73rd Special Operations Squadron
American military unit / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The 73rd Special Operations Squadron is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida. The squadron operates the AC-130J Ghostrider ground-attack aircraft in support of Air Force Special Operations Command.
73rd Special Operations Squadron | |
---|---|
Active | 1918–2015; 2018– |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Air Force |
Type | Squadron |
Part of | 1st Special Operations Wing > 1st Special Operations Group |
Garrison/HQ | Hurlburt Field |
Motto(s) | Without Fail |
Engagements | World War I
|
Decorations | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
Insignia | |
73rd Special Operations Squadron emblem (approved 27 June 2007)[2] | |
Patch with 3rd Strategic Support Squadron emblem | |
73rd Pursuit Squadron emblem (approved 23 March 1932)[3] |
The 73rd is one of the oldest in the Air Force, its origins dating to the formation of the 73rd Aero Squadron in February 1918. It served on the Western Front in France during World War I, and took part in the Aleutian Campaign during World War II. It was part of Strategic Air Command during the Cold War. The 73rd was inactivated and its personnel and equipment transferred to the 16th Special Operations Squadron in 2015. The squadron was reactivated on 23 February 2018 to fly the new AC-130J "Ghostrider" gunship assigned to the 1st Special Operations Group at Hulburt Field, Florida.[4]