919th Special Operations Wing

919th Special Operations Wing
Active	15 January 1963–present
Country	United States
Branch	Air Force
Type	Special Operations
Size	1,300 personnel
Part of	Air Force Reserve Command
Garrison/HQ	Duke Field
Decorations	AFOUA
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel Jon Weeks

The 919th Special Operations Wing (919 SOW) is an Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) wing of the United States Air Force, operationally-gained by the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) and based at Eglin AFB Auxiliary Field #3 / Duke Field, Florida.

Mission

The 919 SOW provides and maintains the MC-130E Combat Talon I special operations aircraft designed for covert operations.

History

The 919th trained for troop carrier duties from 1963–1965. Renamed the 919th Tactical Airlift Group (919 TAG) and equipped with the C-130A, it performed airlift of personnel and cargo, in addition to airdropping U.S. Army paratroopers during exercises from 1971–1974. Redesignated the 919th Special Operations Group on 1 July 1975,^[1] the group began transitioning to the AC-130A Spectre aircraft and training for gunship operations, with close air support as a primary duty, but included ability to perform armed interdiction, reconnaissance, and escort, forward air control and combat search and rescue in conventional or unconventional warfare setting. Redesignated the 919th Special Operations Group (919 SOG), the command was later upgraded to wing status and renamed the 919th Special Operations Wing (919 SOW). In addition to its primary combat duties, the 919th also provided range clearing support for missile launches at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and along the Eastern Test Range from 1979–1989 and for NASA space shuttle launches at the John F. Kennedy Space Center from 1981–1988.

The 711th Special Operations Squadron (SOS) hit key facilities and provided cover for U.S. Army troops during the invasion of Panama, December 1989 – January 1990. On 1 April 1990 the 919th gained a second SOS (71 SOS) located at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. Both squadrons participated in the conflict in Southwest Asia: the 71 SOS, flying HH-3Es deployed 12 January 1991 – 16 March 1991 and the 711 SOS, flying AC-130As, deployed 7 February-12 March. In addition, the 711 SOS used their AC-130s to fly cargo and passengers. The 919 SOW lost the 71 SOS on 1 October 1993, but in late 1994, gained the 5th Special Operations Squadron (5 SOS). The 5 SOS began to receive their MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft in April 1995 and trained for special operations, aerial refueling of special operations helicopters, and resupply missions. The 711 SOS transitioned from AC-130A gunships to MC-130E Combat Talon I aircraft beginning in October 1995 and trained for a primary mission of infiltration, exfiltration and resupply of special operations forces. Periodically the wing deployed personnel and aircraft to support special operations forces in contingency operations worldwide, in addition to numerous humanitarian deployments. The 919th has conducted flight training in MC-130E Combat Talon I for both Air Force Special Operations Command and Air Force Reserve Command since 1 October 1997.

Operations

• Operation Just Cause
• Operation Desert Shield
• Operation Desert Storm
• Operation Enduring Freedom
• Operation Iraqi Freedom
• Operation New Dawn

Previous designations

• 919th Troop Carrier Group (1963–1971)
• 919th Tactical Airlift Group (1971–1975)
• 919th Special Operations Group (1975–1992)
• 919th Special Operations Wing (1992–present)

Assignments

Major command

• Air Force Reserve Command (operationally gained by Air Force Special Operations Command)

Numbered Air Force

• Fourth Air Force (1983–1994)
• Tenth Air Force (1994–present)

Wing

• 445th Air Transport Wing (1963–1965)
• 459th Tactical Airlift Wing (1971–1992)

Subordinate organizations

• 919th Operations Group (919 OG)
  • 5th Special Operations Squadron (5 SOS) (Hurlburt Field)
  • 711th Special Operations Squadron (711 SOS)
  • 2nd Special Operations Squadron (2 SOS) (Nellis Air Force Base)
  • 919th Operations Support Flight (919 OSF)
• 919th Maintenance Group (919 MXG)
  • 719th Maintenance Squadron (719 MXS) (Eglin Air Force Base)
    • Note: 719 MXS has been combined with the 919 MXS as of 5 April 2008 ^[2]
  • 919th Maintenance Squadron (919 MXS)
  • 919th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (919 AMXS)
  • 919th Maintenance Operations Flight (919 MOF)
• 919th Mission Support Group (919 MSG)
  • 919th Civil Engineering Squadron (919 CES)
  • 919th Logistics Readiness Squadron (919 LRS)
  • 919th Security Forces Squadron (919 SFS)
  • 919th Communications Squadron (919 CS)
  • 919th Mission Support Flight (919 MSF)
  • 919th Services Flight (919 SVF)
• 919th Medical Squadron (919 MDS)

Bases stationed

• Memphis Municipal Airport, Tennessee (1963–1965)
• Duke Field, Florida (1971–present)

Aircraft operated

• MC-130E Combat Talon I (1995–present)
• C-130 Hercules (1971–present)
• U-28 (2008–present)
• MQ-1 Predator (2008–present)
• MC-130P Combat Shadow (1995–2008)
• AC-130A Spectre (1975–1995)
• HH-3 (1990–1993)
• C-123 Provider (1963–1965)

Unit shields

• 

  5 SOS

• 

  711 SOS

• 

  919 OSS

• 

  919 LRS

• 

  919 MDS

References

External links

	United States Air Force portal
	Military of the United States portal

• 919 SOW Home Page

v t e United States Air Force Leadership Secretary of the Air Force Under Secretary of the Air Force Chief of Staff Vice Chief of Staff Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force 4-star generals House Armed Services Committee House Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces Senate Committee on Armed Services Senate Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces Organization Commands Reserve Air National Guard Field Operating Agencies Installations Direct Reporting Units District of Washington Operational Test and Evaluation Center USAF Academy Major Commands Air Combat Air Education and Training Air Mobility Global Strike Materiel Reserve Space Special Operations Europe Pacific Numbered Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Fourteenth Seventeenth Eighteenth Nineteenth Twentieth Twenty-Second Twenty-Third Twenty-Fourth Wings (ANG) Groups (ANG) Squadrons (ANG) Civilian auxiliary: Civil Air Patrol Personnel and training Airmen Rank Officers Enlisted Specialty Code Aeronautical ratings Judge Advocate General's Corps RED HORSE Office of Special Investigations Security Forces Medical Service Pararescue Combat Control Chief of Chaplains Chief Scientist Training: USAF Academy Officer Training School Reserve Officer Training Corps Basic Training Airman Leadership School SERE Fitness Test Uniforms and equipment Awards and decorations Badges Equipment Uniforms History and traditions History Army Air Service / Corps / Forces "The U.S. Air Force" Air Force Band The Airmen of Note Tops In Blue Airman's Creed Core Values Flag Symbol Memorial National Museum Air Force One Honor Guard Thunderbirds Service numbers Category Portal

v t e Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) Air Forces Fourth • Tenth • Twenty-Second Bases Dobbins • Duke Field • General Mitchell • Grissom • Homestead • March • Minneapolis-Saint Paul • Niagara Falls • Pittsburgh • Westover • Youngstown Command Air Reserve Personnel Center Wings/Groups Air Refueling 434th • 459th • 507th • 916th • 939th • 940th Airlift 94th • 302d • 315th • 433d • 439th • 440th • 445th • 446th • 512th • 908th • 910th • 911th • 914th • 927th • 932d • 934th Fighter 301st • 414th  • 419th • 442d • 476th • 477th • 482d • 944th other 310th Space • 349th Air Mobility • 403d • 452d Air Mobility • 514th Air Mobility • 307th Bomb • 919th Special Operations • 920th Rescue