7th Special Operations Squadron

1st Special Operations Squadron
7th Special Operations Squadron Patch
Active	17 Jul 1942 to 30 Nov 1943 19 Feb 1945 to 3 Oct 1946 14 May 1964 to present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Special Operations
Role	Air infiltration and exfiltration
Part of	Air Force Special Operations Command 352d Special Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom
Decorations	Gallant Unit Citation AFOUA w/V Device AFOUA

The 7th Special Operations Squadron is an active flying unit of the United States Air Force. It is a component of the 352d Special Operations Group (352 SOG), United States Special Operations Command, and is currently based at Royal Air Force base RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, eastern England.

Mission

From their base at RAF Mildenhall, the 7th Special Operations Squadron is able to deploy or extract troops from hostile, sensitive, or otherwise undesirable locations, under any weather conditions. They can handle anything from stealthy covert recovery of personnel or equipment, to supply drops for troops or natural disaster regions.

The squadron uses the Lockheed MC-130H Combat Talon II. It is fitted with advanced electronic warfare systems, terrain following and avoidance radars, and navigation systems allowing them to operate under almost any adverse weather or time condition, to maximum efficiency.

History

Lineage

• Established as: 27th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron

Constituted 27th Observation Squadron on 1 Jul 1942

Activated on 17 Jul 1942

Re-designated 27th Reconnaissance Squadron [Fighter] on 2 Apr 1943

Re-designated 27th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 11 Aug 1943

Disbanded on 30 Nov 1943

• Reconstituted on 19 Sep 1985

Consolidated 19 Sep 1985 with the 167th Liaison Squadron

Activated on 19 Feb 1945 by special authority prior to constitution on 1 Mar 1945

Inactivated on 3 Oct 1946

• Reconstituted on 19 Sep 1985

Consolidated 19 Sep 1985 7th Special Operations Squadron

Constituted 7th Air Commando Squadron, Composite

Activated, on 14 May 1964

Organized on 1 Jul 1964

Re-designated 7th Special Operations Squadron on 15 Jul 1968

Assignments

• 77th Observation (later, 77th Reconnaissance; 77th Tactical Reconnaissance) Group, 17 Jul 1942-30 Nov 1943
• Ninth Air Force, 19 Feb 1945

Attached to Sixth Army Group to 14 Jun 1945

• XII Tactical Air Command, 20 May 1945
• US Forces, European Theater, 15 Jul 1945
• Third Air Force, 4 Aug 1945
• XIX Tactical Air Command, 21 Jan 1946
• Tactical Air Command, 21 Mar 1946
• Ninth Air Force, 28 Mar-3 Oct 1946
• United States Air Forces in Europe, 14 May 1964
• Seventeenth Air Force, 1 May 1967
• 26th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 17 Nov 1972
• 86th Tactical Fighter Wing, 31 Jan 1973
• 322d Tactical Airlift Wing, 15 Mar 1973
• Seventeenth Air Force, 30 Jun 1975
• 601st Tactical Control Wing, 15 Oct 1975
• 7575th Operations Group, 1 Jul 1977
• 2d Air Division, 1 Mar 1983
• 39th Aerospace Rescue & Recovery (later, 39th Special Operations) Wing, 1 Feb 1987

Attached to Joint Special Operations Task Force, 13 Jan-18 Mar 1991 and 6 Apr-14 May 1991

• 352d Special Operations Group, 1 Dec 1992-Present

Attached to Joint Special Operations Task Force, 22 Feb-22 Mar 1993).

External links

• 7th Special Operations Squadron Factsheet