History
The lineage of the 16th Special Operations Wing can be traced back to that of the 16 Pursuit group which was raised on March 24th 1923. However the unit has also a heritage with the 1 Air Commando Group which was raised at August 9th 1944. It was this unit who also provides the special operations background of the unit.
In September 1944, after the original unit was consolidated with the headquarters component of the new establishment (also called 1st Air Commando Group), the sections were replaced by a troop carrier, two fighter, and three liaison squadrons. The group continued performing supply, evacuation, and liaison services for allied forces in Burma until the end of the war, including the movement of Chinese troops from Burma to China in December 1944. It also attacked bridges, railroads, airfields, barges, oil wells, and troop positions in Burma and escorted bombers to Burmese targets, including Rangoon. Switched back to P-51’s in May 1945. Left Burma in October and inactivated in New Jersey in November 1945.
The unit was replaced by the 4400th Combat Crew Training Group in April 1962 and assumed air commando operations and training responsibility. Trained USAF and South Vietnamese Air Force aircrews in the United States and South Vietnam in unconventional warfare, counterinsurgency, psychological warfare, and civic actions throughout the Southeast Asian conflict. Between January 11th and June 30th 1974, the USAF Special Operations Force and 1st Special Operations Wing merged their operations, and on July 1st 1974, the wing assumed responsibility for operating the USAF Air Ground Operations School, which trained personnel in concepts, doctrine, tactics, and procedures of joint and combined operations until February 1978, and the USAF Special Operations School, which trained selected American and allied personnel in special operations, until March 1983.
Elements of the wing participated in the attempt in April 1980 to rescue US hostages held in Tehran, Iran. Thereafter, continued to work closely with multi-service special operations forces to develop combat tactics for numerous types of aircraft and conduct combat crew training for USAF and foreign aircrews. Conducted numerous disaster relief; search and rescue; medical evacuation; and humanitarian support missions.
Among its missions in that period were supported drug interdiction efforts in a coordinated program involving multiple US and foreign agencies, 1983-1985. It conducted airdrop and airlift of troops and equipment; psychological operations, close air support, reconnaissance, search and rescue, and attacks against enemy airfields and lines of communications in support of the rescue of US nationals in Grenada, October and November 1983, and the US invasion in Panama in December 1989 and January 1990. Beginning August 1990, the 1st Special Operations Wing deployed personnel and equipment to Saudi Arabia. These forces carried out combat search and rescue, unconventional warfare, and direct strike missions during the conflict, including suppression of Iraqi forces during the Battle of Khafji in January 1991.
After the Battle for Kuwait the unit deployed personnel and equipment worldwide, performing combat search and rescue, and supporting contingencies, humanitarian relief, and exercises that included Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iraq, Kuwait, and Central America. Elements of the wing participated in operations Provide Comfort in Iraq, 1991-1996 and Deny Flight, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 1993-1995. It supported operation Deliberate Force/Joint Endeavor, in August/September 1995 and from December 14th to 20th 1996, flying combat missions and attacking targets critical to Bosnian-Serb Army operations. Wing elements participated in operations Northern and Southern Watch in 1997 and again participated in combat operations in Desert Thunder, which took place between February to June 1998 and Desert Fox, and between December 17th to 21st 1998. It assumed an additional mission, supporting the Aerospace Expeditionary Forces in February 2000. In 2001 and 2002 deployed elements to Afghanistan and Iraq and performed combat operations in the global war on terror.