24th TACTICAL AIR SUPPORT SQUADRON – DEATH ON CALL – HIT MY SMOKE – OCP

Description

Computer made/mounted on velcro   3.5 inch-90mm

 

24^th TACTICAL AIR SUPPORT SQUADRON

Lineage. Constituted as the 24^th Attack-Bombardment Squadron on 1 Aug 1939. Redesignated 24^th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 28 Sep 1939. Activated on 1 Dec 1939. Disbanded on 1 May 1942. Reconstituted as 24^th Composite Squadron and consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with 24^th Bombardment Squadron, Medium which was organized on 14 Jul 1942 and 24^th Composite Squadron which was organized on 24 Feb 1956. Redesignated 24^th Tactical Air Support Squadron on 1 Jan 1987. Inactivated on 31 Mar 1991. Activated on 2 Mar 2018. Deactivated on 23 Dec 2020.

Assignments. 24^th Bomb (Light): 23^rd Composite Group (later Air Corps Proving Ground Detachment, Air Forces Proving Ground Group): 1 Dec 1939-1 May 1942. 24^th Bomb (Medium): 5^th Photographic Group (later Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group; Photographic Reconnaissance Group), 2 Sep 1942; Third Air Force, 9 Oct 1943; III Reconnaissance Command, 12 Oct 1943; Army Air Force, India-Burma Sector, 26 Dec 1943 (attached to 5306^th Photographic and Reconnaissance Group (Provisional), 26 Dec 1943 to 17 Jan 1944, Tenth Air Force to 7 Mar 1944); Tenth Air Force, 7 Mar 1944; 8^th Photographic Reconnaissance Group (later Reconnaissance Group), 25 Apr 1944; Army Air Forces, India-Burma Theater, 20 Sep 1945; Thirteenth Air Force, 28 Jan 1946; 313^th Bombardment Wing, 1 Apr 1946-15 Jun 1946. 68^th Reconnaissance Group, 12 Jul 1947-27 Jun 1949. 68^th Strategic Reconnaissance Group, 10 Oct 1951; 68^th Bombardment Wing, 16 Jun 1952-16 Jan 1953. 24^th Composite: Eighteenth Air Force: 9 Jul 1956; 315^th Air Division: Oct 1956-8 Mar 1960; 24^th Special Operations Wing (later Special Operations Group), 18 Mar 1969-1 Jul 1975. 24^th Composite Group (later Composite Wing), 1 Jan 1976; USAF Southern Air Division, 1 Jan 1987; 24^th Composite Wing, 1 Jan 1989; Air Forces Panama, 1 Feb 1991-31 Mar 1991. 57^th Fighter Wing, 2 Mar 2018-.

Stations. 24^th Bomb (Light): Maxwell Field, AL, 1 Dec 1939; Orlando AAB, FL, 2 Sep 1940; Eglin Field, Florida 29 June 1941-1 May 1942. 24^th Bomb (Medium): Peterson Field, CO, 2 Sep 1942; Will Rogers Field, OK, 13 October 1943; Camp Anza, CA, 8 Nov 1943-18 Nov 1943; Guskhara, India, 5 Jan 1944; Calcutta, India, 23 Dec 1945; Kanchrapara, India, 17 Dec 1945-17 Jan 1946; Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines, 29 Jan 1946-15 Jun 1946. Hamilton Field (later Hamilton AFB), CA, 12 Jul 1947-27 Jun 1949. Lake Charles AFB, LA, 10 Oct 1951-16 Jan 1953. 24th Composite: Sewart AFB, TN, 9 Jul 1956; Tachikawa AB, Japan. Oct 1956-8 Mar 1960; Howard AFB, Panama, 18 Mar 1969-1 Jul 1975. Howard AFB, 1 Jan 1976-31 Mar 1991. Nellis Air Force Base, 2 Mar 2018-. (Detachments: Hsinching Airfield, China, 17 Mar 1944-9 Apr 1944, 27 Apr 1944-c. 1 July 1944, Oct-Nov 1944; Jorhat Airfield, India, 9 Apr 1944-22 Apr 1944; Liuchow Airfield, China, 10 Jul 1944-22 Sep 1944; Chanyi Airfield, China, 22 Sep 1944-17 Feb 1945; Pengshan Airfield, China, November 1944; Tulihal and Cox’s Bazar, India, Feb 1945-c. Apr 1945)

Aircraft. A-12, 1940-1942; A-18, 1940-1942; A-20, 1940-1942; XA-21, 1940-1942; B-10, 1940-1942; B-12, 1940-1942; B-18, 1940-1942; B-23, 1940-1942; B-24, 1943, 1944-1946. B-25, 1940-1942, 1944; B-29, 1946; 1952-1953; C-36, 1940-1942; C-40, 1940-1942; Bell YFM-1 Airacuda: 1940–1942; PB-2, 1940–1942; PT-17, 1940-1942; SBD-1, 1940-1942; H-21, 1956-?. F-16, 2018-.

Operations. Tested Light Bomb Equipment, 1940-1942. Combat in CBI, (combat mapping) Mar 1944-19 Apr 1945. Strategic reconnaissance missions equipped with Boeing RB-29. Maintained helicopter logistics airlift capability, to perform air land supply operations, scheduled and special airlift operations, and conduct training. Detachment 2 of the squadron was attached to the 41^st Air Division to provide logistial support to the division’s remote radar sites. In 1958-1959 the squadron returned to Burma when it participated in Operation South Bound, which provided assistance to the Burmese Air Force in combatting local insurrectionists. Performed close air support. Forward Air Controller-Airborne (FAC-A) schoolhouse for the F-16 as well as supporting the JTAC Qualification course and Weapons School.

Service Streamers. American Theater.

Campaign Streamers. 24^th Bomb (Medium): India-Burma; China Defensive; Central Burma.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 1 Jan 1957-1 Aug 1958; 18 Mar 1969-13 Apr 1970; 16 Mar 1971-15 Mar 1973.