Description
Computer made/mounted on velcro 3.0 inch-77mm
42nd ELECTRONIC COMBAT SQUADRON (ACC)
Lineage. Constituted as 42 Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range, Photographic, on 24 Oct 1945. Activated on 7 Nov 1945. Inactivated on 19 Aug 1946. Redesignated 42 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Electronics and Weather, on 11 Dec 1953. Activated on 18 Mar 1954. Redesignated 42 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Electronic, on 1 Jul 1965. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 22 Aug 1966. Redesignated 42 Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron, and activated, on 15 Dec 1967. Organized on 1 Jan 1968. Inactivated on 15 Mar 1974. Redesignated 42 Electronic Combat Squadron on 23 May 1983. Activated on 1 Jul 1983. Inactivated on 1 Jul 1992. Redesignated 42 Airborne Command and Control Squadron on 24 Jun 1994. Activated on 1 Jul 1994. Inactivated on 30 Sep 2002. Redesignated 42 Electronic Combat Squadron on 9 Mar 2006. Activated on 10 Mar 2006-.
Assignments. VIII Bomber Command, 7 Nov 1945; 17 Bombardment Operational Training Wing, c. 31 Jan 1946; Second Air Force, 18 Feb 1946; Fifteenth Air Force, 31 Mar-19 Aug 1946. 10 Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 18 Mar 1954; 10 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 8 Dec 1957; 25 Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 1 Jul 1965; 25 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 1 Oct 1965-22 Aug 1966. Pacific Air Forces, 15 Dec 1967; 355 Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 Jan 1968 (attached to 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, c. 21 Sep-14 Oct 1970); 388 Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 Oct 1970-15 Mar 1974. 20 Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 Jul 1983; 66 Electronic Combat Wing (attached to 20 Tactical Fighter Wing), 1 Jun 1985; 20 Tactical Fighter (later, 20 Fighter) Wing, 25 Jan 1991-1 Jul 1992. 355 Operations Group, 1 Jul 1994-30 Sep 2002. 55 Electronic Combat Group, 10 Mar 2006-.
Stations. Smoky Hill AAFld, KS, 7 Nov 1945-19 Aug 1946. Spangdahlem AB, Germany, 18 Mar 1954; RAF Chelveston, England, c. 20 Aug 1959; Toul-Rosieres AB, France, 1 Aug 1962 (deployed at Chambley AB, France, 15 May-9 Oct 1963); Chambley AB, France, 1 Jul 1965-22 Aug 1966. Takhli RTAFB, Thailand, 1 Jan 1968; Korat RTAFB, Thailand, 22 Sep 1970-15 Mar 1974. RAF Upper Heyford, England, 1 Jul 1983-1 Jul 1992. Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, 1 Jul 1994-30 Sep 2002. Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, 10 Mar 2006-.
Aircraft. B-29, 1945-1946. RB-26, 1954-1957; T/WT-33, 1955-1957; RB-66, 1956-1965; WB-66, 1957-1960; B-66, 1960-1966. EB-66, 1968-1974. EF-111, 1984-1992. EC-130, 1994-2002, 2006-.
Operations. Provided weather and electronic reconnaissance for US and NATO forces in Europe, Mar 1954-Aug 1966. Airborne intelligence operations in Southeast Asia, 1968-1973. Provided electronic countermeasures to US Navy aircraft for combat in Libya, 15 Apr 1986. Provided electronic countermeasure jamming in Southwest Asia, c. 31 Aug 1990-9 Mar 1991. Provided airborne command, control and communications (ABCCC) platform; participated in Aerospace Expeditionary Force (AEF) 5, 7 and 9 deployments. The USAF sole EC-130H Compass Call formal training unit.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. Vietnam: 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; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V; Commando Hunt VI; Commando Hunt VII; Vietnam Ceasefire. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Presidential Unit Citation: Southeast Asia, 12 Apr 1968-30 Apr 1969. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards With Combat “V” Device: 8 Jan-11 Apr 1968; 1 Jul 1969-15 Oct 1970; [16] Oct 1970-20 May 1971; 18 Dec 1972-15 Aug 1973. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 31 Dec 1959-1 Jan 1962; 1 Jun 1989-31 May 1991; 1 Jul 1990-30 Jun 1992; 1 Jun 1998-31 May 2000. Navy Meritorious Unit Citation: 10-16 Apr 1986. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: [1 Jan 1968]-28 Jan 1973.
Emblem. Approved on 20 Jan 1984.