33d Special Operations Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 33d Special Operations Squadron (33 SOS) flies MQ-9 Reaper
Unmanned aerial vehicle
s (UAV) and is currently stationed at Cannon Air Force Base
in Clovis
, New Mexico
. The 33 SOS is under the command of the Air Force Special Operations Command
. The Reaper is a medium altitude, multi-sensor platform that can locate, identify and destroy enemy positions.
Army Air Service Aero Squadron at Kelly Field, Texas. Deployed to France
in late 1917. Constructed facilities, maintained aircraft, and functioned as a flying training unit. Inactivated in 1919.
Reorganized in 1923, activated in 1932 by the Army Air Corps
at Langley Field, Virginia. Equipped with a variety of biplane pursuit aircraft, later Northrup A-17A dive bombers. Upgraded to modern Curtiss P-40 Warhawks in 1940, deployed to Iceland
when the United States assumed military defense of the Danish Colony in 1941. Performed air defense mission in Iceland during World War II
, later equipped with P-39 Aircobras and P-47 Thunderbolts. Inactivated in June 1945.
Reactivated by Tactical Air Command
at Clovis AFB, New Mexico in 1953. Never made operational and inactivated after a few weeks. Again reactivated at Myrtle Beach AFB, SC in 1956 as a training squadron. Never made operational and inactivated again after a few weeks.
Reactivated a third time by Tactical Air Command in 1969 at Shaw AFB, SC as an RF-4C Phantom II reconnaissance training squadron. Performed training for new photo-reconnaissance pilots at Shaw until parent wing converted to F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft, became an operational squadron in 1995, the last of the RF-4C squadrons at Shaw to remain equipped with the Phantom.
Trained in tactical fighter missions designed to destroy enemy forces, 1985-1993. Deployed aircrews and aircraft to Southwest Asia
(SWA); participated in Operation Southern Watch
over southern Iraq
in support of United Nations operations, 1992-1993. Lt Col Gary L. North
, commander of 33 Fighter Squadron, became the first F-16 pilot to score an aerial victory in SWA, 27 Dec 1992. Inactivated in late 1993 during switchover from 363d FW to 20th FW.
Reactivated in 2009 at Cannon AFB, New Mexico as a MQ-9 Reaper UAV squadron.
MQ-9 Reaper
The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper is an unmanned aerial vehicle , capable of remote controlled or autonomous flight operations, developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for use by the United States Air Force, the United States Navy, the CIA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Royal...
Unmanned aerial vehicle
Unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
s (UAV) and is currently stationed at Cannon Air Force Base
Cannon Air Force Base
Cannon Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately southwest of Clovis, New Mexico. It is under the jurisdiction of Air Force Special Operations Command ....
in Clovis
Clovis, New Mexico
Clovis is the county seat of Curry County, New Mexico, United States. Its population was 32,667 at the 2000 census; according to 2010 Census Bureau estimates, the population had risen to 37,775....
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. The 33 SOS is under the command of the Air Force Special Operations Command
Air Force Special Operations Command
Air Force Special Operations Command is the Special Operations component of the United States Air Force and the US Air Force component command to the United States Special Operations Command , a unified command located at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida...
. The Reaper is a medium altitude, multi-sensor platform that can locate, identify and destroy enemy positions.
History
Activated as a World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Army Air Service Aero Squadron at Kelly Field, Texas. Deployed to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in late 1917. Constructed facilities, maintained aircraft, and functioned as a flying training unit. Inactivated in 1919.
Reorganized in 1923, activated in 1932 by the Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
at Langley Field, Virginia. Equipped with a variety of biplane pursuit aircraft, later Northrup A-17A dive bombers. Upgraded to modern Curtiss P-40 Warhawks in 1940, deployed to Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
when the United States assumed military defense of the Danish Colony in 1941. Performed air defense mission in Iceland during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, later equipped with P-39 Aircobras and P-47 Thunderbolts. Inactivated in June 1945.
Reactivated by Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
at Clovis AFB, New Mexico in 1953. Never made operational and inactivated after a few weeks. Again reactivated at Myrtle Beach AFB, SC in 1956 as a training squadron. Never made operational and inactivated again after a few weeks.
Reactivated a third time by Tactical Air Command in 1969 at Shaw AFB, SC as an RF-4C Phantom II reconnaissance training squadron. Performed training for new photo-reconnaissance pilots at Shaw until parent wing converted to F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft, became an operational squadron in 1995, the last of the RF-4C squadrons at Shaw to remain equipped with the Phantom.
Trained in tactical fighter missions designed to destroy enemy forces, 1985-1993. Deployed aircrews and aircraft to Southwest Asia
Southwest Asia
Western Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East, which describes a geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than its location within Asia...
(SWA); participated in Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
over southern Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
in support of United Nations operations, 1992-1993. Lt Col Gary L. North
Gary L. North
General Gary Lewis North, USAF is the current Commander, Pacific Air Forces and Executive Director, Pacific Air Combat Operations Staff at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii...
, commander of 33 Fighter Squadron, became the first F-16 pilot to score an aerial victory in SWA, 27 Dec 1992. Inactivated in late 1993 during switchover from 363d FW to 20th FW.
Reactivated in 2009 at Cannon AFB, New Mexico as a MQ-9 Reaper UAV squadron.
Lineage
- Organized as 33d Aero Squadron on 12 Jun 1917
- Demobilized on 14 Apr 1919
- Reconstituted and redesignated as 33d Pursuit Squadron on 24 Mar 1923
- Activated on 25 Jun 1932
- Re-designated: 33d Pursuit Squadron (Fighter) on 6 Dec 1939
- Re-designated: 33d Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 12 Mar 1941
- Re-designated: 33d Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942
- Re-designated: 33d Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 3 Feb 1944
- Inactivated on 22 Jun 1945
- Re-designated as 33d Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 3 Mar 1953
- Activated on 8 Apr 1953
- Inactivated on 25 Jun 1953
- Re-designated as 33d Fighter-Day Squadron on 7 May 1956
- Activated on 25 Jul 1956
- Inactivated on 19 Nov 1956
- Re-designated 33d Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadron on 18 Aug 1969
- Activated on 15 Oct 1969
- Inactivated on 1 Oct 1982
- Re-designated 33d Tactical Fighter Squadron on 7 Sep 1984
- Activated on 1 Jan 1985
- Re-designated 33d Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991
- Inactivated on 15 Nov 1993
- Re-designated as 33d Special Operations Squadron on 29 Apr 2009
- Activated on 29 May 2009.
Assignments
- Unknown, 12 Jun-Dec 1917
- Third Aviation Instruction Center, Dec 1917-Jan 1919
- Unknown, Jan-14 Apr 1919
- 8th Pursuit Group, 25 Jun 1932
- Iceland Base CommandIceland Base CommandThe Icelandic Base Command is an inactive United States Army organization. It was established for the United States defense of the Danish Colony of Iceland during World War II...
, 6 Aug 1941 - 342d Composite Group, 11 Sep 1942
- 24th Composite Wing, 18 Mar 1944
- Iceland Base CommandIceland Base CommandThe Icelandic Base Command is an inactive United States Army organization. It was established for the United States defense of the Danish Colony of Iceland during World War II...
, 15 Jun 1944-9 Jun 1945 - 37th Fighter-Bomber Group, 8 Apr-15 Jun 1953
- 342d Fighter-Day Group, 25 Jul-19 Nov 1956
- 363d Tactical Reconnaissance (later, 363 Tactical Fighter) Wing363d Air Expeditionary WingThe 363d Air Expeditionary Operations Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 363d Air Expeditionary Wing, stationed at Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia...
, 15 Oct 1969-1 Oct 1982 - 363d Tactical Fighter (later, 363 Fighter) Wing363d Air Expeditionary WingThe 363d Air Expeditionary Operations Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 363d Air Expeditionary Wing, stationed at Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia...
, 1 Jan 1985 - 363d Operations Group, 1 May 1992-15 Nov 1993
- 27th Special Operations Group27th Special Operations GroupThe 27th Special Operations Group is the flying component of the 27th Special Operations Wing, assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command...
, 29 May 2009-Present
Stations
- Camp Kelly, TX, 12 Jun-11 Aug 1917
- Etamps, France, 19 Sep 1917
- Clermont-Ferrand, France, c. 25 Sep 1917
- Issoudun, France, Dec 1917
- Bordeaux, France, 6 Jan-18 Mar 1919
- Mitchel Field, NY, 5-14 Apr 1919
- Langley Field, VA, 25 Jun 1932
- Mitchel Field, NY, 14 Nov 1940-27 Jul 1941
- Meeks Field, Iceland, 6 Aug 1941-9 Jun 1945
- Camp KilmerCamp KilmerCamp Kilmer, New Jersey is a former United States Army camp that was activated in June 1942 as a staging area and part of an installation of the New York Port of Embarkation. The camp was organized as part of the Army Service Forces Transportation Corps. Troops were quartered at Camp Kilmer in...
, NJ, 20-22 Jun 1945 - Clovis AFB, NM, 8 Apr-25 Jun 1953
- Myrtle Beach AFB, SC, 25 Jul-19 Nov 1956
- Shaw AFB, SC, 1 Oct 1969-1 Oct 1982, 1 Jan 1985-15 Nov 1993
- Cannon AFB, NM, 29 May 2009-Present
Aircraft
- Nieuport 83NieuportNieuport, later Nieuport-Delage, was a French aeroplane company that primarily built racing aircraft before World War I and fighter aircraft during World War I and between the wars.-Beginnings:...
, 1918 - Boeing P-12Boeing P-12The Boeing P-12 or F4B was an American pursuit aircraft that was operated by the United States Army Air Corps and United States Navy.-Design and development:...
, 1932-1935 - Curtiss P-6 Hawk, 1933-1936
- In addition to Consolidated P-30Consolidated P-30|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Angelucci, Enzo. and Peter M. Bowers, The American Fighter. New York: Orion Books, 1987. ISBN 0-517-56588-9....
, 1936-1939, and Curtiss P-36 Hawk, 1939-1940 - Included Curtiss P-6 Hawk, YP-37 Hawk and Northrop A-17Northrop A-17The Northrop A-17, a development of the Northrop Gamma 2F was a two seat, single engine, monoplane, attack bomber built in 1935 by the Northrop Corporation for the US Army Air Corps.-Development and design:...
during 1937-1940 - P-40 Warhawk, 1940-1944
- P-39 Aircobra, 1942-1943
- P-47 ThunderboltP-47 ThunderboltRepublic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
, 1944-1945 - RF-4C Phantom II, 1969-1982
- F-16 Fighting FalconF-16 Fighting FalconThe General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
, 1985-1993 - MQ-9 ReaperMQ-9 ReaperThe General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper is an unmanned aerial vehicle , capable of remote controlled or autonomous flight operations, developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for use by the United States Air Force, the United States Navy, the CIA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Royal...
, 2009-Present