22d Tactical Air Support Training Squadron


 * see 46th Bomb Squadron for the Strategic Air Command squadron

The 22d Tactical Air Support Training Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 602d Tactical Air Control Wing, based at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. It was inactivated on 30 September 1991.

It has been in active service for four different occasions, and saw combat service in the early years of World War II and in the Vietnam War.

World War II
Squadron participated in antisubmarine patrols in the American Theater, January 1942-August 1943, and in European Theater, September-November 1943. Antisubmarine patrol flights were conducted in the squadron's assigned areas, producing a situation map that was continuously updated with enemy and friendly forces, convoys, and other pertinent information. The antisubmarine patrols also produced an enemy dispersion chart showing the disposition of all known enemy submarines in the entire Atlantic area. The ground echelon disbanded on 30 October 1943, and the air echelon disbanded on 11 November 1943.

It briefly served in the European Theater of Operations in September to November 1943. The ground echelon disbanded on 30 Oct 1943, and the air echelon disbanded on 11 November 1943.

Vietnam War
The 22d Tactical Air Support Squadron (Light) organized at Binh Thuy Air Base, South Vietnam, on 8 May 1965. It provided aircrews in Vietnam to direct air strikes for tactical aircraft operating within the Tactical Air Control System (TACS). Visual reconnaissance, convoy escort, and other missions were conducted as directed by the Tactical Air Commander, and aircraft and maintenance were provided in support of these operations within IV Corps, Republic of Vietnam, as directed by Seventh Air Force. The squadron provided aircraft and personnel in support of the Theater Indoctrination School, and field and transient maintenance support of USAF aircraft at Binh Thuy Air Base. The 22nd operated the Cessna 0-1 aircraft, 1965–1971; and the Cessna 0-2 aircraft, 1967–1971. Personnel and other resources of the 22d were absorbed by the 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron on 15 January 1971, and the 22d was unmanned and non-operational until it transferred W/O/P/E to Wheeler AFB, Hawaii, on 15 May 1971.

Over the course of the war, the 22nd TASS suffered four killed in action. Aircraft losses were 13 O-1 Bird Dogs and three Cessna O-2 Skymasters.

Hawaii service
At Wheeler the 22d, using the Cessna 0-2, organized, trained, and equipped assigned personnel to provide the Air Force Component Commander with a joint force, capable of operating and maintaining a tactical air support subsystem for ground forces requiring close air support, tactical air reconnaissance, and tactical airlift.

The squadron also provided Direct Air Support Center and Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) personnel and equipment to support US Army units in Hawaii. During 1982, the 22d participated in a number of exercises and prepared plans for conversion to the OV-10. Converted to the OV-10 aircraft, August-October 1983. Supported U.S. Army on the ground with TACPs creating a network which provided the Army with immediate air support and, in the air, with OV-10 forward air control support. Participated in numerous exercises with US and allied army ground units throughout the Far East.

It was inactivated on 22 September 1988. It was then re-designated 22d Tactical Air Support Training Squadron on 1 October 1988 and reactivated on 14 October 1988. Its final inactivation was on 30 September 1991.

Lineage

 * Constituted 46th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 20 November 1940
 * Activated on 15 January 1941
 * Redesignated: 22d Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy) on 3 March 1943
 * Disbanded on 11 November 1943


 * Reconstituted, and consolidated (19 September 1985), with the 22d Tactical Air Support Squadron(Light)
 * Constituted, and activated, on 26 April 1965
 * Organized on 8 May 1965
 * Inactivated on 22 September 1988


 * Redesignated 22d Tactical Air Support Training Squadron on 1 October 1988
 * Activated on 14 October 1988.
 * Inactivated on 30 September 1991

Assignments

 * 41st Bombardment Group, 15 January 1941
 * Air echelon attached to: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command on 13 October 1942
 * Further attached to 2d Bombardment Group, 13-29 October 1942
 * Air echelon attached to: 25th Antisubmarine Wing 20 November 1942-8 March 1943


 * Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command, 3 March 1943
 * 25th Antisubmarine Wing, 8 March 1943
 * 479th Antisubmarine Group, 14 August-11 November 1943.
 * 18th Replacement Wing (ground echelon), 24 September-30 October 1943


 * Pacific Air Forces, 26 April 1965
 * 2d Air Division, 8 May 1965
 * 505th Tactical Control Group, 8 November 1965
 * 504th Tactical Air Support Group, 8 December 1966
 * 5th Tactical Control Group, 15 May 1971
 * 6486th Air Base Wing, 30 September 1971
 * 15th Air Base Wing, 1 November 1971
 * 326th Air Division, 4 April 1980-22 September 1988
 * 602d Tactical Air Control Wing, 14 October 1988-30 September 1991

Stations

 * March Field, California, 15 January 1941
 * Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 18 May 1941
 * Muroc Bombing Range, to December 1941
 * Hammer Field, California, California, 26 February 1942
 * Alameda NAS, California, 9 May 1942
 * Hammer Field, California, 3 July 1942
 * Cherry Point MCAS, North Carolina, 28 August 1942
 * Bluethenthal Field, North Carolina, 9 April 1943
 * RAF Dunkeswell, England, 20 August 1943
 * Ground Echelon remained at Bluethenthal Field until September 1943, then moved to Salt Lake City AAB, Utah, where it was inactivated on 30 October 1943


 * RAF Podington (Air Echelon), England, 1-11 November 1943
 * Binh Thuy Air Base, South Vietnam, 8 May 1965
 * Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam, 15 January 1970
 * Wheeler AFB, Hawaii, 15 May 1971-22 September 1988
 * Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, 14 October 1988-30 September 1991

Aircraft

 * B-18 Bolo, 1941–1942
 * A-29 Hudson, 1942–1943
 * B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942–1943
 * B-25 Mitchell, 1943
 * B-34 Ventura, 1943
 * B-24 Liberator, 1943
 * O-1 Bird Dog, 1965–1971
 * O-2 Skymaster, 1967–1971; 1971–1983
 * OV-10 Bronco, 1983-1988.

Other TASS

 * 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron
 * 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron
 * 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron
 * 23d Tactical Air Support Squadron
 * 25th Tactical Air Support Squadron
 * 137th Tactical Air Support Squadron
 * 169th Tactical Air Support Squadron
 * 196th Tactical Air Support Squadron
 * 601st Tactical Air Support Squadron
 * 701st Tactical Air Support Squadron
 * 702d Tactical Air Support Squadron