970th Airborne Air Control Squadron
 | |
|---|---|
 Squadron E-3 Sentry landing at Tinker Air Force Base | |
| Active | 1941–1946; 1951–1953; 1966–1973; 1996–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Airborne Command and Control |
| Part of | Air Force Reserve Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Tinker Air Force Base |
| Nickname(s) | Thumper[citation needed] Antique Airlines(1966-1973)[1] |
| Engagements | American Theater of Operations Vietnam War Global War on Terror[2] |
| Decorations | Presidential Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device Air Force Aoutstanding unit Award Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm[2] |
| Insignia | |
| 970th Airborne Air Control Squadron emblem[a][2] |  |
| 360th Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron emblem[b] |  |
| Vietnam War Tail Code[3] | AJ |
The 970th Airborne Air Control Squadron is part of the 513th Air Control Group at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates the Boeing E-3 Sentry aircraft conducting airborne command and control missions.
The first predecessor of the squadron was the 29th Bombardment Squadron, which was activated in Puerto Rico in April 1941. The squadron flew antisubmarine patrols in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean in defense of the Panama Canal during World War II. It was inactivated in Panama in November 1946. It was reactivated during the Korean War as the 130th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, but was inactivated in January 1953 and transferred its personnel and equipment to another unit.
The 360th Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron, the squadron's second predecessor, monitored and located enemy radio transmitters and conducted psychological warfare operations in South Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos from 1966 to 1972. With the withdrawal of American forces from Southeast Asia, it returned to the united States, where it was inactivated in July 1972.
In 1985, the two squadrons were consolidated. After the consolidated unit was redesignated as the '970th Airborne Air Control Squadron, it was activated as a reserve associate unit of the 552nd Air Control Wing in 1996. It has trained for and flown air control missions since then.
- ^ See 360th Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron emblem.
- ^ a b c Dollman, TSG David (21 October 2016). "Factsheet 970 Airborne Air Control Squadron". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
- ^ Martin, Joe (1 June 2017). "The Year of the Offensive Begins". EC47 History Site. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
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