21st Bomb Squadron

The Air Education and Training Command Studies and Analysis Squadron is a unit of the United States Air Force stationed at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, where it reports directly to the headquarters of Air Education and Training Command, evaluating training programs and systems.

The squadron's first two predecessor units served in combat during World War II. The 21st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) flew Consolidated B-24 Liberators in the Aleutian Campaign, where it participated in one of the earliest direct attacks against Japan. The 21st Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy flew Boeing B-29 Superfortresses in the strategic bombing campaign against Japan, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation for attacks on the Japanese petroleum industry.

The squadron's other predecessor, the 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron served in combat in the Vietnam War from spring 1965 until the withdrawal of U.S. forces in 1973, earning several combat decorations. One squadron member, Captain Hilliard A. Wilbanks, was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions that helped rescue Vietnamese Rangers that had been ambushed by Viet Cong forces. The squadron served in the tactical air support role in the United States from 1973 through 1991. During this service, the three squadrons were consolidated as a single unit in September 1985.

The squadron assumed its current role in 1992, when, as the 21st Test and Evaluation Squadron, it replaced the 3307th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Randolph.

Mission

The Air Education and Training Command Studies and Analysis Squadron mission is to minimize training costs while meeting Air Force mission goals. It evaluates the long-term impact of changes to training or curriculum of courses offered by Air Education and Training Command (AETC) and predicts Air Force resource requirements for more than five years into the future. It uses analytics to enhance command decision making that impacts numbers or categories of personnel, combining essential modeling, optimization and scheduling environments.

History

World War II

Antisubmarine and Alaskan service

The first predecessor of the squadron was activated at March Field, California in January 1941 as the 21st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), one of the original squadrons of the 30th Bombardment Group. The 21st was equipped with a mix of Douglas B-18 Bolo, Boeing YB-17 Flying Fortress, and Lockheed A-29 Hudson aircraft. In May, the squadron moved to New Orleans Airport, where it continued training as a bomber unit.Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 110Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 82-83

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, the squadron began antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico and dispatched a detachment to Savannah Army Air Base, Georgia to hunt for U-boats off the Atlantic Coast. By the end of the month, though, the squadron was patrolling the Pacific Coast with its Hudsons, the 30th Group having returned to March Field after a brief stay at Muroc Army Air Field, California. From May through June 1942, the squadron operated through detachments at McChord Field, Washington and Hamilton Field as well as at civilian airports in Southern California.

in June 1942, the Japanese attacked Dutch Harbor, Alaska. The squadron's air echelon moved to Fort Glenn Army Air Base, on Umnak Island, Alaska to reinforce the 28th Composite Group in the Aleutian Islands, using the Consolidated B-24 Liberator and the LB-30 model of the Liberator. By September, the rest of the squadron had joined it in Alaska. The squadron frequently operated from advanced bases in the Aleutian Chain. On 14 September, along with the 404th Bombardment Squadron of the 28th Group, it conducted the first raid from Adak Army Air Field, an attack on Japanese naval forces at Kiska. By February 1943, American forces had occupied Amchitka, and the squadron began operating from Amchitka Army Air Field. On 18 July, the squadron provided planes that, along with planes from the 36th and 404th Squadrons, attacked Shimushu and Paramushiru in the Kuril Islands. Although the attack caused little damage, it was the first attack on Japan itself after the Doolittle Raid.

Although the squadron spent fifteen months operating under the control of the 28th Group in Alaska, it remained formally assigned to the 30th Group at March Field. By September 1943, when the Aleutian Campaign had ended and the squadron was released to return to the United States, the 30th Group and its remaining squadrons had departed for the Pacific, and the squadron was disbanded at Smoky Hill Army Air Field, Kansas on 1 November.Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 80-81

Strategic bombing of Japan

The second predecessor of the squadron was the 21st Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, which was activated at Dalhart Army Air Field, Texas as one of the original four squadrons of the 16th Bombardment Group. However, before the squadron could be manned or equipped, groups flying the Boeing B-29 Superfortress were reorganized from four bombardment squadrons with seven aircraft each to three bombardment squadrons with ten aircraft each and the squadron was inactivated on 10 May 1944.Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 110-111

The squadron's inactivation lasted only three weeks, however, and on 1 June it was again activated at Dalhart, this time as a component of the 501st Bombardment Group. In August, the squadron moved to Harvard Army Air Field, Nebraska, where it trained for combat with the Superfortress. It left Harvard in March 1945 after completing its training and arrived at its combat station, Northwest Field, Guam, on 14 April. The squadron flew its first combat mission against Truk Island on 19 June, and eight days later made its first attack on Japan. The unit's missions focused on Japan's petroleum facilities on Honshu. In July 1945, it received a Distinguished Unit Citation for attacks on the Maruzen oil refinery at Shimotso, the Utsobo oil refinery at Yokkaichi and storage facilities at Kawasaki.Maurer, ''Combat Units'', p. 367

After VJ Day, the squadron dropped food and supplies to prisoners of war in Japan, China, Korea and Manchuria. The squadron remained on Guam until it was inactivated in June 1946.

Vietnam War

The 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron was organized at Pleiku Air Base, South Vietnam on 8 May 1965, as one of three squadrons activated to augment the 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron, which had been operating in the forward air control mission in South Vietnam since 1963. It initially flew Cessna O-1 Bird Dog aircraft in the forward air control mission. However, it was not until August that the squadron became operational. The 21st operated primarily in the II Corps Area, with its aircraft dispersed to support United States Army, ARVN and Korean units. While initially organizing, it directed air strikes during the Battle of Duc CoInitial Historical Report, 505th Tactical Control Group, reprinted at

The squadron performed visual reconnaissance with light aircraft, flying slowly at low altitude. By patrolling the same area regularly, squadron forward air controllers grew familiar with the terrain and learned to detect changes that could indicate enemy forces hiding below. The controller called in fighter-bombers and marked targets with smoke grenades or white phosphorus rockets. After the attacks, controllers flew low over the target to assess the damage. In September 1966, the 21st moved from the highlands of Pleiku to the coastal base of Nha Trang Air Base.Haulman, Daniel L., Lineage and Honors History of the Air Education and Training Command Studies and Analysis Squadron (AETC), Air Force Historical Research Agency. January 6, 1998

On 27 February 1967, Captain Hilliard A. Wilbanks, one of the squadron's forward air controllers, was flying visual reconnaissance in his Cessna O-1 ahead of a South Vietnamese ranger battalion. He located a well-concealed numerically superior Viet Cong (VC) force poised to ambush the rangers. The enemy immediately fired on his plane and advanced on the ranger force, which was pinned down by devastating fire. Capt. Wilbanks recognized that close air support would not be able to arrive soon enough to help the rangers to withstand the advancing enemy. Flying through withering fire at treetop level, he flew over the VC and inflicted many casualties by firing his rifle out the side window of his Bird Dog. Despite increasingly intense antiaircraft fire, he made repeated low passes over the VC. His tactics interrupted the VC's advance and allowed the rangers to withdraw to safety. During his final attack, Capt. Wilbanks was mortally wounded and his aircraft crashed between the opposing forces. He saved numerous friendly personnel from certain injury or death. For his action that day, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

The single engine of the O-1 Bird Dog made it particularly vulnerable to ground fire and it lacked radio equipment that would permit it to communicate with ground troops and attacking aircraft at the same time. Its low speed and endurance, in addition to making it more vulnerable, sometimes delayed its arrival in areas of operation and the time it could operate. In 1968, the squadron began equipping with twin engined, faster Cessna O-2 Skymasters that had higher speed, greater endurance and better communications equipment, although the O-1 would not be completely phased out of squadron operations until 1971. The 21st moved to Cam Ranh Bay Air Base, South Vietnam in September 1969, and to Phan Rang Air Base two years later. As the United States withdrew forces from Vietnam, the squadron moved to Tan Son Nhut Air Base in January 1972 and was inactivated there on 21 February 1973. Aircraft losses during the war included 41 O-1s, 16 O-2s and an OV-10, while 29 crewmembers lost their lives in combat.

Cold War

The squadron was again activated at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, at the end of August 1973.Mueller, p. 354 At MacDill, it was equipped with the Cessna OT-37 Tweet and was assigned to the 68th Tactical Air Support Group, which was located at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. Little less than a year later, on 1 July 1974, it moved to Shaw, where it joined its parent 507th Tactical Air Control Group, which assumed the mission of the 68th Group when the 68th was inactivated in June 1974.Mueller, p. 533 At Shaw, the squadron converted from the OT-37 to the OV-10 Bronco in 1988. It re-equipped with the Fairchild Republic OA-10 Thunderbolt II in 1991, shortly before being inactivated and transferring its mission, equipment and personnel to the 21st Tactical Fighter Squadron in November 1991.

Testing, evaluation and analysis

The squadron was redesignated the 21st Test and Evaluation Squadron and activated on 15 September 1992 at Randolph Air Force Base, where it was assigned to the 12th Operations Group. It absorbed the resources of the 3307th Test and Evaluation Squadron, which had been activated on 15 September 1991 and assigned to the 3300th Training Support Group, and which was simultaneously inactivated. Air Training Command (ATC) had established the 3307th Squadron to perform tests and evaluations of new ATC systems including aircraft, simulators and software to determine if these acquisitions met operational requirements.

The squadron became the Air Education and Training Command Studies and Analysis Flight at the end of March 1994. In April 1997, it added the resources of the 602d Training Support Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base, California, which developed training programs for new weapons systems as they were acquired by the Air Force and became a squadron again. Personnel at Edwards formed Detachment 1 of the squadron. The Edwards detachment later downgraded to Operating Location A in 2003, and its mission and personnel were absorbed by the squadron at Randolph in 2008. The squadron currently includes a technology innovation flight and a strategy analysis flight.

Lineage

; 21st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy)
* Constituted as the 21st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 20 November 1940
: Activated on 15 January 1941
: Disbanded on 1 November 1943
: Reconstituted on 19 September 1985 and consolidated with the 21st Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy and the 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron as the 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron

; 21st Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy
* Constituted as the 21st Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 28 March 1944
: Activated on 1 April 1944
: Inactivated on 10 May 1944
* Activated on 1 June 1944
: Inactivated on 10 June 1946
: Consolidated with the 21st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) and the 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron as the 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron on 19 September 1985

; Air Education and Training Command Studies and Analysis Squadron
* Constituted as the 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron (Light) on 26 April 1965 and activated (not organized)
: Organized on 8 May 1965
: Inactivated on 21 February 1973
* Redesignated 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron on 17 July 1973
: Activated on 31 August 1973
: Consolidated with the 21st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) and the 21st Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 19 September 1985
: Inactivated on 1 November 1991
* Redesignated 21st Test and Evaluation Squadron on 1 September 1992
: Activated 15 September 1992
: Redesignated Air Education and Training Command Studies and Analysis Flight on 31 March 1994
: Redesignated Air Education and Training Command Studies and Analysis Squadron on 1 April 1997

Assignments

* 30th Bombardment Group, 15 January 1941 (under operational control of 28th Composite Group, 9 January 1942–September 1943)
* Second Air Force, 18 October 1943 – 1 November 1943
* 16th Bombardment Group, 1 April 1944 – 10 May 1944
* 501st Bombardment Group, 1 June 1944 – 10 June 1946Assignments and stations through 1946 in Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 110-111
* Pacific Air Forces, 28 April 1965 (not organized)
* 2d Air Division, 8 May 1965 (attached to Tactical Air Support Group 6250th, Provisional after 1 August 65)
* 505th Tactical Control Group, 8 November 1965 (attached to Tactical Air Support Group, Provisional, 6250th 1–8 September 1966, Tactical Air Support Group, Provisional, 6253d after 9 September 1966)
* 504th Tactical Air Support Group, 8 December 1966
* 377th Air Base Wing, 15 November 1972 – 21 February 1973
* 68th Tactical Air Support Group, 31 August 1973
* 507th Tactical Air Control Group (later 507th Tactical Air Control Wing), 15 June 1974 – 1 November 1991
* 12th Operations Group, 15 September 1992
* Air Education and Training Command, 31 March 1994 – present

Stations

* March Field, California, 15 January 1941
* New Orleans Airport, Louisiana, 22 May 1941
: Detachment operated from Savannah Army Air Base, Georgia, 8–14 December 1941
* Muroc Army Air Field, California, 25 December 1941
* March Field, California, 11 February–20 August 1944
: Detachment operated from San Diego Airport, California, 10 May–16 June 1942
: Detachments operated from Los Angeles Airport, California; McChord Field, Washington and Hamilton Field, California, 28 May–7 June 1942
: Air echelon operated from Fort Glenn Army Air Base, Alaska, after 11 June 1942
* Fort Glenn Army Air Base, Alaska, 3 September 1942 - 19 September 1943
: Operated from Adak Army Air Field, Alaska, 21 September-15 November 1942, c. 16 December 1942-Unknown and 18 February-13 August 1943
: Operated from Amchitka Army Air Field, Alaska, 18 February–July 1943
* Shemya Army Air Field, Alaska, c. 27 July-c. 19 September 1943

* Smoky Hill Army Air Field, Kansas, 11 October-1 November 1943
* Dalhart Army Air Field, Texas, 1 April-10 May 1944
* Dalhart Army Air Field, Texas, 1 June 1944
* Harvard Army Air Field, Nebraska, 23 August 1944 – 7 March 1945
* Northwest Field, Guam, Marianna Islands, 14 April 1945 – 10 June 1946
* Pleiku Air Base, South Vietnam, 8 May 1965
* Nha Trang Air Base, South Vietnam, 15 September 1966Lester, p. 117
* Cam Ranh Bay Air Base, South Vietnam, 1 September 1969
* Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam, 30 September 1971
* Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam, 10 January 1972 – 21 February 1973
* MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, 31 August 1973
* Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, 1 July 1974
* Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, 15 September 1992 – present

Aircraft

* Douglas B-18 Bolo, 1941
* Boeing YB-17 Flying Fortress, 1941
* Lockheed A-29 Hudson, 1941-1942
* Consolidated LB-30 Liberator, 1942
* Consolidated B-24 Liberator, 1942-1943
* Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1944-1946
* Cessna O-1 Bird Dog, 1965-1971
* Cessna O-2 Skymaster, 1968-1973
* North American OV-10 Bronco, 1971, 1973-1988, 1989-1991
* Sikorsky CH-3, 1975-1977
* Cessna OT-37 Dragonfly, 1986-1988
* Fairchild Republic OA-10 Thunderbolt II, 1991

Awards and campaigns

See also

* List of United States Air Force test squadrons
* B-17 Flying Fortress units of the United States Army Air Forces
* B-24 Liberator units of the United States Army Air Forces

References

Notes

; Explanatory notes

; Citations

Bibliography

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External links

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{{USAAF 2d Air Force World War II

Military units and formations in Texas