Lineage. Constituted as 39 Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, on 28 Mar 1944. Activated on 1 Apr 1944. Inactivated on 18 Oct 1948. Redesignated as 39 Bombardment Squadron, Medium, on 20 Dec 1950. Activated on 2 Jan 1951. Redesignated as 39 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 16 Jun 1952. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 15 Sep 1963. Consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with the 9 Air Commando Squadron (Psychological Operations), which was constituted, and activated, on 9 Jan 1967. Organized on 25 Jan 1967. Redesignated as 9 Special Operations Squadron on 1 Aug 1968. Inactivated on 29 Feb 1972. Activated on 1 Mar 1988.
Assignments. 6 Bombardment Group, 1 Apr 1944–18 Oct 1948. 6 Bombardment Group, 2 Jan 1951; 6 Bombardment (later, 6 Strategic Aerospace) Wing, 16 Jun 1952–15 Sep 1963. Pacific Air Forces, 9 Jan 1967; 14 Air Commando (later, 14 Special Operations) Wing, 25 Jan 1967; 315 Tactical Airlift Wing, 30 Sep 1971–29 Feb 1972. 39 Special Operations Wing, 1 Mar 1988; 1 Special Operations Wing, 18 Apr 1989; 1 Special Operations (later, 16 Operations; 1 Special Operations) Group, 22 Sep 1992; 27 Special Operations Group, 5 Dec 2014-.
Stations. Dalhart AAFld, TX, 1 Apr 1944; Grand Island AAFld, NE, 26 May–18 Nov 1944; North Field, Tinian, 28 Dec 1944; Clark Field, Luzon, 13 Mar 1946; Kadena AB, Okinawa, 1 Jun 1947–18 Oct 1948. Walker AFB, NM, 2 Jan 1951–15 Sep 1963. Pleiku AB, South Vietnam, 25 Jan 1967; Nha Trang AB, South Vietnam, 1 Sep 1967; Tuy Hoa AB, South Vietnam, 5 Sep 1969; Phan Rang AB, South Vietnam, 15 Aug 1970–29 Feb 1972. Eglin AFB, FL, 1 Mar 1988; Hurlburt Field, FL, 7 May 2013; Cannon AFB, NM, 5 Dec 2014-.
Commanders. None (unmanned), 1 Apr-22 May 1944; Lt Col John W. Osborn, 23 May 1944; Maj Eugene T. White, 15 Oct 1945; 1 Lt Robert C. Zott, c. 20 May 1946; Capt Willie C. Kennerly, 15 Aug 1946; Maj David I. Liebman, c. 8 Jan 1947; none (unmanned), 25 Apr 1947-18 Oct 1948. None (unmanned), 2 Jan-12 Apr 1951; Lt Col William E. Riggs, 13 Apr 1951; Lt Col Reuben A. Baxter, 28 Apr 1952; Lt Col Frank N. Yochem Jr., c. 20 Nov 1952; Lt Col Melvin H. Slate, c. 12 Jul 1954; Lt Col Roy F. Claytor, Feb 1956; Maj Burrell B. Gambel, May 1957 (temporary); Maj Benjamin L. Parkinson, Jul 1957 (temporary); Maj James M. Pearson, Aug 1957 (temporary); Lt Col Roy F. Claytor, Dec 1957; Lt Col Jonathan S. Hughes, 15 Dec 1958; Lt Col William R. Northon, 1 Jun 1959; Lt Col Lee McClendon, Jun 1961-15 Sep 1963. None (unmanned), 9 Jan-c. 28 Feb 1967; Lt Col Theobold G. Remaklus, c. 1 Mar 1967; Lt Col R. L. Wood, 1 Aug 1967; Lt Col Loren D. Clark, 15 Mar 1968; Lt Col Robert E. Coates, by 30 Sep 1968; Lt Col Fred E. Kuhlengel, by 30 Sep 1969; Lt Col Sims H. Reeves, May 1970; Lt Col David K. Keeler, by 30 Sep 1970; Lt Col Roy A. Gill, by 31 Mar 1971; Lt Col Alvin D. Aaronson, by 30 Jun 1971; Lt Col Felix R. Csorosz, by 31 Dec 1971-9 Jan 1972; none (unmanned), 10 Jan-29 Feb 1972. Lt Col Arthur A. Jistel, 1 Mar 1988; Lt Col E. A. Oti II, 1 Jun 1990; Lt Col Robert W. Scott, 6 Jun 1991; Lt Col Joe E. Tyner, 16 Jun 1993; Lt Col Monty D. Sexton, 30 Jun 1995; Lt Col Billy W. Montgomery, 25 Nov 1996; Lt Col William C. Hoffman, 20 Jul 1998; Lt Col Henry Sanders, 9 Jun 2000; Lt Col Eric Kivi, 25 Jul 2001; Lt Col Gary P. Morrison, 19 Jul 2002; Lt Col Steven Lambert, 9 Jul 2004; Lt Col Michael G. Breakey, 16 Nov 2006; Lt Col Darren R. Vigen, 7 Jul 2007; Lt Col John D. Cline, 13 Feb 2009; Lt Col Kurt Konopatzke, 29 Jun 2010; Lt Col Travis J. Hill, 7 Jun 2012; Lt Col Douglas J. Disatso, 5 Apr 2013-.
Aircraft. B–17, 1944; B–29, 1944–1947. B–29, 1951–1952; B–36, 1952–1957; B–52, 1957–1963. C–47, 1967–1972; U–10, 1967; O–2, 1967–1972. HC–130, 1988–1995; MC-130, 1996-.
Operations. Combat in Western Pacific, 27 Jan–14 Aug 1945. No personnel assigned, 25 Apr 1947–18 Oct 1948. While retaining combat capability, trained B–52 crews for Strategic Air Command 15 Jul 1959–Sep 1963. Combat in Southeast Asia, Mar 1967–Jan 1972. Performed special operations, day or night aerial refueling, infiltration/exfiltration and resupply missions using modified C–130 aircraft, 1988–. Combat in Panama, 20 Dec 1989–14 Jan 1990 and Southwest Asia, 16 Jan–5 Apr 1991. After the 11 Sep 2001 terrorist attack on the US, served on the forefront of Global War on Terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Eastern Mandates; Western Pacific; Air Offensive, Japan. Vietnam: 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. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait. Kosovo: Air Campaign. Afghanistan: Liberation; Consolidation I; Consolidation II; Consolidation III. Iraq: Iraqi Liberation; Iraqi Transition; Iraqi Governance; Iraqi National Resolution; Iraqi Surge; Iraqi Sovereignty; Iraqi New Dawn.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. Panama, 1989–1990.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Tokyo, Japan, 25 May 1945; Japanese Empire, 9–19 Jul 1945. Presidential Unit Citations: (Vietnam), 1–7 Mar 1967; 21 Jun 1968–30 Jun 1969. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat “V” Device: 16 Jun 1967–20 Jun 1968; 1 Jul 1970–30 Jun 1971; 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 2007-30 Jun 2009; 1 Oct 2009-30 Sep 2011; 1 Oct 2011-30 Sep 2013; 1 Oct 2013-30 Sep 2015; 1 Oct 2015-30 Sep 2017. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 May 1960–31 May 1962; 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: [Mar] 1967–1 Aug 1968; 16 Jun 1967–[9 Jan] 1972; 1 Jan–30 Aug 1968; 5 Oct 1971–[9] Jan 1972.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, Aircraft, Operations, and Honors through 31 Jul 2019.
Commanders through 16 Oct 2013.
Supersedes statement prepared on 16 Oct 2013.
Emblem. Approved on 7 Jul 1988.
Prepared by James M. Musser.
Reviewed by Daniel L. Haulman.