The 8th Special Operations Squadron is a squadron of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing, Air Force Special Operations Command, stationed at Hurlburt Field, Florida. The squadron is equipped with the Bell Boeing CV-22 Osprey in support of special operations.
The 8th is one of the oldest units in the United States Air Force, being organized as the 8th Aero Squadron on 21 June 1917 at Camp Kelly, Texas. The squadron deployed to France and fought on the Western Front during World War I, equipped with United States-built Dayton-Wright DH-4, as reconnaissance aircraft.
During World War II, the squadron fought in the Southwest Pacific Area with Fifth Air Force as an attack and later North American B-25 Mitchell medium bomber squadron. During the Cold War, it fought in the Korean War with Douglas B-26 Invader medium bombers and Vietnam War as a Martin B-57 Canberra medium bomber and later as an air commando squadron with Cessna A-37 Dragonfly counter-insurgency aircraft.
Mission The primary mission of the squadron is insertion, extraction, and resupply of unconventional warfare forces and equipment into hostile or enemy-controlled territory using airland or airdrop procedures.
History The 8th Special Operations Squadron can trace its history to 21 June 1917 when the 8th Aero Squadron was organized at Kelly Field, Texas.Gorrell, pp. 110–112 The squadron has an unbroken history of over 95 years of service to the United States.
World War I
The 8th Aero Squadron was drawn from enlisted personnel of the 2d Company I, Provisional Aviation Camp, Camp Kelly, Texas. After a short period of training at Kelly, the squadron boarded a train and moved to Selfridge Field, Michigan, on 5 July. Together with the 9th Aero Squadron, the 8th helped to construct the new flying field. For three and one-half months, the 8th Aero Squadron was engaged in training. Flight cadets, aviation mechanics, fitters and riggers learned their basic skills. At Selfridge, the flight cadets completed primary aviation flight training, including soloing on Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" trainers.
Serving in France on the Western Front, the 8th Aero Squadron served as a corps observation (reconnaissance) squadron. It arrived at the front at Ourches Aerodrome on 31 July 1918 and was assigned to the IV Corps Observation Group, First Army on 14 August. The squadron was engaged in operations in the Toul Sector, Chateau Thierry offensive, Battle of Saint-Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne Offensives. It suffered twelve casualties, consisting of four killed and eight airmen taken prisoner.
The squadron returned to the United States on 3 May 1919, and largely demobilized at Mitchel Field, New York, and returned to civilian life. A small cadre of the unit remained in the Air Service, and were assigned to Kelly Field, Texas.Clay, p. 1375
Intra-War period Upon its arrival at Kelly Field, the squadron was reorganized to a peacetime strength manning of two flights. At Kelly, the 8th, along with the 12th, 13th and 90th Aero Squadrons were formed into the Army Surveillance Group on 1 July 1919. The group was re-designated the 3d Attack Group on 2 July 1921.History, 8th Bombardment Squadron (L), 3d Bombardment Group (L) AAF, 31 May 1917 – 31 March 1944
Mexican Border patrol see also: United States Army Border Air Patrol The mission of the Army Surveillance Group was to carry out observation overflights along the Mexican Border. During this period, Mexico was enduring a period of revolution and unrest, which led to border violations and the deaths of American citizens. New personnel for the squadron were transferred from Rockwell Field, California, and the squadron was equipped with new surplus Dayton-Wright DH-4 aircraft. After being manned and equipped, the squadron was then divided into two flights: one at Kelly Field and "A" Flight being sent to McAllen, Texas, along the Rio Grande in South Texas.
At McAllen, an airfield had to be established. Land was first cleared by a construction squadron and by 18 August, they had succeeded in clearing off enough cactus and mesquite for a landing strip that was suitable for safe landings. Also, the engineers had put up seven tent hangars and several framed tent structures for the personnel. The first border reconnaissance flight was made by this flight of the Squadron on 29 July and as fast as planes could be assembled at Kelly Field and flown to the new airfield, border patrol work started.
Squadron headquarters and Flight B remained at Kelly Field until 13 August 1919, when Flight B left for Laredo, Texas, and Headquarters, consisting of two officers and 17 men, joined Flight A at McAllen. B Flight consisted of six DH-4s which had been assembled at Kelly Field and were flown down to Laredo when the flight was ready to operate. Work of building a permanent camp at both flight stations was started at once, after their arrival at their respective stations. Seven buildings were erected at McAllen and about the same number was erected at Laredo. During March 1920, new DH-4B's, were ferried down to McAllen and Laredo by Kelly Field pilots. They were specially good for observation and liaison purposes since the new arrangements of cockpits put the pilot and observer close together.
Still flying the DH-4, the squadron returned to Kelly Field on 20 June 1921, when the situation in Mexico stabilized. All personnel and material was ordered returned from Laredo and McAllen to Kelly Field, with the exception of three caretakers at each station which proceeded to close down the airfields.
8th Squadron (Attack)
Upon their return to Kelly Field, both flights of the squadron were consolidated on 2 July 1921 and the last personnel from both detachments returned. The squadron was redesignated as the 8th Attack Squadron and received a Boeing GA-1 bi-motored triplane. It was designed especially to strafe ground troops while remaining immune to attack from the ground as well as from other enemy aircraft. However, it was found during service testing that it was so well armored its five-ton weight proved excessive.
On 26 May 1922, a long-distance one-man non-stop record was set when Lt. Crocker when he made a non-stop flight from the Mexican Gulf Coast to the Canada–US Border, an approximate distance of 1200 miles, to demonstrate the mobility of the Air Service. The course was from Ellington Field, Texas to the waters of the Gulf of Mexico thence to the Canada–US border just below Detroit, Michigan, landing at Selfridge Field. This distance was greater than from some other cities along the Gulf, but since a large field was necessary for the heavily laden plane to take off, Ellington Field was selected as the starting point. The plane used was a special built DH-4 and designated as DH-4B1S. The main tank had a gas capacity of 240 gallons and the reserve 28 gallons, with a 24-gallon tank for oil. Taking off from Ellington, he landed at Selfridge after 11 hours and 55 minutes in the air.
In June 1922, the squadron provided flood relief in the lower Rio Grande Valley. A commendable piece of work was done by Lt. Selzer in July 1922, in connection with the Rio Grande flood at McAllen Field, Texas, in carrying mail to towns without the usual rail connections, assisting in locating marooned parties caught by the rapid rising waters of the Rio Grande River, and in cooperating with the other military authorities of that station during the critical time.
On 28 June 1926 the squadron moved from Kelly Field to Fort Crockett in Galveston, Texas. The organization's planes with necessary personnel were flown, in advance. The remaining troops were convoyed by truck. During it stay at Fort Crockett, the group was called on often during its nine-year stay at Fort Crocket to participate in air maneuvers, demonstrations and air races.
During this time the squadron flew many types of aircraft. These aircraft included Douglas O-2; Curtiss A-3 Falcon; Curtiss A-12 Shrike (including Curtiss A-8s) Thomas-Morse O-19s; and the Northrop A-17 Nomads. The squadron participated in a great amount of work in connection with experiment, practice and development of aviation in general and attack aviation in particular. It progressed from the DH-4B type aircraft to the A-12, which was the immediate forerunner of the Northrop A-17 and A-17A. At Fort Crockett the squadron began flying the Curtis A-3 Falcon in 1926. It boasted four forward-firing .30-caliber machine guns and another two on a flexible mount in the rear cockpit. Powered by a 430-horsepower engine, the Falcon could carry 200 pounds of bombs attached to wing racks. Although carrying a lighter bomb load, the A-3 proved better in the attack role than the DH-4. The A-3B replaced the A-3. In 1934 the aircraft would be used to carry mail.
The 3d Attack Group resumed border patrols briefly again in 1929, after unrest erupted in Mexico. It deployed 18 of its aircraft on patrol along the Mexican border with Arizona in early April. The patrols lasted until early May when the situation in Mexico stabilized. After the border patrols ended, the squadron resumed its training activities at Fort Crockett.
On 5 January 1932 the organization received its first A-12 attack airplane from the Curtis factory. By the last of January the Squadron had ten A-12s and four A-3Bs assigned. By late 1932, the squadron had upgraded to the Curtis A-8 Shrike. The low-wing monoplane represented the rapid advance in aircraft technology being achieved despite the economic difficulties of the Great Depression. It carried 400 pounds of bombs and was armed with five .30-caliber machine guns. The 8th received the A-12 Shrike, an improved version of the A-8, the next year.
On 12 February 1934, in compliance with Executive Order 6591, dated 9 February 1934, the organization began preparation for duty in connection with carrying the air mail. The Air Corps agreed to carry the US mail following a government dispute with the commercial carriers. When the Air Corps started to carry the mail in 1934 the 8th was one of the first Squadrons selected to be used in this capacity. On 15 May, the Army terminated its connection with the carrying of the mail and personnel and planes began returning to station and the squadron returned to its routine duties.
On 1 March 1935 the squadron moved by train with the Group to Barksdale Field, Louisiana at which time it became a part of General Headquarters Air Force and became a service test organization. The squadron went immediately into a strenuous training period which included formation flying, attack and aerial gunnery, bombing, night flying and many navigation missions. The squadron continued in this capacity until October 1940 and during this period participated in all the major field exercises and tactical maneuvers throughout the country.
In 1937, the squadron received 13 Curtis A-18 Shrikes. This two-engine attack plane represented a technological advance. It carried 20 fragmentation bombs in the fuselage and up to four 100-pound bombs under its wings. Four .30-caliber machine guns mounted in the nose provided concentrated fire for strafing ground targets. It performed well, winning the Harmon Trophy for gunnery and bombing accuracy during its first year of operations.
8th Bombardment Squadron The Army redesignated the 8th Squadron as the 8th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 15 September 1939. In September 1939, the Squadron received the Douglas B-18A Bolo. It was a Douglas light Bomber powered by twin-engined Wright Cyclones. On 31 January 1940, the squadron was split in half, both officers and enlisted men leaving to form the 15th Bomb Squadron of the 27th Bomb Group at Barksdele Field, Louisiana.