970th Airborne Air Control Squadron
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The 970th Airborne Air Control Squadron is part of the
513th Air Control Group The 513th Air Control Group is an Air Reserve Component unit of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the Tenth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, and is stationed at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. The group's mission is to provi ...
at
Tinker Air Force Base Tinker Air Force Base is a major United States Air Force base, with tenant U.S. Navy and other Department of Defense missions, located in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, surrounded by Del City, Oklahoma City, and Midwest City. The base, origina ...
,
Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
. It operates the
Boeing E-3 Sentry The Boeing E-3 Sentry is an American airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft developed by Boeing. E-3s are commonly known as AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System). Derived from the Boeing 707 airliner, it provides all-wea ...
aircraft conducting airborne command and control missions. The first predecessor of the
squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...
was activated in Puerto Rico in April 1941. The squadron flew
antisubmarine An anti-submarine weapon (ASW) is any one of a number of devices that are intended to act against a submarine and its crew, to destroy (sink) the vessel or reduce its capability as a weapon of war. In its simplest sense, an anti-submarine weapo ...
patrols in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean in defense of the
Panama Canal The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a conduit ...
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 ...
. It also conducted replacement training from 1943 to. It was reactivated during the
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
as the 130th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, but was inactivated in January 1953 and transferred its personnel and equipment to another unit. The 360th Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron monitored and located enemy
radio transmitters In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the ...
and conducted
psychological warfare Psychological warfare (PSYWAR), or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations (PsyOp), have been known by many other names or terms, including Military Information Support Operations (MISO), Psy Ops, political warfare, "Hearts and Mi ...
operations in South Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos from 1966 to 1972. With the withdrawal of American forces from Southeast Asia, it returned to the united States, Where it was inactivated in July 1972. In 1985, the two squadrons were consolidated. After the consolidated unit was redesignated as the '970th Airborne Air Control Squadron, it was activated as a reserve associate unit of the
552nd Air Control Wing The 552d Air Control Wing is an operational wing of the United States Air Force. It has been based at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma since July 1976, operating the Boeing E-3 Sentry. It includes the 552d Operations Group, 552d Maintenance Gr ...
in 1996. It has trained for and flown air control missions since then.


Mission

The 513th Air Control Group’s mission is to provide theater and Air Force commanders with trained aircrews and maintenance personnel and systems for airborne surveillance, warning and control of U.S. and allied military aircraft. The 970th is the flying organization of the 513th. It performs aircrew training and operations functions. Reserve
Boeing E-3 Sentry The Boeing E-3 Sentry is an American airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft developed by Boeing. E-3s are commonly known as AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System). Derived from the Boeing 707 airliner, it provides all-wea ...
aircrew members fly the same type sorties as their active-duty counterparts to remain proficient and combat ready.


History


World War II


Activation and operations in the Eastern Caribbean

The 29th Bombardment Squadron was activated on 1 April 1941, at
Borinquen Field Ramey Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. It was named after United States Army Air Forces Brigadier General Howard Knox Ramey. Following its closure, it was redeveloped into Rafael Hernandez Airp ...
, along with the 44th and
45th Bombardment Squadron The 45th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 40th Bombardment Wing, based at Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas. It was inactivated on 1 September 1964. History World War II Antisubm ...
as one of the original squadrons of the
40th Bombardment Group 4 (four) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 3 and preceding 5. It is the smallest semiprime and composite number, and is considered unlucky in many East Asian cultures. In mathematics Four is the smallest c ...
.Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 96-97Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 199-200Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 201-202 The
squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...
drew its flying
cadre Cadre may refer to: *Cadre (military), a group of officers or NCOs around whom a unit is formed, or a training staff *Cadre (politics), a politically controlled appointment to an institution in order to circumvent the state and bring control to th ...
from the 25th Bombardment Group and most of its ground personnel from the 24th Air Base Group. It was equipped with
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 ...
aircraft with a mission of defending the eastern approaches to the
Panama Canal The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a conduit ...
. It flew training missions in the Eastern Caribbean until the Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...
on 7 December 1941, they began flying
antisubmarine An anti-submarine weapon (ASW) is any one of a number of devices that are intended to act against a submarine and its crew, to destroy (sink) the vessel or reduce its capability as a weapon of war. In its simplest sense, an anti-submarine weapo ...
patrol missions. In June 1942, the 40th Group and its squadrons departed Puerto Rico for bases in Central America. The 29th Squadron arrived at its new station,
Aguadulce Army Air Field Aguadulce Army Airfield (also known as Airdrome Aguadulce ) is a former United States Army Air Forces World War II airfield in Panama used as part of the defense of the Panama Canal. It was closed on 1 March 1948. Established on 1 April 1941, ...
, Panama on 16 June 1942.


Reinforcement by Squadron "X"

Late in November 1942, Squadron "X" was organized at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona. Squadron "X" consisted of 320 enlisted men and 55 officers drawn from the
61st Bombardment Squadron The 61st Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 70th Bombardment Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, where it was inactivated on 25 June 1962. It was first organized as the 61s ...
, an
Operational Training Unit Royal Air Force Operational Training Units (OTUs) were training units that prepared aircrew for operations on a particular type or types of aircraft or roles. OTUs ; No. 1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF (1 OTU): The Unit was formed in ...
(OTU). The squadron departed Davis-Monthan for
Camp Harahan Camp Harahan, also called Camp Plauche, was a troop staging area outside New Orleans, Louisiana during World War II. The camp served as a staging area for troops passing through the New Orleans Port of Embarkation. Its mission changed to that o ...
, near New Orleans, Louisiana, sailing on the on 22 March 1943. Twelve days later, the squadron disembarked at Colon, Canal Zone, Squadron "X" proceeded to Aguadulce, where its personnel replaced the personnel of the 29th Squadron, taking over the 29th's equipment and planes. The personnel of the 29th Squadron moved to
Guatemala City Guatemala City ( es, Ciudad de Guatemala), known locally as Guatemala or Guate, is the capital and largest city of Guatemala, and the most populous urban area in Central America. The city is located in the south-central part of the country, nest ...
, where they replaced those of the
74th Bombardment Squadron The 74th Reconnaissance Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit, part of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California. The squadron was first active during World War II as the 74th Aero Squadron. In 1933 it was c ...
. The flight crew members of the 29th were sent to (OTU) at
Rio Hato Army Air Base Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...
, Panama in late February and early March for transition in Consolidated LB-30 Liberators,
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...
es, and
Consolidated B-24D 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 ...
s.


Deployment to the Galapagos Islands

On 12 May 1943, the squadron, excepting three crews, embarked on the and headed for the Galapagos Islands. The three crews flew to the "Rock" on 13 May 1943. The USAT Johnson arrived at Seymour Bay, Galapagos Islands on 15 May 1943. The Rock, also called "Beta", was an airfield on
Baltra Island Baltra Island (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Isla Baltra''), is a small island of the Galápagos Islands. Also known as South Seymour (named after Lord Hugh Seymour), Baltra is a small flat island located near the center of the Galápagos. It was ...
. From 16 May until 23 May 1943, the 29th Squadron flew patrols with enlisted crew members from the 45th Bombardment Squadron. Patrols were flown from the Galapagos Islands to Guatemala City and back. The 74th Bombardment Squadron flew alternate routes with the 29th. Simultaneously, the squadron was reassigned to the
6th Bombardment Group Alec Trevelyan (006) is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the 1995 James Bond film '' GoldenEye'', the first film to feature actor Pierce Brosnan as Bond. Trevelyan is portrayed by actor Sean Bean. The likeness of Bean as Ale ...
, which became the only remaining group of
VI Bomber Command The VI Bomber Command was a military formation of the United States Army Air Forces. Its last assignment was with Sixth Air Force. It was based throughout its service at Albrook Field, in the Panama Canal Zone. It was inactivated on 1 November ...
. On 8 July 1943, three crews were sent to
Vernam Air Force Base Vernam is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Charles Vernam (born 1996), English professional footballer *Gilbert Vernam (1890–1960), invented an additive polyalphabetic stream cipher and later co-invented an automated one-tim ...
, Jamaica to shadow the and its escort of three destroyers. Enemy submarine activity in the area prompted this action for the protection of the ships, which were en route to the Canal. The aircraft returned to Guatemala City on 11 July 1943. From 24 July 1943 until 25 August 1943, VP-206 took over combat patrols initiating from the Galapagos. The 29th resumed patrol duties on 25 August 1943 when the Navy was ordered to the Atlantic side. On the same day, squadron aircraft began rotating to the depot at San Antonio, Texas to update the radar equipment installed in squadron aircraft. All of the squadron aircraft were equipped by 19 January 1944. On 1 November 1943, headquarters of the 6th Bombardment Group, which had been operating as a single headquarters with VI Bomber Command was disbanded, and the squadron was assigned directly to VI Bomber Command. The first fatal crash involving a 29th Squadron aircraft happened on 15 October 1943. Three B-24s from the 29th were ordered-to the area to search for a missing
Consolidated PBY Catalina The Consolidated PBY Catalina is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft that was produced in the 1930s and 1940s. In Canadian service it was known as the Canso. It was one of the most widely used seaplanes of World War II. Catalinas served w ...
. One B-24 flew to
Cocos Island Cocos Island ( es, Isla del Coco) is an island in the Pacific Ocean administered by Costa Rica, approximately southwest of the Costa Rican mainland. It constitutes the 11th of the 13 districts of Puntarenas Canton of the Province of Puntarenas ...
to survey the island for the missing PBY. During the search this B-24 was not heard from after reporting in at 1500 GCT. Three Navy
Martin PBM Mariner The Martin PBM Mariner was an American Maritime patrol aircraft, patrol bomber flying boat of World War II and the early Cold War era. It was designed to complement the Consolidated PBY Catalina and Consolidated PB2Y Coronado, PB2Y Coronado in s ...
s and two B-24s searched was the area beginning on 16 October 1943. A life raft was sighted by one of the PBMs and also by a 29th B-24. On 23 October 1943 Lt. W.R. Knight deviated from his patrol to scan Cocos Island which had been "closed in" during the search. On passing over the island, wreckage was sighted, located near the crest of the highest peak on the west side of the island. On 2 November 1943, a ground rescue party reached the site of the crash. The crew of the downed B-24 were posthumously awarded the
Soldiers Medal The Soldier's Medal is an individual decoration of the United States Army. It was introduced as Section 11 of the Air Corps Act, passed by the Congress of the United States on July 2, 1926., Appendix 5, p. 126. The Army' Soldier's Medal is equiv ...
for their actions in searching for the downed PBY. On 24 November 1943 twelve planes of the squadron were on a mission to make simulated attacks against
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
ships. The weather grew worse and they were ordered to David Field. The squadron was then ordered to Rio Hato and were briefed on enemy submarines on the Atlantic side, that had sunk ships that day. Search patterns were laid out to be flown the following day. During the briefing, Lt. Sumnicht stated his crew were on a search of the sinkings and damaged an enemy submarine. They had broken through a cloud layer to discover a surfaced submarine below them. The sub immediately began to dive. Although the plane's
bomb bay The bomb bay or weapons bay on some military aircraft is a compartment to carry bombs, usually in the aircraft's fuselage, with "bomb bay doors" which open at the bottom. The bomb bay doors are opened and the bombs are dropped when over th ...
doors would not open on the first run. The plane circled, and dropped six 650-pound
depth charge A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) weapon. It is intended to destroy a submarine by being dropped into the water nearby and detonating, subjecting the target to a powerful and destructive Shock factor, hydraulic shock. Most depth ...
s in front of the wake. Though not claiming to have sunk the U-boat, although it must have suffered damage. For the next few days all tracks of the search area were flown without a sign of the sub or further attacks. On 10 December 1943 the squadron resumed flying from one to four patrol lanes. The "Loop" plan, dating back to July 1943 was flown. The lanes were of a giant rectangular shape, all planes returning to the "Rock". The average patrol covered about 1100 miles and a flight time of –8 hours. This patrol system was used until the Navy again took over patrol coverage on 4 February 1944. During March 1944 the unit helped rescued a disabled seaman from a tanker off the coast of
San Cristóbal Island San Cristóbal Island ( es, Isla San Cristóbal) and named previously by the English as ''Chatham Island'', is the easternmost island in the Galápagos archipelago, as well as one of the oldest geologically. It is administratively part ...
. A crash boat was sent to intercept the tanker and take the sick man aboard. A squadron B-24 to was sent to guide the boat to the tanker. It picked up the tanker on radar, then headed back to the crash boat, directing them to take up a corrected heading for the tanker. We then flew back to the tanker to get it to head towards the crash boat, which took the sick crewman aboard. On 31 March 1944,
Eleanor Roosevelt Anna Eleanor Roosevelt () (October 11, 1884November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the first lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945, during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four ...
arrived at the base. She was greeted and selected food from the mess. A group of enlisted members answered all questions asked by Mrs. Roosevelt. The evening of her arrival an informal reception in her honor was held at the Officers Club where she mixed with the officers and civilian workers. The next morning she visited Mess Hall #1, eating from a G.I. mess kit and cup, mixing with the troops.


Move to Howard Field

In April 1944, VI Bomber Command realigned all heavy bombardment squadrons in the command. As a result, the 29th Bombardment Squadron moved from the Galapagos Island to
Howard Field Howard is an English-language given name originating from Old French Huard (or Houard) from a Germanic source similar to Old High German ''*Hugihard'' "heart-brave", or ''*Hoh-ward'', literally "high defender; chief guardian". It is also probabl ...
in the
Panama Canal Zone The Panama Canal Zone ( es, Zona del Canal de Panamá), also simply known as the Canal Zone, was an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the Isthmus of Panama, that existed from 1903 to 1979. It was located within the terr ...
. Beginning 10 April, the air echelon plus key personnel, were ferried to Howard in B-24's. Approximately 180 enlisted men sailed by boat the same week. By 16 April 1944 the entire squadron had moved to Howard Field. On 17 April 1944, Maj. Ford stationed at Howard Field, took off with a passenger in a
Vultee L-1 Vigilant 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 ...
for Cape Mala to arrange for the payment of personnel at remote sites. Late that afternoon he was not heard from and three B-24s of the 29th searched the area south and west of Cape Mala, but the visibility was near zero and they had no success. The following day, three more B-24s from the squadron searched to the south and east of Cape Mala with negative results. Maj. Ford and his passenger, was rescued by a boat shortly after a forced landing and taken to Nicaragua. While stationed in the Canal Zone, the squadron participated in a number of mock attacks. On 28 April 1944 all B-24s available from the squadron staged a surprise attack on the locks of the Panama Canal. Flights of two and three planes were assigned various tracks. The last attack, on 7 June 1944, came closer to actual combat conditions. B-24s from the squadrons assembled over Rio Hato, climbed on course to David to an altitude of 20,000 feet. From there all planes, in formation, crossed the Isthmus to the Atlantic side, and through a 90% cloud cover, struck the
Gatun Locks The Panama Canal locks ( es, Esclusas del Canal de Panamá) are a lock system that lifts ships up to the main elevation of the Panama Canal and down again. The original canal had a total of six steps (three up, three down) for a ship's passage. ...
and the
Madden Dam The Madden Dam, completed in 1935, impounds the Chagres River in Panama to form Lake Alajuela, a reservoir that is an essential part of the Panama Canal watershed. The lake has a maximum level of above sea level. It can store one third of the ...
. The squadron also conducted exercise attacks against Navy forces. On 30 November 1944, three planes from the 29th piloted completed a successful mission against a naval force, which included the . On 22 January 1945, the 29th and 3d Bombardment Squadrons engaged in a mission, with the 3d in the lead. Radar of the lead plane was inoperative and a plane from the 29th established visual contact with the and the formation completed its bomb run without interception from carrier planes. On 5 May 1944 the squadron replaced the 20th Troop Carrier Squadron in the transporting freight, mail, and passengers to outlying bases. The schedule ceased on 10 May 1944, began again and continued until 21 May 1944. B-24s from the squadron stopped at the following bases: San Juan, Aruba, Curaçao, Managua, San Jose, Guatemala City, Salinas, Talara, and the Galapagos Islands. The arrival of submarines in the Caribbean area, and the torpedoing of three ships on 5 July 1944, resulted in the alerting of the 29th Bomb Squadron and antisubmarine patrols flown from
France Field France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. Numerous disappearing radar contacts were encountered, indicating that several submarines were covering the area from 400 to within 100 miles of the Canal. On 11 July 1944, an enemy submarine was sighted by a ship heading for the Canal. Patrols were flown by the Navy around the "Hot Spot" the remainder of the day and throughout the evening. The B-24s continued the search the following day without success. Six B-24s were dispatched to Vernam Field, Jamaica to continue the anti submarine operations. Eight B-24s continued to patrol from Howard Field, four from Curaçao, and two from France Field. These patrols were flown daily until 17 July 1944 when the search was discontinued. The 29th Bomb Squadron moved from Rio Hato, where it had been stationed since September 1944, back to Howard Field on 8 December 1944, because the runway at Rio Hato had become unserviceable. The remainder of the month was devoted to training, both flying and ground classes. On 1 and 2 January 1945, the squadron went on Practice Full Alert. Panamanian newspapers and news magazines from the U.S. indicated the alert was occasioned by unsettled Panamanian political conditions. On 27 January 1945, the squadron returned from Howard Field to Rio Hato, whose runway had been sufficiently repaired for use, although construction continued. On 23 February 1945, squadron was placed on a red alert, indicating danger of air and ground attack. It was learned the following morning that the alert was called because of political activity in Panama. The alert was canceled at 1200 hours on 24 February 1945. On 6 March 1945, the squadron participated in a "Search Light Mission" over the Canal Zone with seven aircraft.


Return to the Galapagos

In April 1945, the squadron was ordered to return to the Galapagos Islands. On 26 April, an advance party departed from Rio Hato. 49 officers and 94 enlisted men who left Rio Hato in 12 B-24Js and B-24Ls and arrived at
Seymour Island Seymour Island or Marambio Island, is an island in the chain of 16 major islands around the tip of the Graham Land on the Antarctic Peninsula. Graham Land is the closest part of Antarctica to South America. It lies within the section of the isla ...
on 30 April 1945. Five officers and 156 enlisted men left Balboa by ship to Seymour Island arriving at the island on 3 May 1945. On 21 May 1945, a B-24 was reported missing. The aircraft had taken off on a local training flight. The plane was last seen by another squadron plane in the area of
San Cristóbal Island San Cristóbal Island ( es, Isla San Cristóbal) and named previously by the English as ''Chatham Island'', is the easternmost island in the Galápagos archipelago, as well as one of the oldest geologically. It is administratively part ...
. The squadron requested base operations to attempt to get a radar fix on the missing plane if possible and the Navy ground radio station was requested to monitor the emergency frequency. Five squadron planes were sent out to search all islands in the Galapagos area except Culpepper and Wenmon. Three of the planes circled San Cristobal Island. A
Curtiss C-46 Commando The Curtiss C-46 Commando is a twin-engine transport aircraft derived from the Curtiss CW-20 pressurised high-altitude airliner design. Early press reports used the name "Condor III" but the Commando name was in use by early 1942 in company pub ...
arriving from the Canal Zone to assisted in the search which ended at dusk. On 22 May 1945, the search continued from dawn to dusk. B-24s, a
Douglas C-47 Skytrain The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota (RAF, RAAF, RCAF, RNZAF, and SAAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in ...
and navy aircraft all were involved in the search. On 23 May 1945, the search was resumed at dawn. A
North American 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 ...
examined San Cristobal Island. Oxygen bottles and one survivor were sighted at Bahia Rosa Blanca. A C-47 dropped supplies and equipment and found another survivor about 1/4-mile from the first. A Navy crash boat departed the base. The second survivor appeared to be badly injured so the crash boat was directed to him. His injuries were serious so a Navy PBM Mariner was requested to come to the scene to evacuate him. On 24 May 1945, a ground party continued the search. After further search with no positive results, the search was terminated on 25 May 1945.


Drawdown and inactivation

On 11 July, the last three B-24s to be assigned to the squadron arrived at the base. These were B-24M models, painted black underneath and were in the very last group of B-24s made. These planes were produced by the
Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobi ...
. On 18 August 1945 the squadron received telegram concerning a missing B-17 in the
Salinas, Ecuador Salinas is a coastal city located in the Santa Elena Province, Ecuador, Province of Santa Elena, Ecuador. It is the seat of the canton that bears its name. The westernmost city on mainland Ecuador, Salinas is an important tourism, tourist center. ...
area. The squadron was asked to send aircraft for search. The B-17 was found by Ecuadorians where it had crashed into a mountain. On 27 September 1945 the squadron was advised that it will move to Rio Hato within a few weeks. The air echelon was to move out on 2 October and ground echelon will remain to aid in preparing equipment for shipment to depots. On 30 September 1945 most men received discharge orders and the squadron ceased functioning as an operating unit. The air portion of the squadron began to move out on 2 October 1945 to Rio Hato so the above was the last Official History written at the Galapagos Islands. The 29th converted from B-24s to B-17s. The pilots who flew them down flew the 29th's B-24s back to the States. Instead most of the crews returned on the Liberty ship, S.S. ''General Blanchard'' (possibly the and the 29th was inactivated on 1 November 1946.


Korean War

On 1 April 1951, the 111th Bombardment Wing of the
Pennsylvania Air National Guard The Pennsylvania Air National Guard (PA ANG) is the aerial militia of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States of America. It is, along with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, an element of the Pennsylvania National Guard. As commonw ...
, a
light bomber A light bomber is a relatively small and fast type of military bomber aircraft that was primarily employed before the 1950s. Such aircraft would typically not carry more than one ton of ordnance. The earliest light bombers were intended to dro ...
unit equipped with
Douglas B-26 Invader The Douglas A-26 Invader (designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965) is an American twin-engined light bomber and ground attack aircraft. Built by Douglas Aircraft Company during World War II, the Invader also saw service during several major Col ...
s was
mobilized Mobilization is the act of assembling and readying military troops and supplies for war. The word ''mobilization'' was first used in a military context in the 1850s to describe the preparation of the Prussian Army. Mobilization theories and ...
for service.Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 278-279 Nine days later, the wing, its operations group, and support units moved to
Fairchild Air Force Base Fairchild Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base, located in the northwest United States in eastern Washington, approximately southwest of Spokane. The host unit at Fairchild is the 92nd Air Refueling Wing (92 ARW) assigned t ...
, Washington. However, only its 103d Bombardment Squadron moved to Fairchild with the wing, while its other two bombardment squadrons moved to
Langley Air Force Base Langley Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Hampton, Virginia, adjacent to Newport News, Virginia, Newport News. It was one of List of airfields of the Training Section of the United States Army Air Service, thirty-two ...
, Virginia, where they established a combat crew training school for B-26 crews.
Strategic Air Command Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
(SAC) determined to convert the 111th Wing into a
reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities. Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...
unit and to equip it with
Boeing RB-29 Superfortress The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a WWII era long range, strategic heavy bomber that was produced in many experimental and production models. XB-29 : ''Section source: Baugher'' The XB-29, Boeing Model 345, was the first accepted prototype or e ...
es. To bring the
wing A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is expres ...
up to strength, on 1 August 1951, the squadron, now designated the 130th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron was activated.Despite being numbered in the block of numbers reserved for Air National Guard units (101-300), the squadron remained a regular air force unit. In 1955, a squadron was activated in the
West Virginia Air National Guard The West Virginia Air National Guard (WV ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of West Virginia, United States of America. It is, along with the West Virginia Army National Guard, an element of the West Virginia National Guard, and is also close ...
with the same number, but it is not related to this squadron.
The squadron was redesignated as a heavy unit in October 1952 in anticipation of converting to the Convair RB-36 Peacemaker, but on 1 January 1953, its parent wing was returned to state control and replaced by the 99th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing. As a result, the squadron was inactivated and transferred its personnel and equipment to the 348th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, which was activated in its place.


Vietnam War

The 360th Reconnaissance Squadron was organized in April 1966 at
Tan Son Nhut Airport Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport ( vi, Sân bay quốc tế Tân Sơn Nhất or Cảng hàng không quốc tế Tân Sơn Nhất) is the busiest airport in Vietnam with 32.5 million passengers in 2016 and 38.5 million passengers in 2018 ...
, Republic of Viet Nam, where it was assigned to the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing and equipped with
Douglas EC-47 The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota ( RAF, RAAF, RCAF, RNZAF, and SAAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in ...
for conducting electronic reconnaissance. The squadron was soon redesignated the 360th Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron. The squadron flew
Phyllis Ann Phyllis is a feminine given name which may refer to: People * Phyllis Bartholomew (1914–2002), English long jumper * Phyllis Drummond Bethune (née Sharpe, 1899–1982), New Zealand artist * Phyllis Calvert (1915–2002), British actress * Ph ...
(later Compass Dart and
Combat Cougar Combat (French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is sometimes resorted to as a method of self-defense, or ...
) missions with operators from the 6994th Security Squadron using airborne radio direction finding equipment to locate enemy
high frequency High frequency (HF) is the ITU designation for the range of radio frequency electromagnetic waves (radio waves) between 3 and 30 megahertz (MHz). It is also known as the decameter band or decameter wave as its wavelengths range from one to ten ...
transmitters. On these missions, squadron aircraft frequently also dropped propaganda leaflets, in part to provide cover for their primary mission. The squadron also was equipped with two JC-47 aircraft which flew Operation Drill Press missions. In addition to members of the 6994th, linguists from the 6998th Security Squadron flew on these missions. Drill Press missions focused on encrypted radio transmissions in the area of the
Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone The Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone was a demilitarized zone established as a dividing line between North and South Vietnam from July 1954 to 1976 as a result of the First Indochina War. During the Vietnam War (1955-1975) it became important as t ...
and also covered the
very high frequency Very high frequency (VHF) is the ITU designation for the range of radio frequency electromagnetic waves ( radio waves) from 30 to 300 megahertz (MHz), with corresponding wavelengths of ten meters to one meter. Frequencies immediately below VHF ...
spectrum. (redacted and declassified) Until early 1967, the squadron also provided initial theater training for aircrews assigned to the 361st and 362d Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadrons. The squadron continued this mission until November 1972, when it moved to
Dyess Air Force Base Dyess Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located about southwest of downtown Abilene, Texas, and west of Fort Worth, Texas. The host unit at Dyess is the 7th Bomb Wing assigned to the Global Strike Command Ei ...
, Texas with the withdrawal of United States forces from Southeast Asia. The following July, it moved to
Hurlburt Field Hurlburt Field is a United States Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin Air Force Base reservation and is home to Headquarters Air Force Sp ...
, Florida, where it was inactivated.


Current operations

In September 1985, the 130th and 360th Squadrons were consolidated into a single unit. The consolidated squadron was redesignated the 970th Airborne Air Control Squadron and activated at
Tinker Air Force Base Tinker Air Force Base is a major United States Air Force base, with tenant U.S. Navy and other Department of Defense missions, located in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, surrounded by Del City, Oklahoma City, and Midwest City. The base, origina ...
, Oklahoma, on 15 March 1996, becoming the first
Air Combat Command Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the primary provider of air combat forces for the Air Force, and i ...
associate flying squadron. The associate program merges
reserve Reserve or reserves may refer to: Places * Reserve, Kansas, a US city * Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish * Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County * Reserve, New Mexico, a US vi ...
units with active-duty units. The program, which began in 1968, creates reserve units that share joint use of active-duty aircraft and equipment for training and work directly with active duty personnel. The flexibility of the associate program allows a reserve aircrew member to fly as part of an active-duty crew or with an all-reserve crew.


Lineage

; 970th Airborne Air Control Squadron * Constituted as the 29th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 22 November 1940 : Activated on 1 April 1941 : Redesignated 29th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 7 May 1942 : Redesignated 29th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 12 April 1944 : Inactivated on 1 November 1946 * Redesignated 130th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Medium, Photographic on 24 July 1951 : Activated on 1 August 1951 : Redesignated 130th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Medium on 16 June 1952 : Redesignated 130th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Heavy on 16 October 1952 : Inactivated on 1 January 1953 * Consolidated with the 360th Reconnaissance Squadron on 19 September 1985 * Redesignated 970th Airborne Warning and Control Squadron on 18 September 1985 * Redesignated: 970th Airborne Air Control Squadron on 7 March 1996 : Activated in the reserve on 15 March 1996 ; 360th Reconnaissance Squadron * Constituted as the 360th Reconnaissance Squadron and activated on 4 April 1966 (not organized) : Organized on 8 April 1966 : Redesignated 360th Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron on 15 March 1967 : Inactivated on 31 July 1973 * Consolidated with the 130th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron on 19 September 1985


Assignments

* 40th Bombardment Group, 1 April 1941 * 6th Bombardment Group, 15 May 1943 * VI Bomber Command, 1 November 1943 – 1 November 1946 * 111th Strategic Reconnaissance Group, 1 August 1951 * 111th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 16 January 1952 – 1 January 1953 * 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 8 April 1966 * 483d Tactical Airlift Wing, 31 August 1971 * 377th Air Base Wing, 1 February 1972 *
463d Tactical Airlift Wing The United States Air Force's 463rd Airlift Group was a theater airlift unit last stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. It was inactivated on October 1st, 2008. Mission The 463rd was a unit with over 1,200 Airmen. The unit emplo ...
, 24 November 1972 *
1st Special Operations Wing The 1st Special Operations Wing (1 SOW) at Hurlburt Field, Florida is one of three United States Air Force active duty Special Operations wings and falls under the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). The 1st Special Operations Wing is ...
, 1–31 July 1973 *
513th Air Control Group The 513th Air Control Group is an Air Reserve Component unit of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the Tenth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, and is stationed at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. The group's mission is to provi ...
, 15 March 1996 – present


Stations

* Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico, 1 April 1941 * Aguadulce Army Air Field, Panama, 16 June 1942 *
Anton Field Anton Army Airfield is a former United States Army Air Forces World War II airfield in Panama used as an auxiliary of Howard Field as part of the defense of the Panama Canal. Wartime units assigned to the station were: * 30th Fighter Squadron (XX ...
, Panama, c. 29 March 1943 * Seymour Island Field,
Baltra Baltra Island (Spanish: ''Isla Baltra''), is a small island of the Galápagos Islands. Also known as South Seymour (named after Lord Hugh Seymour), Baltra is a small flat island located near the center of the Galápagos. It was created by geolo ...
, Galapagos Islands, c. 13 May 1943 * Howard Field, Panama Canal Zone, c. 10 April 1944 * Rio Hato Army Air Base, Panama, 9 September 1944 * Howard Field, Panama Canal Zone, 8 December 1944 * Rio Hato Army Air Base, Panama, 27 January 1945 * Seymour Island Army Air Field, Galapagos Islands, 26 April 1945 * Rio Hato Army Air Base, Panama, c. 2 October 1945 – 1 November 1946 * Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, 1 August 1951 – 1 January 1953 * Tan Son Nhut Airport (later Tan Son Nhut Air Base), South Vietnam, 8 April 1966 – 24 November 1972 * Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, 24 November 1972 * Hurlburt Field, Florida, 1–31 July 1973 * Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, 15 March 1996 – present


Aircraft

* Douglas B-18 Bolo, 1941–1942 *
Northrop A-17 The Northrop A-17, a development of the Northrop Gamma 2F model, was a two-seat, single-engine, monoplane, attack bomber built in 1935 by the Northrop Corporation for the United States Army Air Corps. When in British Commonwealth service during W ...
, 1942–1943 * Consolidated B-24 Liberator, 1943–1946 * Boeing RB-29 Superfortress, 1951–1952 * Douglas C-47 Skytrain, 1966–1972 * Douglas EC-47, 1966–1972 * Boeing E-3 Sentry, 1996–present


References


Notes

; Explanatory notes ; Citations


Bibliography

* * * * * {{USAAF 6th Air Force World War II Military units and formations in Oklahoma
970 Year 970 ( CMLXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar, the 970th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' designations, the 970th year of the 1st millennium, the 70th yea ...