33rd Special Operations Squadron
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The 33rd Special Operations Squadron is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to the
27th Special Operations Group The 27th Special Operations Group (27 SOG) is the flying component of the 27th Special Operations Wing, assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). The group is stationed at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. The Group carr ...
at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. The squadron operates the
General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (sometimes called Predator B) is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) primarily for the Unit ...
. The unit is one of the oldest squadrons in the Air Force, its origins dating to 12 June 1917. Over this time, members of the squadron took part in World War I, World War II, the
1991 Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
,
Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 at ...
and
Operation Iraqi Freedom {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
. The 33rd SOS was named
Air Force Special Operations Command Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), headquartered at Hurlburt Field, Florida, is the special operations component of the United States Air Force. An Air Force major command (MAJCOM), AFSOC is also the U.S. Air Force component command ...
's Special Operations Squadron of the Year for 2012. The squadron was reactivated by the Air Force in May 2009, in view of a perceived need for greater special operations air capacity.


First World War

The 33rd Special Operations Squadron traces its history to the organization of the 33rd Aero Squadron at
Camp Kelly Kelly Field (formerly Kelly Air Force Base) is a Joint-Use facility located in San Antonio, Texas. It was originally named after George E. M. Kelly, the first member of the U.S. military killed in the crash of an airplane he was piloting. In ...
, Texas, on 17 May 1917, about a month after the United States' entry into World War I. The squadron consisted of 160 recruits and was first called "2nd Company "G", Kelly Field". Later, the name was changed to "1st Company "F", Kelly Field".Gorrell, Series E, Vol. 7 On 23 June 1917 the 33rd Aero Squadron was organized from these recruits. After rudimentary indoctrination into the Army at Kelly Field, the squadron was given orders for overseas duty in France, and proceeded to Fort Totten, New York on 15 August.


Across the Atlantic

On 22 August they were transported to the Port of Entry, Hoboken, New Jersey, and were boarded on the . The next day, they left Pier 59, en route to Halifax, Nova Scotia where the ship anchored awaiting for a convoy. Finally, on 5 September, the convoy was formed and the trans-Atlantic journey began. On the night of 14 September, two red rockets were fired from an accompanying destroyer that had spotted a submarine periscope. The destroyer dropped depth charges on the submarine, and the Baltic made a sudden turn to port, that caused both men and anything loose aboard the ship to move. Suddenly a large explosion was heard and five long blasts were made by the ship's whistle and everyone on board was ordered to report to their assigned lifeboats. The Baltic's captain announced that a torpedo had struck the ship, but it had only made a glancing blow on the bow; that the emergency pumps were working and there was no danger.


Third Aviation Instruction Center

The next morning the ship arrived at Liverpool, England; the squadrons on the Baltic being the first American airmen to land there. The 33rd was boarded on a train and proceeded to Southampton where it was stationed at a rest camp, arriving at 1:00 am on 16 September. At Southampton, fifty men of the squadron were detached to the
Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...
for three months training as aircraft mechanics. The remainder of the squadron were to proceed to France. The squadron arrived at Le Havre, then continued by train to Etampes, France, arriving on the 19th. At Etampes, the squadron was divided into three detachments for training at different aircraft schools in France, and were designated as the 33rd Aero Squadron Detachments. The detachments were sent to Paris, Clermont-Ferrand and Lyon. In addition, 18 men were sent to Issoudun Aerodrome to help construct the
Third Aviation Instruction Center Issoudun Aerodrome was a complex of military airfields in the vicinity of Issoudun, Centre, France. They were used during World War I as part of the Third Air Instructional Center, American Expeditionary Forces for training United States airmen ...
. The squadron was recombined at Issodun Aerodrome just after Christmas Day, 1917. The men had been thoroughly trained in aircraft assembly, engine maintenance and the other skills needed for them to do their work at the Third Aviation Instruction Center. The men from England arrived on 14 January, and they had become instructors in pistol, rifle, and machine-gunnery. The duties of the squadron became the maintenance of the training aircraft, primarily French Nieuports at the school, which had been set up by the Training Section, AEF to train American pursuit pilots prior to them being sent into combat at the Front. In their off-hours, the men engaged in sports such as boxing and football. Athletics was an important part of the duty at Issodun, giving the squadron, which was widely divided around the station, an esprit-de-corps and helped build morale. In addition to the aircraft work, squadron members were also engaged in expanding the 3rd AIC as necessary, erecting additional buildings and aircraft hangars as new airfields were required as training was expanded with additional pilots and aircraft. The numbers of aircraft accidents increased in relation to the increase of pilots going through training. Some of these accidents were found to be caused by a long row of large trees to the north of one of the fields. Those were cut down to give the students additional unobstructed space for landings and takeoffs. Overlapping airfields were also causing a problem with the increased number of aircraft, and additional airfields, away from the main base, were acquired and set up to relieve that problem. Severe storms, especially in the summer caused hangars to be torn up and airplanes to be damaged by high winds or flying debris. The work of the mechanics, in particular, could be quite dangerous as men were severely injured by propeller blades, and in one case, a squadron member working on the field was killed when another plane, attempting a takeoff, instead swerved and ran into the plane he was working on. During the month of September 1918, training was especially intense as new pilots, to be assigned to the new
Second Army Air Service The Second Army Air Service was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I as part of the Air Service, Second United States Army. It was demobilized in France on 15 April 1919 with the demobilizati ...
, began to arrive for instruction. By the time of the Armistice on 11 November, the men of the squadron held responsible positions in many of the support areas of the Third Aviation Instruction Center. Although they did not enter combat, the men provided the means to train the pilots who went to the front and gave them the best of training so they might accomplish their work.


Demobilization

The 33rd remained at Issodun until the end of December 1918 when orders were received to proceed to the 1st Air Depot, Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome, France, for demobilization. From Colombey, the squadron was moved to a staging camp under the Services of Supply at Bordeaux, France, in January waiting for a date to report to a base port for transportation home. In mid-March, the squadron boarded a troop ship, arriving in New York on 5 April. From there, the 33rd moved to Mitchel Field, New York where the men were demobilized and returned to civilian life. The 33rd Aero Squadron was demobilized on 14 April 1919 at Mitchel Field, New York.Clay, p. 1398


Inter-war years

The 33rd Pursuit Squadron was reconstituted as a regular Army Air Service unit on 24 March 1923, but remained inactive. By 1929, the squadron was partially organized at Kelly Field as a Regular Army Inactive unitRegular Army Inactive units were units that were constituted in the regular army. Although they were not activated, they were organized with reserve personnel during the 1920s and early 1930s. Even though they had reserve personnel assigned, they were not Organized Reserve units. Because they had no regular personnel they were still considered inactive in the regular army. Clay, p. vi with reserve personnel and its members trained as individual reservists at Kelly Field. On 25 June 1932 its reservists were transferred and it was activated at Langley Field, Virginia. It was equipped with Boeing P-12s, and in 1933 some
Curtiss P-6 Hawk The Curtiss P-6 Hawk is an American single-engine biplane fighter introduced into service in the late 1920s with the United States Army Air Corps and operated until the late 1930s prior to the outbreak of World War II. Design and development Th ...
pursuit planes and trained primarily on coastal defense patrols. Assigned to the 8th Pursuit Group, the squadron continued to fly pursuit planes, receiving new front-line aircraft for testing and evaluation. These included the Consolidated P-30,
Curtiss P-36 Hawk The Curtiss P-36 Hawk, also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, is an American-designed and built fighter aircraft of the 1930s and 40s. A contemporary of the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, it was one of the first of a new generation ...
, Curtiss YP-37 and Northrop A-17 Dive Bomber. The squadron was redesignated as the 33rd Pursuit Squadron (Fighter) on 6 December 1939; It moved to Mitchel Field, New York in March 1940 after the breakout of World War II in Europe. It was redesignated as an interceptor squadron, and shortly afterwards received early-model
Curtiss P-40C Warhawk The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was a WWII fighter aircraft that was developed from the P-36 Hawk, via the P-37. Many variants were built, some in large numbers, under names including the Hawk, Tomahawk and Kittyhawk. Allison-engined Model 75 XP ...
s. Its mission was the air defense of the New York City area.


Second World War

The squadron was deployed to Iceland with P-40 Warhawk fighters as part of the
Iceland Base Command Iceland Base Command (IBC) is an inactive United States Army organization. It was established for the United States defense of the Kingdom of Iceland during World War II. It was inactivated on 4 March 1947. History Origins Iceland was an impor ...
(IBC) as part of a bilateral agreement with the Icelandic Government to provide air defense of their nation. The squadron departed from New York Harbor on 27 July 1941 on the }, arriving off Iceland on 6 August 1941. The squadron flew its P-40s off the carrier, and landed at Kaldadarnes Airfield, near Reykjavík where it replaced a Royal Air Force squadron which withdrew to the United Kingdom. It operated from Kaldadarnes until
Patterson Field Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place just east of Dayton, Ohio, in Greene and Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patterson Fields, which were originally Wilbur Wri ...
was completed in July 1942.Conn, Engleman & Fairchild Additional fighter squadrons were sent to Iceland after the United States entry into World War II, and the 33rd was reassigned to the new 342nd Composite Group in September 1942, and the squadron received additional Bell P-39 Airacobras. Along with the air defense mission, the 33rd also provided escort patrols for Air Transport Command operations flying through Iceland as part of the North Atlantic air ferry route, and antisubmarine patrols. With the completion of
Meeks Field Naval Air Station Keflavik (NASKEF) was a United States Navy station at Keflavík International Airport, Iceland, located on the Reykjanes peninsula on the south-west portion of the island. NASKEF was closed on 8 September 2006, and its facilitie ...
in March 1943, headquarters of the 342nd was moved there, however, due to congestion with Air Transport Command ferrying traffic, the 33rd operated primarily from Patterson Field. German aircraft, operating from bases in Occupied Norway, were first engaged near Iceland on 28 April 1942 and had been followed by a three months' lull. Then in late July three more encounters took place. Encounters between German aircraft and the 342nd continued until the summer of 1943 when the last enemy aircraft (a Junkers Ju 88) was intercepted on 5 August. After that, with the Germans on the defensive in Europe, the Luftwaffe was engaged in other activities elsewhere.Guarding the United States and its Outposts The 342nd was inactivated in March 1944 and the squadron came under the direct control of the
24th Composite Wing Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'' (1972 film), a Sovie ...
. The P-40s and P-39s were replaced with new Republic P-47D Thunderbolts, however, with the Germans in full retreat after D-Day, the 24th was disestablished and the 33rd remained in Iceland as a defensive measure under IBC until the end of the war when it was inactivated.


Tactical Air Command

In April 1953, the 33rd Fighter-Bomber Squadron was activated as part of the 37th Fighter-Bomber Group, at
Clovis Air Force Base Cannon Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base, located approximately southwest of Clovis, New Mexico. It is under the jurisdiction of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). The host unit at Cannon is the 27th Special Operation ...
, New Mexico under
Tactical Air Command Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 J ...
(TAC). The 37th FBG was assigned to Clovis to replace the 50th FBG which was deployed to West Germany as part of USAFE. However, the 37th was neither manned or equipped due to personnel and equipment shortages and was inactivated on 25 June 1953. The 33rd was again re-activated at the newly opened Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina by TAC as the 33rd Fighter-Day Squadron as part of the 342nd FDG on 25 July 1956. The 342nd was equipped with a mixed assortment of aircraft, the most modern being five
RF-80A Shooting Star The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. Designed and built by Lockheed in 1943 and delivered just 143 days from the start of design, prod ...
s. These aircraft were considered to be at Myrtle Beach on an interim status, as North American Aircraft established a training facility at the base for
F-100 Super Sabre The North American F-100 Super Sabre is an American supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard (ANG) until 1979. The first of the Century Series of ...
orientation. Although on paper a fully functioning wing, the efforts and activities of the 342nd FDW were directed to reach operational capabilities by overcoming the problems and obstacles inherent in the activation of a new fighter wing on a base still largely under construction. The 342nd FDW lasted 117 days until 18 November 1956 when the Air Force inactivated the unit and activated the
354th Fighter-Day Wing The 354th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force wing that is part of Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is the host wing at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and is assigned to the Eleventh Air Force (11 AF). The wing replaced the 343d Fighter W ...
to replace it, and the men and aircraft of the 33rd Fighter-Day Squadron were transferred to the newly activated 353rd Fighter Day Squadron. Reactivated a third time by Tactical Air Command on 15 October 1969, at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, this time as the 33rd Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadron, and assigned to the
363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing The 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing (363 ISRW) is a United States Air Force unit. The group is assigned to the United States Air Force Sixteenth Air Force, stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. The mission ...
. The 33rd assumed the personnel and equipment of provisional 4415th Combat Crew Training Squadron, being equipped with
McDonnell RF-4C Phantom II The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American Tandem#Aviation, tandem two-seat, twinjet, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic aircraft, supersonic jet interceptor aircraft, interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed ...
reconnaissance aircraft. The mission of the squadron at Shaw was to train newly assigned pilots in the tactical reconnaissance mission. In 1982, as the 363rd converted to a
General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it ...
tactical fighter wing, the 33rd was inactivated on 1 October 1982 when its reconnaissance training mission ended.History of the 20th Fighter Wing and Shaw Air Force Base, Office of History 20th Fighter Wing. Shaw AFB, South Carolina. December 2010, AFD-110131-026.pdf Reactivated as part of the 363rd Tactical Fighter Wing in 1985 at Shaw as the wing's third F-16 squadron. Trained in tactical fighter missions designed to destroy enemy forces, 1985–1993. Deployed aircrews and aircraft to the Middle East during the 1991 Gulf War; later participated in Operation Southern Watch over southern Iraq, 1992–1993. Lt Col
Gary L. North Gary Lewis North (born 1954) is a retired United States Air Force four-star general who served as commander of Pacific Air Forces and executive director of Pacific Air Combat Operations Staff at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, from August 19, 200 ...
, commander of 33rd Fighter Squadron, became the first American F-16 pilot to score an aerial victory over Iraq on 27 December 1992. The squadron was inactivated in late 1993 when the
20th Fighter Wing The 20th Fighter Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Shaw Air Force Base South Carolina. The wing is assigned to Air Combat Command's Fifteenth Air Force. The wing's mission is to provide, project, and sustain ...
assumed the mission and assets of the 363rd Fighter Wing as part of the Air Force downsizing after the end of the
Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
.


Drone reconnaissance and surveillance

From 2009 the mission of the 33rd SOS was to operate the
General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (sometimes called Predator B) is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) primarily for the Unit ...
, primarily over combat areas, to provide surveillance and reconnaissance. During 2012, 39 members of the squadron were deployed, accumulating a total of 3,891 days downrange and facilitating thousands of hours of ISR coverage. Ten additional squadron members were deployed to fill roles such as Remotely Piloted Aircraft liaison officers, ISR battle captains, and group commanders. Their deployed contributions totaled 517 days.


Lineage

* Organized as the 33rd Aero Squadron on 12 June 1917 : Demobilized on 14 April 1919 * Reconstituted and redesignated 33rd Pursuit Squadron on 24 March 1923 : Organized as a Regular Army Inactive unit by June 1929 : Activated on 25 June 1932 : Redesignated 33rd Pursuit Squadron (Fighter) on 6 December 1939 : Redesignated 33rd Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 12 March 1941 : Redesignated 33rd Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942 : Redesignated 33rd Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 3 February 1944 : Inactivated on 22 June 1945 * Redesignated 33rd Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 3 March 1953 : Activated on 8 April 1953 : Inactivated on 25 June 1953 * Redesignated 33rd Fighter-Day Squadron on 7 May 1956 : Activated on 25 July 1956 : Inactivated on 19 November 1956 * Redesignated 33rd Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadron on 18 August 1969 and activated (not organized) : Organized on 15 October 1969 : Inactivated on 1 October 1982 * Redesignated 33rd Tactical Fighter Squadron on 7 September 1984 : Activated on 1 January 1985 : Redesignated 33rd Fighter Squadron on 1 November 1991 : Inactivated on 15 November 1993 * Redesignated 33rd Special Operations Squadron on 29 April 2009 : Activated on 29 May 2009


Assignments

* Post Headquarters, Kelly Field, 17 May 1917 * Aviation Concentration Center, 15 August 1917 * Air Service Headquarters, AEF, British Isles, 16 September 1917 : Detachment attached to Royal Flying Corps for training, 16 September 1917 – 14 January 1918 * Air Service Headquarters, AEF, 19 September 1917 : Detachments attached to Training Section, AEF, 19 September – 25 December 1917 * Third Aviation Instruction Center, 23 September 1917 * 1st Air Depot, December, 1918 * Services of Supply, c. 6 January – c. 18 March 1919 * Eastern Department, c. 5–14 April 1919 * 17th Pursuit Group, while in Regular Army Inactive status * 8th Pursuit Group, 25 June 1932 *
Iceland Base Command Iceland Base Command (IBC) is an inactive United States Army organization. It was established for the United States defense of the Kingdom of Iceland during World War II. It was inactivated on 4 March 1947. History Origins Iceland was an impor ...
, 6 August 1941 * 342nd Composite Group, 11 September 1942 * 24th Composite Wing, 18 March 1944 * Iceland Base Command, 15 June 1944 – 9 June 1945 * 37th Fighter-Bomber Group, 8 April – 15 June 1953 * 342nd Fighter-Day Group, 25 July – 19 November 1956 * 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (later 363rd Tactical Fighter Wing), 15 October 1969 – 1 October 1982 * 363rd Tactical Fighter Wing), 1 January 1985 *
363rd Operations Group The 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group is a United States Air Force unit stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis. It is assigned to the 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing. It was activated in Februa ...
, 1 May 1992 – 15 November 1993 *
27th Special Operations Group The 27th Special Operations Group (27 SOG) is the flying component of the 27th Special Operations Wing, assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). The group is stationed at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. The Group carr ...
, 29 May 2009 – present


Stations

* Camp Kelly (later Kelly field), Texas, 12 June – 11 August 1917 * Etampes, France, 19 September 1917 * Clermont-Ferrand, France, c. 25 September 1917 * Issoudun Aerodrome, France, December 1917 * Bordeaux, France, 6 January – 18 March 1919 * Mitchel Field, New York, 5–14 April 1919 * Langley Field, Virginia, 25 June 1932 * Mitchel Field, New York, 14 November 1940 – 27 July 1941 * Meeks Field, Iceland, 6 August 1941 – 9 June 1945Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 160-161 * Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 20–22 June 1945 * Clovis Air Force Base, New Mexico, 8 April – 25 June 1953 * Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina, 25 July – 19 November 1956 * Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, 1 October 1969 – 1 October 1982, 1 January 1985 – 15 November 1993 * Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, 29 May 2009 – presentStations in Haulman, except as noted.


Aircraft

* Nieuport 83, 1918 * Boeing P-12, 1932–1935 *
Curtiss P-6 Hawk The Curtiss P-6 Hawk is an American single-engine biplane fighter introduced into service in the late 1920s with the United States Army Air Corps and operated until the late 1930s prior to the outbreak of World War II. Design and development Th ...
, 1933–1936, 1937–1940 * Consolidated P-30, 1936–1939 * Curtiss YP-37, 1937–1940 * Northrop A-17, 1937–1940 * Curtiss P-36 Hawk, 1939–1940 * Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, 1940–1944 * Bell P-39 Airacobra, 1942–1943 * Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, 1944–1945 * McDonnell RF-4C Phantom II, 1969–1982 * General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, 1985–1993 *
General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (sometimes called Predator B) is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) primarily for the Unit ...
, 2009 – present


See also

* List of American Aero Squadrons


References


Notes

; Explanatory Notes ; Citations


Bibliography

* * * * * * * {{USAF Special Operations Command, state=collapsed
033 ''033'' or ''Zero Three Three'' is a 2010 Bengali film directed by Birsa Dasgupta in a directorial debut and produced by Moxie Entertainments. It stars Rudranil Ghosh and Parambrato Chattopadhyay. 033 is the STD code for Kolkata city, and the ...
Military units and formations in New Mexico Military units and formations established in 1917