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Military unit From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 26th Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to the USAF Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada
| 26th Weapons Squadron | |
|---|---|
26th MQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in flight | |
| Active | 1941–1945; 1946–1959; 1990–1992; 2008–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Squadron |
| Role | Advanced Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Training |
| Part of | Air Combat Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Nellis AFB, Nevada |
| Nickname(s) | China Blitzers (1942–1945), Flying Horse Squadron (1945)[1] |
| Tail Code | "WA" |
| Engagements |  China-Burma-India Theater[2] |
| Decorations |  Distinguished Unit Citation  Air Force Outstanding Unit Award[2] |
| Insignia | |
| 26th Weapons Squadron emblem (modified 28 January 2009)[2] |  |
| 26th Fighter Squadron emblem (approved 30 March 1945)[3] |  |
| 26th Fighter Squadron emblem (CBI Theater)[1] | .png) |
The 26th Weapons Squadron is the first unmanned aircraft systems weapons squadron, and specializes in training and producing MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper pilots and sensor operators. Missions for the 26th Weapons Squadron are flown from Nellis Air Force Base, as opposed to Creech Air Force Base, where most UAS operations are currently underway.
Activated as the 26th Pursuit Squadron at Hamilton Field, California in January 1941 as a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk pursuit squadron to defend the West Coast. Deployed to the China-Burma-India Theater in March 1942, initially arriving at Karachi, India moving via Australia and Ceylon. It was assigned to Tenth Air Force. The squadron defended the Indian terminus of the Hump airlift route over the Himalayas between India and China and airfields in that area, operating from the Assam Valley of northeast India. The squadron flew strafing, bombing, reconnaissance, and patrol missions in support of Allied ground troops during a Japanese offensive in northern Burma in 1943.
Moved to southeast China in October 1943, being assigned to Fourteenth Air Force. The squadron defended the Chinese end of the Hump route and air bases in the Kunming area. Attacked Japanese shipping in the Red River delta of Indochina and supported Chinese ground forces in their late 1944 drive along the Salween River. Was reequipped with North American P-51D Mustangs in 1945 to defend the eastern end of the route over the Hump, and to guard air bases in the Kunming area.
It returned to India in the fall of 1945 and sailed for the United States in November. Inactivated on 13 December 1945.
Reactivated at Yontan Air Base Okinawa in 1946 and moved to Naha Air Base when Yontan closed in 1947. The squadron was assigned to the Twentieth Air Force, 301st Fighter Wing. The squadron served as part of the occupation force and provided air defense for Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands until 1955, the 26th Fighter Interceptor Squadron Deployed to Tainan Air Base, Taiwan from 3 March – 2 April 1955. Pilots engaging in combat operations in Korean War, 1950–1953. Moved to Clark Air Base, Philippines in 1955, providing air defense of the Philippines until 1959 when inactivated due to budget restraints.
Conducted undergraduate pilot training at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, 1990–1992, flying Northrop T-38 Talons until inactivated as part of the post Cold War shutdown.
Reactivated in 2008 at Nellis AFB, Nevada as part of the USAF Weapons School, specializing in training and producing MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper pilots and sensor operators.[4]
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