5th Special Operations Squadron

The 5th Special Operations Squadron provides an Instructor cadre for the Air Force Special Operations Air Warfare Center's U-28, AC-130J, MC-130H, C-146 and Combat Aviation Advisor programs. It also provides intratheater support to Special Operations Forces worldwide in support of National Command Authorities taskings. The 5th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., is a Total Force Integration unit whose members participate in the Active Duty mission of the Air Force Special Operations Air Warfare Center at Hurlburt. While 5th SOS members perform duty at Hurlburt as part of AFSOWC, the squadron administratively falls under the 919th Special Operations Wing, a USAF Reserve unit headquartered at Duke Field, Fla. == History ==

World War II The 5th Combat Cargo Squadron was constituted on 25 April 1944, and activated on 1 May at Syracuse Army Air Base, assigned to the 2d Combat Cargo Group. It was equipped with Curtiss C-46 Commando and Douglas C-47 Skytrain transport aircraft. Between 9 and 27 October it was located at Baer Field for overseas processing following the completion of its training. It arrived at Biak in November, flying passengers and cargo to American bases in Australia, New Guinea, the Admiralties, and the Philippines. The unit was also involved in the airdrop of supplies to American and guerrilla forces in the Philippines. The 5th moved forward to Dulag on Leyte in May 1945. It continued flights to bases in Australia, New Guinea, and the Philippines, and transported personnel and supplies to the Ryukyus, evacuating casualties on the return flights. On 16 August, the day after Japan surrendered, the squadron moved to Okinawa, transporting occupation forces personnel and equipment to Japan and ferrying liberated prisoners of war to the Philippines. In September, Vietnam war The second predecessor of the squadron was organized as the 5th Air Commando Squadron at Nha Trang Air Base, South Vietnam in August 1965. It conducted psychological operations and humanitarian programs during the Vietnam War until it was inactivated in October 1969. • Operation Iraqi Freedom ==Lineage==

; 5th Combat Cargo Squadron • Constituted as the 5th Combat Cargo Squadron on 25 April 1944 : Activated on 1 May 1944 : Inactivated on 15 January 1946 • Disbanded on 8 October 1948 • Reconstituted and consolidated with the 5th Special Operations Squadron as the 5th Special Operations Squadron on 19 September 1985 Stations • Syracuse Army Air Base, New York, 1 May 1944 • Baer Field, Indiana, 9–27 October 1944 • Biak, Netherlands East Indies, November 1944 • Dulag Airfield, Leyte, Philippines, 15 May 1945 • Okinawa, 16 August 1945 • Yokota Air Base, Japan, September 1945 – 15 January 1946 • Nha Trang Air Base, South Vietnam, 8 August 1965 • Tuy Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam, 5 September - 15 October 1969 • Duke Field, Florida, 1 December 1994 • Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, 1 October 1999 • Hurlburt Field, Florida, 26 January 2009 – present Aircraft • Curtiss C-46 Commando (1944–1945) • Douglas C-47 Skytrain (1944–1945) • Helio U-10 Courier (1965–1969) • Lockheed MC-130P Combat Shadow (1994–2008) • Pilatus U-28A (2008–present) • Lockheed MC-130H Combat Talon II (2015–2008) • Lockheed AC-130U Spooky II (2013–2008) ==References==