966th Airborne Air Control Squadron

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron


caption= 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron Patch
dates= 15 July 1942 - 1 April 1944
3 September 1944 - 3 November 1945
18 December 1961 - 31 December 1969
1 July 1976 - Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch=United States Air Force
type= Airborne Command and Control
role=
size=
command_structure= Air Combat Command
8th Air Force
552d Air Control Wing
552d Operations Group
current_commander=
garrison= Tinker Air Force Base
ceremonial_chief=
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nickname=
patron=
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The 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron (966 AACS) is part of the 552d Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates the E-3 Sentry aircraft conducting airborne command and control missions.

Mission

Provide the Combat Air Force with airborne systems and personnel for surveillance, warning and control of strategic, tactical, and special mission forces. [http://www.552acw.acc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=8678 552 OG Fact Sheet] ]

History

THe squadron conducted replacement training from, August 1942–November 1943 and flew evacuation missions and light transport services for ground forces in Burma from, 13 November 1944–10 May 1945. It provided airborne radar surveillance from, 1962–1969 and rotated aircrews to Southeast Asia from, c. 4 April 1965–c. Dec 1969. The 966th has trained aircrews since 1977. [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0966aacs.html AFHRA 966 AACS Page] ]

=Operations=

*World War II
*Vietnam War

=Lineage=

*466th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) (1942 - 1944)
*166th Liaison Squadron (Commando) (1944 - 1961)
*966th Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron (1961 - 1976)
*966th Airborne Warning and Control Training Squadron (1976 - 1994)
*966th Airborne Air Control Squadron (1994 - Present)

=Assignments=

*333d Bombardment Group (1942 - 1944)
*1st Air Commando Group (1944 - 1945)
*Air Defense Command (1961 - 1962)
*551st Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing (1962 - 1963, 1969)
*552d Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing (1963 - 1969)
*552d Air Control Wing (1976 - Present)

=Bases stationed=

*Topeka, Kansas (1942 - 1943)
*Dalhart Army Air Field, Texas (1943 - 1944)
*Drew Field, Florida (1943 - 1944)
*Asansol, India (1944 - 1945)
*Yazagyo, Burma (1944)
*Inbaung, Burma (1944)
**Detachment at: Arakan, Burma (c. 29 December 1944 - 23 January 1945)
*Sinthe, Burma (1945)
*Ondaw, Burma (1945)
*Meiktila, Burma (1945)
*Toungoo, Burma (1945)
*Camp Kilmer, New Jersey (1945)
*Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts (1961-1962)
*McCoy Air Force Base, Florida (1962 - 1969)
*Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma (1976 - Present)

=Aircraft Operated=

*B-17 Flying Fortress (1942)
*B-24 Liberator (1942 - 1943)
*L-5 Sentinel (1944 - 1945)
*C-64 Norseman (1944 - 1945)
*RC-121 (1962 - 1963)
*TC-121 (1962 - 1963)
*EC-121 Warning Star (1963 - 1969)
*WC-135 (1977 - 1979)
*E-3 Sentry (1977 - Present)

References

Notes

Bibliography

* [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0966aacs.html AFHRA 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron History]
* [http://www.552acw.acc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=8678 552d Operations Group Fact Sheet]

Also See