319th Special Operations Squadron

C47 releases rations near Myitkyina, Burma

The 319th was first activated in India as the 319th Troop Carrier Squadron (Commando) in September 1944. The squadron served in the China-Burma-India Theater during World War II. It provided airlift support and flew aerial resupply missions in support of various commando units, such as Merrill's Marauders and the Chindits and conducted airborne drops and glider operations for Allied troops in Burma, central China, and French Indochina in the last year of World War II. After the end of the war, the squadron moved to China, where it continued operations until October 1945. In November 1945, the squadron returned on paper to India, but was not manned or equipped. It was inactivated there in December 1945.[1]

C-123K Provider formerly of the 319th Special Operations Squadron

The squadron was redesignated the 319th Troop Carrier Squadron, Commando, and organized at Hurlburt Field, Florida in April 1962. The squadron initially operated Curtiss C-46 Commandos, but also Douglas C-47 Skytrains, and Helio U-10 Courier, and North American T-28 Trojans until moving to England Air Force Base, Louisiana in 1966. The squadron frequently deployed crews and airplanes to Southeast Asia for civic action and counterinsurgency missions.[1]

At England, the squadron concentrated on training United States and foreign aircrews with the Fairchild C-123 Provider. It continued this mission after returning to Hurlburt three years later. It was inactivated in 1972 as the Air Force reduced its size following United States withdrawal from the Vietnam War.[1]

On 1 October 2005, the squadron was again activated as part of an overall expansion of the Air Force Special Operations Command. It was equipped with the U-28A Draco, a modified version of the Pilatus PC-12, able to operate from short and unimproved runway surfaces.[2][3] The 319th provides airlift support to United States Army Special Forces, and provides intratheater support for special operations.[1]

• 1st Air Commando Group, 1 September 1944
• 69th Composite Wing, 2 September 1945
• Tenth Air Force, c. 27 September 1945 – 27 December 1945
• Tactical Air Command, 18 April 1962 (not organized)
• 1st Air Commando Group (later 1st Air Commando Wing, 1st Special Operations Wing), 27 Apr 1962
• 4410th Combat Crew Training Wing, 15 July 1969
• 1st Special Operations Wing, 30 July 1969 – 15 January 1972
• 16th Special Operations Group (later 1st Special Operations Group), 1 October 2005 – present[1]

• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.