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415th Special Operations Squadron

Lineage. Constituted as 415 Night Fighter Squadron on 8 Feb 1943. Activated on 10 Feb 1943. Inactivated on 1 Sep 1947. Redesignated as 415 Special Operations Training Squadron on 9 Jun 1970. Activated on 1 Jul 1970. Inactivated on 30 Jun 1975. Redesignated as 415 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 15 Sep 1989. Activated on 5 Oct 1989. Redesignated as 415 Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991. Inactivated on 1 Jul 1993. Redesignated as 415 Special Operations Squadron on 12 Sep 2011. Activated on 22 Sep 2011.

Assignments. AAF School of Applied Tactics, 10 Feb 1943 (air echelon attached to VIII Fighter Command, 31 Mar-2 Jul 1943); Twelfth Air Force (attached to Northwest African Coastal Air Force), 12 May 1943; 1 Air Defense (later, 62 Fighter) Wing, 20 Jun 1943; XII Fighter Command (attached to Tunis Fighter Sector), 7 Aug 1943; 62 Fighter Wing, 27 Sep 1943 (attached to 64 Fighter Wing); XII Air Support Command, 12 Oct 1943 (remained attached to 64 Fighter Wing); 64 Fighter Wing, 5 Dec 1943 (attached to 87 Fighter Wing, c. 3 Jul-c. 5 Aug 1944; detachment attached to 600 Night Fighter Squadron, RAF, 23 Jul-5 Aug 1944); Continental Air Command, 15 Feb 1946; Strategic Air Command, 21 Mar 1946; Tactical Air Command, 13 Jul 1946; Third Air Force, 1 Oct 1946; Ninth Air Force, 1 Nov 1946; Alaskan Department, 27 Jun-1 Sep 1947. 4410 Combat Crew Training Wing (later, 4410 Special Operations Training Group), 1 Jul 1970; 1 Special Operations (later, 834 Tactical Composite) Wing, 19 Jul 1971-30 Jun 1975. 37 Tactical Fighter (later, 37 Fighter) Wing, 5 Oct 1989; 37 Operations Group, 1 Nov 1991; 49 Operations Group, 8 Jul 1992-1 Jul 1993. 58 Operations Group, 22 Sep 2011-.

Stations. Orlando AB, FL, 10 Feb-22 Apr 1943 (air echelon in England, 31 Mar-18 Jun 1943); La Senia, Algeria, 12 May 1943; La Sebala, Tunisia, 22 Jun 1943; Monastir, Tunisia, 25 Jun 1943 (detachment operated from Protville, Tunisia, 23-29 Jul 1943); La Sebala, Tunisia, 29 Jul 1943; Cassibile, Sicily, 3 Sep 1943; Cantania, Sicily, 5 Nov 1943 (detachments operated from Montecorvino, Italy, 29 Nov-25 Dec 1943 and Gaudo Airfield, Italy, 6 Dec 1943-30 Jan 1944); Montecorvino, Italy, 26 Dec 1943; Marcianise, Italy, 30 Jan 1944; Pomigliano, Italy, 25 Mar 1944; La Banca, Italy, c. 11 Jun 1944; Valtone, Italy, c. 17 Jun 1944; Solonzara, Corsica, c. 9 Jul 1944 (detachment operated from Piombino, Italy, 23 Jul-c. 5 Aug 1944); Le Vallon, France, c. 1 Sep 1944; Longvic, France, c. 25 Sep 1944; Ochey, France, c. 30 Nov 1944; St Dizier, France, c. 18 Mar 1945; Braunstadt, Germany, c. 17 Apr 1945; Nordholz, Germany, c. 2 Oct 1945-15 Feb 1946. Bolling Field, DC, 15 Feb 1946; Shaw Field, SC, 13 Jul 1946-10 May 1947; Adak, AK, 19 May-1 Sep 1947. Lockbourne AFB, OH, 1 Jul 1970; Eglin AFB, Aux Field #9 (Hurlburt Field), FL, 19 Jul 1971-30 Jun 1975. Tonopah Test Range, NV, 5 Oct 1989; Holloman AFB, NM, c. Jul 1992-1 Jul 1993. Kirtland AFB, NM, 22 Sep 2011-.

Commander:

Lt. Col Charles D. Thomas

Aircraft. A-20, 1943; P-70, 1943; Beaufighter, 1943-1945; P-61, 1945-1946, 1946-1947; B-25, 1946-1947. AC-119, 1970-1972; AC-130, 1971-1975. F-117, 1989-1993. HC-130J, 2011-; MC-130J, 2011-.

Operations. Trained with P-70 fighters for daylight and night air interception, ground controlled interception, navigation and instrument flying. Air echelon arrived in England on 31 Mar 1943 where pilots, engineers, and radar operators trained separately until May 1943 when all elements went to Ayre, Scotland to train as a unit. The ground echelon arrived in North Africa on 11 May 1943 and in June 1943 worked with RAF night fighters. The air and ground echelons joined up in early Jul 1943 at Monastir, Tunisia and entered combat, flying British-made Beaufighters. Flew escort missions for the airborne invasion of Sicily in Jul 1943, patrols and air cover over Anzio beachhead during Jan-Feb 1944 and night patrols during the invasion of Southern France. Following establishment of beachheads, the squadron moved to France and supported the American 7th and French 1st Armies continuing to fly patrols, night interceptor and night intruder missions. Squadron was unmanned from Feb-Jul 1946. Upon receiving P-61 and B-25 aircraft, trained in night fighter techniques until moving to Alaska in May 1947.

Redesignated as a Special Operations Training Squadron and activated in Jul 1970, replacing the 4413 Combat Crew Training Squadron at Lockbourne AFB, OH. While there provided special operations combat training in AC-119 aircraft. Gained AC-130 aircraft in early 1971 and moved to Hurlburt Fld, FL in Jul 1971 to continue special operations training. Trained in F-117 aircraft beginning in Oct 1989. Supported OPERATION JUST CAUSE in Panama, 19 Dec 1989. Personnel and aircraft deployed to King Khalid AB, Saudi Arabia on 19 Aug 1990 as part of OPERATION DESERT SHIELD; conducted combat missions against Iraq during OPERATION DESERT STORM, 16 Jan-28 Feb 1991.

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Southern France; Rhineland; Central Europe; Air Combat EAME Theater. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 15 Sep 1970-25 Jul 1971; 16 Mar 1990-15 Mar 1992.

Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 30 Nov 2011.

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 1 Jul 1993.

Supersedes statement prepared on 27 Sep 1989.

Emblem. Approved on 19 Apr 1990.

Prepared by Patsy Robertson.

Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.

To contact the 415th SOS, call (505) 846-4206 or email 415sos.css@kirtland.af.mil