| Unit Name: | 15th Special Operations Squadron |
| Dates: | 1942–1943; 1944–1946; 1947–1949; 1968–1970; 1992–present |
| Role: | Special Operations |
| Command Structure: | Air Force Special Operations Command |
| Current Commander: | Lt Col Tyler Rhyne |
| Garrison: | Hurlburt Field |
| Nickname: | Fightin 1-5 |
| Notable Commanders: | Michael E. Conley[1] [2] |
| Decorations: | Distinguished Unit Citation Presidential Unit Citation Gallant Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat V device Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm |
| Identification Symbol Label: | 15th Special Operations Squadron emblem[3] |
| Identification Symbol 2 Label: | 15th Bombardment Squadron emblem[4] |
The 15th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida. It operates Lockheed MC-130J Commando II aircraft in support of special operations.
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 Special Operations Squadron was activated in Vietnam as a Lockheed C-130 Hercules gunship squadron. It participated in combat until it was inactivated in 1970, earning a Presidential Unit Citation, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat V device and Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm.
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.
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]
The first predecessor of the squadron was activated at Jacksonville Municipal Airport in late 1942 as the 520th Bombardment Squadron, one of the four original squadrons of the 378th Bombardment Group. The squadron apparently drew its cadre from the 18th Observation Squadron, which moved on paper from Jacksonville to Birmingham Army Air Field, Alabama the same day. It was originally equipped with a mixture of observation aircraft and medium bombers. Using these aircraft, the squadron began flying antisubmarine patrols off the Atlantic Coast.[6]
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]
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.
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]
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]
Activated on 18 October 1942
Redesignated: 15th Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy) on 29 November 1942
Disbanded on 2 November 1943[6]
Further reading