Description
Computer made/mounted on velcro 4.0 inch/100mm
8th SPECIAL OPERATIONS SQUADRON (AFSOC)
Lineage. Organized as 8 Aero Squadron on 21 Jun 1917. Redesignated as: 8 Squadron (Surveillance) c. Jun 1921; 8 Squadron (Attack) c. Nov 1921; 8 Attack Squadron on 25 Jan 1923; 8 Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 15 Sep 1939; 8 Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 28 Sep 1942; 8 Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 25 May 1943; 8 Bombardment Squadron, Light, c. Apr 1944; 8 Bombardment Squadron, Light, Night Intruder, on 25 Jun 1951; 8 Bombardment Squadron, Tactical, on 1 Oct 1955; 8 Attack Squadron on 18 Nov 1969; 8 Special Operations Squadron on 30 Sep 1970; 8 Fighter Squadron on 1 Jul 1973; 8 Special Operations Squadron on 1 Mar 1974.
Assignments. Headquarters Camp Kelly, 21 Jun 1917; Headquarters Selfridge Aviation Field, 8 Jul 1917; Headquarters Aviation Concentration Depot, 28 Oct 1917; Headquarters American Rest Camp, 8 Dec 1917; Headquarters American Air Service Camp, 1 May 1918; I Corps Observation Training Center, 30 Jul 1918; IV Corps Observation Group, 31 Aug 1918 (attached to 1 Division, 8-14 Sep 1918); VI Corps Observation Group, 23 Oct 1918; Advanced Section Services of Supply, 5 Feb–21 Apr 1919; Unkn, 21 Apr–1 Jul 1919; Army Surveillance (later, 1 Surveillance; 3 Attack; 3 Bombardment) Group, 1 Jul 1919 (attached to 3 Bombardment Wing, 13 Aug 1956–24 Oct 1957); 3 Bombardment Wing, 25 Oct 1957 (attached to 41 Air Division, 1 Sep 1963–7 Jan 1964); 41 Air Division, 8 Jan 1964 (attached to 405 Fighter Wing, 9–23 Apr 1964); Thirteenth Air Force, 24 Apr 1964 (attached to 405 Fighter Wing, 24 Apr–17 Nov 1964, and further attached to 34 Tactical Group, 5 Aug–3 Nov 1964); 405 Fighter Wing, 18 Nov 1964 (attached to 33 Tactical Group, 18–28 Jun 1965; 2 Air Division, 28 Jun–7 Jul 1965; 6252 Tactical Fighter Wing, 8 Jul–15 Aug 1965, 16 Oct–16 Dec 1965 and 15 Feb–7 Apr 1966; 35 Tactical Fighter Wing, 8–18 Apr 1966, 15 Jun–15 Aug 1966, 12 Oct–12 Dec 1966, 11 Feb–12 Apr 1967, 7 Jun–2 Aug 1967, and 26 Sep–21 Nov 1967); 35 Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 Jan 1968 (attached to 405 Fighter Wing, 15–17 Jan 1968); 3 Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 Nov 1969; 35 Tactical Fighter Wing, 30 Sep 1970 (attached to 315 Tactical Airlift Wing, 16–30 Jul 1971); 315 Tactical Airlift Wing, 31 Jul 1971; 377 Air Base Group (later, 377 Air Base Wing), 15 Jan 1972 (attached to 6251 Air Base Squadron, 1–14 Sep 1972; Detachment 2, 377 Air Base Wing, 15–30 Sep 1972); 405 Fighter Wing, 1 Oct 1972; 1 Special Operations (later, 834 Tactical Composite; 1 Special Operations) Wing, 1 Mar 1974; 1 Special Operations (later, 16 Operations; 1 Special Operations) Group, 22 Sep 1992–.
Stations. Camp Kelly, TX, 21 Jun 1917; Selfridge Field, MI, 8 Jul 1917; Garden City, NY, 28 Oct–22 Nov 1917; Winchester, England, 8 Dec 1917; Dartford, England, c. 24 Dec 1917 (detachments at Thetford, Wyton, and Northolt, England); Thetford, England, 1 May–11 Jul 1918; Amanty, France, 30 Jul 1918; Ourches, France, 31 Aug 1918; Toul, France, 29 Sep 1918; Saizerais, France, 23 Oct 1918; Colombey-les-Belles, France, 11 Feb 1919; Fargues-St Hilaire, France, 22 Feb–18 Apr 1919; Mitchel Field, NY, 3 May 1919; Kelly Field, TX, 25 May 1919 (flight at McAllen, TX, after 25 Jul 1919); McAllen, TX, 13 Aug 1919 (flight operated from Laredo, TX, 15 Aug 1919–3 Aug 1920, and from Pope Field, NC, after 13 Aug 1920; detachment of flight operated from Laredo, TX, after 3 Aug 1920); Kelly Field, TX, 2 Jul 1921 (flight at Pope Field, NC, to 26 Nov 1921); Ft Crockett, TX, 30 Jun 1926; Barksdale Field, LA, 27 Feb 1935; Savannah, GA, 8 Oct 1940–19 Jan 1942; Brisbane, Australia, 25 Feb 1942; Charters Towers, Australia, c. 17 Mar 1942; Port Moresby, New Guinea, 31 Mar 1942; Charters Towers, Australia, c. 9 May 1942; Port Moresby, New Guinea, 28 Jan 1943; Dobodura, New Guinea, c. 10 Apr 1943; Nadzab, New Guinea, 1 Feb 1944; Hollandia, New Guinea, 16 May 1944; Dulag, Leyte, 15 Nov 1944; San Jose, Mindoro, c. 30 Dec 1944; Okinawa, c. 7 Aug 1945; Atsugi, Japan, c. 26 Oct 1945; Yokota AB, Japan, c. 20 Aug 1946; Johnson AB, Japan, 14 Mar 1950; Iwakuni, Japan, 1 Jul 1950; Kunsan AB, South Korea, 18 Aug 1951; Johnson AB, Japan, 5 Oct 1954; Yokota AB, Japan, 17 Nov 1960 (deployed at Clark AB, Philippines, 9–23 Apr 1964); Clark AB, Philippines, 24 Apr 1964 (deployed at Bien Hoa AB, South Vietnam, 5 Aug–3 Nov 1964; Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam, 18–28 Jun 1965; Da Nang AB, South Vietnam, 28 Jun–15 Aug 1965, 16 Oct–16 Dec 1965, 15 Feb–18 Apr 1966, and 15 Jun–15 Aug 1966; Phan Rang AB, South Vietnam, 12 Oct–12 Dec 1966, 11 Feb–12 Apr 1967, 7 Jun–2 Aug 1967, and 26 Sep–22 Nov 1967); Phan Rang AB, South Vietnam, 17 Jan 1968; Bien Hoa AB, South Vietnam, 15 Nov 1969; Clark AB, Philippines, 1 Oct 1972–1 Mar 1974; Eglin Air Force Auxiliary Field No. 9 (Hurlburt Field), FL, 1 Mar 1974; Eglin Air Force Auxiliary Field No. 3 (Duke Field), FL, 18 Feb 2000; Hurlburt Fld, FL, 31 Aug 2006–.
Aircraft. DH–4, 1918–1919, 1919–1926; GAX (GA–1), 1923; O–2, 1926–1928; in addition to A–3, 1928–1934, and A–12, 1934–1936, included A–8 and O–19 during period 1932–1936; in addition to A–17, 1936–1940, and B–18, 1939–1941, included A–18 during period 1937–1941; A–24, 1941, 1942; A–20, 1941, 1942–1943, 1943–1945; B–25, 1943; A–26 (later designated B–26), 1945–1956; B–57, 1956–1969; A–37, 1969–1972; C/MC–130, 1974–2006; AC-130, 1975; CV-22, 2007-.
Operations. Combat as observation unit with IV and VI Army Corps, c. 25 Aug–11 Nov 1918. Mexican border patrol, Aug 1919–Jun 1921. Trained in attack aviation and participated in field exercises and army maneuvers, 1921-1941. Antisubmarine patrols, Dec 1941–Jan 1942; combat in Southwest and Western Pacific, 1 Apr–29 Jul 1942 and 24 May 1943–12 Aug 1945; Korea, 27 Jun 1950–27 Jul 1953; Southeast Asia, Apr 1964–Sep 1972. Participated in Iranian hostage rescue attempt, Apr 1980. Combat in Grenada, 24 Oct–3 Nov 1983; Panama, 20 Dec 1989–14 Jan 1990; Southwest Asia, 16 Jan–17 Mar 1991. Routinely deployed personnel and aircraft to contingency operations in the Balkans and Southwest Asia, 1991–2001. After 11 Sep 2001, supported the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) by deploying personnel and aircraft to participate in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Delivered humanitarian supplies to remote Honduras villages, Jun 2009.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War I: Lorraine; St Mihiel. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; East Indies; Air Offensive, Japan; Papua; New Guinea; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines. Korea: UN Defensive; UN Offensive: CCF Intervention; First UN Counteroffensive; CCF Spring Offensive; UN Summer-Fall Offensive; Second Korean Winter; Korea Summer-Fall, 1952; Third Korean Winter; Korea, Summer 1953. Vietnam: Vietnam Advisory; 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; 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; Southwest Asia Ceasefire. Afghanistan: Liberation; Consolidation I; Consolidation III. Iraq: Iraqi Transition; Iraqi Governance; Iraqi National Resolution; Iraqi Sovereignty.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. Grenada, 1983; Panama, 1989–1990.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Papua, 23–[29 Jul 1942]; New Guinea, 17 Aug 1943; (Korea), 27 Jun–31 Jul 1950; 22 Apr–8 Jul 1951; 1 May–27 Jul 1953. Presidential Unit Citations (Southeast Asia): [12 Oct–12 Dec 1966 and 11 Feb–10 Apr 1967]; 6 Jun 1967–18 Jan 1968; 15 Nov 1968–31 May 1969. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat “V” Device: 19 Feb 1965–19 Feb 1966; [8 Jul–15 Aug 1965, 16 Oct–16 Dec 1965, 15 Feb–18 Apr 1966, and 15 Jun–15 Aug 1966]; [2 Apr–12 Apr 1967 and 7 Jun–2 Aug 1967]; [26 Sep–21 Nov 1967 and 15 Jan–2 May 1968]; 1 Oct 1968–13 Apr 1969; 14 Apr–15 Nov 1969; [15] Nov 1969–20 Jan 1970; 21 Jan–1 Sep 1970; 1 Dec 1970–25 Jun 1971; 21 Aug–6 Dec 1971; 5 Apr–7 Jul 1972; 8 Jul–1 Oct 1972; 1 May 1982–30 Apr 1984; 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 2007-30 Jun 2009; 1 Oct 2009-30 Sep 2011; 1 Oct 11 2011-30 Sep 2013; 1 Oct 2013-30 Sep 2015. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jun 1958–30 Jun 1960; 1 Jul 1960–31 Mar 1962; 5 Aug 1964–31 Mar 1965; 1 Jan 1976–31 Mar 1977; 15 Jul 1979–15 May 1980; 16 May 1980–30 Apr 1982; 1 May 1985–30 Apr 1987; 1 May 1988–30 Apr 1990; 16 Apr 1992–15 Apr 1994; 1 Jun 1995–31 May 1997; 1 Jul 1999–30 Jun 2001; 1 Jul 2001–30 Jun 2003; 1 Sep 2004-31 Aug 2006. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (WWII). Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: 27 Jun–31 Jul 1950. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Crosses with Palm: 1 Apr 1966–1 Oct 1972; 1 May–30 Sep 1970; 24 Feb–30 Mar 1971; 31 Jul 1971–8 Jan 1972.
Emblem. Approved on 15 Jun 2007.