13th Air Support Operations Squadron

13th Air Support Operations Squadron
Squadron airmen approach a helicopter for extraction following a joint exercise with the 4th Infantry Division
Active 1943–1944; 1994-present
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Role Air Support Operations (to 4th Infantry Division
Part of Air Combat Command
Garrison/HQ Fort Carson, Colorado
Motto(s) On Time On Target
Engagements Iraq War[1]
Decorations Air Force Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award[1]
Insignia
13th Air Support Operations Squadron emblem (approved 29 May 1996)[1]

The United States Air Force's 13th Air Support Operations Squadron is a combat support unit located at Fort Carson, Colorado. The squadron provides tactical command and control of close air support assets to US Army ground commanders of the 4th Infantry Division during combat operations.

Mission

The squadron's mission is to provide mission ready airmen to advise, integrate & control air and space power in support of the 4th Infantry Division; yp train, deploy, & focus combat airpower and integrated weather operations for the joint force commander alongside III Corps or a supported land force commander.[2]

History

Media related to 13th Air Support Coperations Squadron at Wikimedia Commons

World War II

The squadron was first activated in January 1943 at Birmingham Army Air Base, Alabama, where it trained with III Air Support Command for the next six months. In June, it moved to Thermal Army Air Field, California, where it was assigned to IV Air Support Command.[1] In California, it helped train ground units and participated in exercises and maneuvers with the Desert Training Center.[3][4] By 1944, the need for ground forces to train for desert warfare had been reduced. Also, the Army Air Forces found that standard military units, based on relatively inflexible tables of organization were proving not well adapted to the training mission and decided to replace them with a more functional system in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit.[5] As a result, the squadron, now the 13th Tactical Air Communications Squadron, was disbanded in April 1944.[1]

Current operations

The squadron was redesignated the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron and activated on 1 July 1994 at Fort Carson, Colorado.[1]


Lineage

  • Constituted as the 13th Air Support Control Squadron on 11 January 1943[note 1]
Activated on 15 January 1943
Redesignated 13th Tactical Air Communications Squadron on 29 February 1944
Disbanded on 15 April 1944
  • Reconstituted and redesignated 13th Air Support Operations Squadron on 24 June 1994
Activated on 1 July 1994[6]

Assignments

  • III Air Support Command, 15 January 1943
  • IV Air Support Command (later III Tactical Air Division, I Tactical Air Division), 7 June 1943 – 15 April 1944
  • 3d Air Support Operations Group, 1 July 1994 – present[1]

Stations

  • Birmingham Army Air Base, Alabama, 15 January 1943
  • Thermal Army Air Field, California, 7 June 1943
  • Camp Young, California, 15 September 1943
  • Thermal Army Air Field, California, 14 March 1944 – 15 April 1944
  • Fort Carson, Colorado, 1 July 1994 – present[1]

Decorations

References

Notes

Explanatory notes
  1. ↑ Dollman says "Air Support Operations Squadron", but this designation was not used during World War II.
Citations
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Dollman, TSG David (March 27, 2018). "Factsheet 13 Air Support Operations Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  2. ↑ No byline. "Fort Carson: Units: 13th Air Support Operations Squadron". Fort Carson Public Affairs. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  3. ↑ See Maurer, Combat Units, p. 432. (activities of I Tactical Air Division).
  4. ↑ "Abstract, History 4 Air Support Command Sep 1941 – Sep 1943". Air Force History Index. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  5. ↑ Goss, p. 75
  6. ↑ Lineage in Dollman, except as noted.

Bibliography

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

  • Craven, Wesley F & Cate, James L, ed. (1955). The Army Air Forces in World War II (PDF). Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. LCCN 48003657. OCLC 704158. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
Goss, William A. (1955). "The Organization and its Responsibilities, Chapter 2 The AAF". In Craven, Wesley F & Cate, James L. The Army Air Forces in World War II (PDF). Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. LCCN 48003657. OCLC 704158. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  • 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 December 17, 2016.

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