16 Special Operations Squadron (AFSOC)

Lineage.   16 Ferrying Squadron (constituted as 16 Air Corps Ferrying Squadron on 18 Feb 1942; activated on 16 Apr 1942; redesignated as 16 Ferrying Squadron on 12 May 1943; disbanded on 1 Apr 1944; reconstituted on 19 Sep 1985) consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with the 16 Combat Cargo Squadron (constituted on 9 Jun 1944; activated on 13 Jun 1944; inactivated on 29 Dec 1945; disbanded on 8 Oct 1948; reconstituted on 19 Sep 1985) and the 16 Special Operations Squadron (constituted on 11 Oct 1968; activated on 30 Oct 1968).  Consolidated unit retained designation as 16 Special Operations Squadron.   

 

Assignments.   Middle West Sector, Air Corps Ferrying Command (later, 5 Ferrying Group), 16 Apr 1942–1 Apr 1944.  4 Combat Cargo Group, 13 Jun 1944; Army Air Forces, India-Burma Theater, 5 Sep 1945; 4 Combat Cargo Group, c. Oct–29 Dec 1945.  8 Tactical Fighter Wing, 30 Oct 1968 (attached to 388 Tactical Fighter Wing, 19 Jul 1974–8 Dec 1975); Tactical Air Command, 8 Dec 1975; 1 Special Operations Wing, 12 Dec 1975; 1 Special Operations (later, 16 Operations; 1 Special Operations) Group, 22 Sep 1992; 27 Special Operations Group, 1 Jun 2009–.

 

Stations.   Hensley Field, Grand Prairie, TX, 16 Apr 1942; Love Field, Dallas, TX, 8 Sep 1942–1 Apr 1944.  Syracuse Army Air Base, NY, 13 Jun 1944; Bowman Field, KY, 16 Aug–9 Nov 1944; Sylhet, India, 7 Dec 1944; Argartala, India, 26 Dec 1944; Chittagong, India, 31 Jan 1945; Namponmao, Burma, 11 Jun 1945; Ledo, India, 3 Sep 1945; Namponmao, Burma, Oct 1945; Ondal, India, Nov–29 Dec 1945.  Ubon RTAFB, Thailand, 30 Oct 1968; Korat RTAFB, Thailand, 19 Jul 1974; Eglin AF Aux Airfield #9 (Hurlburt Field), FL, 12 Dec 1975; Cannon AFB, NM, 1 Jun 2009–.

 

Commanders.   Capt Clarence S. Chiles, c. Apr 1942; Maj Edgar A. Robinson, c. 1943; Capt Robert L. Minor, c. 1944; Capt Clarence J. Jessen, 23 Feb 1944; Maj Leslie W. Bray Jr., c. Jun 1944-unkn.  Unkn, 30 Oct-22 Dec 1968; Lt Col Garvie S. Fink, by 23 Dec 1968; Lt Col George J. Liotis, 24 Mar 1969; Lt Col Thomas Simone, 29 Jul 1969; Lt Col Berdell P. Brevig, 7 Dec 1969; Maj Ronald P. Hight, 12 Apr 1970; Lt Col Young A. Tucker, 15 Jul 1970; Lt Col Kenneth G. Harris, 30 Jan 1971; Lt Col George A. Fox, 26 Mar 1971; Lt Col Kenneth G. Harris, 6 Apr 1971;  Col Harry G. Canham, 1 Jan 1972; Col John E. Davis, by 30 Sep 1972; Lt Col Richmond A. Apaka, 7 Apr 1973; Lt Col Harry W. Williamson Jr., by 30 Jun 1973; Lt Col Bennie Castillo, 4 Oct 1973; Col Harry W. Williamson Jr., 21 Oct 1973; Col Charles O. Hopingardner, 14 Dec 1973; Lt Col John F. Daughtry, 1 Sep 1974; Col James G. Wyatt, 17 Oct 1974;  Lt Col David R. Mets, 22 Sep 1975;  Lt Col William R. Harms, 9 Dec 1975; Lt Col Tom W. Jackson, 13 Dec 1975;  Lt Col Peter G. Friedman, 1 Apr 1977; Lt Col P. J. White Jr., 2 Apr 1979; Lt Col J. A. Gallagher, 2 Apr 1981; Lt Col G. F. Shipp, 26 Jul 1982; Lt Col D. K. Sims, 1 Dec 1982; Lt Col W. S. Evans, 31 Oct 1985; Lt Col H. B. Chambers Jr., 29 Jan 1987; Lt Col B. B. Napier, 20 Jun 1989; Lt Col Donn P. Kegel, 11 Oct 1990; Lt Col James B. Conners, 18 Nov 1991; Lt Col Michael B. Byers, 20 Dec 1993; Lt Col Raymond L. Killgore, 6 Jul 1995; Lt Col Bradley A. Heithold, 18 Aug 1997; Lt Col Mark Transue, 18 Oct 1998; Lt Col Charles A. Hamilton, 23 Jul 1999; Lt Col Charles G. McMillan, 27 Jun 200l; Lt Col Brian P. Cutts, 12 Aug 2002; Lt Col James Marsh, 6 Jul 2004; Lt Col Ted R. Fordyce, 24 Feb 2006; Lt Col Sean M. Farrell, 30 Jun 2009; Lt Col Jason E. Miller, 31 Jul 2009; Lt Col Tracy L. Onufer, 22 Feb 2011; Lt Col Jimmy Mott, 9 Nov 2012-.  

 

Aircraft.    Unkn (ferried tactical and support aircraft), 1942–1944. C–47, 1944, 1945; C–46, 1944–1945. AC–130, 1968-.

Operations.   Ferried aircraft from factories to units in US and Canada and conducted pilot training Apr 1942–Apr 1944. Combat aerial transportation from India to Burma and China, Dec 1944–Oct 1945. Combat in Southeast Asia, Nov 1968–Jul 1974; Grenada, 24 Oct–23 Nov 1983; Panama, 20 Dec 1989–14 Jan 1990; and Southwest Asia, Jan–27 May 1991.  Participated in Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, 1990-1991.  After terrorist attacks on the US on 11 Sep 2001, squadron elements deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and other operations.  In Mar 2002, elements it lent flew numerous combat missions in support of Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan; these actions earned the squadron the 2002 Mackay Trophy. 

 

Service Streamers.   World War II American Theater.

 

Campaign Streamers. World War II: India-Burma; Central Burma; China Offensive. Vietnam: Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; 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.  Afghanistan: Liberation; Consolidation I; Consolidation II; Consolidation III.  Iraq: Iraqi Transition; Iraqi National Resolution; Iraqi Surge. 

 

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers.  Panama 1989–1990.

 

Decorations.  Presidential Unit Citations: (Southeast Asia), 1 Dec 1969–1 Mar 1970; 1 Jan–1 Apr 1971.  Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat “V” Device: 1 Jan–31 Dec 1970; 1 Oct 1971–31 Mar 1972; 1 Apr–22 Oct 1972; 18 Dec 1972–15 Aug 1973; 15 Oct 1974–12 May 1975; 13–15 May 1975; 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 May 2009; 1 Jun-30 Sep 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; 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 Cross with Palm: 30 Oct 1968–28 Jan 1973.

 

Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 11 Aug 2016.

 

Commanders through Nov 2012; Aircraft, and Operations through 31 Dec 2012.

 

Supersedes statement prepared on Apr 2014.

 

Emblem.   Approved on 19 Dec 2007.

 

Prepared by TSgt David Dollman.