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 Special
Operations.Com
16th Special
Operations Squadron
The
16th Special Operations Squadron is one of eight
flying squadrons of the 16th Special Operations
Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida. The 16th SOS
flies the AC-130H Spectre gunship, a heavily armed
aircraft designed for close air support, armed
reconnaissance, interdiction, night search and
rescue, and airborne command and control. The
16th SOS trains and maintains its combat-ready
force to provide highly accurate firepower in
support of both conventional and unconventional
forces.
The AC-130H, a modified Lockheed
C-130E model aircraft, is configured with side-firing
weapons, including two 20mm Vulcan cannons, a
40mm Bofors cannon, and one Army 105mm Howitzer.
The 16th SOS Spectre became operational October
30, 1968 at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base as
part of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing. Equipped
first with the AC-130A model gunship and later
with the more advanced AC-130E/H models, Spectre
aircrews proudly flew the latest in the family
of gunships which included the famous AC-47 Spooky,
AC-119G Shadow and the AC-119K Stinger.
The Spectre was the most deadly
night-flying weapons system in Southeast Asia.
It destroyed or damaged an average of 10,000 trucks
per year over the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Additional
roles included defense of hamlets and fire bases,
troops in contact with the enemy, convoy escort
and battlefield illumination. The Spectre achieved
1,327 consecutive on-time combat mission launches.
The Spectre moved to Korat Royal Thai Air Force
Base, Thailand, July 19, 1974 as part of the 388th
Tactical Fighter Wing, and concluded its involvement
in Southeast Asia from that location. Having participated
in every major campaign, The Spectre now supported
the evacuations of Saigon, Phnom Penh and figured
prominently in the rescue of the Mayaguez. Spectre's
distinguished record in Southeast Asia was not
achieved without cost; we honor the memories of
52 aircrew members who were killed in action.
The Spectre moved to its present home as part
of the 16th Special Operations Wing December 12,
1975. Modified for in-flight refueling, the gunships
now have virtually unlimited range, demonstrated
in November 1979, with a record endurance flight
of 29.7 hours from Hurlburt to Andersen Air Force
Base, Guam.
The Spectre was overhead in
Grenada October 25, 1983 paving the way for the
assault by multi-national forces which liberated
the island. Spectre was praised for "saving
the day" by providing last-second surveillance
and intelligence to the air assault forces, silencing
anti-aircraft artillery emplacements, knocking
out enemy armored personnel carriers, defending
political dignitaries surrounded by enemy troops
and relieving troops in combat. From late December
1989 to early January 1990, the gunship participated
in the reestablishment of democracy in the Republic
of Panama during Operation Just Cause. By destroying
the headquarters for the Panamanian Defense Force,
and providing fire support for the Army Ranger
assault on Rio Hato, the 16th SOS received both
the MacKay Trophy and the Military Airlift Command
Aircrew of the Year Award for 1989. The 16th SOS
arrived in Saudi Arabia September 12, 1990 to
participate in Operations Desert Shield/Storm,
the protection of Saudi Arabia and liberation
of Kuwait. The unit flew 50 combat missions in
Desert Storm and lost one aircraft and 14 brave
airmen January 31, 1991, while supporting coalition
forces engaged in the Battle of Khafji, Saudi
Arabia. During 1993 and 1994, the 16th SOS deployed
to Africa in support of the United Nations relief
operations in Somalia, Continue Hope. During this
deployment, a gunship was destroyed, due to an
in-borne detonation of the 105mm gun while airborne.
Eight of the 14 aircrew members lost their lives.
The 16th SOS deployed to Italy
in support of Operation DENY FLIGHT in January
1994 and remained until its termination Aug. 28,
1995. Spectre was actively patrolling the hostile
skies over Bosnia-Herzegovina providing protective
air cover and close air support to UN protection
forces (UNPROFOR). While maintaining the Operation
DENY FLIGHT mission, the 16th SOS was deployed
to other parts of the world for 184 days. From
Sept. 18 - Oct. 19, 1994, they deployed to Cuba
in support of Operation UPHOLD DEMOCRACY providing
air support to coalition forces in the ouster
of Gen Raoul Cedras and restoration of the legitimate,
democratic government of Jean-Bertrand Aristide
in Haiti. From Jan. 30 - March 2, 1995, the 16th
SOS returned to Africa in support of Operation
UNITED SHIELD, the withdrawal of UN forces from
Mogadishu, Somalia. On the final night of this
operation, the gunships provided real time intelligence
to ground commanders via armed recce and surveillance
during the US Marine amphibious withdrawal from
Mogadishu. From June 12-24, 1995 deployed to Germany
for Exercise MOUNTAIN SHIELD I. This mission rehearsal
was conducted with NATO ground forces for implementation
with supporting operations within Bosnia.
Operation DENY FLIGHT became
Operation DELIBERATE FORCE Aug. 19, 1995, the
largest NATO air operation in history. On the
first night, "GHOST-31", aircraft 69-6568
struck an artillery/mortar position southeast
of Sarajevo marking the first time this aircraft
had ever fired in combat. The 16th SOS flew multiple
CSAR sorties from Sept. 6-8, 1995 in support of
the rescue attempt of the French Mirage aircrew,
callsign "EBRO-33", downed by a surface-to-air
missile near Pale. Operation DELIBERATE FORCE
lasted until Sept. 15, 1995, in this operation
the 16th SOS expended 268 rounds of 105MM and
125 rounds of 40MM against early warning (EW)
radar sites, command and control (C2) buildings,
mortar/artillery positions, and ammunition storage
areas. The squadron deployed to Germany in Sept
1995 to support of Exercise MOUNTAIN SHIELD II.
This was a continuation of mission rehearsal training
with NATO ground forces for integration of the
gunship in multiple NATO operations within Bosnia.
Operation DECISIVE ENDEAVOR,
part of the overall NATO Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR,
began Dec. 21, 1995 when the Implementation Forces
(IFOR) assumed responsibility for enforcing the
military aspects of the Dayton Peace Accords and
Spectre remains to date providing protective air
power, close air support, armed recce, and surveillance
in support of the peace efforts in Bosnia. The
16th SOS deployed from Italy to Senegal in support
of Operation ASSURED RESPONSE from April 10-25,
1996. The gunships were requested to provide close
air support to the Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU)
tasked to execute the evacuation of American citizens
from the war torn city of Monrovia, Liberia. The
16th SOS redeployed to Brindisi, Italy, with two
aircraft and aircrews from Dakar, Senegal to continue
support of Operation DECISIVE ENDEAVOR from April
26 - Sept. 27 1996 until relieved by the 4th SOS
providing support with the AC-130U. Deployed to
Howard Air Force Base, Panama, with two aircraft
and four aircrews from Sept. 14 - Oct. 9 1996
in support of CINCSOUTHCOM interests within the
region.
The 16th SOS again deployed
to Brindisi, Italy, with two aircraft and three
aircrews to support Operation DELIBERATE/JOINT
GUARD from April 22 - Oct. 14 1997 to support
and aid in the activation of the Stabilization
Force (SFOR) within Bosnia-Herzegovina. Forward
deployed from Brindisi, Italy, to Southwest Asia
from Oct. 15 - Nov. 17 1997 in support of joint
exercise INHERENT FURY/IRIS GOLD with two aircraft
and three aircrews. Deployed two aircraft and
aircrews to Taegu Air Base, Republic of Korea,
to augment the Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) from
Jan. 31 to June 5, 1998 in support of Operation
INDY. Performed 110 Maritime Counter-SOF, Air
Base Ground Defense (ABGD), and Second ROK Army
(SROKA) training missions with USN aircrews, USAF
320 Special Tactics Group, 6 SOS, and ROK personnel
with a 100 percent launch rate. Ghost-31, Aircraft
Commander: Capt. Kaufman, flew a 13.1 hour mission
assisting in the search and rescue (SAR) for an
F-16 pilot lost off the western Korean coast.
They provided recconaisance and command/control
for other SAR assets. Deployed two aircraft and
aircrews to Brindisi, Italy, Aug. 12, 1998 in
support of Operation Joint Forge, relieving the
4th SOS of operations in the Bosnian theater.
The 16th SOS guidon is adorned
with two Presidential Unit Citations, four Air
Force Outstanding Unit Awards with devices for
valor, 10 campaign streamers and the Republic
of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm.
(Current as of September 1998)
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