- Source: 13th Air Support Operations Squadron
- 13th Air Support Operations Squadron
- List of United States Air Force air support operations squadrons
- 16th Air Support Operations Squadron
- 5th Air Support Operations Squadron
- 3rd Air Support Operations Group
- 25th Air Support Operations Squadron
- Fort Carson
- 8th Air Support Operations Squadron
- 13th Delta Operations Squadron
- 13th Fighter 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.
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; to train, deploy, & focus combat airpower and integrated weather operations for the joint force commander alongside III Corps or a supported land force commander.
History
= 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. In California, it helped train ground units and participated in exercises and maneuvers with the Desert Training Center. 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. As a result, the squadron, now the 13th Tactical Air Communications Squadron, was disbanded in April 1944.
= Current operations
=The squadron was redesignated the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron and activated on 1 July 1994 at Fort Carson, Colorado.
Lineage
Constituted as the 13th Air Support Control Squadron on 11 January 1943
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
= 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
= 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
= 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
References
= Notes
=Explanatory notes
Citations
= Bibliography
=This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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
Media related to 13th Air Support Operations Squadron at Wikimedia Commons
13th Air Support Operations Squadron official homepage
Globalsecurity.org: 13th Air Support Operations Squadron