4th Special Operations Squadron

The 4th Special Operations Squadron (4 SOS) is part of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida. It operates AC-130U Spooky aircraft providing special operations capability.

Mission
Directly supports unified and theater special operations commands by conducting close air support, armed reconnaissance, and interdiction missions worldwide in support of Secretary of Defense taskings.

The AC-130U aircraft flown by the 4th SOS are maintained by the 4th Aircraft Maintenance Unit.

History
The 4th ferried aircraft to locations in Alaska, Africa, and Europe from, April 1942 – February 1944. It also airlifted cargo and evacuated wounded to US military hospitals.

The 4th flew combat missions in Vietnam from, c. 20 November 1965 – 30 November 1969.

It provided an auxiliary command post and a communications link for the Fifteenth Air Force and Strategic Air Command from, 1 April 1970 – 30 September 1992.

In September 1996, the squadron deployed to Brindisi, Italy, supporting Operation Joint Endeavor in the skies over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The squadron saw its first combat operations since the Vietnam War in April 1999 over Kosovo while supporting Operation Allied Force. The 4th was called upon to strike Taliban and Al-Qaeda targets in Afghanistan In the fall of 2001. In the spring of 2003 the 4th participated in the invasion of Iraq. During the initial 2 months of the conflict the 4th flew more than 1000 combat hours from 3 separate forward operating locations.

Operations

 * Vietnam War
 * Operation Joint Endeavor
 * Operation Allied Force
 * Operation Enduring Freedom
 * Operation Iraqi Freedom

Lineage

 * 4th Air Corps Ferrying Squadron (1942–1943)
 * 4th Ferrying Squadron (1943–1949)
 * 4th Liaison Flight (1949–1952)
 * 4th Liaison Squadron (1952–1965)
 * 4th Air Commando Squadron (Fire Support) (1965–1968)
 * 4th Special Operations Squadron (1968–1970)
 * 4th Airborne Command and Control Squadron (1970–1995)
 * 4th Special Operations Squadron (1995 – present)

Assignments

 * 2d Ferrying Group (1942–1944)
 * 14th Air Force (1949–1950)
 * Tactical Air Command (1950)
 * 9th Air Force (1950–1952)
 * 18th Air Force (1952–1953)
 * 12th Air Force (1953–1954)
 * 6250th Combat Support Group (1965–1966)
 * 14th Special Operations Wing (1966–1969)
 * 28th Bombardment Wing (1970–1992)
 * 1st Special Operations Wing (1995 – present)

Bases stationed

 * Logan Field, Maryland (1942)
 * New Castle Army Air Base, Delaware (1942–1944)
 * Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina (1949–1952)
 * Deployed: Camp Mackall, North Carolina (14 April – 4 May 1950)
 * Deployed: Fort Hood, Texas (14 March – 7 April 1952)
 * Donaldson Air Force Base, South Carolina (1952–1953)
 * Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base, Germany (1953–1954)


 * Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam (1965–1966)
 * Deployed: Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas (8 August – c. 1 November 1965)
 * Nha Trang Air Base, South Vietnam (1966–1969)
 * Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnem (1969)
 * Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota (1970–1992)
 * Hurlburt Field, Florida (1995 – present)

Aircraft Operated

 * Various (1942–1944)
 * L-13 Grasshopper (1949–1951, 1951–1952)
 * C-45 Expeditor (1951–1952)
 * L-20 Beaver (1952, 1952–1953)
 * AC-47 Spooky (1965–1969)
 * C-47 Skytrain (1966–1967)
 * HC-47 (1969)
 * EC-135 (1970–1992)
 * AC-130U Spooky (1995 – present)