Lineage. Constituted as 16 Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 22 Dec 1939. Activated on 1 Feb 1940. Redesignated as: 522 Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 23 Aug 1943; 522 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 30 May 1944. Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945. Activated on 20 Aug 1946. Redesignated as: 522 Fighter Squadron, Two Engine, on 22 Jul 1947; 522 Fighter Squadron, Jet, on 1 Dec 1949; 522 Fighter-Escort Squadron on 1 Feb 1950; 522 Strategic Fighter Squadron on 20 Jan 1953; 522 Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 1 Jul 1957; 522 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 Jul 1958; 522 Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991. Inactivated on 21 Dec 2007. Redesignated as 522 Special Operations Squadron on 1 Mar 2011. Activated on 7 Apr 2011.
Assignments. 27 Bombardment (later, 27 Fighter-Bomber; 27 Fighter) Group, 1 Feb 1940–7 Nov 1945. 27 Fighter (later, 27 Fighter-Escort) Group, 20 Aug 1946 (attached to 27 Fighter-Escort Wing, 6 Aug 1951–15 Jun 1952); 27 Fighter-Escort (later, 27 Strategic Fighter; 27 Fighter-Bomber; 27 Tactical Fighter; 27 Fighter) Wing, 16 Jun 1952 (attached to unkn, 6 Sep–18 Dec 1958; TUSLOG, 18 Oct 1959–22 Feb 1960; 405 Fighter Wing, 13 Feb–c. 7 Mar 1961; TUSLOG, 5 Feb–15 Jun 1962; 2 Air Division, 12 Dec 1962–c. 15 Feb 1963 and 16 Mar–6 May 1964; 405 Fighter Wing, 8 Aug–c. 20 Sep 1964; 2 Air Division, c. 20 Sep–15 Nov 1964; 405 Fighter Wing, 15 Aug–25 Nov 1965); 27 Operations Group, 1 Nov 1991; Twelfth Air Force, 1 Oct–21 Dec 2007 (attached to 712 Operations Group [Provisional], 1 Oct-21 Dec 2007). 27 Operations Group, 7 Apr 2011-.
Stations. Barksdale Field, LA, 1 Feb 1940; Hunter Field, GA, 7 Oct 1940–19 Oct 1941; Ft William McKinley, Luzon, 20 Nov 1941; Lipa Airfield, Luzon, 22 Dec 1941; Cabcaben, Luzon, 25 Dec 1941 (air echelon operated from Brisbane, Australia, 24 Dec 1941–16 Feb 1942); Bataan, Luzon, 29 Dec 1941 (air echelon operated from Batchelor, Australia, 17 Feb–c. 8 Mar 1942, and from Brisbane, Australia, c. 10–c. 25 Mar 1942); Charters Towers, Australia, Apr–4 May 1942; Hunter Field, GA, 4 May 1942; Key Field, MS, 14 Jul 1942; Hattiesburg, MS, 15 Aug 1942; Harding Field, LA, 25 Oct–21 Nov 1942; Ste-Barbe-du-Tlelat, Algeria, 26 Dec 1942; Nouvion, Algeria, 5 Jan 1943; Ras el Ma, French Morocco, 4 Apr 1943; Korba, Tunisia, c. 8 Jun 1943; Gela, Sicily, 18 Jul 1943; Barcelona, Sicily, 3 Sep 1943; Capaccio, Italy, 18 Sep 1943; Paestum, Italy, 4 Nov 1943; Pomigliano, Italy, 19 Jan 1944; Castel Volturno, Italy, 10 Apr 1944; Santa Maria, Italy, 9 May 1944; Le Banca, Italy, 7 Jun 1944; Ciampino, Italy, 12 Jun 1944; Voltone, Italy, 4 Jul 1944; Serragia, Corsica, 10 Jul 1944; Le Luc, France, 25 Aug 1944; Salon, France, 30 Aug 1944; Loyettes, France, 11 Sep 1944; Tarquinia, Italy, 2 Oct 1944; Pontedera, Italy, 3 Dec 1944; St Dizier, France, 21 Feb 1945; Toul/Ochey, France, 19 Mar 1945; Biblis, Germany, 5 Apr 1945; Sandhofen, Germany, 23 Jun 1945; Echterdingen, Germany, 15 Sep–20 Oct 1945; Camp Shanks, NY, 6–7 Nov 1945. Fritlzar, Germany, 20 Aug 1946; Bad Kissingen, Germany, 25 Jun 1947; Andrews Field, MD, 25 Jun 1947; Kearney AAFld (later, AFB), NE, 16 Jul 1947; Bergstrom AFB, TX, 16 Mar 1949 (deployed at Taegu AB, South Korea, 5 Dec 1950–30 Jan 1951; Itazuke AB, Japan, 31 Jan–20 Jun 1951; Misawa AB, Japan, 13–16 Oct 1952; Chitose AB, Japan, 17 Oct 1952–c. 13 Feb 1953; Sturgate RAF Station, England, 7 May–17 Aug 1955; Okinawa, 6 Sep–18 Dec 1958); Cannon AFB, NM, 18 Feb 1959–21 Dec 2007 (deployed at Incirlik AB, Turkey, 18 Oct 1959–22 Feb 1960; Clark AB, Philippines, 13 Feb–c. 7 Mar 1961; England AFB, LA, 29 Mar–5 May 1961; Incirlik AB, Turkey, 5 Feb–15 Jun 1962; MacDill AFB, FL, 21 Oct–1 Dec 1962; Takhli RTAFB, Thailand, 12 Dec 1962–c. 15 Feb 1963 and 16 Mar–6 May 1964; Clark AB, Philippines [with further deployments to bases in Southeast Asia], 8 Aug–15 Nov 1964 and 15 Aug–25 Nov 1965; Holloman AFB, NM, 13 Apr–12 May 1966). Cannon AFB, NM,7 Apr 2011-.
Commanders. Unkn, 1 Feb 1940-Jun 1941; Capt William Hipps, Jul 1941; Lt Stephenson, Dec 1941; 1 Lt Savage, Jan 1942; Capt Herbert L. Phillips, 14 Jul 1942-unkn; Maj Daniel B. Rathbun, unkn-19 Oct 1943; Lt Col Joseph A. Kelly, 20 Oct 1943; Capt Emil G. Tanassy, 18 Mar 1944; Capt Charles C. Williams, 22 Jul 1944; Capt Robert E. Fromm, 19 Sep 1944; Capt Thomas V. Murphy, 20 Oct 1944; Maj Leonard I. Wiehrdt, 27 Oct 1944-1945. Lt Col Glenn A. Stell, 20 Aug 1946-unkn; none (not manned), 25 Jun-15 Jul 1947; Maj Raymond E. Beckley, c. Jul 1947-21 Jan 1948; unkn-22 Jan-c. Mar 1948; Maj Virgil K. Meroney, by Mar-Aug 1948; unkn, Aug-Oct 1948; Maj Ray C. Williams, Nov 1948-c. Jan 1949; unkn, c. Jan-c. Sep 1949; Lt Col Roswell Freedman, c. Sep 1949; Lt Col John W. Lafko, 6 Feb 1951; Lt Col David N. Harmon, Jul 1953; Maj James C. Peek, 7 Apr 1955-unkn; Maj John J. Burns, c. Jul 1957; unkn, 1-27 Jan 1959; none (not manned), c. 28 Jan-17 Feb 1959; Lt Col James M. Miller, 18 Feb 1959-unkn; Maj William E. Charlson, by Dec 1959-unkn; Maj John J. Voll, by Dec 1961; Maj Robert J. Benedetti, 27 Jul 1962; Lt Col Henry P. Rettinger, 8 Aug 1962; Lt Col David O. Williams Jr., by 16 Mar 1964; Lt Col Herbert D. Stallings Jr., by Jun 1965; Maj James E. Steinmiller, by Jun 1967-unkn; none (not operational), 19 Jun 1969-unkn; Lt Col Kenneth A. Schuppe, by Aug 1969; Lt Col Martin J. Loftus, c. Sep 1969; Lt Col Kenneth A. Schuppe, 1 Jun 1970; Lt Col John W. Gordon, 28 Sep 1970; Lt Col Roger D. Tucker, 11 Dec 1972; Lt Col Milford E. Davis, 11 Jun 1973; Lt Col Charles E. Van Driel, 2 Jan 1975; Lt Col Robert A. Downs, 5 Jan 1976; Lt Col Albert R. Krisch, 1 Jul 1977; Lt Col Jack E. Gray, 2 Apr 1979; Lt Col Stephen E. Piszczek, 26 Nov 1980; Lt Col James K. Sluis, 30 Jun 1982; Lt Col Christopher Russo, 27 Jun 1984; Lt Col James T. Gribble III, 25 Nov 1985; Lt Col Mike Carpenter, 23 Jul 1986; Lt Col Ronald N. Braunhardt, 27 Jun 1988; Lt Col Anthony J. Sobol III, 8 Jun 1990; Lt Col John E. Hill, 29 Jun 1992; Lt Col Virgil F. Unger, 11 Nov 1993; Lt Col Stephen P. Mueller, 19 Aug 1995; Lt Col Noel T. Jones, 7 Nov 1997; Lt Col David D. Watt, 4 Jun 1999; Lt Col John W. Wiebner, 8 Jun 2001; Lt Col Mark A. Altobelli, 14 Aug 2002; Lt Col Tod R. Fingal, Jul 2003-21 Dec 2007. Lt Col Paul E. Pendleton, 7 Apr 2011-.
Aircraft. Trained with B–18’s and A–18’s, 1940–1941; A–24, 1941–1942; A–20, 1941, 1942–1943; A–36, 1943–1944; P–40, 1944; P–47, 1944–1945. P–47, 1946–1947; P–51, 1947–1948; F–82, 1948–1950; F–84, 1950–1951, 1951–1957; F–101, 1957–1958, 1958; F–100, 1959–1969; F–111, 1969–1970, 1970–1971, 1971–1998; F-16, 1998-2007. MC-130, 2011-.
Operations. Combat in Southwest Pacific, 8 Dec 1941–4 May 1942; ground echelon fought with infantry units in Philippine Islands, Mar–Apr 1942. Combat in Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) and European Theater of Operations (ETO), 6 Jun 1943–4 May 1945. Combat in Korea, c. 8 Dec 1950–c. 1 Jun 1951. Combat in Southeast Asia, c. 20 Sep–15 Nov 1964 and 15 Aug–25 Nov 1965. F–100 replacement training, Jan 1966–Jun 1969. Conducted overseas deployments to maintain combat readiness of personnel and aircraft, 1980-1989. Deployed aircraft and personnel to Turkey, 26 Dec 1992–23 Mar 1993. Transitioned to F-16 aircraft in 1998 and trained for day and night, all-weather precision attack and electronic combat operations. Maintained capability to deploy and support unified commanders worldwide with day and night combat operations, 2000-2007. Supported special operations commanders through day and night low-level infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply; also aerial refueling of helicopters, 2011-.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Philippine Islands; East Indies; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Northern France; Southern France;
North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Korea: CCF Intervention; First UN Counteroffensive; CCF Spring Offensive. Vietnam: Vietnam Advisory; Vietnam Defensive. Global War on Terrorism: GWOT-E.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Philippine Islands, 7 Dec 1941–[Apr] 1942;
Philippine Islands, 8–22 Dec 1941; Philippine Islands, 6 Jan–8 Mar 1942; Italy, 10 Sep 1943; France, 4 Sep 1944; Korea, 26 Jan–21 Apr 1951. Meritorious Unit Award: [7 Apr]-30 Sep 2011; 1 Oct 2011-30 Sep 2013; 1 Oct 2013-9 Dec 2014. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jan 1962–1 Jan 1964; 8 Aug–15 Nov 1964; 1 Jan 1981–30 Jun 1982; 1 Jan 1988–31 Dec 1989; 1 Apr 1992–31 Mar 1993; 1 Jun 1996-31 May 1998; 1 Jun 2002-31 May 2004. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (WWII). Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: 9 Nov 1950–31 May 1951. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 19 Aug 2016.
Commanders through Apr 2011; Aircraft, and Operations through 31 Dec 2012.
Supersedes statement prepared in Apr 2014.
Emblem. Approved on 25 Jun 1951; newest rendition approved on 15 Apr 2011.
Prepared by TSgt David Dollman.