65th Special Operations Squadron

The 65th Special Operations Squadron is an Air Force Special Operations Command unit which flies the MQ-9 Reaper, currently stationed at Hurlburt Field, Florida. It was first activated in 1941 as the 65th Bombardment Squadron when United States increased its armed forces prior to entry into World War II. It briefly served in the antisubmarine role, then deployed to the Southwest Pacific Theater, where it participated in combat against Japan, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation and a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. During this period, a crew from the 65th became the most-decorated aircrew in United States history, when their B-17 fought off more than a dozen Japanese fighters during a photo reconnaissance mission.[3] The 65th remained in the Philippines after the war ended, and was inactivated in the Philippines in 1946.

65th Special Operations Squadron
MQ-9 Reaper as operated by the squadron
Active	1941–1946; 1946–1970; 1986–1991; 2018–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Special Operations Persistent Attack and Reconnaissance
Part of	Air Force Special Operations Command
Nickname(s)	Lucky Dicers
Motto(s)	Scientiam Fortuna Iuvat
Engagements	Antisubmarine Campaign Southwest Pacific Theater[1]
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Philippine Presidential Unit Citation[1]
Insignia
65th Bombardment Squadron emblem (approved 9 September 1954)[2]

The squadron was reactivated at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona as a Strategic Air Command bomber squadron. It continued in the strategic bomber role until 1970, flying a variety of strategic bombers, including the supersonic Convair B-58 Hustler. In 1962, a crew from the 65th won the Mackay Trophy and the Bendix Trophy for setting a trio of transcontinental speed records in a round trip from Los Angeles to New York and back during Operation Heat Rise.[4] From 1986 to 1991, as the 65th Strategic Squadron, it controlled bombers and tankers deployed at Anderson Air Force Base, Guam. It was activated in its current role in December 2018.

History

World War II

Activation and antisubmarine patrols

Combat in the Southwest Pacific Theater

Strategic Air Command

Early SAC operations

B-58 operations

The squadron moved to Carswell Air Force Base without personnel or equipment on 15 April 1960. At Carswell, it was manned and equipped from the 3958th Combat Crew Training Squadron and 6592d Test Squadron, which were discontinued.[5] The squadron immediately began training crews on the Convair B-58 Hustler and on 1 August began participating in Category III testing (operational testing) of the Hustler.[6]

Control of SAC units in the Pacific

Air Force Special Operations Command

Lineage

• Constituted as the 65th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 20 November 1940

Activated on 15 January 1941

• Redesignated 65th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 21 September 1943

Inactivated on 29 April 1946

• Redesignated 65th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy and activated on 1 October 1946

Redesignated 65th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 2 July 1948

Inactivated on 31 January 1970

• Redesignated 65th Strategic Squadron on 7 April 1986

Activated on 1 July 1986

Inactivated on 2 October 1991

• Redesignated 65th Special Operations Squadron on 26 September 2018

Activated on 17 December 2018[1]

Assignments

• 43d Bombardment Group, 15 January 1941 – 29 April 1946
• 43d Bombardment Group, 1 October 1946
• 43d Bombardment Wing, 16 June 1952 – 31 January 1970
• 43d Strategic Wing (later 43d Bombardment Wing, 1 July 1986
• 376th Strategic Wing, 1 July 1990 – 2 October 1991
• 1st Special Operations Group, 17 December 2018 – present[1]

Stations

Langley Field, Virginia, 15 January 1941 Bangor Airport, Maine, 29 August 1941 – 17 February 1942 Sydney Airport, Australia, 28 March 1942 RAAF Base Williamtown, Australia, 23 June 1942 Longreach Airport (Torrens Creek), Australia, 15 August 1942 Iron Range Airfield, Australia, 13 October 1942 Mareeba Airfield, Australia, 7 November 1942 Jackson Airfield, Port Moresby, New Guinea, 20 January 1943 Dobodura Airfield, New Guinea, c. 11 December 1943 Nadzab Airfield, New Guinea, March 1944

Owi Airfield, Schouten Islands, Netherlands East Indies, c. 11 July 1944 Tacloban Airfield, Leyte, Philippines, c. 24 November 1944 Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines, c. 16 March 1945 Ie Shima Airfield, Okinawa, c. 24 July 1945 Fort William McKinley, Luzon, Philippines, 10 December 1945 – 29 April 1946 Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 1 October 1946 Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, 15 March 1960 Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, 1 September 1964 – 31 January 1970 Anderson Air Force Base, Guam, 1 July 1986 Kadena Air Base, Japan, 11 December 1990 – 2 October 1991 Hurlburt Field, Florida, 17 December 2018 – present[1]

Aircraft

• North American B-25 Mitchell, 1941
• Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1941–1943
• Consolidated B-24 Liberator, 1942–1945
• Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1946–1950
• Boeing B-50 Superfortress, 1948–1954
• Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1954–1960
• Convair B-58 Hustler, 1960–1970
• Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, 1986–1991
• Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, 1990-1991[1]
• MQ-9 Reaper, 2018-

See also

• United States Army Air Forces in Australia

References

Notes

1. Haulman, Daniel L. (15 November 2018). "Factsheet 65 Special Operations Squadron". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
2. Maurer, pp. 245-246
3. ""Old 666"/"Lucy" – A History". Zeamer's Eager Beavers. 23 February 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
4. "Operation Heat Rise". National Museum of the US Air Force™. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
5. Knaack, p. 384
6. Knaack, p. 383

Bibliography

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

• 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.
• Knaack, Marcelle Size (1988). Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems. Vol. 2, Post-World War II Bombers 1945-1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-59-5.
• 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.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.

External links

• Kensmen: 43rd BG (H), 5th AAF Bomb Group of the WWII-era 65th BS