The squadron was first activated in 1942 as the 520th Bombardment Squadron. It engaged in antisubmarine warfare operations as the 15th Antisubmarine Squadron off the Atlantic coast of the United States until 1943 when the Navy assumed responsibility for the mission. It was disbanded in the fall of that year.
In 1944, the 15th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy was activated as a Boeing B-29 Superfortress unit. It participated in combat operations against Japan in 1945, receiving a Distinguished Unit Citation. The squadron was inactivated on Guam in 1946. It was again briefly active in the Air Force Reserve from 1947 to 1949.
The 15th Antisubmarine Squadron and 15th Bombardment Squadron were consolidated with the 15th Special Operations Squadron in September 1985, but remained inactive until 1992, when the squadron again activated as a special operations C-130 unit.
Mission
Global, day and night, adverse weather capability to insert, extract, and resupply special operations forces by low or high altitude airdrop or airland operations.[5]
AAF Antisubmarine Command soon reorganized, eliminating its groups and assigning its squadrons directly to its two wings. As a result, the squadron became the 15th Antisubmarine Squadron and was assigned to the 26th Antisubmarine Wing. Although assigned to the 25th Wing, the squadron flew most missions in the area north of its station, moving its operations to Langley Field, Virginia in 1943, so it was attached to the 25th Antisubmarine Wing until July 1943, when it moved its operations to Drew Field, Florida.[3]
In July 1943, the AAF and Navy reached an agreement to transfer the coastal antisubmarine mission to the Navy. This mission transfer also included an exchange of AAF long-range bombers equipped for antisubmarine warfare for Navy Consolidated B-24 Liberators without such equipment.[7] The squadron continued operations from Batista Field, Cuba until it was disbanded on 2 November 1943.[3]
B-29 bombardment operations
16th Bombardment Group b-29
The second predecessor of the squadron is the 15th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, which was activated as part of the 16th Bombardment Group on 1 April 1944 at Dalhart Army Air Field, Texas as a Boeing B-29 Superfortress unit.[4] It moved to Fairmont Army Air Field, Nebraska for training in August 1944 and received Bell B-29B Superfortresses designed for fast low-level bomb runs. The squadron deployed to the Pacific Theater of Operations, where it was stationed at Northwest Field, Guam under XXI Bomber Command's 315th Bombardment Wing. It flew very long range strategic bombardment missions over the Japanese Home Islands concentrating on oil industry targets, particularly refineries and coal liquification facilities (26 June – 14 August 1945). No B-29s from the squadron were lost during combat operations over Japan.[8] The squadron was inactivated on Guam 15 April 1946.
Reserve operations
The 15th Bombardment Squadron was reactivated as a reserve unit at Hill Field, Utah on 1 August 1947,[3] where it trained under the supervision of Air Defense Command (ADC)'s 402d AAF Base Unit (later 2344th Air Force Reserve Flying Training Center).[9] Although the squadron was nominally a B-29 unit, it is not clear whether the squadron was fully staffed or equipped with operational aircraft.[10] In 1948, Continental Air Command (ConAC) assumed responsibility for managing reserve and Air National Guard units from ADC.[11] The 15th was inactivated when President Truman's reduced 1949 defense budget required reductions in the number of units in the Air Force,[12] as reserve flying operations at Hill ceased.[3][13]
Combat Talon
MC130H
The 15th Air Commando Squadron was activated for the Vietnam War at Nha Trang Air Base, South Vietnam, flying the C-130E (I) Combat Talon as part of the 14th Air Commando Wing.[3] Combat Talon was first operational as Detachment 1, 314th Troop Carrier Wing beginning 1 September 1966, as a support unit for MACV-SOG.[14] On 15 March 1968, the detachment was discontinued and replaced by the squadron, which became the 15th Special Operations Squadron on 1 August 1968.[3] In Vietnam, the aircraft was used to drop leaflets over North Vietnam Army positions, and to insert and resupply special forces and indigenous units into hostile territory throughout Southeast Asia. Combat Talon crews operated unescorted at low altitudes and at night.[15] It saw combat and performed special operations missions until 31 October 1970, when it was inactivated. The unit was consolidated with the 15th Antisubmarine Squadron and the 15th Bombardment Squadron in September 1985.[3]
The 15th was reactivated on 1 October 1992, to operate the MC-130H Combat Talon II as part of the 1st Special Operations Wing.[3]
Lineage
15th Antisubmarine Squadron
Constituted as the 520th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 13 October 1942
Activated on 18 October 1942
Redesignated: 15th Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy) on 29 November 1942
Disbanded on 2 November 1943[6]
Reconstituted on 19 September 1985 and consolidated with the 15th Bombardment Squadron and the 15th Special Operations Squadron as the 15th Special Operations Squadron[3]
15th Bombardment Squadron
Constituted as the 15th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 28 March 1944
Activated on 1 April 1944
Inactivated on 15 April 1946
Activated in the Reserve on 1 August 1947
Inactivated on 27 June 1949[4]
Consolidated on 19 September 1985 and with the 15th Antisubmarine Squadron and the 15th Special Operations Squadron as the 15th Special Operations Squadron[3]
15th Special Operations Squadron
Constituted as the 15th Air Commando Squadron and activated, on 13 February 1968 (not organized)
Organized on 15 March 1968
Redesignated 15th Special Operations Squadron on 1 August 1968
Inactivated on 31 October 1970
Consolidated on 19 September 1985 and with the 15th Antisubmarine Squadron and the 15th Bombardment Operations Squadron
Activated on 1 October 1992[3]
Assignments
378th Bombardment Group, 18 October 1942 (attached to 25th Antisubmarine Wing after 20 November 1942)
26th Antisubmarine Wing, 14 December 1942 (attached to 25th Antisubmarine Wing until c. July 1943)
14th Air Commando Wing (later 14th Special Operations Wing), 15 March 1968 – 31 October 1970
1st Special Operations Group (later 16th Operations Group, 1st Special Operations Group), 1 October 1992 – present[3]
Stations
Jacksonville Municipal Airport (Later Jacksonville Army Air Field), Florida, 18 October 1942 (air echelon operated from: Langley Field, Virginia, 3 June – 3 July 1943; Drew Field, Florida, July 1943; Batista Field, Cuba, c. 25 July – c. 1 October 1943)
^Approved 13 April 1945. Description: On a medium blue sphere, marked with white lines of latitude and longitude, within border yellow orange, a red sword winged and hilted white, striking surface of sphere with point in bomb burst impact mark at dexter base proper, and casting drop shadow on surface of sphere between five, like bomb bursts arranged two to dexter and three to sinister, all surmounting a large, dark blue aerial bomb, trimmed white, nose to dexter base.
^The Hurlburt Fact Sheet states that the 18th Observation Squadron was redesignated the 15th Antisubmarine Squadron. This is contradicted by both Maurer and Dollman. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 100; Dollman, AFHRA Factsheet 15 Special Operations Squadron.
^Dollman gives the start date for this award as 1 January 1966, but the squadron was not active then.
Citations
^Bauernfeind, Tony. "PN2227 — Lt. Gen. Tony D. Bauernfeind — Air Force". Congress.gov. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
^Bauernfeind, Tony. "Lieutenant General Tony D. Bauernfeind". us.mil. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ahDollman, David (17 October 2016). "Factsheet 15 Special Operations Squadron (AFSOC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
^ a b c d eMaurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 83
^"About Us: Fact Sheet 15th Special Operations Squadron". 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs. 28 March 2017. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
^See Mueller, p. 242 (reserve training unit a Hill).
^See Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 83; Dollman, Factsheet (no aircraft listed as assigned to the squadron from 1947 to 1949)
^"Abstract, Mission Project Closeup, Continental Air Command". Air Force History Index. 27 December 1961. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
^Knaack, p. 25
^Mueller, p. 242
^Thigpen (2001), pp. 77–78.
^Thigpen (2001), p. 82–83.
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
Ferguson, Arthur B. (April 1945). "The Antisubmarine Command, USAF Historical Study No. 107" (PDF). Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Intelligence Historical Division. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
Knaack, Marcelle Size (1978). Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems (PDF). Vol. 2, Post-World War II Bombers 1945-1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-59-5. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Mann, Robert A. (2009), The B-29 Superfortress: A Comprehensive Registry of the Planes and Their Missions, McFarland, ISBN 0-7864-4458-4
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Thigpen, Col. Jerry L. (2001). The Praetorian STARShip: The Untold Story of the Combat Talon, Air University Press/Diane Publishing. ISBN 1-58566-103-1
Further reading
Cantwell, Gerald T. (1997). Citizen Airmen: a History of the Air Force Reserve, 1946-1994. Washington, D.C.: Air Force History and Museums Program. ISBN 0-16049-269-6.
Hagdedorn, Dan (1995), Alae Supra Canalem: Wings Over the Canal, Turner Publishing, ISBN 1-56311-153-5