Description
Computer made/mounted on velcro 3.75 inch – 95mm
4th SPECIAL OPERATIONS SQUADRON (AFSOC)
Lineage: 4 Ferrying Squadron (constituted 4 Air Corps Ferrying Squadron on 18 Feb 1942; activated on 8 Apr 1942; redesignated as 4 Ferrying Squadron on 12 May 1943; disbanded on 31 Mar 1944; reconstituted on 19 Sep 1985) consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with the following units: 4 Liaison Squadron (constituted as 4 Liaison Flight on 27 Sep 1949; activated on 27 Oct 1949; redesignated as 4 Liaison Squadron on 15 Jul 1952; inactivated on 22 Jul 1952; activated on 22 Jul 1952; inactivated on 8 Mar 1954); 4 Special Operations Squadron (constituted as 4 Air Commando Squadron [Fire Support], and activated, on 2 Aug 1965; organized on 8 Aug 1965; redesignated as 4 Special Operations Squadron on 1 Aug 1968; inactivated on 15 Dec 1969); and 4 Airborne Command and Control Squadron (constituted as 4 Airborne Command and Control Squadron on 12 Mar 1970; activated on 1 Apr 1970). Consolidated squadron retained designation 4 Airborne Command and Control Squadron. Inactivated on 30 Sep 1992. Redesignated as 4 Special Operations Squadron on 13 Feb 1995. Activated on 1 May 1995.
Assignments. Northeast Sector, Air Corps Ferrying Command (later, 2 Ferrying Group), 8 Apr 1942-31 Mar 1944. Fourteenth Air Force, 27 Oct 1949; Tactical Air Command, 1 Aug 1950; Ninth Air Force (Tactical), 14 Aug 1950-22 Jul 1952. Eighteenth Air Force, 22 Jul 1952; Twelfth Air Force, 13 Feb 1953-8 Mar 1954. Pacific Air Forces, 2 Aug 1965; 2 Air Division, 8 Aug 1965 (attached to 6250 Combat Support Group, 8 Aug 1965-1 Mar 1966); 14 Air Commando (later, 14 Special Operations) Wing, 8 Mar 1966-15 Dec 1969. 28 Bombardment Wing, 1 Apr 1970; 28 Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991-30 Sep 1992. 16 Operations (later, 1 Special Operations) Group, 1 May 1995-.
Stations. Logan Field, MD, 8 Apr 1942; New Castle AAB, DE, c. 25 May 1942-31 Mar 1944. Pope AFB, NC, 27 Oct 1949-22 Jul 1952 (deployed at Camp MacKall, NC, 14 Apr–4 May 1950; Ft Hood, TX, 14 Mar-7 Apr 1952). Donaldson AFB, SC, 22 Jul 1952-23 Jan 1953; Furstenfeldbruck AB, Germany, 10 Feb 1953-8 Mar 1954. Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam, 8 Aug 1965 (deployed at Forbes AFB, KS, 8 Aug-c. 1 Nov 1965); Nha Trang AB, South Vietnam, 1 Jun 1966; Phan Rang AB, South Vietnam, 1 Oct 1969-15 Dec 1969. Ellsworth AFB, SD, 1 Apr 1970-30 Sep 1992. Hurlburt Field, FL, 1 May 1995-.
Aircraft. Ferried a variety of combat aircraft, 1942-1944. L-13, 1949-1951, 1951- 1952; C-45, 1951-1952; L-20, 1952. L-20, 1952-1953. FC (later, AC)-47, 19651969; C-47, 1966-1967, 1969; HC-47, 1969. EC-135, 1970-1992. AC-130, 1995.
Operations: Ferried aircraft to locations in Alaska, Africa, and Europe, Apr 1942-Feb 1944; also airlifted cargo, and evacuated wounded to US military hospitals. Conducted medical evacuation, air rescue, photographic and aerial resupply missions, 1952-1953. Combat in Vietnam, c. 20 Nov 1965-30 Nov 1969. Provided an auxiliary command post and a communications link for the Fifteenth Air Force· and Strategic Air Command (SAC), 1 Apr 1970-30 Sep 1992. Conducted special operations worldwide in response to National Command Authorities’ taskings, 1995-. After the 11 Sep 2001 terrorist attack on the United States, squadron participated in Global War on Terror (GWOT) by deploying personnel and aircraft in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
Service Streamers. World War II American Theater.
Campaign Streamers. Vietnam: Vietnam Defensive; Vietnam Air; Vietnam Air Offensive; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air/Ground; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; TET 69/Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer-Fall, 1969; Vietnam Winter-Spring, 1970. Kosovo: Air Campaign. Afghanistan: Liberation; Consolidation I; Consolidation III. Iraq: Iraqi Liberation; Iraqi Transition; Iraqi Governance; Iraqi National Resolution; Iraqi Surge; Iraqi Sovereignty; Iraqi New Dawn.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Presidential Unit Citations (Southeast Asia): 8 Mar 1966-7 Mar 1967; 21 Jun 1968-30 Jun 1969. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat “V” Device: 1 Nov 1965-9 Mar 1966; 16 Jun 1967-15 Jun 1968; 16 Jun 1967-20 Jun 1968; 21 Jun 1968-15 Jun 1969; 1 Jun 1997-31 May 1999; 1 Jul 2003-30 Jun 2005; 1 Sep 2006-30 Jun 2007. Gallant Unit Citation: 6 Oct 2001-30 May 2003. Meritorious Unit Awards: 1 Jul 2006-31 May 2008; 1 Jul 2007-30 Jun 2009; 1 Oct 2009-30 Sep 2011; 1 Oct 2011-30 Sep 2013; 1 Oct 2013-30 Sep 2015. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 9 Jun-10 Jul 1972; 1 Jul 1976-30 Jun 1978; 1 Jul 1978-30 Jun 1980; 1 Jul 1981-30 Jun 1983; 1 Jul 1984-30 Jun 1986; 1 Jul 1986-30 Jun 1988; 1 Jul 1988-30 Jun 1990; 1 Jul 1990-29 May 1992; 1 Sep 1991-30 Sep 1992; 1 Jun 1995-31 May 1997; 1 Jul 1999-30 Jun 2001; 1 Jul 2001-30 Jun 2003; 1 Sep 2004-31 Aug 2006. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Crosses with Palm: 1 Apr 1966-15 Dec 1969; 1 Jan 1968-30 Aug 1968.
Emblem. Approved 20 Jun 1995.