Loading AI tools
Military unit From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
15th Attack Squadron is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the 432d Wing, 732nd Operations Group at Creech Air Force Base near Indian Springs, Nevada. It flies the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft.
 |
| 15th Attack Squadron | |
|---|---|
| |
| Active | 1917–1919; 1921–1927; 1928–1946; 1947–1949; 1951–1990; 1991–1994; 1997–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Persistent Attack and Reconnaissance |
| Part of | Air Combat Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Creech Air Force Base |
| Nickname(s) | "Cottonpickers" (c. 1956-c. 1989)[note 1] "Pigeons" |
| Motto(s) | Find, Fix, Finish |
| Mascot(s) | Pigeon |
| Battle honours | Antisubmarine European Theater of Operations Korean War Global War on Terror (Expeditionary)[1] |
| Commanders | |
| Current Commander | Lieutenant Colonel John Stripling |
| First Sergeant | MSgt Justin Wilson |
| Notable commanders | General Arthur J. Lichte Lieutenant General Paul Selva Brigadier General Michelle D. Johnson |
| Insignia | |
| 15th Attack Squadron emblem (approved 9 March 2017)[1] | |
| 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron emblem[note 2] |  |
| 15th Observation Squadron emblem (approved 2 April 1924)[2][note 3][note 4] |  |
| 15th Attack Squadron Heritage emblem |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| MQ-9 Reaper | |
The 15th Attack Squadron was one of the first armed remotely piloted aircraft squadrons.[1] The squadron provides combatant commanders with persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, full-motion video, and precision weapons employment. Global operations support continuous MQ-9 Reaper employment providing real-time actionable intelligence, strike, interdiction, close air support, and special missions to deployed war fighters.
 |
The 15th Attack Squadron is currently in operation at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, and was the second of the Air Force's RQ-1 Predator remotely piloted aircraft squadrons.
The mission of the squadron is to provide theater commanders with deployable, long endurance, near real-time reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition to close the sensor-to-shooter time line. The squadron operates medium altitude multi-sensor platforms to locate, identify and report battlefield conditions to warfighters. It also collects, exploits and distributes imagery and intelligence products to theater CINCs and national-level leadership.
| This section needs additional citations for verification. (July 2015) |
The 15th Attack Squadron's origins go back to 8 May 1917, when it stood up as the 2d Aviation School Squadron at Hazelhurst Field, Long Island, New York. A little more than three months later, the squadron became the 15th Aero Squadron.[1] The original mission of the squadron was part of the defense force for the New York City area, flying coastal patrols and as a flying training unit. The squadron was demobilized at Hazelhurst on 18 September 1919,[1] after the end of World War I.
The 15th Squadron (Observation) was organized in the Army Air Service on 21 September 1921 at Chanute Field, Illinois, and equipped primarily with Dayton-Wright DH-4s. the main focus of the squadron was flying training, including gunnery, observation, reconnaissance, photography, radio familiarization and similar missions. The squadron served as the air component of the 6th Division. In April 1924 the squadron, now the 15th Observation Squadron was consolidated with its World War I predecessor. The squadron moved to Kelly Field, Texas in June 1927, where on 1 August, it was inactivated[1] and its personnel and equipment used to form the 39th School Squadron.[3]
The squadron reformed at Selfridge Field, Michigan on 15 March 1928, once again providing air support for the 6th Division.[1] On 20 March 1938, the 15th Observation Squadron deployed from Scott Field, Illinois, to Eglin Field, Florida, for two weeks of gunnery training. Thirty-five officers and 108 enlisted men were involved.[4]
During the early stages of World War II, the 15th supported the Field Artillery School in Oklahoma. On 26 March 1944, the unit deployed to England and began combat operations over France. Its first combat mission was photographic reconnaissance on a North American F-6 Mustang. On 6 June 1944, the 15th received credit for the first aerial victory by a tactical reconnaissance pilot as well as the first victory of D-Day. The unit continued armed reconnaissance operations in the European theater until July 1945. After returning to the United States, the squadron provided visual and photographic reconnaissance and artillery adjustments for Army, Navy and Air Forces until it was inactivated in April 1949.[1]
The 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Photo-jet, was reactivated on 5 February 1951, in Japan and immediately deployed to Korea to provide visual and photographic reconnaissance. The unit flew Lockheed F-80 Shooting Stars North American F-86 Sabres and the RF-80 and RF-86 reconnaissance versions of these fighters during this period.[1]
In March 1954 the unit moved back to Japan and in August 1956, moved to Okinawa. The unit transitioned to Republic RF-84F Thunderflashes from 1956-1958 and then to McDonnell RF-101 Voodoos, continuing its long history of photographic reconnaissance. During the Vietnam era the 15th Squadron was based at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, flying the RF-101C. The unit had many deployments to Southeast Asia, flying reconnaissance missions in support of US combat operations in that theatre. From 14 – 28 March 1961, the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing deployed the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron to Kung Kuan Air Base, Taiwan equipped with McDonnell RF-101 Voodoo.
During the summer and fall of 1966, the squadron transitioned to the McDonnell RF-4C Phantom II, the aircraft that it was to operate for the next 25 years. Redesignated as 15 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 8 Oct 1966.[1]
In January 1968 the squadron deployed from Kadena to Osan Air Base, Korea in support of Operation Combat Fox, flying reconnaissance missions over North Korea during the Pueblo Crisis under extremely harsh winter conditions that disabled many of the squadron's aircraft, reducing squadron strength to as low as six aircraft at one point. One aircraft,tail number 748, flown by Captains Lee and Hannikin,was lost on mission during this period. Despite many searches, the wreckage and bodies weren't located until after the spring melt. A second aircraft was lost in an accident after the squadron moved to Itazuke Air Base, Japan.
During the 1970s and 1980s, the squadron maintained aerial surveillance capabilities in support of American ground, naval and air forces in the Far East. The 15th Squadron was inactivated 1 October 1990.[1]
The unit was reactivated as the 15th Tactical Intelligence Squadron on 20 February 1991. On 13 April 1992, the unit was redesignated as the 15th Air Intelligence Squadron. On 1 June 1994, it was once more inactivated.[1]
The unit was reactivated as the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron on 1 August 1997, at Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field under the 57th Operations Group. It was assigned to fly the General Atomics MQ-1 Predator remotely piloted aircraft.[1]
From July 2005 to June 2006, the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron participated in more than 242 separate raids; engaged 132 troops in contact-force protection actions; fired 59 Hellfire missiles; surveyed 18,490 targets; escorted four convoys; and flew 2,073 sorties for more than 33,833 flying hours.[5]
Starting in 2005, the unit trained California Air National Guard's 163d Reconnaissance Wing members to operate the MQ-1.[citation needed] The 163d is being retasked as an MQ-1 unit. In May 2016, the squadron was redesignated the 15th Attack Squadron.[1] The MQ-1 Predator was retired from United States Air Force service on 9 March 2018.[6]
|
|
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.
