6 Special Operations Squadron (AFSOC)

Lineage.  Constituted as 6 Fighter Squadron, Commando, on 22 Sep 1944.  Activated on 30 Sep 1944.  Inactivated on 3 Nov 1945. Disbanded on 8 Oct 1948.  Reconstituted, and activated, on 18 Apr 1962.  Organized on 27 Apr 1962.  Redesignated as:  6 Air Commando Squadron, Fighter, on 15 Jun 1966; 6 Special Operations Squadron on 15 Jul 1968. Inactivated on 15 Nov 1969.  Activated on 8 Jan 1970.  Redesignated as 6 Special Operations Training Squadron on 31 Aug 1972.  Inactivated on 15 Sep 1974. Redesignated as 6 Special Operations Flight on 25 Mar 1994.   Activated on 1 Apr 1994. Redesignated as 6 Special Operations Squadron on 1 Oct 1994.

Assignments.  1 Air Commando Group, 30 Sep 1944–3 Nov 1945 (attached to First Provisional Fighter Group, 7 Feb–c. 8 May 1945; 2 Air Commando Group, 23 May–20 Jun 1945).  Tactical Air Command, 18 Apr 1962; 1 Air Commando Group (later, 1 Air Commando Wing), 27 Apr 1962; 14 Air Commando Wing, 29 Feb 1968; 633 Special Operations Wing, 15 Jul 1968–15 Nov 1969.  4410 Combat Crew Training Wing (later, 4410 Special Operations Training Group), 8 Jan 1970; 1 Special Operations Wing, 31 Jul 1973; 23 Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 Jan–15 Sep 1974.  16 Operations (later, 1 Special Operations) Group, 1 Apr 1994; Air Force Special Operations Training Center, 1 Oct 2012; Air Force Special Operations Air Warfare Center, 11 Feb 2013; 429 Special Operations Group, 10 May 2017-.

Stations.  Asansol, India, 30 Sep 1944 (detachments operated from Cox’s Bazar, India, 15–21 Oct 1944, 2–8 Nov 1944; and 11–18 Jan 1945, and from Fenny, India, 1–24 Dec 1944); Hay, India, 7 Feb 1945; Asansol, India, 9 May 1945; Kalaikunda, India, 23 May 1945; Asansol, India, 22 Jun–6 Oct 1945; Camp Kilmer, NJ, 1–3 Nov 1945.  Eglin Air Force Auxiliary Airfield No. 9 (Hurlburt Field), FL, 27 Apr 1962; England AFB, LA, 15 Jan 1966–17 Feb 1968; Pleiku AB, South Vietnam, 29 Feb 1968–15 Nov 1969 (detachment operated from Da Nang AB, South Vietnam, 1 Apr 1968–1 Sep 1969). England AFB, LA, 8 Jan 1970–15 Sep 1974.  Hurlburt Fld, FL, 1 Apr 1994; Duke Field ABS, FL, 1 Apr 2013-.

Service Streamers.  None.   

Campaign Streamers.  World War II:  India-Burma; Central Burma. Vietnam: 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.  Afghanistan:  Liberation of Afghanistan 2001.  Global War on Terrorism-Expeditionary (GWOT-E).

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers.  None.

Decorations.  Presidential Unit Citation: Vietnam, 1 Jun–15 Nov 1969. Gallant Unit Citation: 6 Oct 2001-30 May 2003.   Meritorious Unit Awards:  1 Jul 2007-14 Jan 2009; 1 Oct 2009-30 Sep 2011; 1 Oct 2011-30 Sep 2013; 1 Oct 2014-30 Sep 2015; 1 Oct 2015-30 Sep 2016.  Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with the Combat “V” Device: 1 Feb–20 Jun 1968; 15 Jul 1968–31 May 1969; 1 Jun 1997-31 May 1999; 1 Jul 2003-30 Jun 2005; 1 Sep 2006-30 Jun 2007.  Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: Jul 1963–Jun 1965; 15 Sep 1970–31 Dec 1971; [1 Apr 1994]-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; 1 Oct 2013-30 Sep 2014; 1 Oct 2017-30 Sep 2018.  Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Jan 1968–15 Nov 1969.

Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 1 Sep 2022.

Supersedes statement prepared on 19 Jan 2016.

Emblem.  Approved on 22 Mar 1966; latest rendering, 5 Sep 1997.

Prepared by Melissa Lahue.

Reviewed by Margaret Ream.