5th Special Operations Squadron

Mission

The 5th Special Operations Squadron provides an Instructor cadre for the Air Force Special Operations Air Warfare Center's U-28, AC-130U, MC-130H, C-145, C-146 and Combat Aviation Advisor programs. It also provides intratheater support to Special Operations Forces worldwide in support of National Command Authorities taskings.

The 5th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., is a Total Force Integration unit whose members participate in the Active Duty mission of the Air Force Special Operations Air Warfare Center at Hurlburt. While 5th SOS members perform duty at Hurlburt as part of AFSOWC, the squadron administratively falls under the 919th Special Operations Wing, a USAF Reserve unit headquartered at Duke Field, Fla.

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 programs during the Vietnam War from, 1965–1969.

It has trained for special operations, inflight refueling of special operations helicopters, 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

Lineage

5th Combat Cargo Squadron

Constituted as the 5th Combat Cargo Squadron on 25 April 1944

Activated on 1 May 1944 Inactivated on 15 January 1946

Disbanded on 8 October 1948

Reconstituted and consolidated with the 5th Special Operations Squadron as the 5th Special Operations Squadron on 19 September 1985

5th Special Operations Squadron

Constituted as the 5th Air Commando Squadron (Psychological Operation) and activated on 2 August 1965 (not organized)

Organized on 8 August 1965 Redesignated 5 Special Operations Squadron on 1 August 1968 Inactivated on 15 October 1969

Consolidated with the 5th Combat Cargo Squadron on 19 September 1985

Activated in the Reserve on 1 December 1994

Assignments

2d Combat Cargo Group, 1 May 1944 – 15 January 1946

Pacific Air Forces, 2 August 1965 (not organized

2d Air Division, 8 August 1965

14th Air Commando Wing (later 14th Special Operations Wing), 8 March 1966 – 15 October 1969

919th Operations Group (later 919th Special Operations Group), 1 December 1994 – present

Stations

Syracuse Army Air Base, New York, 1 May 1944

Baer Field, Indiana, 9 - 27 October 1944

Biak, Netherlands East Indies, November 1944

Dulag Airfield, Leyte, Philippines, 15 May 1945

Okinawa, 16 August 1945

Yokota Air Base, Japan, September 1945 - 15 January 1946

Nha Trang Air Base, South Vietnam, 8 August 1965

Tuy Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam, 5 September - 15 October 1969

Duke Field, Florida, 1 December 1994

Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, 1 October 1999

Hurlburt Field, Florida, 26 January 2009 - present