadron in 1929, now part of the Air Corps
, it trained for pursuit missions from 1931 to 1935, when it was redesignated the 73d Attack Squadron, and in 1939 the 73d Bombardment Squadron (Medium). The squadron conducted reconnaissance
in support of flood-relief in southern California
during March 1938.
It flew combat missions in the Northern Pacific from, December 1941-August 1943, when it was disbanded. Reconstituted and consolidated with 3rd Strategic Support Squadron, which performed airlift
support for Strategic Air Command
bases from 1950 to 1961. The consolidated squadron then redesignated 73d Special Operations Squadron on the inactive list.
It was activated in 2006 to operate the new MC-130W Combat Spear aircraft. The 73d was the first flying special operations squadron to move to Cannon Air Force Base
after the fighter squadrons left.
Cannon Air Force Base
Cannon Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately southwest of Clovis, New Mexico. It is under the jurisdiction of Air Force Special Operations Command ....
, 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 operates MC-130W Dragon Spear aircraft in support of special operations.
History
The 73d Aero Squadron managed an airpark supporting the Air ServiceUnited States Army Air Service
The Air Service, United States Army was a forerunner of the United States Air Force during and after World War I. It was established as an independent but temporary wartime branch of the War Department by two executive orders of President Woodrow Wilson: on May 24, 1918, replacing the Aviation...
of the U.S. Second Army from, c. 15 November 1918-1919.
Redesignated the 73d Pursuit Squadron in 1929, now part of the Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
, it trained for pursuit missions from 1931 to 1935, when it was redesignated the 73d Attack Squadron, and in 1939 the 73d Bombardment Squadron (Medium). The squadron conducted reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
in support of flood-relief in southern California
California
California 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...
during March 1938.
It flew combat missions in the Northern Pacific from, December 1941-August 1943, when it was disbanded. Reconstituted and consolidated with 3rd Strategic Support Squadron, which performed airlift
Airlift
Airlift is the act of transporting people or cargo from point to point using aircraft.Airlift may also refer to:*Airlift , a suction device for moving sand and silt underwater-See also:...
support for 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...
bases from 1950 to 1961. The consolidated squadron then redesignated 73d Special Operations Squadron on the inactive list.
It was activated in 2006 to operate the new MC-130W Combat Spear aircraft. The 73d was the first flying special operations squadron to move to Cannon Air Force Base
Cannon Air Force Base
Cannon Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately southwest of Clovis, New Mexico. It is under the jurisdiction of Air Force Special Operations Command ....
after the fighter squadrons left.
Lineage
- Organized as 73d Aero Squadron (1918–1927)
- Redesignated 485th Aero Construction Squadron 1-Feb-1918
- Authorized on inactive list as 73d Headquarters Squadron (1927–1929)
- Activated as 73d Pursuit Squadron (1929–1935)
- Redesignated as 73d Attack Squadron (1935–1939)
- Redesignated as 73d Bombardment Squadron (Medium) (1939–1943), disbanded
- Reconstituted and consolidated in 1985 with 3rd Strategic Support Squadron (1950–1985)
- Redesignated as 73d Special Operations Squadron (1985–Present)
Assignments
- 73d Bombardment Squadron:
- 2nd Day Bombardment Group (1918 - 1919)
- 17th Bombardment Group (1931 - 1941)
- 28th Composite Group28th Bomb WingThe 28th Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Twelfth Air Force. It is stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota...
(1941 - 1943) - Second Air ForceSecond Air ForceThe Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
(1943)- 3rd Strategic Support Squadron:
- Second Air Force (1950 - 1961)
- 4238 Strategic Wing (1959 - 1961)
- 73d Special Operations Squadron:
- 1st Special Operations Wing1st Special Operations WingThe 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida is one of two United States Air Force active duty Special Operations wings and falls under the Air Force Special Operations Command ....
(2006 - 2008) - 27th Special Operations Wing (2008 - Present)
Bases stationed
- WacoWaco, TexasWaco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
, 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...
(1918) - Call Field, Texas (1918)
- Garden CityGarden City, New YorkGarden City is a village in the town of Hempstead in central Nassau County, New York, in the United States. It was founded by multi-millionaire Alexander Turney Stewart in 1869, and is located on Long Island, to the east of New York City, from mid-town Manhattan, and just south of the town of...
, 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...
(1918) - Saint-MaixentSaint-MaixentSaint-Maixent is a commune in the Sarthe department in the region of Pays-de-la-Loire in north-western France.-References:*...
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(1918) - Delouze-RosièresDelouze-RosièresDelouze-Rosières is a commune in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meuse department...
, France (1918) - Colombey-les-BellesColombey-les-BellesColombey-les-Belles is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-Heraldry:-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department...
, France (1918) - OurchesOurchesOurches is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:...
, France (1918–1919) - Hazelhurst Field, New York (1919)
- March Field, 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...
(1931–1940) - McChord Field, Washington (1940–1941)
- Elmendorf Field, 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...
(1941–1943) - UmnakUmnakUmnak is one of the Fox Islands of the Aleutian Islands. With of land area, it is the third largest island in the Aleutian archipelago and the 19th largest island in the United States. The island is home to a large volcanic caldera on Mount Okmok and is separated from Unalaska Island by Umnak Pass...
, Alaska (1943) - AmchitkaAmchitkaAmchitka is a volcanic, tectonically unstable island in the Rat Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in southwest Alaska. It is part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. The island is about long, and from wide...
, Alaska (1943) - Paine FieldPaine FieldPaine Field, also known as Snohomish County Airport is a public airport located in unincorporated Snohomish County, between Mukilteo and Everett, Washington...
, Washington (1943) - Pyote Army Air Field, Texas (1943)
- Hunter Air Force Base, 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...
(1950–1953) - Barksdale Air Force BaseBarksdale Air Force BaseBarksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-southeast of Bossier City, Louisiana.The host unit at Barksdale is the 2d Bomb Wing , the oldest Bomb Wing in the Air Force. It is assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force...
, 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...
(1953–1961) - 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...
, 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...
(2006–2008) - Cannon Air Force BaseCannon Air Force BaseCannon Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately southwest of Clovis, New Mexico. It is under the jurisdiction of Air Force Special Operations Command ....
, 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...
(2008–Present)
Aircraft Operated
- P-12Boeing P-12The Boeing P-12 or F4B was an American pursuit aircraft that was operated by the United States Army Air Corps and United States Navy.-Design and development:...
(1931–1934, 1935–1936) - P-26 PeashooterP-26 PeashooterThe American Boeing P-26 Peashooter, was the first all-metal production fighter aircraft and the first pursuit monoplane used by the United States Army Air Corps...
(1934–1935) - A-17 NomadNorthrop A-17The Northrop A-17, a development of the Northrop Gamma 2F was a two seat, single engine, monoplane, attack bomber built in 1935 by the Northrop Corporation for the US Army Air Corps.-Development and design:...
(1936–1940) - B-18 BoloB-18 BoloThe Douglas B-18 Bolo was a United States Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force bomber of the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was built by Douglas Aircraft Company and based on its DC-2 and was developed to replace the Martin B-10....
(1939–1942) - B-26 MarauderB-26 MarauderThe Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
(1942–1943) - B-25 MitchellB-25 MitchellThe North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
(1942–1943) - C-124 Globemaster IIC-124 Globemaster IIThe Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, nicknamed "Old Shakey", was a heavy-lift cargo aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, California....
(1950–1961) - MC-130W Combat Spear/Dragon Spear (2006–Present)
External links
- New Cannon Units Q&A
- http://www.footnote.com/image/#19955952
- http://www.footnote.com/image/#19067371