The 43d Electronic Combat Squadron is a
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
unit. Its current assignment is with the
55th Electronic Combat Group
The 55th Electronic Combat Group, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, provides combat-ready EC-130H Compass Call aircraft, crews, maintenance and operational support to combatant commanders. The group is a Geographically Separated Unit (GSU) that f ...
, being stationed as a tenant unit at
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona as a geographically separated unit from its parent, the
55th Wing
The 55th Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command. The wing is primarily stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, but maintains one of its groups and associated squadrons at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz ...
at
Offutt Air Force Base
Offutt Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force base south of Omaha, adjacent to Bellevue in Sarpy County, Nebraska. It is the headquarters of the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), the 557th Weather Wing, and the 55th Wing (55 WG) of the Air ...
, Nebraska. It operates the
Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call
The EC-130H Compass Call is an electronic attack aircraft flown by the United States Air Force. Based on the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, the aircraft is heavily modified to disrupt enemy command and control communications, perform offensive counter ...
communications-jamming aircraft.
The squadron is one of the oldest in the United States Air Force, its origins dating to 17 August 1917, when it was organized at
Kelly Field
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. It later served in France as part of the
American Expeditionary Force
The American Expeditionary Forces (A. E. F.) was a formation of the United States Army on the Western Front of World War I. The A. E. F. was established on July 5, 1917, in France under the command of General John J. Pershing. It fought alon ...
during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. The squadron saw combat during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, and became part of
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 ...
during 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 ...
.
Mission
Along with the
41st Electronic Combat Squadron
The 41st Electronic Combat Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. Its current assignment is with the 55th Electronic Combat Group at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona as a geographically separated unit from its parent wing, the 55 ...
, the unit accomplishes the Compass Call mission, providing capabilities in the realm of electronic warfare for the Air Force and poised for immediate deployment to specific theater contingencies. The unit's combat mission is to support tactical air, ground and naval operations by confusing the enemy's defenses and disrupting its command and control capabilities.
The squadron flies the
Lockheed EC-130H
The EC-130H Compass Call is an electronic attack aircraft flown by the United States Air Force. Based on the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, the aircraft is heavily modified to disrupt enemy command and control communications, perform offensive counter ...
aircraft, a specially configured version of the Air Force's C-130 transport. To execute its missions, the aircraft were modified with
electronic countermeasures
An electronic countermeasure (ECM) is an electrical or electronic device designed to trick or deceive radar, sonar, or other detection systems, like infrared (IR) or lasers. It may be used both offensively and defensively to deny targeting info ...
systems, specialized jamming equipment, the capability for
air refuelling, as well as upgraded engines and avionics. Modifications made to the aircraft vary between the two squadrons, to help each squadron meet its specific mission-oriented needs.
History
The 43rd has a long history beginning 17 August 1917, as the 86th Aero Squadron. It served as part of the zone of advance in France during the latter part of World War I. Then in 1935, it was an observation squadron operating as part of the
Air Corps Tactical School at
Maxwell Field
Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. O ...
, Alabama. Beginning 7 December 1941, the squadron conducted patrols over the Hawaiian islands.
The squadron then switched yet again. As a combat mapping squadron, the unit's aircrews flew over Japanese held islands photographing and mapping the terrain and enemy positions. The 86th prepared the way for the taking of the Marshall Islands,
Wake Island
Wake Island ( mh, Ānen Kio, translation=island of the kio flower; also known as Wake Atoll) is a coral atoll in the western Pacific Ocean in the northeastern area of the Micronesia subregion, east of Guam, west of Honolulu, southeast of To ...
,
Saipan
Saipan ( ch, Sa’ipan, cal, Seipél, formerly in es, Saipán, and in ja, 彩帆島, Saipan-tō) is the largest island of the Northern Mariana Islands, a Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), commonwealth of the United States in the western Pa ...
,
Guam
Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...
, and
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima (, also ), known in Japan as , is one of the Japanese Volcano Islands and lies south of the Bonin Islands. Together with other islands, they form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The highest point of Iwo Jima is Mount Suribachi at high.
...
. Finally, in 1944, the squadron made the first photographic mosaics of
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
. The squadron was redesigned as the 43rd Reconnaissance Squadron (Long Range Photographic) in 1945 then was inactivated in 1946.
In January 1954, the 43rd was again activated, this time at
Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. The squadron was initially equipped with the
Martin RB-57 Canberra
The Martin B-57 Canberra is an American-built, twin-engined Tactical bombing, tactical bomber and reconnaissance aircraft that entered service with the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1953. The B-57 is a license-built version of the British ...
. However, once the Air Force received enough
Douglas RB-66B Destroyer
The Douglas B-66 Destroyer is a light bomber that was designed and produced by the American aviation manufacturer Douglas Aircraft Company.
The B-66 was developed for the United States Air Force (USAF) and is heavily based upon the United Stat ...
to equip more than a single squadron, the squadron transitioned to the Destroyer.
[Knaack, p. 419] It accomplished a night photographic mission. The unit was inactivated in 1959.
Redesignated the 43rd Electronic Combat Squadron, the unit was activated 6 June 1986, at
Sembach Air Base, Germany. It served in Europe until 1991, then came to
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and the
355th Wing
The 355th Wing (355 WG) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command's Fifteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, where it operates the A-10 Thunderbolt II. The wing's missi ...
on 1 May 1992, as the sister squadron to the 41st. The 43rd earned a combat streamer for its duties in World War I and six more for missions flown in the Pacific during World War II.
Lineage
; 86th Aero Squadron
* Organized as the 86th Aero Squadron on 17 August 1917
: Demobilized on 26 May 1919
* Reconstituted and consolidated with the 86th Observation Squadron on 1 December 1936
[
; 43d Electronic Combat Squadron'
* Constituted as the 86th Observation Squadron and activated on 1 March 1935
: Inactivated on 1 September 1936
* Consolidated with the 86th Aero Squadron on 1 December 1936
* Activated on 1 February 1940
: Redesignated 86th Observation Squadron (Medium) on 26 February 1942
: Redesignated 86th Observation Squadron on 4 July 1942
: Redesignated 86th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bomber) on 31 May 1943
: Redesignated 86th Combat Mapping Squadron on 13 November 1943
: Redesignated 43d Reconnaissance Squadron, Long Range, Photographic on 16 June 1945
: Inactivated on 22 February 1946
* Redesignated 43d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Night-Photographic on 14 January 1954]
: Activated on 18 March 1954
: Redesignated 43d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Night Photo-Jet on 8 April 1956
: Inactivated on 18 May 1959
* Redesignated 43d Electronic Combat Squadron on 6 June 1986
: Activated on 1 October 1986
: Inactivated on 31 July 1991
* Activated on 1 May 1992[
]
Assignments
* Unknown, 17 August 1917
* Advanced Air Service Depot, September 1918
* Unknown, March 1919 - 26 May 1919
* Air Corps Tactical School, 1 March 1935 – 1 September 1936
* Hawaiian Department, 1 February 1940
* Hawaiian Air Force (later Seventh Air Force), November 1940
* Army Air Forces, Pacific Ocean Areas (later, United States Army Strategic Air Forces), 24 October 1944 (attached to VI Air Service Area Command after 24 October 1944, Detachment attached to 4th Reconnaissance Group
The 4th Reconnaissance Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Thirteenth Air Force and was stationed at Clark Field, Philippines. It was inactivated on 15 January 1946.
The unit operated P-38/F-4 Lightning ph ...
, June–August 1945)
* US Army Forces, Middle Pacific, 14 September 1945 (attached to 7th Fighter Wing)
* Twentieth Air Force, 18 September 1945 (attached to 7th Fighter Wing)
* Seventh Air Force, 1 January 1946 – 22 February 1946 (attached to 7th Fighter Wing)
* 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group 43 may refer to:
* 43 (number)
* one of the years 43 BC, AD 43, 1943, 2043
* Licor 43, also known as "Cuarenta Y Tres" ("Forty-three" in Spanish)
* George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who se ...
, 18 March 1954
* 363d 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 ...
, 8 February 1958 – 18 May 1959 (attached to 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
The 432nd Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command at Creech Air Force Base near Indian Springs, Nevada. It flies General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper and RQ-170 Sentinel Unmanned aerial vehicles.
The group operates unmanned ...
, c. 1 February 1959 – 7 April 1959)
* 66th Electronic Combat Wing
The 66th Air Base Wing is an inactive United States Air Force wing that was last active in September 2010 at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, where it had served as the host organization since 1994. It was replaced at Hanscom by the small ...
, 1 October 1986 – 31 July 1991
* 355th Operations Group
The 355th Operations Group (355 OG) is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to the 355th Wing. It is stationed at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.
Units
The 355th Operations Group consists of five squadrons and over 450 personn ...
, 1 May 1992[
* ]55th Electronic Combat Group
The 55th Electronic Combat Group, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, provides combat-ready EC-130H Compass Call aircraft, crews, maintenance and operational support to combatant commanders. The group is a Geographically Separated Unit (GSU) that f ...
, 2006 – present
Stations
* Kelly Field
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, 17 August 1917
* Scott Field, Illinois, 24 September 1917
* Garden City, New York
Garden City is a village located on Long Island in Nassau County New York. It is the Greater Garden City area's anchor community. The population was 23,272 at the 2020 census.
The Incorporated Village of Garden City is primarily located within ...
, 26 February-5 March 1918
* Shoreham by Sea
Shoreham-by-Sea (often shortened to Shoreham) is a coastal town and port in West Sussex, England.
The town is bordered to its north by the South Downs, to its west by the Adur Valley and to its south by the River Adur and Shoreham Beach on the ...
, England, 25 March-11 August 1918
* St. Maixent Replacement Barracks
The Air Service Replacement Concentration Barracks is a former military facility in the vicinity of Saint-Maixent-l'École, Poitou-Charentes, France. It was used by the Air Service, United States Army as the Air Service Replacement Concentration ...
, France, 15 August 1918
* Romorantin Aerodrome, France, c. 25 August 1918
* Vavincourt Aerodrome
Vavincourt Aerodrome, was a temporary World War I airfield in France. It was located south of Vavincourt, in the Meuse department in north-eastern France.
Overview
The airfield was built during the summer of 1918 by the French troops with an ...
, France, 4 September 1918
* Behonne
Behonne () is a commune in the Meuse department in the Grand Est region in northeastern France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Meuse department
The following is a list of the 499 communes of the Meuse department of France.
The com ...
Advance Air Depot, France, 18 September 1918
* Bordeaux
Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectur ...
, France, c. 9 March 1919-unknown
* Camp Lee, Virginia, c. 23–26 May 1919
* Maxwell Field, Alabama, 1 March 1935 – 1 September 1936
* Wheeler Field, Hawaii, 1 February 1940
* Bellows Field
A bellows or pair of bellows is a device constructed to furnish a strong blast of air. The simplest type consists of a flexible bag comprising a pair of rigid boards with handles joined by flexible leather sides enclosing an approximately airtigh ...
, Hawaii, 15 March 1941
* Hilo Airport
Hilo International Airport , formerly General Lyman Field, is an international airport located in Hilo, Hawaii County, Hawaii. Owned and operated by the Hawaii state Department of Transportation, it is one of two major airports on Hawaii Islan ...
, Hawaii, June 1942
* Wheeler Field, Hawaii, 17 August 1942 - c. 28 June 1944 (detachment operated from Kwajalein
Kwajalein Atoll (; Marshallese: ) is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island, which its majority English-speaking residents (about 1,000 mostly U.S. civilia ...
, May 1944 - June 1944, and from Eniwetok, June 1944 - August 1944)
* Saipan
Saipan ( ch, Sa’ipan, cal, Seipél, formerly in es, Saipán, and in ja, 彩帆島, Saipan-tō) is the largest island of the Northern Mariana Islands, a Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), commonwealth of the United States in the western Pa ...
, 8 1 July 1944 - 6 November 1944 (air echelon, less Eniwetok
Enewetak Atoll (; also spelled Eniwetok Atoll or sometimes Eniewetok; mh, Ānewetak, , or , ; known to the Japanese as Brown Atoll or Brown Island; ja, ブラウン環礁) is a large coral atoll of 40 islands in the Pacific Ocean and with it ...
detachment, at Wheeler Field to October 1944, and then at Kahuka Army Air Base, Hawaii)
* Kahuka Army Air Base, Hawaii, 24 November 1944 (detachment operated from Puerto Princesa Airfield
Puerto Princesa International Airport ( fil, Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Puerto Princesa; ) is an airport serving the general area of Puerto Princesa, located in the province of Palawan in the Philippines. It is classified as an international airport ...
, Palawan
Palawan (), officially the Province of Palawan ( cyo, Probinsya i'ang Palawan; tl, Lalawigan ng Palawan), is an archipelagic province of the Philippines that is located in the region of Mimaropa. It is the largest province in the country in ...
, Philippines June 1945 - August 1945)
* Wheeler Field, Hawaii, February 1946 - 22 February 1946
* Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, 18 March 1954 – 18 May 1959
* Sembach Air Base, Germany, 1 October 1986 – 31 July 1991
* Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, 1 May 1992 – present[
]
Aircraft
* Included Thomas-Morse O-19
The Thomas-Morse O-19 was an American observation biplane built by the Thomas-Morse Aircraft Company for the United States Army Air Corps.
Development
The O-19 was based on the earlier Thomas-Morse O-6 biplane. It was a conventional two-seat ...
during period 1935-1936
* In addition to O-47
The North American O-47 is an American observation fixed-wing aircraft monoplane designed in the mid-1930s and used by the United States Army Air Corps during the Second World War. It has a low-wing configuration, retractable landing gear, and a t ...
, 1940–1943,
* Douglas B-18 Bolo
The Douglas B-18 Bolo is an American heavy bomber which served with the United States Army Air Corps and the Royal Canadian Air Force (as the Digby) during the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company f ...
, 1942–1943,
* included Martin B-12
The Martin B-10 was the first all-metal monoplane bomber to be regularly used by the United States Army Air Corps, entering service in June 1934.Jackson 2003, p. 246. It was also the first mass-produced bomber whose performance was superior to ...
, 1940–1942,
* O-49
The Stinson L-1 Vigilant (company designation Model 74) is an American liaison aircraft designed by the Stinson Aircraft Company of Wayne, Michigan and manufactured at the Vultee-Stinson factory in Nashville, Tennessee (in August 1940 Stinson bec ...
, 1941–1942;
* and Douglas A-20 Havoc, Douglas A-24 Banshee
The Douglas SBD Dauntless is a World War II American naval scout plane and dive bomber that was manufactured by Douglas Aircraft from 1940 through 1944. The SBD ("Scout Bomber Douglas") was the United States Navy's main carrier-based scout/dive ...
, Taylorcraft L-2
The Taylorcraft L-2 Grasshopper is an American observation and liaison aircraft built by Taylorcraft Aircraft, Taylorcraft for the United States Army Air Forces in World War II.
Design and development
In 1941 the United States Army Air Forces ...
, Aeronca L-3, Culver PQ-8, and Martin AT-23 Marauder, 1943
* Principally Consolidated F-7 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models des ...
?, 1944–1945
* Martin RB-57 Canberra, 1954–1956
* Douglas RB-66 Destroyer, 1956–1959
* EC-130H Compass Call, 1987–1991; 1992–present[
]
References
Notes
; Explanatory notes
; Citations
Bibliography
* *
{{USAAF 7th Air Force World War II
Electronic combat squadrons of the United States Air Force