The

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

's 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron (2 ASOS) is a combat support unit located in

Vilseck Vilseck is a town and municipality () in the Oberpfalz region of northeastern Bavaria, Germany, situated on the river Vils, a tributary of the Naab river. , Vilseck's population was 6,768 citizens, who live within an area of consisting of Vi ...

, Germany. The squadron provides tactical command and control of

airpower Airpower or air power consists of the application of military aviation, military strategy and strategic theory to the realm of aerial warfare and close air support. Airpower began in the advent of powered flight early in the 20th century. A ...

assets to the

Joint Forces Air Component Commander Joint Forces Air Component Commander (JFACC) is a United States Department of Defense doctrinal term. It is pronounced "Jay-Fack". It refers to a senior officer who is responsible for the air forces within a joint force; i.e., a military force c ...

and

Joint Forces Land Component Commander Joint Force Land Component Commander (JFLCC), is a United States Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the federal gover ...

for combat operations.

Mission

The 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron trains, equips, and maintains mission-ready air liaison, terminal attack control, and weather observation and forecasting elements to support the commanders of US Army units, such as the 2nd Cavalry Regiment.

Lineage

* Constituted as the 2nd Communications Squadron, Air Support on 8 April 1942 : Activated on 20 April 1942 : Redesignated 2nd Air Support Communication Squadron on 11 January 1943 : Redesignated 2nd Tactical Air Communications Squadron on 1 April 1944 : Inactivated on 7 December 1945 : Disbanded on 8 October 1948 * Reconstituted and redesignated 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron on 1 September 1996 : Activated on 30 September 1996

Assignments

47th Bombardment Group 47th may refer to: Chicago Transit Authority stations * 47th station (CTA Green Line) 47th is a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's "L" system, located in the Grand Boulevard community area of Chicago, Illinois and serving the Gree ...

, 20 April 1942 * II Ground Air Support Command, 1 May 1942 * III Ground Air Support Command (later III Air Support Command), 31 May 1942 *

Twelfth Air Force The Twelfth Air Force (12 AF; Air Forces Southern, (AFSOUTH)) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The command is the air component to U ...

, 26 December 1942; XII Air Support Command (later XII Tactical Air Command), 2 February 1943 *

64th Fighter Wing The 64th Fighter Wing was a World War II tactical air control wing of the Twelfth Air Force, operating in the Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II, Mediterranean and European theatre of World War II, European theaters. From its ...

, 6 July–c. November 1945 * 4th Air Support Operations Group, 30 September 1996 – present

Stations

Will Rogers Field Will may refer to: Common meanings * Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death * Will (philosophy), or willpower * Will (sociology) * Will, volition (psychology) * Will, a modal verb - see Shall and will ...

, Oklahoma, 20 April 1942 * Camp Young, California, 18 May 1942 *

Mansfield, Louisiana Mansfield is a small city in, and the parish seat of, DeSoto Parish, Louisiana, United States. Mansfield is part of the Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan statistical area, with a 2020 population of 4,714. Geography According to the ...

, 21 July 1942 * Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma, 23 September 1942 *

Camp Kilmer Camp Kilmer is a former United States Army camp in Central New Jersey 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 Tra ...

, New Jersey, 22 November 1942–11 December 1942 *

Mers El Kebir Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is a viral respiratory infection caused by ''Middle East respiratory syndrome–related coronavirus'' (MERS-CoV). Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe depending on age and risk level. Typica ...

, Algeria, 26 December 1942 * Sainte-Barbe du Tlelat Airfield, Algeria, 26 December 1942 *

Oran Oran () is a major coastal city located in the northwest of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria, after the capital, Algiers, because of its population and commercial, industrial and cultural importance. It is w ...

, Algeria, 2 January 1943 *

Oujda Oujda (, ) is a major city in northeast Morocco near the Algeria–Morocco border, border with Algeria. Oujda is the capital city of the Oriental (Morocco), Oriental region of northeastern Morocco and has a population of 506,224 people (2024 censu ...

, French Morocco, 15 January 1943 *

Algiers Algiers is the capital city of Algeria as well as the capital of the Algiers Province; it extends over many Communes of Algeria, communes without having its own separate governing body. With 2,988,145 residents in 2008Census 14 April 2008: Offi ...

, Algeria, 12 June 1943 *

Korba, Tunisia Korba ( '), ancient Curubis, is a town in Tunisia on the eastern shore of the Cap Bon. It was the place of exile of the Carthaginian bishop Cyprian in the year leading up to his martyrdom. Modern Korba is in the Nabeul Governorate and had a pop ...

, 1 July 1943 *

Tunis Tunis (, ') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Tunisia. The greater metropolitan area of Tunis, often referred to as "Grand Tunis", has about 2,700,000 inhabitants. , it is the third-largest city in the Maghreb region (after Casabl ...

, Tunisia, 18 July 1943 * Gela Airfield, Sicily, Italy, July 1943 *

Palermo Palermo ( ; ; , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan province. The ...

, Sicily, Italy 31 July 194 *

Milazzo Airfield Milazzo Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield on Sicily, located in the southern suburbs of Milazzo, on the northern tip of the island. Built as a temporary wartime field by Army Engineers, using Pierced Steel Planking for run ...

, Sicily, Italy, 31 August 1943 * St Antoine, Italy, 11 September 1943 * Paestum Airfield, Italy, 14 September 1943 *

Pontecagnano Airport Salerno Costa d'Amalfi Airport , is an international airport airport located in the comune of Pontecagnano Faiano in southern Italy. It serves the city of Salerno and the coastal areas of Amalfi . It is also known as ''Salerno-Pontecagnano Airp ...

, Italy, 30 September 1943 *

Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

, Italy, 7 October 1943 *

Caserta Caserta ( ; ) is the capital of the province of Caserta in the Campania region of Italy. An important agricultural, commercial, and industrial ''comune'' and city, Caserta is located 36 kilometres north of Naples on the edge of the Campanian p ...

, Italy, 24 October 1943 *

Presenzano Presenzano (Campanian: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about north of Naples and about northwest of Caserta. Presenzano borders the following municipalities: Conca della Campani ...

, Italy, 28 January 1944 * Sparanise, Italy, 27 March 1944 *

Sermoneta Sermoneta is a hill town and ''comune'' in the province of Latina (Lazio), central Italy. It is a walled hill town, with a 13th-century Romanesque church, the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Assunta (sometimes erroneously called a cathedral) ...

, Italy, 3 June 1944 *

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, Italy, 9 June 1944 *

Tuscania Tuscania is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Viterbo, Lazio Region, Italy. Until the late 19th century the town was known as Toscanella. History Antiquity According to the legend, Tuscania was founded by Aeneas' son, Ascanius, wher ...

, Italy, 17 June 1944 *

Roccastrada Roccastrada is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Grosseto in the Italian region Tuscany, located about south of Florence and about north of Grosseto, between the Maremma plain and the Colline Metallifere. ''Frazioni'' The munici ...

, Italy, 2 July 1944 * Naples, Italy, 16 July 1944 *

Saint-Tropez Saint-Tropez ( , ; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Var (department), Var departments of France, department and the regions of France, region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Southern France. It is west of Nice and east of Marseille, o ...

, France, 14 August 1944 *

Brignoles Brignoles (; ) is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of Southeastern France. Alongside Draguignan, it is one of two subprefectures in Var. It was the summer residence of the counts of Provence; their ...

, France, 20 August 1944 *

Grenoble Grenoble ( ; ; or ; or ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of the Isère Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, region ...

, France, 30 August 1944 *

Lons-le-Saunier Lons-le-Saunier () is a commune and capital of the Jura Department, eastern France. Geography The town is in the heart of the Revermont region, at the foot of the first plateau of the Jura massif. The Jura escarpment extends to the east a ...

, France, 7 September 1944 *

Vesoul Vesoul ( ) is a Communes of France, commune in the predominantly rural Haute-Saône department, of which it is the Prefectures in France, prefecture, or capital, in the Regions of France, region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté located in eastern Franc ...

, France, 19 September 1944 * Epinal, France, 4 October 1944 *

Sarrebourg Sarrebourg (; also , ; Lorraine Franconian: ; older ) is a commune of northeastern France. In 1895 a Mithraeum was discovered at Sarrebourg at the mouth of the pass leading from the Vosges Mountains. Geography Sarrebourg is located in the ...

, France, 29 November 1944 *

Saverne Saverne (, ; Alsatian language, Alsatian: ; ) is a communes of France, commune in the Bas-Rhin departments of France, department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. It is situated on the Rhine-Marne canal at the foot of a mountain pass, pass ...

, France, 8 December 1944 * Luneville, France, 1 January 1945 *

Sarreguemines Sarreguemines (; German: ''Saargemünd'' ; Lorraine Franconian: ''Saargemìnn'') is a commune in the Moselle department of the Grand Est administrative region in north-eastern France. It is the seat of an arrondissement and a canton. As o ...

, France, 20 March 1945 *

Kaiserslautern Kaiserslautern (; ) is a town in southwest Germany, located in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate at the edge of the Palatinate Forest. The historic centre dates to the 9th century. It is from Paris, from Frankfurt am Main, 666 kilometers (414 m ...

, Germany, 25 March 1945 *

Darmstadt Darmstadt () is a city in the States of Germany, state of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Frankfurt Rhine Main Area, Rhine-Main-Area (Frankfurt Metropolitan Region). Darmstadt has around 160,000 inhabitants, making it the ...

, Germany, 1 April 1945 *

Kitzingen Kitzingen () is a town in the Germany, German state of Bavaria, capital of the Kitzingen (district), district Kitzingen. It is part of the Franconia geographical region and has around 21,000 inhabitants. Surrounded by vineyards, Kitzingen County i ...

, Germany, 15 April 1945 *

Schwäbisch Gmünd Schwäbisch Gmünd (, until 1934: Gmünd; Swabian: ''Gmẽẽd'' or ''Gmend'') is a city in the eastern part of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. With a population of around 60,000, the city is the second largest in the Ostalb district ...

, Germany, 26 April 1945 *

Augsburg Augsburg ( , ; ; ) is a city in the Bavaria, Bavarian part of Swabia, Germany, around west of the Bavarian capital Munich. It is a College town, university town and the regional seat of the Swabia (administrative region), Swabia with a well ...

, Germany, 2 May 1945 * Darmstadt, Germany, 30 May 1945 *

Stuttgart Stuttgart (; ; Swabian German, Swabian: ; Alemannic German, Alemannic: ; Italian language, Italian: ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, largest city of the States of Germany, German state of ...

, Germany, 4 October 1945 * Darmstadt, Germany, 10 October 1945 *

Mannheim Mannheim (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (), is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, second-largest city in Baden-Württemberg after Stuttgart, the States of Ger ...

, Germany, 18 October 1945 *

Marseilles Marseille (; ; see below) is a city in southern France, the prefecture of the department of Bouches-du-Rhône and of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the Provence region, it is located on the coast of the Mediterranean S ...

, France, November–26 November 1945 *

Camp Patrick Henry Camp Patrick Henry is a decommissioned United States Army base which was located in Warwick County, Virginia. After World War II, the site was redeveloped as a commercial airport, and became part of City of Newport News in 1958 when the former C ...

, Virginia, 7 December 1945 *

Würzburg Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is, after Nuremberg and Fürth, the Franconia#Towns and cities, third-largest city in Franconia located in the north of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. It sp ...

, Germany, 30 September 1996 *

, Germany, 12 Jan 2007 – present

Decorations

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award The Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award (ASOUA) is one of the unit awards of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It was established in 1954 as the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and was the first independent Air Force ...

AF FOIA Request 2009-01965, 13 Jul 2009

References

Notes

Bibliography

Air support operations squadrons of the United States Air Force Military units and formations established in 1996 {{USAF-stub