55th Special Operations Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 55th Special Operations Squadron (55 SOS) most recently was part of the 1st Special Operations Wing
at Hurlburt Field
, Florida
. It operated MH-60G Pave Hawk aircraft in support of special operations.
missions from, 1952–1960. The squadron supported manned spacecraft recovery operations from, June 1961–January 1966. It supported special operations missions from, March 1988-2007 including combat in Panama
, 20 December 1989–14 January 1990, and Southwest Asia
, 1 January–12 March 1991.
1st Special Operations Wing
The 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida is one of two United States Air Force active duty Special Operations wings and falls under the Air Force Special Operations Command ....
at Hurlburt Field
Hurlburt Field
Hurlburt Field is a U.S. Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the Town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin Air Force Base reservation, and is home to Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command , the 1st Special Operations Wing , the...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. It operated MH-60G Pave Hawk aircraft in support of special operations.
History
The 55th trained and performed rescue and recoverySearch and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
missions from, 1952–1960. The squadron supported manned spacecraft recovery operations from, June 1961–January 1966. It supported special operations missions from, March 1988-2007 including combat in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, 20 December 1989–14 January 1990, and 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...
, 1 January–12 March 1991.
Lineage
- 55th Air Rescue Squadron (1952–1966)
- 55th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (1966–1988)
- 55th Special Operations Squadron (1988–2003)
Assignments
- 6th Air Rescue Group (1952–1958)
- Air Rescue ServiceAir Rescue ServiceThe Air Rescue Service is a disestablished organization in the United States Air Force. Previously a subcommand of the Military Air Transport Service , a USAF major command , ARS was redesignated as the Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service on 1 Jan 1966 when MATS was redesignated as the Military...
(1958–1960) - Military Air Transport ServiceMilitary Air Transport ServiceThe Military Air Transport Service is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command into a single, joint, unified command...
(1961) - Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service (1961–1970)
- 39th Special Operations Wing (1970–1989)
- 1st Special Operations Wing1st Special Operations WingThe 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida is one of two United States Air Force active duty Special Operations wings and falls under the Air Force Special Operations Command ....
(1989–2007)
Bases stationed
- Thule Air BaseThule Air BaseThule Air Base or Thule Air Base/Pituffik Airport , is the United States Air Force's northernmost base, located north of the Arctic Circle and from the North Pole on the northwest side of the island of Greenland. It is approximately east of the North Magnetic Pole.-Overview:Thule Air Base is the...
, GreenlandGreenlandGreenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
(1952–1960) - Kindley Air Force BaseKindley Air Force BaseKindley Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base in Bermuda from 1948–1970, having been operated from 1943 to 1948 by the United States Army Air Force as Kindley Field.-World War II:...
, BermudaBermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
(1960, 1961–1970) - McCoy Air Force BaseMcCoy Air Force BaseWith McCoy's closure as an active air force installation in 1975, the site was redeveloped and is known today as Orlando International Airport, which carries the airport code MCO .- History :...
, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
(1970–1971) - Eglin Air Force BaseEglin Air Force BaseEglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately 3 miles southwest of Valparaiso, Florida in Okaloosa County....
, Florida (1971–1993) - Hurlburt FieldHurlburt FieldHurlburt Field is a U.S. Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the Town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin Air Force Base reservation, and is home to Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command , the 1st Special Operations Wing , the...
, Florida (1993–2003)
Aircraft Operated
- SB-17 (1952–1955)
- SC-47C-47 SkytrainThe Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
(1952–1954) - H-19 Chickasaw (1953–1957)
- SA-16 (1953–1959)
- YH-21 Work Horse (1953–1955)
- SC-54C-54 SkymasterThe Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces and British forces in World War II and the Korean War. Besides transport of cargo, it also carried presidents, British heads of government, and military staff...
(1956–1957) - SH-21B Work Horse (1956–1960)
- HC-54C-54 SkymasterThe Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces and British forces in World War II and the Korean War. Besides transport of cargo, it also carried presidents, British heads of government, and military staff...
(1961–1964)
- HH-19 (1961–1963)
- HH-43 Huskie (1963–1964)
- HC-97C-97 StratofreighterThe Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter was a long range heavy military cargo aircraft based on the B-29 bomber. Design work began in 1942, with the prototype's first flight being on 9 November 1944, and the first production aircraft entered service in 1947. Between 1947 and 1958, 888 C-97s in several...
(1964–1966) - HC-130 (1966–1968)
- HH-53 Super Jolly Green GiantCH-53 Sea StallionThe CH-53 Sea Stallion is the most common name for the Sikorsky S-65 family of heavy-lift transport helicopters. Originally developed for use by the United States Marine Corps, it is also in service with Germany, Iran, Israel, and Mexico...
(1973–1980) - H-3 (1980–1982)
- MH-60G Pave Hawk (1982–2007)