Lineage. 21 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) (constituted on 20 Nov 1940; activated on 15 Jan 1941; disbanded on 1 Nov 1943; reconstituted on 19 Sep 1985) consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with the 21 Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy (constituted on 28 Mar 1944; activated on 1 Apr 1944; inactivated on 10 May 1944; activated on 1 Jun 1944; inactivated on 10 Jun 1946); and the 21 Tactical Air Support Squadron (constituted as 21 Tactical Air Support Squadron [Light], and activated, on 26 Apr 1965; organized on 8 May 1965; inactivated on 21 Feb 1973; redesignated as 21 Tactical Air Support Squadron on 17 Jul 1973; activated on 31 Aug 1973). Inactivated on 1 Nov 1991. Redesignated as 21 Test and Evaluation Squadron on 1 Sep 1992. Activated on 15 Sep 1992. Redesignated as: Air Education and Training Command Studies and Analysis Flight on 31 Mar 1994; Air Education and Training Command Studies and Analysis Squadron on 1 Apr 1997.
Assignments. 30th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 15 Jan 1941 (operated under control of 28th Composite Group, 9 Jan 1942-Sep 1943); Second Air Force, 18 Oct-1 Nov 1943. 16th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, 1 Apr-10 May 1944. 501st Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, 1 Jun 1944-10 Jun 1946. Pacific Air Forces, 26 Apr 1965; 2d Air Division, 8 May 1965 (attached to Tactical Air Support Group Provisional, 6250th, 1 Aug-7 Nov 1965); 505th Tactical Control Group, 8 Nov 1965 (attached to Tactical Air Support Group Provisional, 6250th, 1-8 Sep 1966; Tactical Air Support Group Provisional, 6253d, 9 Sep-7 Dec 1966); 504th Tactical Air Support Group, 8 Dec 1966; 377th Air Base Wing, 15 Nov 1972-21 Feb 1973. 68th Tactical Air Support Group, 31 Aug 1973; 507th Tactical Air Control Group (later, 507th Tactical Air Control Wing), 15 Jun 1974-1 Nov 1991. 12th Operations Group, 15 Sep 1992; Air Education and Training Command, 31 Mar 1994-.
Stations. March Field, CA, 15 Jan 1941; New Orleans, LA, 22 May 1941 (detachment operated from Savannah, GA, 8-14 Dec 1941); Muroc, CA, 25 Dec 1941; March Field, CA, 11 Feb-20 Aug 1942 (detachments operated from San Diego, CA, 10 May-16 Jun 1942; Los Angeles, CA, 28 May-7 Jun 1942; McChord Field, WA, 28 May-7 Jun 1942; and Hamilton Field, CA, 28 May-7 Jun 1942; air echelon operated from Umnak, AK, beginning 11 Jun 1942); Umnak, AK, 3 Sep 1942-c. 19 Sep 1943 (operated from Adak, AK, 21 Sep-15 Nov 1942, c. 16 Dec 1942-unkn, and 18 Feb-13 Aug 1943, and from Amchitka, AK, 18 Feb-Jul 1943); Shemya, AK, c. 27 Jul-c. 19 Sep 1943; Smoky Hill AAFld, KS, 11 Oct-1 Nov 1943. Dalhart AAFld, TX, 1 Apr-10 May 1944. Dalhart AAFld, TX, 1 Jun 1944; Harvard AAFld, NE, 23 Aug 1944-7 Mar 1945; Northwest Field, Guam, 14 Apr 1945-10 Jun 1946. Pleiku AB, South Vietnam, 8 May 1965; Nha Trang AB, South Vietnam, 15 Sep 1966; Cam Ranh Bay AB, South Vietnam, 1 Sep 1969; Phan Rang AB, South Vietnam, 30 Sep 1971; Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam, 10 Jan 1972-21 Feb 1973. MacDill AFB, FL, 31 Aug 1973; Shaw AFB, SC, 1 Jul 1974-1 Nov 1991. Randolph AFB, TX, 15 Sep 1992-.
Aircraft. B-18, 1941; YB-17, 1941; A-29, 1941-1942; LB-30, 1942; B-24, 1942-1943. B-29, 1944-1946. O-1, 1965-1971; O-2, 1968-1973; OV-10, 1971. OV-10, 1973-1978, and 1989-1991; O-2, 1974-1986; CH-3, 1975-1977; OT-37, 1986-1988.
Operations. Antisubmarine patrols along West Coast, Jan-Jun 1942. Combat in Aleutians, Jun 1942-Aug 1943, and in western Pacific, Jun-Aug 1945. Forward air control missions in Vietnam, Aug 1965-Feb 1973. Between 1973 and 1991, trained in US for similar missions.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine; Aleutian Islands; Eastern Mandates; Western Pacific; Air Offensive, Japan 1942-1945. Vietnam: 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 1969-1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V; Commando Hunt VI; Commando Hunt VII; Vietnam Ceasefire.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Japan, 6-13 Jul 1945. Presidential Unit Citations (Southeast Asia): 1 Aug 1965-1 Feb 1966; 2 Feb 1966-28 Feb 1967; 1 Aug 1968-31 Aug 1969; 1 Jan-31 Dec 1970; 30 Jan-31 Dec 1971. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat “V” Device: 15 Mar 1972-21 Feb 1973. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Aug 1974-15 Jun 1975; 16 Jun 1975-31 May 1977; 1 May 1981-30 Apr 1983; 1 May 1983-30 Apr 1985; 1 May 1985-30 Apr 1987; 15 Sep 1992-30 Jun 1993; 1 Jul 1993-3 Mar 1994. Air Force Organizational Excellence Awards: 23 Jul 1998-22 Jun 2000; 1 Oct 2000-30 Sep 2002; 1 Oct 2002-30 Sep 2004; 1 Jan 2006-31 Dec 2007; 1 Jan 2013-31 Dec 2014. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Crosses with Palm: 8 Feb-31 Mar 1971; 1 Apr 1971-9 Mar 1972; 1 Apr 1966-28 Jan 1973.
Emblem. Approved on 17 Sep 1990.
Date Prepared. 12 Jul 2018.
Supersedes statement prepared on 6 Jan 1998.
Prepared by Daniel L. Haulman.