The
Army Air Forces constituted the 25th Weather Squadron on 28 October 1943. The squadron activated at
Patterson Field,
Ohio, and was assigned to the
Army Air Forces Weather Wing four days later. The 25th moved to
Lynbrook,
Long Island,
New York, on 4 November 1943, and was disbanded on 7 September 1944. The
U.S. Air Force reconstituted the 25th Weather Squadron on 18 May 1948, and activated it at
Robins Air Force Base,
Georgia. The squadron was assigned to the
104th Weather Group, later the
2104th Air Weather Group on 1 June 1948. It was reassigned to the
2059th Air Weather Wing on 24 October 1950. The 25th moved to
Donaldson Air Force Base,
South Carolina, on 10 September 1951. The squadron was assigned to the
2102nd Air Weather Group on 16 September 1951. The 25th was reassigned to the
2nd Weather Group on 20 April 1952. In 1953 in addition to operating the
Troop Carrier Weather Center at
Donaldson Air Force Base, the 25th was designated to test and develop doctrine for the provision of weather service for airborne forces and determine the requirements of and procedures for providing their service in cold weather operations. To validate its cold weather concepts the squadron participated in joint training activities such as
Exercise SNOW STORM in upstate
New York during the winter of 1953. The 25th moved to
Waco, Texas, and began its association with the
Twelfth Air Force on 18 September 1957. In addition to providing meteorological services to
Twelfth Air Force bases, the 25th supported
U.S. Strike Command exercises, contingencies, and special missions. The squadron was assigned to the
5th Weather Wing when the wing was activated on 8 October 1965. The 25th Weather Squadron moved to
Bergstrom Air Force Base,
Texas, on 23 May 1968, concurrent with the move of Headquarters,
Twelfth Air Force from
Waco to
Bergstrom Air Force Base.
Air Weather Service inactivated the 25th Weather Squadron on 30 June 1972 as an
Air Force budgetary reduction caused
Air Weather Service to reduce squadron overhead. A Staff Weather Officer cell was established in its place to support Twelfth Air Force. This was short-lived as
Air Weather Service again activated the squadron at
Bergstrom Air Force Base and again assigned it to the
5th Weather Wing on 1 January 1975. In June 1975 Lt Col George E. Chapman, who was later promoted to brigadier general and served as commander of
Air Weather Service from 1982 to 1988, took command of the 25th. In addition to numerous annual exercises, the 25th supported contingencies such as
Operation JUST CAUSE in 1989. The 25th was inactivated on 30 September 1991, as part of the divestiture of
Air Weather Service. The squadron was redesignated the 25th Operational Weather Squadron on 5 February 1999, and activated at
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base,
Arizona, on 1 April 1999. It was assigned to the
612th Air Operations Group, renewing its association with
Twelfth Air Force, which moved its headquarters to
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in 1993. ==Awards==