Lineage. Constituted as 20 Transport Squadron on 22 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Dec 1940. Redesignated as: 20 Troop Carrier Squadron on 5 Jul 1942; 20 Troop Carrier Squadron (Special) on 13 Nov 1943; 20 Troop Carrier Squadron on 12 Apr 1944; 20 Troop Carrier Squadron, Heavy, on 17 Jun 1948; 20 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium, on 4 Oct 1948. Inactivated on 20 Oct 1949. Consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with the 20 Tactical Air Support Squadron (Light), which was constituted and activated, on 26 Apr 1965. Organized on 8 May 1965. Inactivated on 1 Apr 1973. Redesignated as 20 Tactical Air Support Squadron, and activated, on 1 Oct 1973. Inactivated on 30 Sep 1984. Activated on 1 Apr 1990. Inactivated on 31 Dec 1991. Redesignated as 20 Reconnaissance Squadron on 20 Dec 2010. Activated on 1 Jan 2011. Redesignated as 20 Attack Squadron on 15 May 2016.
Assignments. Panama Canal Department, 15 Dec 1940; Panama Air Depot, 1 Feb 1941; Sixth Air Force Base (later, Sixth Air Force Service; VI Air Force Service) Command, 5 Jun 1942; Panama Air Depot, 1 Dec 1944; Sixth Air Force (later, Caribbean Air Command), 5 May 1945 (attached to 314 Troop Carrier Group [later, 314 Troop Carrier Group, Heavy; 314 Troop Carrier Group, Medium], c. Nov 1946-16 Jun 1948); 314 Troop Carrier Group, Medium, 17 Jun 1948-20 Oct 1949 (detachment attached to United States Air Forces Europe, 1-29 Jul 1948, and to Airlift Task Force [Provisional], 29 Jul-19 Oct 1948). Pacific Air Forces, 26 Apr 1965; 2 Air Division, 8 May 1965 (attached to Tactical Air Support Group Provisional, 6250, 1 Aug-7 Nov 1965); 505 Tactical Control Group, 8 Nov 1965 (attached to Tactical Air Support Group Provisional, 6250, 1-8 Sep 1966 and to Tactical Air Support Group Provisional, 6253, 9 Sep-7 Dec 1966); 504 Tactical Air Support Group, 8 Dec 1966; 366 Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 Mar 1972; 6498 Air Base Wing, 27 Jun 1972; 71 Tactical Air Support Group, 15 Jan-1 Apr 1973. 601 Tactical Air Support Group, 1 Oct 1973; 601 Tactical Control Wing, 1 Nov 1975; 601 Tactical Air Support Group, 1 May 1977-30 Sep 1984. 507 Tactical Air Control (later, 507 Air Control) Wing, 1 Apr 1990-31 Dec 1991. 432 Operations Group, 1 Jan 2011; 25 Attack Group, 11 Feb 2019-.
Stations. France Field, Canal Zone, 15 Dec 1940; Howard Field, Canal Zone, 19 Feb 1942; Albrook Field (later, Albrook AFB), Canal Zone, 9 Jun 1943-20 Sep 1948; Bergstrom AFB, TX, 4 Oct 1948; Smyrna AFB, TN, 27 Jan-20 Oct 1949. Da Nang AB, South Vietnam, 8 May 1965-15 Jan 1973; George AFB, CA, 15 Jan-1 Apr 1973. Weisbaden AB, West Germany, 1 Oct 1973; Sembach AB, West Germany, 8 Jan 1976-30 Sep 1984. Shaw AFB, SC, 1 Apr 1990-31 Dec 1991. Whiteman AFB, MO, 1 Jan 2011-.
Service Streamers. World War II American Theater.
Campaign Streamers. Vietnam: Vietnam Defense; 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.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Presidential Unit Citations (Southeast Asia): 1 Jul 1966-15 Aug 1967; 1 Aug 1968-31 Aug 1969; 1 Jan-31 Dec 1970; 30 Jan-31 Dec 1971; 1 Apr-26 Jun 1972. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat “V” Device: 1 Sep 1965-31 Aug 1966; 1 Apr-31 May 1967; 15-31 Mar 1972; 1 Jul 1972-30 Jan 1973. Meritorious Unit Awards: 1 Jun 2011-31 May 2012; 1 Jun 2012-31 May 2013; 1 Jun 2017-31 May 2018; 1 Jun 2018-31 May 2020. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 May 1981-30 Apr 1983; 2 Apr 1990-30 Apr 1991; 1 Jun 2013-31 May 2014; 1 Jun 2019-31 May 2021. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Crosses with Palm: 1 Apr 1966-15 Jan 1973; 8 Feb-31 Mar 1971; 1 Apr 1971-9 Mar 1972.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 27 Apr 2023.
Supersedes statement prepared on 11 Mar 2019.
Emblem. Approved on 25 Jun 1974; latest rendering, 25 Jan 2017.
Prepared by James Musser.
Reviewed by Margaret Ream.