7th Airborne Command and Control Squadron

History

The 7th ferried lend-lease aircraft to Alaska for turnover to Soviets from, June 1942–March 1944. It conducted aerial transportation in the Southwest and Western Pacific from, 13 December 1944–September 1945.

Reestablished in 1952 as a Headquarters. Air Force Logistics Command-controlled logistics squadron. Its mission was to provide worldwide airlift of nuclear weapons and related equipment, with a secondary mission to airlift other Department of Defense cargo as required when space was available. The squadron also provided airlift support during Cuban Missile Crisis from, 17 –28 October 1962. Inactivated in 1965 with inactivation of storage sites.

Became a Military Air Transport Service (later Military Airlift Command) C-124 Globemaster II strategic transport squadron flying worldwide airlift operations. Inactivated with retirement of C-124 in 1966.

Reactivated in 1968 and performed Airborne Battlefield Command and Control (ABCCC) mission in Southeast Asia from, 1 March 1968 – 15 August 1973 and controlled airborne forces during the recovery of the SS Mayagüez in May 1975, in Grenada from, 23 October–21 November 1983, in Panama from, December 1989–January 1992, and in Southwest Asia from, 1 September 1990 – 16 March 1991.

In 1994, the 7 ACCS was moved from Keesler AFB, Mississippi, to Offutt AFB, Nebraska where it transitioned from EC-130 aircraft flying the ABCCC mission to the EC-135 aircraft flying the Airborne Command Post (ABNCP) "Looking Glass" mission in support of nuclear command and control for United States Strategic Command. In October 1998, the "Looking Glass" mission was transferred to the Navy's E-6 fleet, the last of the US Air Force's EC-135 fleet was retired, and the 7 ACCS was inactivated.

In March 2008, the unit was again reactivated - this time as the 7th Expeditionary Airborne Command and Control Squadron (7 EACCS) - to be the forward operating squadron for E-8 Joint STARS supporting the United States Central Command Area of Responsibility.

Lineage

Constituted 7th Air Corps Ferrying Squadron on 18 February 1942

Activated on 24 March 1942 Redesignated 7th Ferrying Squadron on 12 May 1943 Disbanded on 1 April 1944

Reconstituted on 19 September 1985

Consolidated (19 September 1985) with: 7th Combat Cargo Squadron Constituted on 25 April 1944 Activated on 1 May 1944 Inactivated on 15 January 1946 Disbanded on 8 October 1948

Reconstituted on 19 September 1985 as 7th Air Transport Squadron, Special

Constituted 7th Logistics Support Squadron on 22 June 1954 Activated on 18 October 1954 Redesignated 7th Air Transport Squadron, Special, on 1 July 1964 Discontinued, and inactivated, on 8 January 1966

Constituted as 7th Airborne Command and Control Squadron and activated, on 13 February 1968

Organized on 1 March 1968 Inactivated on 1 October 1998.

Redesignated 7th Expeditionary Airborne Command and Control Squadron and converted to provisional status on 4 December 2001

Assignments

North West Sector, Ferrying Command (later, 7th Ferrying Group), 18 February 1942 – 1 April 1944

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

Warner Robins Air Materiel Area, 18 October 1954

3079th Aviation Depot Wing, 6 February 1955

39th Logistics Support Group, 1 July 1962

62d Troop Carrier Wing, 1 July 1963

63d Troop Carrier Wing, 1 July 1964 – 8 January 1966

Pacific Air Forces, 13 February 1968

Seventh Air Force, 1 March 1968

432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 31 October 1968

Attached to Seventh Air Force, 31 October 1968–

388th Tactical Fighter Wing, 30 April 1972

Remained attached to Seventh Air Force to 15 August 1973 Attached to US Support Activities Group/Seventh Air Force, 15 August 1973–c. 21 May 1974

374th Tactical Airlift Wing, 22 May 1974

Attached to Thirteenth Air Force, 22 May 1974–

3d Tactical Fighter Wing, 31 March 1975

Remained attached to Thirteenth Air Force to 14 August 1975

507th Tactical Air Control Group, 14 August 1975

552d Airborne Warning and Control Wing (later, 552d Airborne Warning and Control Division), 1 October 1976

28th Air Division, 1 April 1985

Attached to Air Division Provisional, 15, 5 December 1990–c. 16 March 1991 (See Organization of United States Air Force Units in the Gulf War)

552d Operations Group, 29 May 1992

55th Operations Group, 19 July 1994 – 1 October 1988

Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate any time after 4 December 2001

Attached to: 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Undetermined dates

Aircraft

C-47 Skytrain (1944–1945)

C-46 Commando (1944–1945)

C-124 Globemaster II (1954–1966)

EC-130 ABCCC (1968–1994)

EC-135 ABNCP (1994–1998)

E-8C JSTARS (??? - Present)

Operations

World War II

Vietnam War

Operation Urgent Fury

Operation Just Cause

Operation Desert Storm

Operation Deny Flight

Operation Deliberate Force

Operation Decisive Endeavor

Operation Uphold Democracy

Operation Iraqi Freedom

Operation Enduring Freedom