The 319th Special Operations Squadron was first activated in September 1944 as the 319th Troop Carrier Squadron (Commando) and served in the

China-Burma-India Theater China Burma India Theater (CBI) was the United States military designation during World War II for the China and Southeast Asian or India–Burma (IBT) theaters. Operational command of Allied forces (including U.S. forces) in the CBI was ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. It provided

airlift An airlift is the organized delivery of Materiel, supplies or personnel primarily via military transport aircraft. Airlifting consists of two distinct types: strategic and tactical. Typically, strategic airlifting involves moving material lo ...

support and conducted airborne drops and glider operations for Allied troops in

Burma Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and ha ...

, central China, and French Indochina in the last year of World War II. The squadron was activated in April 1962 at

Hurlburt Field Hurlburt Field is a United States 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 S ...

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

and deployed planes and crews from Hurlburt for special air warfare and civic actions missions, then trained aircrews on

special operations Special operations or special ops are military activities conducted, according to NATO, by "specially designated, organized, selected, trained, and equipped forces using unconventional techniques and modes of employment." Special operations ma ...

airlift at

England Air Force Base England Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Louisiana, located northwest of Alexandria and about northwest of New Orleans. Originally known as Alexandria Army Air Base, on 23 June 1955 the facility was renamed England A ...

, Louisiana until being inactivated as the 319th Special Operations Squadron in June 1972. On 1 October 2005, the squadron was again activated as part of an overall expansion of the

Air Force Special Operations Command Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), headquartered at Hurlburt Field, Florida, is the special operations component of the United States Air Force. An Air Force major command (MAJCOM), AFSOC is also the U.S. Air Force component command ...

. It operates the Pilatus U-28A Draco.

Mission

The 319th Special Operations Squadron mission is to provide intra-theater support for

forces and it is currently equipped with the U-28A Draco, a modified version of the

Pilatus PC-12 The Pilatus PC-12 is a pressurized, single-engined, turboprop aircraft manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft of Stans, Switzerland since 1991. It was designed as a high-performance utility aircraft that incorporates a large aft cargo door in addi ...

. The U-28A was selected for its versatile performance and ability to operate from short and unimproved runway surfaces.

History

World War II

The 319th was first activated in India as the 319th Troop Carrier Squadron (Commando) in September 1944. The squadron served in the

during

. It provided

support and flew aerial resupply missions in support of various

commando A commando is a combatant, or operative of an elite light infantry or special operations force, specially trained for carrying out raids and operating in small teams behind enemy lines. Originally, "a commando" was a type of combat unit, as oppo ...

units, such as

Merrill's Marauders Merrill’s Marauders (named after Frank Merrill) or Unit ''Galahad'', officially named the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), was a United States Army long range penetration special operations jungle warfare unit, which fought in the South-E ...

and the

Chindits The Chindits, officially known as Long Range Penetration Groups, were special operations units of the British and Indian armies which saw action in 1943–1944 during the Burma Campaign of World War II. Brigadier Orde Wingate formed the ...

and conducted airborne drops and glider operations for Allied troops in Burma, central China, and French Indochina in the last year of World War II. After the end of the war, the squadron moved to China, where it continued operations until October 1945. In November 1945, the squadron returned on paper to India, but was not manned or equipped. It was inactivated there in December 1945.

Vietnam War

The squadron was redesignated the 319th Troop Carrier Squadron, Commando, and organized at

, Florida in April 1962. The squadron initially operated

Curtiss C-46 Commando The Curtiss C-46 Commando is a low-wing, twin-engine aircraft derived from the Curtiss CW-20 pressurized high-altitude airliner design. Early press reports used the name "Condor III" but the Commando name was in use by early 1942 in company p ...

s, but also

Douglas C-47 Skytrain The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota ( RAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II. During the war the C-47 was used for tro ...

s, and Helio U-10 Courier, and

North American T-28 Trojan The North American Aviation T-28 Trojan is a Radial engine, radial-engine military trainer aircraft manufactured by North American Aviation and used by the United States Air Force and United States Navy beginning in the 1950s. Besides its use ...

s until moving to

, Louisiana in 1966. The squadron frequently deployed crews and airplanes to

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...

for civic action and counterinsurgency missions. At England, the squadron concentrated on training United States and foreign

aircrew Aircrew are personnel who operate an aircraft while in flight. The composition of a flight's crew depends on the type of aircraft, plus the flight's duration and purpose. Commercial aviation Flight deck positions In commercial aviatio ...

s with the

Fairchild C-123 Provider The Fairchild C-123 Provider is an American military transport aircraft designed by Chase Aircraft and built by Fairchild Aircraft for the U.S. Air Force. In addition to its USAF service, which included later service with the Air Force Reserve a ...

. It continued this mission after returning to Hurlburt three years later. It was inactivated in 1972 as the Air Force reduced its size following United States withdrawal from the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

Present era

On 1 October 2005, the squadron was again activated as part of an overall expansion of the

. It was equipped with the U-28A Draco, a modified version of the Pilatus PC-12, able to operate from short and unimproved runway surfaces.Humphrey, Kelly, "'Angel of Death' takes command of 319th SOS", ''Hurlburt Warrior'', ''Northwest Florida Daily News'', Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Friday 8 May 2015, Volume 9, Number 19, page 3. The 319th provides airlift support to

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

Special Forces, and provides intratheater support for special operations.

Lineage

* Constituted as the 319th Troop Carrier Squadron (Commando) on 9 August 1944 : Activated on 1 September 1944 * Redesignated 319th Troop Carrier Squadron on 29 September 1945 : Inactivated on 27 December 1945 * Redesignated 319th Troop Carrier Squadron, Commando and activated on 18 April 1962 (not organized) : Organized on 27 April 1962 * Redesignated 319th Air Commando Squadron, Troop Carrier on 8 November 1964 * Redesignated 319th Air Commando Squadron, Tactical Airlift on 1 May 1967 * Redesignated 319th Special Operations Squadron on 8 July 1968 : Inactivated on 15 January 1972 : Activated on 1 October 2005

Assignments

1st Air Commando Group 001, O01, or OO1 may refer to: Arts and entertainment *001, fictional British agent, see 00 Agent *''001'', also known as the ''Princess of Klaxosaurs'', is a character and the central antagonist from ''DARLING in the FRANXX'' *Player number of b ...

, 1 September 1944 * 69th Composite Wing, 2 September 1945 *

Tenth Air Force The Tenth Air Force (10 AF) is a unit of the U.S. Air Force, specifically a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). 10 AF is headquartered at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base/Carswell Field (formerly Carswel ...

, c. 27 September 1945 – 27 December 1945 *

Tactical Air Command Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Lang ...

, 18 April 1962 (not organized) * 1st Air Commando Group (later 1st Air Commando Wing, 1st Special Operations Wing), 27 Apr 1962 * 4410th Combat Crew Training Wing, 15 July 1969 * 1st Special Operations Wing, 30 July 1969 – 15 January 1972 * 16th Special Operations Group (later 1st Special Operations Group), 1 October 2005 – 3 May 2024 *

492nd Special Operations Wing The 492nd Special Operations Wing is a United States Air Forces unit stationed at Hurlburt Field, Florida. It was activated in May 2017 to replace the Air Force Special Operations Air Warfare Center. During World War II the unit entered combat ...

, 3 May 2024 - Present

Stations

Asansol Asansol is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the second largest city in West Bengal. It is the 33rd largest urban agglomeration in India by population. Asansol is the district headquarters of Paschim Bardhaman district. Accordi ...

, India, 1 September 1944 (operated from various forward bases in Burma, 4 December 1944 – 17 May 1945) * Warazup, Burma, 27 May 1945 * Loping, China, 2 September 1945 * Hu Hsien, China, 7 October 1945 * India, c. 1 November 1945 – 27 December 1945 * Eglin Air Force Auxiliary Field No. 9 (Hurlburt Field), Florida, 27 April 1962 * England Air Force Base, Louisiana, 15 January 1966 * Eglin Air Force Auxiliary Field No. 9 (Hurlburt Field), Florida, 30 July 1969 – 15 January 1972 * Hurlburt Field, Florida, 1 October 2005 – present

Aircraft

* Douglas C-47 Skytrain, 1944–1945, 1962–1966 *

Waco CG-4A The Waco CG-4 was the most widely used American troop/cargo military glider of World War II. It was designated the CG-4A by the United States Army Air Forces, and given the service name Hadrian (after the Roman emperor) by the British. The ...

, 1944–1945 * Curtiss C-46 Commando, 1962–1964 * Helio U-10 Courier, 1963–1966 * Fairchild C-123 Provider, 1963–1972 * North American T-28 Trojan, 1965 * Pilatus U-28A, 2005–present

Awards and campaigns

References

; Notes

Bibliography

* *

External links

319TH SPECIAL OPERATIONS SQUADRON Factsheet
{{USAF Air Force Special Operations Command

319 __NOTOC__ Year 319 ( CCCXIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Constantinus and Licinius (or, less frequently, year 1072 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denominat ...

Military units and formations established in 1944