150th Special Operations Squadron

The 150th Special Operations Squadron, equipped with the C-32B aircraft, is a unit of the 108th Wing of the New Jersey Air National Guard. It provides global airlift to special response teams within the Department of Defense and other agencies.

150th Special Operations Squadron
Boeing C-32B as flown by the squadron
Active1956-2008; unknown – present
Country United States
Allegiance New Jersey
Branch  Air National Guard
RoleTransport
Part of108th Wing, New Jersey Air National Guard
Garrison/HQJoint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, Wrightstown, New Jersey
Motto(s)Guardians of the Gate
Count on Us
Bet on Us
DecorationsAir Force Outstanding Unit Award[1]
Insignia
150th Special Operations Squadron emblem[2]
150th Air Refueling Squadron emblem
150th Air Transport Squadron emblem

The squadron was established in 1956 as the 150th Air Transport Squadron. The following year, it converted to the aeromedical evacuation mission as the 150th Aeromedical Evacuation Transport Squadron. It continued in various airlift roles until 1973, when it converted to the air refueling mission as the 150th Air Refueling Squadron. The squadron was stationed at Newark Municipal Airport until 1965, when it moved to McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey. The squadron was inactivated in 2008 following the retirement of the wing's Boeing KC-135E Stratotanker aircraft. It was later reactivated with a special operations mission.

History

Airlift operations
Air National Guard C-121

The squadron was established and federally recognized at Newark Municipal Airport, New Jersey, on 1 February 1956. It was initially equipped with Curtiss C-46 Commando aircraft, performing transport missions from Newark in the northeast. In 1963, it retired the C-46 and was re-equipped with the Lockheed C-121 Constellation long-distance transport, primarily for passenger movements to Europe, also flew to the Caribbean and to Japan, Thailand, South Vietnam, Australia and the Philippines during the Vietnam War. In 1965, the unit relocated to McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey.

The Constellations were retired in 1973, being replaced with the de Haviland Canada C-7 Caribou light transport, which was withdrawn from service in the Vietnam War. The C-7s were used for carrying small payloads in combat areas with rough airstrips.

Air refueling operations
150th Air Refueling Squadron KC-135 Stratotanker

In 1977, upon receipt of Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers, the unit became the 150th Air Refueling Squadron. It was the first air refueling unit in the United States to launch tankers to establish the U.S.-Saudi Arabia "Air Bridge" during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Hours after President Bush ordered U.S. forces to the Persian Gulf, 150th aircrews were refueling fighters and cargo transports winging their way nonstop from the U.S. to the Persian Gulf. Shortly thereafter, and again, prior to certain units personnel being activated, the 150th deployed aircraft, aircrews, maintenance and support personnel to Saudi Arabia. It also provided urgently needed medical, security police and support personnel to U.S. air bases to assist active duty personnel and serve as "back-fill" for those already rushed to the combat theater.

On 1 October 1993, the squadron's parent 170th Air Refueling Group was inactivated and its components transferred to or consolidated with the parent 108th Air Refueling Wing at McGuire under the Objective Wing organization. The 150th was assigned to the 108th Operations Group as its second KC-135 Squadron (along with the 141st Air Refueling Squadron).

In September 1994, for over 30 days, five aircraft and 300 squadron members deployed to Pisa International Airport, Italy for Operation Deny Flight. Supported by 15 active duty Air Force personnel, the squadron was the first Air National Guard unit to take full responsibility during that period.

The squadron was inactivated in 2008, as the Air Force retired the KC-135E from the inventory.

Special operations

The squadron was reactivated and equipped with the Boeing C-32 for special operations. Its mission is to "[p]rovide dedicated rapid response airlift to the Department of Defense in support of United States Government crisis response events domestic and abroad."[2] These include responses to terrorist incidents. Its aircraft do not carry standard United States Air Force markings, and the serial/registration numbers they display are subject to change. owed at the rear of the cabin as the usual cargo space in the hold has been configured to accommodate enlarged fuel tanks, extending the aircraft's unrefueled max range to 6000 nautical miles. The C-32Bs have been given an air refueling capability and the under cabin cargo space has been converted to additional fuel tanks, extending the plane's range. The C-32B also has a satellite communications package installed.[3]

Lineage
  • Constituted as the 150th Air Transport Squadron, Light and allotted to the Air National Guard c. 1956
Extended federal recognition and activated, 1 February 1956
Redesignated 150th Aeromedical Evacuation Transport Squadron, Light on 1 February 1957
Redesignated 150th Air Transport Squadron, Heavy on 10 December 1963
Redesignated 150th Military Airlift Squadron on 1 January 1966
Redesignated 150th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron c. 1 December 1969
Redesignated 150th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 22 June 1973
Redesignated 150th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy on 1 April 1977
Redesignated 150th Air Refueling Squadron c. 16 March 1992
Inactivated 31 March 2008
  • Redesignated 150th Special Operations Squadron
Activated unknown

Assignments

Stations
  • Newark Municipal Airport, New Jersey, 1 February 1956
  • McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, 1 July 1965 – 31 March 2008
  • Joint Base Mcguire-Dix-Lakehurst, unknown – present

Aircraft

References

Notes
  1. "Air Force Personnel Services: Unit Awards". Air Force Personnel Center. Retrieved 10 November 2020. (search)
  2. "108th Wing Units". 108th Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  3. "Boeing C-32B". American Special Ops. Retrieved 11 November 2020.

Bibliography

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

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