43d Electronic Combat Squadron

The 43d Electronic Combat Squadron (41 ECS) is a United States Air Force unit. Its current assignment is with the 55th Electronic Combat Group, being stationed as a tenant unit at its host wing Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona as a geographically separated unit from its parent wing, Offutt AFB, Nebraska.

The squadron is one of the oldest in the United States Air Force, its origins dating to 17 August 1917, being organized at Kelly Field, Texas. It later served in France as part of the American Expeditionary Force during World War I. The squadron saw combat during World War II, and became part of Tactical Air Command during the Cold War.

Overview
Along with the 41st ECS, the unit accomplishes the Compass Call mission, providing vital capabilities in the realm of electronic warfare for the Air Force and are poised for immediate deployment to specific theater contingencies. The unit’s combat mission is to support tactical air, ground and naval operations by confusing the enemy’s defenses and disrupting its command and control capabilities.

The squadron flies the EC-130H aircraft, a specially configured version of the Air Force’s proven C-130 transport. To execute its unique missions, the aircraft were modified with electronic countermeasures systems, specialized jamming equipment, the capability to aerial refuel, as well as upgraded engines and avionics. Modifications made to the aircraft vary between the two squadrons, to help each squadron meet its specific mission-oriented needs.

History
The 43rd ECS has a long and varied history beginning Aug. 17, 1917, as the 86th Aero Squadron. It served as part of the zone of advance in France during the latter part of World War I. Then in 1935, it was an observation squadron operating as part of the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Alabama. Beginning Dec. 7, 1941, the squadron conducted patrols over the Hawaiian islands.

The squadron then switched yet again. As a combat mapping squadron, the unit's aircrews flew over Japanese held islands photographing and mapping the terrain and enemy positions. The 86th prepared the way for the taking of the Marshall Islands, Wake, Saipan. Guam, and Iwo Jima. Finally, in 1944, the squadron made the first photographic mosaics of Tokyo. The squadron was redesigned as the 43rd Reconnaissance Squadron (Long Range Photographic) in 1945 then was inactivated in 1946. In January 1954, the 43rd was again activated, this time at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. The squadron's aircrews flying RB-57 and RB-66 aircraft, accomplished a night photographic mission. The unit was inactivated in 1959.

Redesigned, the 43rd Electronic Combat Squadron, the unit was activated June 6, 1986, at Sembach Air Base, Germany. It served in Europe until 1991, then came to Davis-Monthan AFB and the 355th, May 1, 1992, as the sister squadron to the 41st. The 43rd earned a combat streamer for its duties in World War I and six more for missions flown in the Pacific during World War II.

Lineage

 * Organized as 86th Aero Squadron on 17 August 1917
 * Demobilized on 26 May 1919


 * Reconstituted, and consolidated (1 December 1936) with 86th Observation Squadron, which was constituted and activated on 1 March 1935
 * Inactivated on 1 September 1936


 * Activated on 1 February 1940
 * Redesignated: 86th Observation Squadron (Medium) on 26 February 1942
 * Redesignated: 86th Observation Squadron on 4 July 1942
 * Redesignated: 86th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bomber) on 31 May 1943
 * Redesignated: 86th Combat Mapping Squadron on 13 November 1943
 * Redesignated: 43d Reconnaissance Squadron, Long Range, Photographic, on 16 June 1945
 * Inactivated on 22 February 1946


 * Redesignated 43d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Night-Photographic, on 14 January 1954
 * Activated on 18 March 1954
 * Redesignated: 43d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Night Photo-Jet, on 8 April 1956
 * Inactivated on 18 May 1959


 * Redesignated 43d Electronic Combat Squadron on 6 June 1986
 * Activated on 1 October 1986
 * Inactivated on 31 July 1991


 * Activated on 1 May 1992.

Assignments

 * Unknown, 17 August 1917-September 1918
 * Advanced Air Service Depot, September 1918-March 1919
 * Unknown, March-26 May 1919
 * Air Corps Tactical School, 1 March 1935-1 September 1936
 * Hawaiian Department, 1 February 1940
 * Hawaiian (later, Seventh) Air Force, November 1940
 * AAF, Pacific Ocean Areas (later, US Army Strategic Air Forces), 24 October 1944
 * Attached to VI Air Service Area Command, 24 October 1944-14 September 1945
 * Detachment attached to 4th Reconnaissance Group, June-August 1945


 * US Army Forces, Middle Pacific, 14 September 1945
 * Attached to 7th Fighter Wing to 22 February 1946


 * Twentieth Air Force, 18 September 1945
 * Seventh Air Force, 1 January-22 February 1946
 * 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 18 March 1954
 * 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 8 February 1958-18 May 1959
 * Attached to 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, c. 1 February-7 April 1959


 * 66th Electronic Combat Wing, 1 October 1986-31 July 1991
 * 355th Operations Group, 1 May 1992–2006
 * 55th Electronic Combat Group, 2006-Present

Stations

 * Kelly Field, TX, 17 August 1917
 * Scott Field, IL, 24 September 1917
 * Garden City, New York, 26 February-5 March 1918
 * Shoreham by Sea, England, 25 March-11 August 1918
 * St Maixent, France, 15 August 1918
 * Romorantin, France, c. 25 August 1918
 * Vavincourt, France, 4 September 1918
 * Behonne, France, 18 September 1918
 * Bordeaux, France, c. 9 March 1919-unkn
 * Camp Lee, VA, c. 23–26 May 1919
 * Maxwell Field, AL, 1 March 1935-1 September 1936
 * Wheeler Field, TH, 1 February 1940
 * Bellows Field, TH, 15 March 1941
 * Hilo Airport, TH, June 1942


 * Wheeler Field, TH, 17 August 1942-c. 28 June 1944
 * Detachment operated from Kwajalein, May-June 1944, and from Eniwetok, June-August 1944


 * Saipan, 8 July-6 November 1944
 * Air echelon, less Eniwetok detachment, at Wheeler Field, TH, to October 1944, and at Kahuka AAB, TH, from October 1944


 * Kahuka AAB,(Hawaii, Northern Oahu Island) TH, 24 November 1944
 * Detachment operated from Puerta Princesa, Palawan, June-August 1945


 * Wheeler Field, TH, February-22 February 1946
 * Shaw AFB, SC, 18 March 1954-18 May 1959
 * Sembach AB, Germany, 1 October 1986-31 July 1991
 * Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, 1 May 1992–Present

Aircraft

 * Included O-19 during period 1935-1936
 * In addition to O-47, 1940–1943,
 * B-18 Bolo, 1942–1943,
 * included Martin B-12, 1940–1942,
 * O-49, 1941–1942;


 * and A-20 Havoc, A-24 Banshee, Taylorcraft L-2, Aeronca L-3, Culver PQ-8, and AT-23 Marauder, 1943
 * Principally F-7?, 1944–1945
 * RB-57, 1954–1956
 * RB-66, 1956–1959
 * EC-130H Compass Call, 1987–1991; 1992–present