8th Weapons Squadron

The first predecessor of the squadron was the 8th Ferrying Squadron, which ferried aircraft to combat theaters and to Brazil from the Southeast United States under the lend-lease program using the Air Transport Command South Atlantic air ferry route, Mar 1942-Mar 1944.

The second predecessor of the squadron provided air transportation in Southwestern and Western Pacific, Nov 1944-Sep 1945 as the 8th Combat Cargo Squadron, operating under Fifth Air Force. It operated from Biak to fly passengers and cargo to bases in Australia, New Guinea, the Admiralties, and the Philippines. Also dropped supplies to US and guerrilla forces in the Philippines. Moved to Leyte in May 1945. Maintained flights to bases in Australia, New Guinea, and the Philippines; transported personnel and supplies to the Ryukyus, and evacuated casualties on return flights. Transported personnel and equipment of the occupation forces to Japan and ferried liberated prisoners of war to the Philippines. Moved to Japan in September 1945 where it operated until being inactivated in January 1946.

The third predecessor of the squadron was activated as the 8th Helicopter Flight under Caribbean Air Command in 1949. It operated cargo flights from Albrook Air Force Base providing logistical and supply support to installations in Panama and Latin America, Oct 1949-Feb 1952.

Reactivated in 1972 as EC-135 Airborne command post for tactical deployments worldwide, Feb 1972-May 1996. Has been involved in every United States combat operation since the Vietnam War. Deployed personnel and equipment to Spain and airfield personnel and equipment into Saudi Arabia, Aug 1990-c. Mar 1991 as part of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

Its current squadron was formed in 1978, when the concept of Air Weapons Controller was added to the established concept of Fighter Weapons. The first Air Weapons Controllers graduated in December 1984 to become Fighter Weapons School instructors. Instruction at the 8th Weapons Squadron continues to this very day in the fields of United States Air Force tactical air control system (TACS), Air Battle Management (ABM), Electronic Warfare Support (ES), Electronic attack (EA) and their integration in operations. The course has graduated over 350 instructors who have been key to every conflict and contingency since 1985.

• Nashville Sector, Ferrying Command (later Nashville Sector, Domestic Wing, Ferrying Command; 4th Ferrying Group), 24 March 1942 – 31 March 1944
• 2d Combat Cargo Group, 1 May 1944 – 15 January 1946 (attached to 5298th Troop Carrier Wing (Provisional), November–December 1944)
• 5700th Air Base Group, 27 October 1949 – 19 February 1952
• Eighteenth Air Force (attached to 16th Troop Carrier Squadron), 14 March–16 December 1952
• 4500th Air Base Wing, 15 October 1969 – 8 March 1971
• Tactical Air Command, 1 February 1972
• 552d Airborne Warning and Control Wing (later 552d Airborne Warning and Control Division; 552d Airborne Warning and Control Wing), 1 January 1978
• 28th Air Division, 1 March 1986
• 552d Operations Group, 29 May 1992 – 15 May 1996
• USAF Weapons School, 3 February 2003 – present[1]

• None (ferried aircraft), 1942–1944
• Curtiss C-46 Commando, 1944–1945
• Douglas C-47 Skytrain, 1944, 1945
• Sikorsky H-5 Dragonfly, 1949–1952
• Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw (Helicopter), 1952
• Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star, 1969–1970
• Boeing C-135 Stratolifter, 1969-1972
• Boeing EC-135, 1972-1996[1]

• 
  E-8C JSTARS
• 
  EC-130H Compass Call
• 
  RC-135 Rivet Joint

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

• 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. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• 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. Retrieved 17 December 2016.