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Right front view of two OV-10 Bronco aircraft from the 22nd Tactical Air Support Squadron, Wheeler Field, Hawaii, as pre-flight operations take place during Exercise Opportune Journey 84.
The squadron moved to the Atlantic Coast in July 1942 and its air echelon was attached to Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command in October and continued its patrols in this area. The squadron formally joined Antisubmarine Command in March 1943, when it became the 22d Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy) equipped with B-24. In June, 1943 the air echelon moved to England, conducting operations over the Bay of Biscay. The ground echelon remained in the United States and was inactivated in October 1943 as US Navy assumed the antisubmarine mission. The squadron assisted in the transition until the air echelon was disbanded in November.[3]
Antisubmarine patrol flights were conducted in the squadron's assigned areas, producing a situation map that was continuously updated with enemy and friendly forces, convoys, and other pertinent information. The antisubmarine patrols also produced an enemy dispersion chart showing the disposition of all known enemy submarines in the entire Atlantic area.[citation needed]
The 22d Tactical Air Support Squadron (Light) was organized at Binh Thuy Air Base, South Vietnam, on 8 May 1965.[6] It provided aircrews in Vietnam to direct air strikes for tactical aircraft operating within the Tactical Air Control System. Visual reconnaissance, convoy escort, and other missions were conducted as directed by the Tactical Air Commander, and aircraft and maintenance were provided in support of these operations within IV Corps, South Vietnam, as directed by Seventh Air Force. The squadron provided aircraft and personnel in support of the Theater Indoctrination School, and field and transient maintenance support of USAF aircraft at Binh Thuy Air Base. The 22nd operated the Cessna O-1 Bird Dog aircraft, 1965–1971; and the Cessna O-2 Skymaster aircraft, 1967–1971.[1]
In January 1970, 22nd TASS completed the turn over of all its forward operating locations in IV Corps and handed its mission of supporting the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) in IV Corps to the Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF). It relocated its headquarters to Bien Hoa Air BaseinIII Corps. 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron, also based at Bien Hoa, transferred to 22nd TASS all the personnel, aircraft and other equipment supporting ARVN forces in III Corps. 19th TASS retained for itself the assets supporting the American ground forces in the region. Within a year, 22nd TASS completed in III Corps the task it had accomplished in IV Corps. It turned over control of all the forward operating locations and the mission of supporting ARVN forces based in III Corps to the RVNAF. On 15 January 1971, the remaining personnel and other resources of the 22d were absorbed by the 19th TASS, and the 22d was unmanned and non-operational until it transferred W/O/P/E to Wheeler Air Force Base, Hawaii, on 15 May 1971.[citation needed]
Over the course of the war, the 22d suffered four killed in action.[7] Aircraft losses were 13 O-1s and three O-2s.[8]
At Wheeler the 22d, using the Cessna O-2, organized, trained, and equipped assigned personnel to provide the Air Force Component Commander with a joint force, capable of operating and maintaining a tactical air support subsystem for ground forces requiring close air support, tactical air reconnaissance and tactical airlift.
The squadron also provided Direct Air Support Center and Tactical Air Control Party personnel and equipment to support US Army units in Hawaii. During 1982, the 22d participated in a number of exercises and prepared plans for conversion to the North American OV-10 Bronco. Converted to the OV-10 aircraft, August–October 1983. Supported U.S. Army on the ground with TACPs creating a network which provided the Army with immediate air support and, in the air, with OV-10 forward air control support. Participated in numerous exercises with US and allied army ground units throughout the Far East.[citation needed]
It was inactivated on 22 September 1988. It was then redesignated 22d Tactical Air Support Training Squadron on 1 October 1988 and reactivated on 14 October 1988. Its inactivation was on 30 September 1991.[4]
41st Bombardment Group, 15 January 1941 (air echelon attached to Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command on 13 October 1942, to 25th Antisubmarine Wing after 20 November 1942)
Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command, 3 March 1943 (remained attached to 25th Antisubmarine Wing)
RAF Dunkeswell (Station 173),[9] England, 20 August 1943 (air echelon)
Ground echelon remained at Bluethenthal Field until September 1943, then moved to Salt Lake City Army Air Base, Utah, where it was inactivated on 30 October 1943
RAF Podington (Station 109),[9] England, 1–11 November 1943 (air echelon)[3]
^pproved 8 January 1943. Description: Over and through a light blue disc, border yellow orange, piped white, a large yellow aerial bomb with caricatured face expressing anger, grasping an automatic revolver in the right hand and a commando dagger in the left hand, both proper; between ear phones over top of bomb nose, white speed lines.
Hobson, Chris (2001). Vietnam Air Losses: United States Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps Fixed-Wing Aircraft Losses in Southeast Asia 1961–1973. Midland Publications. ISBN1857801156, 9781857801156.
United States
United States Air Force
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
