42d Airborne Command and Control Squadron
Lineage
Constituted as 42d Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range, Photographic, on 24 Oct 1945. Activated on 7 Nov 1945. Inactivated on 19 Aug 1946. Redesignated 42d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Electronics and Weather, on 11 Dec 1953. Activated on 18 Mar 1954. Redesignated 42d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Electronic, on 1 Jul 1965. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 22 Aug 1966. Redesignated 42d Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron, and activated, on 15 Dec 1967. Organized on 1 Jan 1968. Inactivated on 15 Mar 1974. Redesignated 42d Electronic Combat Squadron on 23 May 1983. Activated on 1 Jul 1983. Inactivated on 1 Jul 1992. Redesignated 42d Airborne Command and Control Squadron on 24 Jun 1994. Activated on 1 Jul 1994.
Assignments
VIII Bomber Command, 7 Nov 1945; 17th Bombardment Operational Training Wing, c. 31 Jan 1946; Second Air Force, 18 Feb 1946; Fifteenth Air Force, 31 Mar–19 Aug 1946. 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 18 Mar 1954; 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 8 Dec 1957; 25th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 1 Jul 1965; 25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 1 Oct 1965–22 Aug 1966. Pacific Air Forces, 15 Dec 1967; 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 Jan 1968 (attached to 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, c. 21 Sep–14 Oct 1970); 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 Oct 1970–15 Mar 1974. 20th Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 Jul 1983; 66th Electronic Combat Wing (attached to 20th Tactical Fighter Wing), 1 Jun 1985; 20th Tactical Fighter (later, 20th Fighter) Wing, 25 Jan 1991–1 Jul 1992. 355th Operations Group, 1 Jul 1994–.
Stations
Smoky Hill AAFld, KS, 7 Nov 1945–19 Aug 1946. Spangdahlem AB, Germany, 18 Mar 1954; RAF Chelveston, England, c. 20 Aug 1959; Toul-Rosieres AB, France, 1 Aug 1962 (deployed at Chambley AB, France, 15 May–9 Oct 1963); Chambley AB, France, 1 Jul 1965–22 Aug 1966. Takhli RTAFB, Thailand, 1 Jan 1968; Korat RTAFB, Thailand, 22 Sep 1970–15 Mar 1974. RAF Upper Heyford, England, 1 Jul 1983–1 Jul 1992. Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, 1 Jul 1994–.
Aircraft
B–29, 1945–1946. RB–26, 1954–1957; T/WT–33, 1955–1957; RB–66, 1956–1965; WB–66, 1957–1960; B–66, 1960–1966. EB–66, 1968–1974. EF–111, 1984–1992.
Operations
Provided weather and electronic reconnaissance for US and NATO forces in Europe, Mar 1954–Aug 1966. Airborne intelligence operations in Southeast Asia, 1968–1973. Provided electronic countermeasures to US Navy aircraft for combat in Libya, 15 Apr 1986. Provided electronic countermeasure jamming in Southwest Asia, c. 31 Aug 1990–9 Mar 1991.
Honors
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. Vietnam: 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; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V; Commando Hunt VI; Commando Hunt VII; Vietnam Ceasefire. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Presidential Unit Citation: Southeast Asia, 12 Apr 1968–30 Apr 1969. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards With Combat "V" Device: 8 Jan–11 Apr 1968; 1 Jul 1969–15 Oct 1970; [16] Oct 1970–20 May 1971; 18 Dec 1972–15 Aug 1973. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 31 Dec 1959–1 Jan 1962; 1 Jun 1989–31 May 1991. Navy Meritorious Unit Citation: 10–16 Apr 1986. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: [1 Jan 1968]–28 Jan 1973.
Emblem
On a Gray disc in front of a White four–pointed star shaded Blue a Gold Brown eagle with White head and tail; Yellow beak, and legs, detailed Dark Brown, in flight to the viewers left; above a Blue demi-globe issuant from base gridlined Yellow and above the eagle’s head two Yellow lightning flashes crossed diagonally all within a narrow Blue border. Approved on 20 Jan 1984 (DFSC 84–05551); replaced emblem approved on 20 Jul 1954 (K 8473).
Source: Organizational History Branch , maxwell.af.mil/au/afhra