Country United States | Role Special Operations | |
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Active 1944–1945; 1962–1972; 2005–present Branch United States Air Force Part of Air Force Special Operations Command Garrison/HQ Hurlburt Field, Florida | ||
The 319th Special Operations Squadron was first activated in September 1944 as the 319th Troop Carrier Squadron (Commando) and served in the China-Burma-India Theater during World War II. It provided airlift support and conducted airborne drops and glider operations for Allied troops in Burma, central China, and French Indochina in the last year of World War II.
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The squadron was activated in April 1962 at Hurlburt Field, Florida and deployed planes and crews from Hurlburt for special air warfare and civic actions missions, then trained aircrews on special operations airlift at England Air Force Base, Louisiana until being inactivated as the 319th Special Operations Squadron in June 1972.
On 1 October 2005, the squadron was again activated as part of an overall expansion of the Air Force Special Operations Command. It operates the Pilatus U-28A.
Mission
The 319th Special Operations Squadron mission is to provide intra-theater support for special operations forces and it is currently equipped with the U-28A, a modified version of the Pilatus PC-12. The U-28A was selected for its versatile performance and ability to operate from short and unimproved runway surfaces.
World War II
The 319th was first activated in India as the 319th Troop Carrier Squadron (Commando) in September 1944. The squadron served in the China-Burma-India Theater during World War II. It provided airlift support and flew aerial resupply missions in support of various commando units, such as Merrill's Marauders and the Chindits and conducted airborne drops and glider operations for Allied troops in Burma, central China, and French Indochina in the last year of World War II. After the end of the war, the squadron moved to China, where it continued operations until October 1945. In November 1945, the squadron returned on paper to India, but was not manned or equipped. It was inactivated there in December 1945.
Vietnam War
The squadron was redesignated the 319th Troop Carrier Squadron, Commando, and organized at Hurlburt Field, Florida in April 1962. The squadron initially operated Curtiss C-46 Commandos, but also Douglas C-47 Skytrains, and Helio U-10 Courier, and North American T-28 Trojans until moving to England Air Force Base, Louisiana in 1966. The squadron frequently deployed crews and airplanes to Southeast Asia for civic action and counterinsurgency missions.
At England, the squadron concentrated on training United States and foreign aircrews with the Fairchild C-123 Provider. It continued this mission after returning to Hurlburt three years later. It was inactivated in 1972 as the Air Force reduced its size following United States withdrawal from the Vietnam War.
Present era
On 1 October 2005, the squadron was again activated as part of an overall expansion of the Air Force Special Operations Command. It was equipped with the U-28A, a modified version of the Pilatus PC-12, able to operate from short and unimproved runway surfaces. The 319th provides airlift support to United States Army Special Forces, and provides intratheater support for special operations.