8th Special Operations Squadron

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 8th Special Operations Squadron


caption= 8th Special Operations Squadron Patch
dates= 21 June 1917 - Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch=United States Air Force
type= Special Operations
role=
size=
command_structure= Air Force Special Operations Command
1st Special Operations Wing
1st Special Operations Group
current_commander=
garrison= Hurlburt Field
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto= Any Time, Any Place
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=

The 8th Special Operations Squadron (8 SOS) is part of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida. It operates CV-22 Osprey in support of special operations.

Mission

The primary mission of the 8 SOS is insertion, extraction, and re-supply of unconventional warfare forces and equipment into hostile or enemy-controlled territory using airland or airdrop procedures. [ [http://www2.hurlburt.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3481 8 SOS Fact Sheet] ]

History

The 8th saw combat as observation unit with IV and VI Army Corps from, c. 25 August 1918 – 11 November 1918. It flew Mexican border patrol from, August 1919-June 1921. The squadron went on to train in attack aviation and participated in field exercises and army maneuvers from, 1921-1941. [ [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0008sos.asp AFHRA 8 SOS Page] ]

It flew Antisubmarine patrols from, December 1941-January 1942 before going into combat in Southwest and Western Pacific from, 1 April 1942 – 29 July 1942 and 24 May 1943-12 August 1945. [ [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0008sos.asp AFHRA 8 SOS Page] ]

It again flew combat missions in Korea, 27 June 1950-27 July 1953 and in Southeast Asia, April 1964-September 1972. [ [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0008sos.asp AFHRA 8 SOS Page] ]

The 8th participated in Iranian hostage rescue attempt in April 1980. It flew combat missions in Grenada from, 24 October 1983 – 3 November 1983, Panama, 20 December 1989-14 January 1990, and in Southwest Asia from, 16 January 1991 – 17 March 1991. The squadron has routinely deployed personnel and aircraft to contingency operations in the Balkans and Southwest Asia from, 1991-2001. [ [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0008sos.asp AFHRA 8 SOS Page] ]

The 8th has participated in combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq since 2001 and 2003 respectively. [ [http://www2.hurlburt.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3481 8 SOS Fact Sheet] ]

=Operations [ [http://www2.hurlburt.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3481 8 SOS Fact Sheet] ] =

*World War I
*World War II
*Korean War
*Vietnam War
*Operation Eagle Claw
*Operation Urgent Fury
*Operation Just Cause
*Operation Desert Shield
*Operation Desert Storm
*Operation Provide Promise
*Operation Deny Flight
*Operation Assured Response
*Operation Southern Watch
*Operation Enduring Freedom
*Operation Iraqi Freedom

Lineage [ [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0008sos.asp AFHRA 8 SOS Page] ]

*8th Aero Squadron (1917 - 1921)
*8th Squadron (Surveillance) (1921)
*8th Squadron (Attack) (1921 - 1923)
*8th Attack Squadron (1923 - 1939)
*8th Bombardment Squadron (Light) (1939 - 1942)
*8th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) (1942 - 1943)
*8th Bombardment Squadron (Light) (1943 - 1944)
*8th Bombardment Squadron, Light (1944 - 1951)
*8th Bombardment Squadron, Light, Night Intruder (1951 - 1955)
*8th Bombardment Squadron, Tactical (1955 - 1969)
*8th Attack Squadron (1969 - 1970)
*8th Special Operations Squadron (1970 - 1973)
*8th Fighter Squadron (1973 - 1974)
*8th Special Operations Squadron (1974 - Present)

Assignments [ [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0008sos.asp AFHRA 8 SOS Page] ]

*Headquarters Camp Kelly (1917)
*Headquarters Selfridge Aviation Field (1917)
*Headquarters Aviation Concentration Depot (1917)
*Headquarters American Rest Camp (1917 - 1918)
*Headquarters American Air Service Camp (1918)
*I Corps Observation Training Center (1918)
*IV Corps Observation Group (1918)
*VI Corps Observation Group (1918 - 1919)
*Advanced Section Services of Supply (1919)
*3d Bombardment Group (1919 - 1957)
*3d Bombardment Wing (1957 - 1964)
*41st Air Division (1964)
*Thirteenth Air Force (1964)
*405th Fighter Wing (1964 - 1968)
**Attached: 33d Tactical Group (18 - 28 January 1965)
**Attached: 2d Air Division (28 June - 7 July 1965)
**Attached: 6252d Tactical Fighter Wing (8 July - 15 August 1965, 16 October - 16 December 1965)
**Attached: 6252d Tactical Fighter Wing (15 February - 7 April 1966)
**Attached: 35th Tactical Fighter Wing (8 - 18 April 1966, 15 June - 15 August 1966)
**Attached: 35th Tactical Fighter Wing (12 October - 12 December 1966, 11 February - 12 April 1967)
**Attached: 35th Tactical Fighter Wing (7 June - 2 August 1967, 26 September - 21 November 1967)
*35th Tactical Fighter Wing (1968 - 1969)
*3d Tactical Fighter Wing (1969 - 1970)
*35th Tactical Fighter Wing (1970 - 1971)
*315th Tactical Airlift Wing (1971 - 1972)
*377th Air Base Wing (1972)
*405th Fighter Wing (1972 - 1974)
*1st Special Operations Wing (1974 - Present)

Bases stationed [ [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0008sos.asp AFHRA 8 SOS Page] ]

*Camp Kelly, Texas (1917)
*Selfridge Field, Michigan (1917)
*Garden City, New York (1917)
*Winchester, England (1917)
*Dartford, England (1917 - 1918)
*Thetford, England (1918)
*Amanty, France (1918)
*Ourches, France (1918)
*Toul, France (1918)
*Saizerais, France (1918 - 1919)
*Colombey-les-Belles, France (1919)
*Fargues-Saint-Hilaire, France (1919)
*Mitchel Field, New York (1919)
*Kelly Field, Texas (1919)
*McAllen, Texas (1919 - 1921)
*Kelly Field, Texas (1921 - 1926)
*Fort Crockett, Texas (1926 - 1935)
*Barksdale Field, Louisiana (1935 - 1940)
*Savannah, Georgia (1940 - 1942)
*Brisbane, Australia (1942)
*Charters Towers, Australia (1942 - 1943)
*Port Moresby, New Guinea (1942, 1943)
*Dobodura, New Guinea (1943 - 1944)
*Nadzab, New Guinea (1944)
*Hollandia, New Guinea (1944)
*Dulag, Leyte (1944)
*San Jose, Occidental Mindoro (1944 - 1945)
*Okinawa (1945)
*Atsugi, Japan (1945 - 1946)
*Yokota Air Base, Japan (1946 - 1950)
*Johnson Air Base, Japan (1950)
*Iwakuni, Japan (1950 - 1951)
*Kunsan Air Base, South Korea (195 - 1954)
*Johnson Air Base, Japan (1954 - 1960)
*Yokota Air Base, Japan (1960 - 1964)
*Clark Air Base, Philippines (1964 - 1968)
**Deployed: Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam (5 August - 3 November 1964)
**Deployed: Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam (18 - 28 June 1965)
**Deployed: Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam (28 June - 15 August 1965)
**Deployed: Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam (16 October - 16 December 1965)
**Deployed: Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam (15 February - 18 April 1966)
**Deployed: Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam (15 June - 15 August 1966)
**Deployed: Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam (12 October - 12 December 1966)
**Deployed: Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam (11 February - 12 April 1967)
**Deployed: Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam (7 June - 2 August 1967)
**Deployed: Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam (26 September - 22 November 1967)
*Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam (1968 - 1969)
*Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam (1969 - 1972)
*Clark Air Base, Philippines (1972 - 1974)
*Hurlburt Field, Florida (1974 - 2000)
*Duke Field, FLorida (2000 - 2006)
*Hurlburt Field, Florida (2006 - Present)

Aircraft Operated [ [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0008sos.asp AFHRA 8 SOS Page] ]

*DH-4 (1918 - 1926)
*GA-1 (1923)
*O-2 (1926 - 1928)
*A-3 (1928 - 1934)
*A-12 Shrike (1934 - 1936)
*A-8 Shrike (1933 - 1936)
*O-19 (1932 - 1936)
*A-17 Nomad (1936 - 1940)
*B-18 Bolo (1939 - 1941)
*A-18 Shrike II (1937 - 1941)
*A-24 Banshee (1941, 1942)
*A-20 Havoc (1941, 1942 - 1945)
*B-25 Mitchell (1943)
*B-26 Marauder (1945 - 1956)
*B-57 Canberra (1956 - 1969)
*A-37 Dragonfly (1969 - 1972)
*MC-130 (1974 - 2006)
*AC-130 (1975)
*CV-22 Osprey (2007 - Present)

References

Notes

Bibliography

* [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0008sos.asp USAF 8th Special Operations Squadron History]
* [http://www2.hurlburt.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3481 8th Special Operations Squadron Fact Sheet]

ee also