65th Special Operations Squadron

65th Special Operations Squadron
65th Special Operations Squadron
	MQ-9 Reaper as operated by the squadron
Active	1941–1946; 1946–1970; 1986–1991; 2018–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Special Operations Persistent Attack and Reconnaissance
Part of	Air Force Special Operations Command
Nickname(s)	Lucky Dicers[citation needed]
Motto(s)	Scientiam Fortuna Iuvat
Engagements	Antisubmarine Campaign; Southwest Pacific Theater
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation; Air Force Outstanding Unit Award; Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Insignia
65th Special Operations Squadron emblem (subdued)
65th Bombardment Squadron emblem

The 65th Special Operations Squadron is an Air Force Special Operations Command unit which flies the MQ-9 Reaper, currently stationed at Hurlburt Field, Florida. It was first activated in 1941 as the 65th Bombardment Squadron when United States increased its armed forces prior to entry into World War II. It briefly served in the antisubmarine role, then deployed to the Southwest Pacific Theater, where it participated in combat against Japan, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation and a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. During this period, a crew from the 65th became the most-decorated aircrew in United States history, when their B-17 fought off more than a dozen Japanese fighters during a photo reconnaissance mission.^[3] The 65th remained in the Philippines after the war ended, and was inactivated in the Philippines in 1946.

The squadron was reactivated at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona as a Strategic Air Command bomber squadron. It continued in the strategic bomber role until 1970, flying a variety of strategic bombers, including the supersonic Convair B-58 Hustler. In 1962, a crew from the 65th won the Mackay Trophy and the Bendix Trophy for setting a trio of transcontinental speed records in a round trip from Los Angeles to New York and back during Operation Heat Rise.^[4] From 1986 to 1991, as the 65th Strategic Squadron, it controlled bombers and tankers deployed at Anderson Air Force Base, Guam. It was activated in its current role in December 2018.

History[]

World War II[]

Activation and antisubmarine raids[]

Combat in the Southwest Atlantic Theatre[]

Strategic Air Command[]

Early SAC operations[]

B-58 operations[]

The squadron moved to Carswell Air Force Base without personnel or equipment on 15 April 1960. At Carswell, it was manned and equipped from the 3958th Combat Crew Training Squadron and 6592d Test Squadron, which were discontinued.^[5] The squadron immediately began training crews on the [[Convair B-58

Control of SAC units in the Pacific[]

Air Force Special Operations Command[]

Lineage[]

Constituted as the 65th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 20 November 1940

Activated on 15 January 1941

Redesignated 65th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 21 September 1943

Inactivated on 29 April 1946

Redesignated 65th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy and activated on 1 October 1946

Redesignated 65th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 2 July 1948

Inactivated on 31 January 1970

Redesignated 65th Strategic Squadron on 7 April 1986

Activated on 1 July 1986

Inactivated on 2 October 1991

Redesignated 65th Special Operations Squadron on 26 September 2018

Activated on 17 December 2018^[1]

Assignments[]

43d Bombardment Group, 15 January 1941 – 29 April 1946
43d Bombardment Group, 1 October 1946
43d Bombardment Wing, 16 June 1952 – 31 January 1970
43d Strategic Wing (later 43d Bombardment Wing, 1 July 1986
376th Strategic Wing, 1 July 1990 – 2 October 1991
1st Special Operations Group, 17 December 2018 – present^[1]

Stations[]

Langley Field, Virginia, 15 January 1941
Bangor Airport, Maine, 29 August 1941 – 17 February 1942
Sydney Airport, Australia, 28 March 1942
RAAF Base Williamtown, Australia, 23 June 1942
Longreach Airport (Torrens Creek), Australia, 15 August 1942
Iron Range Airfield, Australia, 13 October 1942
Mareeba Airfield, Australia, 7 November 1942
Jackson Airfield, Port Moresby, New Guinea, 20 January 1943
Dobodura Airfield, New Guinea, c. 11 December 1943
Nadzab Airfield, New Guinea, March 1944

Owi Airfield, Schouten Islands, Netherlands East Indies, c. 11 July 1944
Tacloban Airfield, Leyte, Philippines, c. 24 November 1944
Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines, c. 16 March 1945
Ie Shima Airfield, Okinawa, c. 24 July 1945
Fort William McKinley, Luzon, Philippines, 10 December 1945 – 29 April 1946
Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 1 October 1946
Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, 15 March 1960
Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, 1 September 1964 – 31 January 1970
Anderson Air Force Base, Guam, 1 July 1986
Kadena Air Base, Japan, 11 December 1990 – 2 October 1991
Hurlburt Field, Florida, 17 December 2018 – present^[1]

Aircraft[]

North American B-25 Mitchell, 1941
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1941–1943
Consolidated B-24 Liberator, 1942–1945
Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1946–1950
Boeing B-50 Superfortress, 1948–1954
Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1954–1960
Convair B-58 Hustler, 1960–1970
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, 1986–1991
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, 1990-1991^[1]
MQ-9 Reaper, 2018-

References[]

Notes[]

Explanatory notes

^ Approved 9 September 1954.

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Haulman, Daniel L. (15 November 2018). "Factsheet 65 Special Operations Squadron". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
^ Maurer, pp. 245-246
^ ""Old 666"/"Lucy" – A History". Zeamer's Eager Beavers. 23 February 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
^ "Operation Heat Rise". National Museum of the US Air Force. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
^ Knaack, p. 384

Bibliography[]

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Knaack, Marcelle Size (1988). Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems. Vol. 2, Post-World War II Bombers 1945-1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-59-5. |volume= has extra text (help)
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.

External links[]

Kensmen: 43rd BG (H), 5th AAF Bomb Group of the WWII-era 65th BS

[2] Approved 9 September 1954.

[65SOSfacts-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Haulman, Daniel L. (15 November 2018). "Factsheet 65 Special Operations Squadron". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 23 December 2018.

[Maurer65BS-3] Maurer, pp. 245-246

[4] ""Old 666"/"Lucy" – A History". Zeamer's Eager Beavers. 23 February 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2019.

[5] "Operation Heat Rise". National Museum of the US Air Force. Retrieved 23 March 2019.

[6] Knaack, p. 384

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