41st Electronic Combat Squadron

Updated on Dec 20, 2024

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Country United States Nickname(s) Scorpions		Role Electronic Warfare

Active 1917–1946; 1954-1959; 1965-1969; 1980-present Branch United States Air Force Engagements World War IWorld War IIVietnamSaudi Arabia

The 41st Electronic Combat Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. Its current assignment is with the 55th Electronic Combat Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona as a geographically separated unit from its parent wing, the 55th Wing at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.

The squadron is one of the oldest in the United States Air Force, its origins dating to 14 June 1917, when it was organized at Kelly Field, Texas. It served overseas in France as part of the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I. The squadron also saw combat during World War II, and became part of Tactical Air Command (TAC) during the Cold War.

World War I

The squadron was an observation unit with French XVII and XXXII, and American III and IV Army Corps, 16 August – 11 November 1918.

World War II

It provided air defense for Panama Canal, January 1942 – May 1944, with occasional antisubmarine patrols over the Caribbean and Pacific, especially during May and June 1942; deployed to Western Pacific in June 1945, but never entered combat.

Cold War

The squadron was reactivated at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, where it was assigned to the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group and equipped with Douglas RB-26 Invader aircraft. In 1956 as deliveries of the Douglas RB-66B Destroyer to the Air Force increased, the squadron was equipped with the newer jet aircraft.

Vietnam War

The unit engaged in combat in Southeast Asia, c. November 1965 – 31 October 1969.

Current era

Command, control, and communications countermeasures, 1982–. Electronic countermeasures in Southwest Asia, 27 August 1990 – 17 April 1991.

Lineage

Organized as Company A, 4th Balloon Squadron on 13 November 1917

Redesignated 9th Balloon Company on 25 July 1918Redesignated 9th Airship Company on 30 August 1921Redesignated 9th Airship Squadron on 26 October 1933Redesignated 1st Observation Squadron on 1 June 1937Redesignated 1st Observation Squadron (Medium) on 13 January 1942Redesignated 1st Observation Squadron on 4 July 1942Redesignated 1st Reconnaissance Squadron (Special) on 25 June 1943Redesignated 41st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 25 November 1944Redesignated 41st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 24 January 1946Inactivated on 17 June 1946

Redesignated 41st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Night-Photographic on 14 January 1954

Activated on 18 March 1954Inactivated on 18 May 1959

Redesignated 41st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Photo-Jet and activated on 30 June 1965 (not organized)

Organized on 1 October 1965Redesignated 41st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 8 October 1966Redesignated: 41st Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron on 15 March 1967Inactivated on 31 October 1969

Redesignated 41st Electronic Combat Squadron on 17 June 1980

Activated on 1 July 1980

Aircraft

Type R observation balloon, 1918–1919,

1919-1921; probably included RN-1 (Zodiac), type SST (Mullion), type AA (pony blimp), A-4, D-4, OA-1, AC-1, TA-1, TA-5, TC-1, TC-3, TC-5, TC-6, TC-10, TC-11, TC-14, TE-1, type TE-3, and TF-1 nonrigid airships, RS-9 semirigid airship, type R (later, C-3) and C-6 observation balloons, and A-6, A-7, and A-8 spherical balloons during period 1922-1937.

O-19, Douglas O-25, and apparently O-46, during period 1937-1939.

O-47, 1938–1944, L-4 and B-18, 1942–1944,

P-39, 1943–1944, included Kellett YG-1B, c. 1938-1940, YO-51 Dragonfly, 1940–1941, Bellanca YO-50, and apparently O-59 Grasshopper, 1941, O-49, 1941–1943, and CG-4, 1943; A-20, 1944, primarily F-5 Lightning, 1944-1946.

Douglas RB-26 Invader, 1954–1956;

Douglas RB-66 Destroyer, 1956-1959.

Douglas RB-66 Destroyer, 1965; EB-66, 1965-1969.

EC-130H Compass Call, 1982-

References

41st Electronic Combat Squadron Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

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