Description
Computer made/mounted on velcro 3.5 inch-90mm
2d SPECIAL OPERATIONS SQUADRON
Lineage. Organized as Company B, 2 Balloon Squadron on 25 Sep 1917. Redesignated: 2 Balloon Company on 19 Jun 1918; Balloon School Detachment on 30 Aug 1921. Demobilized on 15 Aug 1922. Reconstituted, and consolidated (6 Aug 1930) with 2 Balloon Company which was constituted on 18 Oct 1927. Activated on 20 May 1930. Redesignated as 2 Balloon Squadron on 1 Oct 1933. Disbanded on 3 Feb 1942. Reconstituted, and consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with 2 Strategic Support Squadron which was constituted on 31 Dec 1948. Activated on 14 Jan 1949. Discontinued, and inactivated on 15 Jun 1961. Redesignated: 2 Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron on 19 Sep 1985; 2 Special Operations Squadron on 11 Feb 2009. Activated on 1 Mar 2009.
Assignments. Unkn, 25 Sep 1917-Jul 1918; Balloon Wing (later, Balloon Group), I Army Corps, Jul 1918; Balloon Group, IV Army Corps, 20 Nov 1918; Balloon Group, VII Army Corps, 27 Apr-11 May 1919; unkn, May-Aug 1919; Balloon School (later, Air Service Balloon Observers School), Ross Field, CA, Aug 1919-15 Aug 1922. Sixth Corps Area, 20 May 1930; First Army, 30 Dec 1940; I Air Support Command, 1 Sep 1941-3 Feb 1942. Eighth Air Force, 14 Jan 1949 (attached to 97 Bombardment Wing, 14 Jan 1949-18 Apr 1950; 509 Bombardment Wing, 18 Apr 1950-16 May 1951); Fifteenth Air Force, 16 May 1951; Second Air Force 1 Sep 1956; Eighth Air Force, 1 Jan 1959; 321 Bombardment Wing, 1 Sep 1959-15 Jun 1961. 919 Operations Group, 1 Mar 2009-.
Stations. Ft Omaha, NE, 25 Sep 1917; Garden City, NY, 30 Nov-7 Dec 1917; Camp de Coetquidan, Morbihan, France, 3 Jan 1918; Camp de l’Ermitage (near Menil-la-Tour), France, 26 Feb 1918; Villiers-sur-Marne, Aisne, France, 30 Jun 1918; La Goneterie Ferme (near Bouresches), France, 22 Jul 1918; Trugny (near Epieds), France, 25 Jul 1918; Beuvardes, France, 28 Jul 1918; Seringes-et-Nesles, France, 3 Aug 1918; Chery-Chartreuve, France, 4 Aug 1918; Courcelles-sur-Vesle, France, 12 Aug 1918; La Queue de Theinard (near Domevre-en-Haye), France, 23 Aug 1918; Bois de Remenauvaux (near Griscourt), France, 29 Aug 1918; Bois de la Lampe (near Mamey), France, 12 Sep 1918; St Pierre Ferme (near Fey-en-Haye), France, 15 Sep 1918; Locheres, France, 22 Sep 1918; Varennes-en-Argonne, France, 28 Sep 1918; Cheppy, France, 2 Oct 1918; Charpentry, France, 10 Oct 1918; Apremont, France, 15 Oct 1918; Chatel-Chehery, France, 25 Oct 1918; Sommerance, France, 2 Nov 1918; St Juvin, France, 3 Nov 1918; Buzancy, France, 4 Nov 1918; Sommauthe, France, 6 Nov 1918; Authe, France, 7 Nov 1918; Les Petites, Armoises, France, 8 Nov 1918; Auzeville-en-Argonne, France, 11 Nov 1918; Mercy-le-Haut, France, 21 Nov 1918; Euren, Germany, 8 Dec 1918; Colombey-les-Belles, France, c. 20 May 1919-unkn; Mitchel Field, NY, c. 23 Jun 1919; Ross Field, CA, Aug 1919; Scott Field, IL, 3 Jul-15 Aug 1922. Scott Field, IL, 20 May 1930; Ft Bragg, NC, 19 Jun 1930; Pope Field, NC, 1933-3 Feb 1942. Biggs AFB, TX, 14 Jan 1949; Walker AFB, NM, 18 Apr 1950; Castle AFB, CA, 16 May 1951; Pinecastle (later, McCoy) AFB, FL, 1 Sep 1956-15 Jun 1961. Nellis AFB, NV, 1 Mar 2009-.
Aircraft. Type R Observation Balloon, 1918-1919; C-3 Observation Balloon, 1930-1939; A-6 and A-7 Spherical Balloons, 1930-1942; C-6 Observation Balloon, 1938-c. 1941. C-54, 1949-1951; C-124, 1950-1961.
Operations. Organized in Sep 1917; went overseas to France in Dec 1917. Served as the first American balloon unit on the battle front, Feb 1918. Served in occupation forces in Germany, Dec 1918-May 1919. Returned to the US in Jun 1919; involved in balloon training until demobilized in Aug 1922. Trained with troops in North Carolina, May 1930-Feb 1942. After activation again in 1949; provided airlift support and transported fissionable materials and nuclear weapons components. In the 1950s, provided airlift support for several nuclear tests.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War I: Champagne-Marne; Aisne-Marne; St Mihiel; Meuse-Argonne.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. None.
Emblem. Approved on 26 Feb 1951.