Lineage. Constituted as 20 Observation Squadron (Light) on 5 Feb 1942. Activated on 2 Mar 1942. Redesignated as: 20 Observation Squadron on 4 Jul 1942; 20 Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter) on 2 Apr 1943; 20 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 11 Aug 1943. Inactivated on 27 Nov 1945. Consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with the 20 Helicopter Squadron, which was constituted on 24 Feb 1956. Activated on 9 Jul 1956. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 8 Mar 1960. Activated on 24 Sep 1965. Organized on 8 Oct 1965. Redesignated as 20 Special Operations Squadron on 1 Aug 1968. Inactivated on 1 Apr 1972. Activated on 1 Jan 1976.
Assignments. Air Force Combat Command, 2 Mar 1942; Army Air Forces, 9 Mar 1942; 76 Observation (later, 76 Reconnaissance; 76 Tactical Reconnaissance) Group, 12 Mar 1942; III Reconnaissance Command, 23 Aug 1943; Army Air Forces, India-Burma Sector, 26 Dec 1943 (attached to 5306 Photographic and Reconnaissance Group [Provisional], 26 Dec 1943–17 Jan 1944, and to Tenth Air Force, 17 Jan–7 Mar 1944); Tenth Air Force, 7 Mar 1944 (attached to 5320 Air Defense Wing [Provisional], Mar–May 1944); 8 Photographic (later, 8 Reconnaissance) Group, 25 Apr 1944; Army Air Forces, India-Burma Theater, Oct–27 Nov 1945. Eighteenth Air Force, 9 Jul 1956 (attached to 314 Troop Carrier Wing, 9 Jul 1956–); Ninth Air Force, 1 Sep 1957–8 Mar 1960 (remained attached to 314 Troop Carrier Wing to 16 Jul 1959; attached to 354 Tactical Fighter Wing, 16 Jul 1959–8 Mar 1960). Pacific Air Forces, 24 Sep 1965; 2 Air Division, 8 Oct 1965 (attached to 6250 Combat Support Group, c. 10 Dec 1965–8 Mar 1966); 14 Air Commando (later, 14 Special Operations) Wing, 8 Mar 1966; 483 Tactical Airlift Wing, 1 Sep 1971–1 Apr 1972. 1 Special Operations Wing, 1 Jan 1976; 1 Special Operations (later, 16 Operations; 1 Special Operations) Group, 22 Sep 1992; 27 Special Operations Group, 1 Dec 2009–.
Stations. Savannah AB, GA, 2 Mar 1942; Pope Field, NC, 28 Mar 1942; Vichy AAFld, MO, 14 Dec 1942; Morris Field, NC, 8 May 1943; Key Field, MS, 31 Aug–8 Nov 1943; Camp Anza, CA, 11–c. 17 Nov 1943; Bombay, India, 26 Dec 1943; Camp Deolali, India, 28 Dec 1943; Gushkara, India, 5 Jan 1944 (flight operated from Kisselbari, India, 6–25 Mar 1944); Kisselbari, India, 26 Mar 1944 (operated from Dinjan, India, 1 May–20 Jun 1944; detachment at Tingkawk Sakan, Burma, 21 May–20 Jun 1944; Tingkawk Sakan, Burma, 21 Jun–c. 10 Nov 1944; detachment at Myitkyina, Burma, 10 Jul–c. 25 Aug 1944); Myitkyina, Burma, c. 9 Nov 1944 (flight operated from Akyab, Burma, 12 Apr–22 May 1945); Nagaghuli, India, c. 20 Apr 1945; Dergaon, India, 6 Jul 1945; Piardoba, India, Sep–4 Nov 1945; Camp Kilmer, NJ, 26–27 Nov 1945. Sewart AFB, TN, 9 Jul 1956; Myrtle Beach AFB, SC, 16 Jul 1959–8 Mar 1960. Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam, 8 Oct 1965; Nha Trang AB, South Vietnam, 15 Jun 1966; Tuy Hoa AB, South Vietnam, 5 Sep 1969; Cam Ranh Bay AB, South Vietnam, 25 Sep 1970–1 Apr 1972. Eglin AF Auxiliary Field No. 9 (Hurlburt Field), FL, 1 Jan 1976; Cannon AFB, NM, 1 Dec 2009 –.
Commanders. Unkn, 2 Mar 1942; Capt Thomas H. Verdel Jr., 20 Apr 1942; Capt Kenneth T. Rooney, 2 May 1942; Maj Andre T. McMillin, 24 Aug 1942-unkn; Maj William R. Fornof, c. Aug 1943; Maj John D. Reid, c. Apr-c. Aug 1945; unkn, Aug-27 Nov 1945. Maj James F. Fowler, 9 Jul 1956; Maj Gregg D. Hartley, 28 Aug 1956; Lt Col Oscar N. Tibbetts, 7 Oct 1958; Maj Gregg D. Hartley, 25 Jan 1959; Capt Bennie F. Lemoine, 25 Jan-8 Mar 1960. None (not manned), 8 Oct-9 Dec 1965; Lt Col Lawrence R. Cummings, c. 10 Dec 1965; Lt Col Charles O. Smith, Nov 1966; Lt Col Johnny T. Williams, 25 Nov 1966; Lt Col John W. Amidon, Feb 1967; Lt Col John M. Steen, Oct 1967; Lt Col William B. Skinner, May 1968; Lt Col James A. McMullen, 14 Nov 1968; Lt Col Frank A. DiFiglia, 1 Dec 1968; Lt Col David K. Sparks, 26 Mar 1969; Lt Col Stephen Von Phul, 18 Nov 1969; Lt Col Alexander G. Edgar, 3 Jan 1970; Lt Col Harmon M. Brotnov, 6 Nov 1970; Lt Col Alfred G. Houston, Aug 1971; Maj Alan L. Taylor, 13 Oct 1971; Lt Col Meredith S. Sutton, 24 Nov 1971-1972. Lt Col Robert E. Mayo, Jan 1976; Lt Col John R. Roberts, 1 Jan 1978; Lt Col G. E. Borinski, 1 Jan 1980; Lt Col W. E. Takacs, 18 Aug 1980; Lt Col W. D. Corder, 10 Aug 1982; Lt Col W. W. Grant, 16 Jul 1984; Lt Col H. E. Johnson, 2 Jul 1986; Lt Col G. L. Weikel, 10 Jul 1988; Lt Col Richard Comer, 11 Jun 1990; Lt Col Russell E. Rakip, 8 Jun 1992; Lt Col Donald L. Hoover, 10 Jun 1994; Lt Col Michael C. Homan, 26 Jun 1995; Lt Col Thomas E. Hull, 30 Aug 1996; Lt Col John S. Hester III, 30 Jul 1998; Lt Col Thomas J. Trask, 16 Jul 1999; Lt Col Michael J. Kingsley, 1 Feb 2001; Lt Col Marshall B. Webb, 27 Jun 2002; Lt Col Richard Williams, 30 Jun 2003; Lt Col Scott A. Howell, 1 Jun 2005; Lt Col Vincent K. Becklund, 11 Jan 2007; Lt Col Eugene V. Becker, 13 Jun 2008-unkn; none (not manned), 2009-14 Jan 2010; Lt Col Matthew D. Smith, 15 Jan 2010; Lt Col Thomas B. Palenske, 29 Apr 2011-.
Aircraft. A–20, DB–7, L–1, L–4, and P–43, 1942–1943; P–40, 1942–1945; L–5, 1942–1945; B–25, 1942–1945; P–51/F–6, 1945. H–21, 1956–1960. CH–3, 1965–1969; UH–1, 1967–1972. UH–1, 1976–1985; CH–3, 1976–1980; MH–53, 1980–2008; CV-22, 2009-.
Operations. Trained in aerial reconnaissance, Mar 1942–Nov 1943. Combat in China-Burma-India (CBI), 31 Jan 1944–5 May 1945. Trained using special operations helicopters, 1956–1960. Combat in Southeast Asia, Dec 1965–Mar 1972. Trained in special operations and conducted humanitarian missions, 1976–. Combat in Panama, Dec 1989–Jan 1990, and Kuwait, Jan–Feb 1991. Performed conventional and unconditional warfare missions as well as psychological operations, 1992-. Responded to initial recovery efforts on 11 Sep 2001 when terrorist attacked the Pentagon and the World Trade Center in New York City, NY. Deployed personnel to Operation Iraqi Freedom; provided adverse weather infiltration/exfiltration, fire support, combat search and rescue (CSAR), and transported cargo to coalition forces in the field, c. 2000-2008. Operated CV-22 Osprey aircraft in support of special operations, 2009-.
Service Streamers. World War II American Theater.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: India-Burma; Central Burma; China Defensive. 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, 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V; Commando Hunt VI; Commando Hunt VII; Vietnam Ceasefire. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait. Kosovo: Air Campaign. Afghanistan: Liberation; Consolidation I; Consolidation III. Iraq: Iraqi Liberation; Iraqi Governance; Iraqi National Resolution; Iraqi Surge; Iraqi Sovereignty;
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. Panama, 1989–1990.
Decorations. Presidential Unit Citations: (Southeast Asia), 8 Mar 1966–7 Mar 1967; 1 Jun 1967-31 Mar 1972; 21 Jun 1968–30 Jun 1969. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat “V” Device: 10 Jan–12 Mar 1966; 1 Nov 1966–1 Apr 1967; 16 Jun 1967–20 Jun 1968; 1 Jul 1967–30 Jun 1968; 1 Jul 1970–30 Jun 1971; 1 Sep 1971–31 Dec 1971; 1 May 1982–30 Apr 1984; 1 Jun 1997-31 May 1999; 1 Jul 2003-30 Jun 2005; 1 Sep 2006-30 Jun 2007. Gallant Unit Citation: 6 Oct 2001-30 May 2003. Meritorious Unit Awards: 1 Jul 2007-31 Mar 2009; 1 Oct 2009-30 Sep 2011; 1 Oct 2011-30 Sep 2013; 1 Oct 2013-30 Sep 2015. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jan 1976–31 Mar 1977; 6 Nov 1978–2 Mar 1979; 15 Jul 1979–15 May 1980; 16 May 1980–30 Apr 1982; 1 May 1985–30 Apr 1987; 1 May 1988–30 Apr 1990; 16 Apr 1992–15 Apr 1994; 1 Jun 1995-31 May 1997; 1 Jul 1999-30 Jun 2001; 1 Jul 2001-30 Jun 2003; 1 Sep 2004-31 Aug 2006. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Crosses with Palm: 1 Jan–30 Aug 1968; 16 Jun 1967–1 Apr 1972.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 11 Aug 2016.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 31 Dec 2012.
Supersedes statement prepared in Apr 2014.
Emblem. Approved on 9 Dec 1993; latest rendering, 9 Oct 2018.
Prepared by TSgt David Dollman.