24th Special Operations Wing

World War II

The 24th Composite Wing was activated on 25 December 1942 to control all Army Air Forces units on Iceland and subsequently disestablished in June 1944.

Post war era

From August 1946 until replaced by the Antilles Air Division in July 1948 the wing supervised large numbers of major and minor bases and Air Force units in the Caribbean area from Puerto Rico to British Guiana.

Panama and special operations

It was organized once more in November 1967 in the Panama Canal Zone, replacing the 5700th Air Base Wing. The wing assumed operation and maintenance responsibilities for Howard and Albrook Air Force Bases and a special operations mission that included air transport, paramilitary operations, exercise participation, civic actions in Central and South America, search and rescue missions, humanitarian operations, mercy missions, aeromedical evacuation, and support of Army Special Forces, U.S. military assistance units, and training of Latin American air forces. From its activation in 1967 until mid-1972, the 24th Wing operated the USAF Tropic Survival School at Albrook. It also controlled various rotational detachments from 1967–1987. The wing lost Bell UH–1 Iroquois helicopters and control of search and rescue missions in the area after 1 March 1983. The wing inactivated on 31 January 1987, its subordinate components were reassigned directly to the USAF Southern Air Division.

The 24th was reactivated on 1 January 1989, as the 24th Composite Wing again assuming responsibilities for Howard and Albrook. The wing flew combat sorties in the Invasion of Panama, December 1989 – January 1990. The wing trained foreign and domestic pilots in forward air control. It again flew search and rescue, aeromedical airlift and disaster relief missions in the Latin American region from 1989–1990. Members of the wing deployed to Southwest Asia to provide air liaison support between ground forces and air operations from 1 October 1990 – February 1991. When the 24th Composite Wing inactivated in 1991, its assets were placed under Air Forces in Panama.

On 11 February 1992 the wing again reactivated as the 24th Wing and became the ranking USAF organization in Panama and replaced the previous command and division-level Air Force host units. In June 1992, it began operating the only Learjet C-21, Boeing CT-43 Bobcat, Alenia C-27 Spartan and special mission Lockheed C-130 Hercules in Air Combat Command. The wing provided control and support to multi-service units directed by United States Southern Command and United States Southern Air Force from 1992–1999. Missions included counter-narcotics operations, aerial command and control, intratheater airlift, security assistance and defense of the Panama Canal.

On 1 April 1997 the 310th Airlift Squadron was reassigned to Air Mobility Command's 21st Air Force. The 24th Wing was inactivated on 1 November 1999 with the closure of Howard and its turnover to the Panamanian government.

Special tactics

When the wing was reactivated in June 2012 it comprised the 720th Special Tactics Group and the Special Tactics Training Squadron based at Hurlburt Field, the 724th Special Tactics Group based at Pope Army Airfield. The Special Tactics Squadrons are made up of Special Tactics Officers, Combat Controllers, Combat Rescue Officers, Pararescuemen, Special Reconnaissance (formerly Special Operations Weather Technicians), Air Liaison Officers, Tactical Air Control Party operators, and a number of combat support airmen which comprise 58 Air Force specialties.

Special tactics airmen often embed with United States special forces including Navy SEALs, Army Green Berets and Rangers to provide various skills from combat air support to medical aid and personnel recovery.

Assignments

• Iceland Base Command, US Army Forces, Iceland, 25 December 1942 – 15 June 1944
• Sixth Air Force, 25 August 1946 – 28 July 1948
• United States Air Forces Southern Command, 30 October 1967
• United States Air Force Southern Air Division, 1 January 1976 – 31 January 1987
• 830th Air Division, 1 January 1989 – 15 February 1991
• Twelfth Air Force, 11 February 1992 – 1 November 1999
• Air Force Special Operations Command, 12 June 2012 – present

Components

Groups

• 24th Operations Group: 11 February 1992 – 1 November 1999
• 130th Special Operations Group: attached 30 January 1971 – 27 February 1971, 5–14 February 1973
• 134th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Group: attached 1 November 1943 – 15 June 1944
• 143d Air Commando Group: attached 8 February – 9 March 1969
• 342d Composite Group: 25 December 1942 – 18 March 1944
• 720th Special Tactics Group: 12 June 2012 – present
• 724th Special Tactics Group: 12 June 2012 – present

Squadrons

• 33d Fighter Squadron: 18 March 1944 – 15 June 1944
• 91st Reconnaissance Squadron: 12 January 1948 – 26 July 1948
• 330th Transport Squadron: 25 August 1946 – 15 October 1946
• 24th Air Transport: 15 March 1968 – 30 June 1971
• 605th Air Commando Squadron (later 605th Special Operations Squadron): 8 November 1967 – 30 April 1972
• 24th Special Operations Squadron (later 24th Composite Squadron; 24th Tactical Air Support Squadron): 18 March 1969 – 1 July 1975; 1 January 1976 – 31 January 1987; 1 January 1989 – 15 February 1991
• Special Tactics Training Squadron: 12 June 2012 – present

Detachments

• Det A, Fighter Command (IBC, US Army Forces, Iceland): attached 12 Feb – 15 June 1944
• Det, 314 Troop Carrier Group: attached 1 October 1946 – 26 July 1948
• TAC A-7 Rotational Element (various detachments): attached 13 November 1972 – 30 September 1978
• ANG A-7 Rotational Element (various detachments): attached 1 October 1978 – 31 January 1987
• ANG A-10 Rotational Element (various detachments): attached Feb–Apr 1985
• TAC C-130 Rotational Element (various detachments): attached 8 November 1967 – 30 November 1974
• MAC C-130 Rotational Element (various detachments): attached 1 December 1974 – 30 September 1977
• AFRES and ANG C-130 Rotational Element (various detachments): attached 1 Oct 1977 – c. 1 December 1984

Stations

• Camp Olympia, Reykjavík, Iceland, 25 December 1942
• Camp Tripoli, Reykjavik, Iceland, 13 March – 15 June 1944
• Borinquen Field (later Borinquen Army Air Field, Borinquen Field, Ramey Air Force Base), Puerto Rico, 25 August 1946 – 28 July 1948
• Albrook Air Force Base, Panama Canal Zone, 8 November 1967
• Howard Air Force Base, Panama Canal Zone, 3 January 1968 – 31 January 1987
• Howard Air Force Base, Panama Canal Zone (later Panama), 1 January 1989 – 15 February 1991
• Howard Air Force Base, Panama, 11 February 1992 – 1 November 1999
• Hurlburt Field, Florida, 12 June 2012 – present

Aircraft

The 24th Special Operations Wing currently does not have any aircraft; it is composed of ground operators.

Notes

Explanatory notes

Citations

Bibliography

 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. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 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. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 December 2016.
• 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.