The 5th Special Operations Squadron provides an Instructor cadre for the Air Force Special Operations Air Warfare Center's U-28, AC-130U, MC-130H, C-145, C-146 and Combat Aviation Advisor programs. It also provides intratheater support to Special Operations Forces worldwide in support of National Command Authorities taskings. The 5th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., is a Total Force Integration unit whose members participate in the Active Duty mission of the Air Force Special Operations Air Warfare Center at Hurlburt. While 5th SOS members perform duty at Hurlburt as part of AFSOWC, the squadron administratively falls under the 919th Special Operations Wing, a USAF Reserve unit headquartered at Duke Field, Fla.
History
World War II
The 5th Combat Cargo Squadron was constituted on 25 April 1944, and activated on 1 May at Syracuse Army Air Base, assigned to the 2d Combat Cargo Group. It was equipped with Curtiss C-46 Commando and Douglas C-47 Skytrain transport aircraft. Between 9 and 27 October it was located at Baer Field for overseas processing following the completion of its training. It arrived at Biak in November, flying passengers and cargo to American bases in Australia, New Guinea, the Admiralties, and the Philippines. The unit was also involved in the airdrop of supplies to American and guerrilla forces in the Philippines. The 5th moved forward to Dulag on Leyte in May 1945. It continued flights to bases in Australia, New Guinea, and the Philippines, and transported personnel and supplies to the Ryukyus, evacuating casualties on the return flights. On 16 August, the day after Japan surrendered, the squadron moved to Okinawa, transporting occupation forces personnel and equipment to Japan and ferrying liberated prisoners of war to the Philippines. In September, the 5th Combat Cargo Squadron relocated to Yokota Air Base, where it was inactivated on 15 January 1946 and disbanded on 8 October 1948.
Vietnam war
The second predecessor of the squadron was organized as the 5th Air Commando Squadron at Nha Trang Air Base, South Vietnam in August 1965. It conducted psychological operations and humanitarian programs during the Vietnam War until it was inactivated in October 1969.
Air Force Reserve
The two squadrons were consolidated as the 5th Special Operations Squadron in 1985, but remained inactive. In 1994, the squadron was activated in the reserves at Duke Field, Florida. It has trained for special operations, Air refueling of special operations helicopters, and resupply missions, using modified C-130 aircraft from 1995 to 2008. The 5th has periodically deployed to support special operations contingency operations worldwide. Since late 2007. it has provided instructors for active duty students training to operate Pilatus U-28 aircraft.
