Lineage

4th Ferrying Squadron (constituted 4th Air Corps Ferrying Squadron on 18 Feb 1942; activated on 8 Apr 1942; redesignated 4th Ferrying Squadron on 12 May 1943; disbanded on 31 Mar 1944; reconstituted on 19 Sep 1985) consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with the following units: 4th Liaison Squadron (constituted 4th Liaison Flight on 27 Sep 1949; activated on 27 Oct 1949; redesignated 4th Liaison Squadron on 15 Jul 1952; inactivated on 22 Jul 1952; activated on 22 Jul 1952; inactivated on 8 Mar 1954); 4th Special Operations Squadron (constituted 4th Air Commando Squadron [Fire Support], and activated, on 2 Aug 1965; organized on 8 Aug 1965; redesignated 4th Special Operations Squadron on 1 Aug 1968; inactivated on 15 Dec 1969); and 4th Airborne Command and Control Squadron (constituted 4th Airborne Command and Control Squadron on 12 Mar 1970; activated on 1 Apr 1970). Inactivated on 30 Sep 1992. Redesignated 4th Special Operations Squadron on 13 Feb 1995. Activated on 1 May 1995.

Assignments

Northeast Sector, Air Corps Ferrying Command (later, 2d Ferrying Group), 8 Apr 1942?31 Mar 1944. Fourteenth Air Force, 27 Oct 1949; Tactical Air Command, 1 Aug 1950; Ninth Air Force (Tactical), 14 Aug 1950?22 Jul 1952. Eighteenth Air Force, 22 Jul 1952; Twelfth Air Force, 13 Feb 1953?8 Mar 1954. Pacific Air Forces, 2 Aug 1965; 2d Air Division, 8 Aug 1965 (attached to 6250th Combat Support Group, 8 Aug 1965?1 Mar 1966); 14th Air Commando (later, 14th Special Operations) Wing, 8 Mar 1966?15 Dec 1969. 28th Bombardment Wing, 1 Apr 1970; 28th Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991?30 Sep 1992. 16th Operations Group, 1 May 1995?.

Stations

Logan Field, MD, 8 Apr 1942; New Castle AAB, DE, c. 25 May 1942?31 Mar 1944. Pope AFB, NC, 27 Oct 1949?22 Jul 1952 (deployed at Camp MacKall, NC, 14 Apr?4 May 1950; Ft Hood, TX, 14 Mar?7 Apr 1952). Donaldson AFB, SC, 22 Jul 1952?23 Jan 1953; Furstenfeldbruck AB, Germany, 10 Feb 1953?8 Mar 1954. Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam, 8 Aug 1965 (deployed at Forbes AFB, KS, 8 Aug?c. 1 Nov 1965); Nha Trang AB, South Vietnam, 1 Jun 1966; Phan Rang AB, South Vietnam, 1 Oct 1969?15 Dec 1969. Ellsworth AFB, SD, 1 Apr 1970?30 Sep 1992. Hurlburt Field, FL, 1 May 1995?.

Aircraft

Ferried a variety of combat aircraft, 1942?1944. L?13, 1949?1951, 1951?1952; C?45, 1951?1952; L?20, 1952. L?20, 1952?1953. FC(later, AC)?47, 1965?1969; C?47, 1966?1967, 1969; HC?47, 1969. EC?135, 1970?1992.

Operations

Ferried aircraft to locations in Alaska, Africa, and Europe, Apr 1942?Feb 1944; also airlifted cargo, and evacuated wounded to US military hospitals. Combat in Vietnam, c. 20 Nov 1965?30 Nov 1969. Provided an auxiliary command post and a communications link for the Fifteenth Air Force and SAC, 1 Apr 1970?30 Sep 1992.

Honors

Service Streamers. World War II American Theater.

Campaign Streamers. Vietnam: Vietnam Defensive; Vietnam Air; Vietnam Air Offensive; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air/Ground; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; TET 69/Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer-Fall, 1969; Vietnam Winter-Spring, 1970.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Presidential Unit Citations (Southeast Asia): 8 Mar 1966?7 Mar 1967; 21 Jun 1968?30 Jun 1969. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat "V" Device: 1 Nov 1965?9 Mar 1966; 16 Jun 1967?15 Jun 1968; 16 Jun 1967?20 Jun 1968; 21 Jun 1968?15 Jun 1969. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 9 Jun?10 Jul 1972; 1 Jul 1976?30 Jun 1978; 1 Jul 1978?30 Jun 1980; 1 Jul 1981?30 Jun 1983; 1 Jul 1984?30 Jun 1986; 1 Jul 1986?30 Jun 1988; 1 Jul 1988?30 Jun 1990; 1 Sep 1991?30 Sep 1992. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Crosses with Palm: 1 Apr 1966?15 Dec 1969; 1 Jan 1968?30 Aug 1968.

Emblem

Sable, an increscent in sinister Or surmounted in base by a cloud below a ghost specter Argent issuing flames from its sinister arm to base Proper; all within a diminished bordure of the second. MOTTO: GHOSTRIDERS. Approved on 20 Jun 1995; replaced emblem approved on 29 Sep 1953 (K 7070).