73rd Special Operations Squadron

The 73rd dates to the formation of the 73rd Aero Squadron at Rich Field, Waco, Texas on 22 February 1918. The first personnel were 150 privates under the command of 1st Lieutenant Loren W. De Motte, which arrived at the Aviation Camp. Once organized into a unit, the 73rd was transferred to Call Field, Wichita Falls, Texas, where it underwent basic indoctrination training. The men were also trained in aviation mechanic work.[5]

73rd Aero Squadron group photograph, taken at Ourches Aerodrome, France, November, 1918.

On 8 July, orders were received for the unit to proceed to the Aviation Concentration Center, Garden City, Long Island, for preparation to serve overseas. An observation balloon detachment of 30 men was assigned to the squadron at Garden City, and the unit moved to the Port of Embarkation at Hoboken, New Jersey on 29 July where it boarded a ship bound for France. After an uneventful crossing of the Atlantic, it arrived at the port of Brest, France on 26 August. At Brest, the balloon detachment was detached from the squadron, and the squadron was ordered to proceed to the St. Maixent Replacement Barracks for assignment. Initially assigned as a support unit to the 1st Day Bombardment Group at Delouze Aerodrome on c. 20 September, the squadron maintained Dayton-Wright DH-4s of the group. On 4 October, it was ordered to Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome, where it was reassigned to the Second Army. At Colombey, the squadron operated the 6th Air Park; a maintenance and supply organization as part of the 1st Air Depot. It moved to Ourches Aerodrome about 15 November[5]

It remained in France after the Armistice in November, returning to the United States in June 1919 where it was demobilized at Hazelhurst Field, New York on 4 July.[2]

A new unit, the 73rd Headquarters Squadron[6] was constituted in the Regular Army Reserve on 18 October 1927 at San Antonio, Texas. Army reserve officers assigned to the unit participated in summer training at Kelly Field, Texas, 1928–30 with the 3rd Attack Group. On 8 May 1929, it was redesignated as the 73rd Pursuit Squadron,[7] and became an associate unit of the 18th Pursuit Group at Dodd Field, Texas.[8]

The unit was activated on 15 July 1931 by the Army Air Corps as an active-duty squadron. It was assigned without reserve personnel to the 17th Pursuit Group at March Field, California and equipped with Boeing P-12 fighters.[2] In 1934 it received new Boeing P-26 Peashooters but retained the P-12s.[2] It was reorganized and redesignated as the 73rd Attack Squadron[9] on 1 March 1935. The squadron was awarded the Frank Luke Trophy for 1935, having the highest gunnery score in the U.S. Army Air Corps.[8]

On 5 June 1936 the squadron was consolidated with its World War I predecessor unit, the 73rd Aero Squadron.[10] It received Northrop A-17 attack aircraft,[2] replacing the Boeing fighters. The squadron flew reconnaissance flights in support of flood relief in southern California from 2 to 5 March 1938. Reorganized and redesignated as the 3rd Bombardment Squadron[11] (Medium) on 17 October 1939, being re-equipped with Douglas B-18 Bolos.[2][8]

It moved to McChord Field, Washington, 26 June 1940. The 73rd was relieved from assignment to the 17th Bombardment Group on 3 May 1941 and assigned to the 28th Composite Group.[8]

The squadron moved to the new Elmendorf Field, near Anchorage, Alaska on 14 March 1941.[2] It was one of the first Air Corps units assigned to the Alaska Territory. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the squadron flew anti-submarine patrols over the Gulf of Alaska.[12]

When the Japanese invaded the Aleutian Islands in June 1942 the squadron was reassigned to Fort Glenn Army Air Base on Adak Island. It and began flying combat missions over the captured islands of Kiska and Attu Islands. The squadron flew combat missions with Martin B-26 Marauders and later with North American B-25 Mitchell medium bombers during the Aleutian Campaign and returned to the United States in August 1943.[12]

The squadron was transferred to Pyote Army Air Field, Texas, on 6 October, and was disbanded there on 1 November.[13] Its personnel retrained as replacement crews for Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and its aircraft redeployed as replacement aircraft to overseas combat units.[2]

73rd Aero Squadron

Post Headquarters, Rich Field, 26 February 1918

Post Headquarters, Call Field, 1 March 1918

2nd Day Bombardment Group, November 1918 – 1919

Eastern Department, 1919-4 July 1919[2]

73rd Bombardment Squadron

17th Pursuit Group (later 17th Attack Group, 17th Bombardment Group), 15 July 1931

28th Composite Group, 3 May 1941

Second Air Force, 6 October – 1 November 1943[2]

3rd Strategic Support Squadron

Second Air Force, 15 November 1950

4238th Strategic Wing, 1 July 1959 – 15 June 1961[2]

73rd Special Operations Squadron

16th Operations Group, 1 October 2006 – c. 12 June 2015[2][18]

1st Special Operations Group, 23 February 2018 - present[4]

73rd Aero Squadron

73rd Bombardment Squadron

3rd Strategic Support Squadron

• Hunter Air Force Base, Georgia, 16 November 1950
• Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, 5 January 1953 – 15 June 1961[2]

73rd Special Operations Squadron

• Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, 1 October 2006 – c. 12 June 2015[2][18]
• Hurlburt Field, Florida, 26 February 2018 – present[4]

73rd Bombardment Squadron (Medium)

3rd Strategic Support Squadron

• C-124 Globemaster II, 1950–1961[2]

73rd Special Operations Squadron

• MC-130W Combat Spear/Dragon Spear 2006–2012
• AC-130W Stinger II 2012–2015[2][18]
• AC-130J Ghostrider 2018–present[4]

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• Clay, Steven E. (2011). US Army Order of Battle 1919-1941 (PDF). Vol. 3 The Services: Air Service, Engineers, and Special Troops 1919-1941. Fort Leavenworth, KS: Combat Studies Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-98419-014-0. LCCN 2010022326. OCLC 637712205. Retrieved 16 October 2012.
• Cloe, John H.; Monaghan, Michael F. (1984). Top Cover for America: The Air Force in Alaska, 1920–1983. Missoula, MT: Pictorial Histories Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0933126473.
• Gorrell, Col. Edgar S. (1974). History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917-1919. Series E: Squadron Histories. Vol. 9 History of the 72d, 73d, 85th, 86th, and 88th-90th Aero Squadrons. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration. OCLC 215070705 – via Fold3.com.
• 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.
• Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6.
• War Department (1920). Battle Participation of Organizations of the American Expeditionary Forces in France, Belgium and Italy, 1917–1919. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. OCLC 118250. Retrieved 4 December 2016.