352d Special Operations Group
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The 352d Special Operations Group (352 SOG) is the United States Air Force component for Special Operations Command, Europe, a sub-unified command of the United States European Command. The 352d SOG has two flying squadrons, a maintenance squadron, an operations support squadron, and a special tactics squadron. The 352d is based at RAF Mildenhall in England. With the initiation of the Objective Wing organization in the USAF, the 39th Special Operations Wing was disestablished and the 352d Special Operations Group activated to acquire the history and lineage of the World War II 2d Air Commando Group.
As the only Air Force special operations unit permanently aligned under U.S. European Command, the 352nd SOG works a variety of theater contingencies, such as evacuating civilians during African coup attempts or supporting Operations Southern and Northern Watch in Saudi Arabia and Turkey. It also rushed troops to Dubrovnik, Croatia, when an Air Force CT-43 carrying Commerce Secretary Ron Brown crashed into a mountain. Arriving in a nasty rainstorm, 21st SOS Pave Lows inserted the first search-and-rescue teams, followed by a 67th SOS MC-130P. Mildenhall crews remained on scene until the last body was removed.
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[edit] Mission
The mission of the 352d SOG is to serve as the focal point for all U.S. Air Force special operations activities throughout the European theater, including Africa and the Middle East. The 352d SOG is prepared to conduct a variety of high priority, low-visibility missions supporting U.S. and allied special operations forces throughout the European theater during peacetime, joint operations exercises, and combat operations.
The 352d develops and implements peacetime and wartime contingency plans to effectively use fixed wing, helicopter, and personnel assets to conduct infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply of U.S. and allied special operations forces.
The 352d SOG is made up of the
- 7th Special Operations Squadron
- 67th Special Operations Squadron
- 321st Special Tactics Squadron
- 352d Operations Support Squadron
- 352d Maintenance Squadron
[edit] History
[edit] Lineage
- Established as 2d Air Commando Group, on 11 Apr 1944.
- Activated on 22 Apr 1944.
- Inactivated on 12 Nov 1945.
- Disestablished on 8 Oct 1948.
- Reestablished and consolidated (31 Jul 1985) with the 702d Strategic Missile Wing (ICM-Snark)
- Established 702d Strategic Missile Wing (ICM-Snark), on 17 Jun 1958.
- Activated on 1 Jan 1959.
- Discontinued, and inactivated on 25 Jun 1961.
- Redesignated 352d Special Operations Wing, on 31 Jul 1985.
- Redesignated 352d Special Operations Group on 21 Sep 1992.
- Activated on 1 Dec 1992.
- Consolidated (17 Aug 1998) with the 39th Special Operations Wing
- Established as the 39th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing on 20 Oct 1969.
- Activated on 1 Jan 1970
- Redesignated 39th Special Operations Wing, on 1 Mar 1988
- Inactivated 1 Dec 1992.
- Consolidated group retained designation of 352d Special Operations Group.
[edit] Stations Assigned
[edit] External links
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