13th Air Support Operations Squadron

The United States Air Force's 13th Air Support Operations Squadron is a combat support unit located at Fort Carson, Colorado. The squadron provides tactical command and control of close air support assets to US Army ground commanders of the 4th Infantry Division during combat operations.

13th Air Support Operations Squadron
Squadron airmen approach a helicopter for extraction following a joint exercise with the 4th Infantry Division
Active	1943–1944; 1994-present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Air Support Operations (to 4th Infantry Division
Part of	Air Combat Command
Garrison/HQ	Fort Carson, Colorado
Motto(s)	On Time On Target
Engagements	Iraq War[1]
Decorations	Air Force Meritorious Unit Award Air Force Outstanding Unit Award[1]
Insignia
13th Air Support Operations Squadron emblem (approved 29 May 1996)[1]

Mission

The squadron's mission is to provide mission ready airmen to advise, integrate & control air and space power in support of the 4th Infantry Division; yp train, deploy, & focus combat airpower and integrated weather operations for the joint force commander alongside III Corps or a supported land force commander.[2]

History

Media related to 13th Air Support Operations Squadron at Wikimedia Commons

World War II

The squadron was first activated in January 1943 at Birmingham Army Air Base, Alabama, where it trained with III Air Support Command for the next six months. In June, it moved to Thermal Army Air Field, California, where it was assigned to IV Air Support Command.[1] In California, it helped train ground units and participated in exercises and maneuvers with the Desert Training Center.[3][4] By 1944, the need for ground forces to train for desert warfare had been reduced. Also, the Army Air Forces found that standard military units, based on relatively inflexible tables of organization were proving not well adapted to the training mission and decided to replace them with a more functional system in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit.[5] As a result, the squadron, now the 13th Tactical Air Communications Squadron, was disbanded in April 1944.[1]

Current operations

The squadron was redesignated the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron and activated on 1 July 1994 at Fort Carson, Colorado.[1]

Lineage

• Constituted as the 13th Air Support Control Squadron on 11 January 1943[note 1]

Activated on 15 January 1943

Redesignated 13th Tactical Air Communications Squadron on 29 February 1944

Disbanded on 15 April 1944

• Reconstituted and redesignated 13th Air Support Operations Squadron on 24 June 1994

Activated on 1 July 1994[6]

Assignments

• III Air Support Command, 15 January 1943
• IV Air Support Command (later III Tactical Air Division, I Tactical Air Division), 7 June 1943 – 15 April 1944
• 3d Air Support Operations Group, 1 July 1994 – present[1]

Stations

• Birmingham Army Air Base, Alabama, 15 January 1943
• Thermal Army Air Field, California, 7 June 1943
• Camp Young, California, 15 September 1943
• Thermal Army Air Field, California, 14 March 1944 – 15 April 1944
• Fort Carson, Colorado, 1 July 1994 – present[1]

Decorations

• Air Force Meritorious Unit Award
  • 1 June 2002 – 31 May 2004
• Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
  • 1 July 1994 – 31 May 1996
  • 1 June 1998 – 31 May 2000
  • 1 June 2000 – 31 May 2002[1]

References

Notes

Explanatory notes

1. Dollman says "Air Support Operations Squadron", but this designation was not used during World War II.

Citations

1. Dollman, TSG David (27 March 2018). "Factsheet 13 Air Support Operations Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
2. No byline. "Fort Carson: Units: 13th Air Support Operations Squadron". Fort Carson Public Affairs. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
3. See Maurer, Combat Units, p. 432. (activities of I Tactical Air Division).
4. "Abstract, History 4 Air Support Command Sep 1941 – Sep 1943". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
5. Goss, p. 75
6. Lineage in Dollman, except as noted.

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

• Craven, Wesley F.; Cate, James L., eds. (1955). The Army Air Forces in World War II (PDF). Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. LCCN 48003657. OCLC 704158. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Goss, William A. (1955). "The Organization and its Responsibilities, Chapter 2 The AAF". In Craven, Wesley F.; Cate, James L. (eds.). The Army Air Forces in World War II (PDF). Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. LCCN 48003657. OCLC 704158. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• 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.

External links

• 13th Air Support Operations Squadron official homepage
• Globalsecurity.org: 13th Air Support Operations Squadron