23d Flying Training Squadron

The 23d Flying Training Squadron has a long and distinctive history in the United States Air Force. The 23d was constituted on 20 November 1940 as the 76th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) and Activated on 15 January 1941 in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was re-designated the 23d Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy) on 3 March 1943 and flew antisubmarine patrols off the East Coast and the Caribbean. The 23d was disbanded on 6 February 1944. The 23d was reconstituted as 23d Troop Carrier Squadron on 11 November 1944, activated 21 November 1944, and inactivated 7 September 1946. During that time, the 23d performed personnel and cargo transport in the European Theater of Operation.

The 23d was again reconstituted as the 23d Helicopter Squadron on 24 February 1956 and reactivated on 9 July 1956 at Sewart AFB, Tennessee. After serving at Phalsbourg, France, with detachments at RAF Wethersfield, United Kingdom, and Wheelus AB, Libya, they were again inactivated on 8 January 1958. The 23d Tactical Air Support Squadron was reconstituted and reactivated 8 April 1966 at Udon RTAFB, Thailand, and operated from Nakhon Phanom RTAFB, Thailand, from 15 April 1966 - 22 September 1975. The 23 TASS was inactivated on 22 September 1975 and reactivated on 30 November 1975 at Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas where they trained forward air controllers before moving to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, 1 July 1980. They were again deactivated on 1 November 1991.

On 15 January 1994, the 23d Flying Training Squadron was reconstituted and reactivated at Fort Rucker AIN, Alabama, where they train future USAF helicopter pilots in the UH-1H "Huey" helicopter.

Campaigns

World War Two

*Antisubmarine
*American Theater

Vietnam

*Vietnam Air
*Vietnam Air Offensive
*Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II
*Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III
*Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV
*TET 69/Counteroffensive
*Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
*Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970
*Sanctuary Counteroffensive
*Southwest Monsoon
*Commando Hunt V
*Commando Hunt VI
*Commando Hunt VII
*Vietnam Cease Fire

Aircraft

*B-18, 1941
*B-26, 1941-42
*A-29, 1942-43
*B-25, 1943. C-46, 1944-46
*C-47, 1944-45
*H-21, 1956-57
*O-1, 1966-68
*O-2, 1975-81
*OV-10, 1975-80
*OA-37, 1981-91
*UH-1H, 1994-