966th Airborne Air Control Squadron

The 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit, part of the 552d Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates the E-3 Sentry (AWACS) aircraft conducting airborne command and control missions.

966th Airborne Air Control Squadron
552d Air Control Wing Boeing E-3 Sentry
Active	1942–1944; 1944–1945; 1961–1969; 1976–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Airborne Command and Control
Part of	Air Combat Command
Garrison/HQ	Tinker Air Force Base
Motto(s)	Protection by Professionals (1963-1989)
Engagements	China-Burma-India Theater[1]
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm[1]
Commanders
Current commander	Lt Col Martin J. Slovinsky
Insignia
966th Airborne Air Control Squadron emblem (approved 14 May 1989)</ref>[1]
966th Airborne Early Warning & Control Squadron emblem (approved 14 June 1963)</ref>[1]

The squadron is the E-3 Sentry formal training unit (FTU) for all Airborne Warning and Control System aircrew and currently falls under the authority of Air Combat Command and Fifteenth Air Force.[2][3]

Mission

The 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron is Air Combat Command's largest flying training unit, providing training for all active and reserve E-3 Sentry pilots and mission crew. Training approximately 500 students every year.[4]

Provide the Combat Air Force with airborne systems and personnel for surveillance, warning and control of strategic, tactical, and special mission forces.[5]

History

World War II

The squadron conducted replacement training from August 1942 – November 1943 and flew evacuation missions and light transport services for ground forces in Burma from 13 November 1944 – 10 May 1945.[1]

Airborne warning and control

It provided airborne radar surveillance from 1962–1969 and rotated aircrews to Southeast Asia from c. 4 April 1965 – c. December 1969. The 966th has trained aircrews since 1977.[1]

Lineage

466th Bombardment Squadron

• Constituted as the 466th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 9 July 1942

Activated on 15 July 1942

Inactivated on 1 April 1944

Consolidated with the 166th Liaison Squadron and the 966th Airborne Warning and Control Training Squadron as the 966th Airborne Warning and Control Training Squadron on 19 September 1985[1]

166th Liaison Squadron

• Constituted as the 166th Liaison Squadron (Commando) on 9 August 1944

Activated on 3 September 1944

Inactivated on 3 November 1945

Consolidated with the 466th Bombardment Squadron and the 966th Airborne Warning and Control Training Squadron as the 966th Airborne Warning and Control Training Squadron on 19 September 1985[1]

• 966th Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron
• Constituted as the 966th Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron and activated on 18 December 1961 (not organized)

Organized on 1 February 1962

Inactivated on 31 December 1969

Redesignated 966th Airborne Warning and Control Training Squadron on 5 May 1976

Activated on 1 July 1976

• Consolidated with the 166th Liaison Squadron and the 466th Bombardment Squadron on 19 September 1985

Redesignated 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron on 1 July 1994[1]

Assignments

• 333d Bombardment Group, 15 July 1942 – 1 April 1944
• 1st Air Commando Group, 3 September 1944 – 3 November 1945
• Air Defense Command, 18 December 1961 (not organized)
• 551st Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing, 1 February 1962
• 552d Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing, 1 May 1963
• 551st Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing, 1 July 1969
• 552d Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing, 15 November-31 December 1969
• 552d Airborne Warning and Control Wing (later 552d Airborne Warning and Control Division; 552d Airborne Warning and Control Wing; 552d Air Control Wing), 1 July 1976
• 552d Operations Group, 29 May 1992 – present[1]

Stations

Topeka Army Air Base, Kansas, 15 July 1942 Dalhart Army Air Field, Texas, 22 February 1943 – 1 April 1944 Burnpur Airfield, India, 3 September 1944 Yazagyo Airfield, Burma, 13 November 1944 Inbaung Airfield, Burma, 12 December 1944 Burnpur Airfield, India, 19 December 1944 (detachment operated from Arakan Airfield, Burma, c. 29 December 1944 – 23 January 1945) Sinthe Airfield, Burma, 4 February 1945

Burnpur Airfield, India, 14 March 1945 Ondaw Airfield, Burma, 29 March 1945 Meiktila Airfield, Burma, 5 April 1945 Toungoo Airfield, Burma, 27 April 1945 Burnpur Airfield, India, 14 May – 6 October 1945 Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 1–3 November 1945 McCoy Air Force Base, Florida, 1 February 1962 – 31 December 1969 Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, since 1 July 1976[1]

Aircraft

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress (1942) Consolidated B-24 Liberator (1942–1943) Stinson L-5 Sentinel (1944–1945) Noorduyn C-64 Norseman (1944–1945) Lockheed RC-121 Constellation (1962–1963)

Lockheed TC-121 Constellation (1962–1963) Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star (1963–1969) Boeing WC-135 Constant Phoenix (1977–1979) Boeing E-3 Sentry (1977–present)[1]

Operations

• World War II
• Vietnam War

B-17 Flying Fortress (1942)	B-24 Liberator (1943–1944)	L-5 Sentinel (1944–1945)	UC–64 Norseman (1944–1945)
RC-121 (1962–1963)	EC-121 Warning Star (1963–1969)	WC-135 (1977–1979)	E-3 Sentry (since 1977)

References

Notes

1. "Factsheet 966 Airborne Air Control Squadron". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 31 March 2008. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
2. "Unit Spotlight on 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron". Retrieved 8 March 2020.
3. Rangel, 2Lt Danny (11 May 2020). "966th Airborne Air Control Squadron Continues Mission Despite COVID-19". 72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
4. "966 Airborne Air Control Squadron" (PDF). USAF Unit History. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
5. "Library: Factsheets 552nd Operations Group". 552nd Air Control Wing Public Affairs. 1 June 2007. Archived from the original on 24 January 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2021.

Bibliography

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

• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.