C-130 Units

Converted

Re-designated from the 4472nd SS in July 1971 to the 11th Tactical Drone Squadron and retained the DC-130A at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. Tail code was DF till 1972.

Disbanded

Established as the 22nd Tactical Drone Squadron on July 1,1976 at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. Inactivated on Apr 1, 1979 but years later re-activated in 1993 as the 22nd Intelligence Squadron as a non-flying unit.

Active

Active

Disbanded

Active

Activated with the EC-130H during 1982.

Active

Active

Initially operational with the EC-130 at Sembach AB, Germany on October 1, 1986. The squadron temporarily stood down and moved to CONUS activating on May 1, 1992 at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona.

Disbanded

C-130s joined already operational WB-50s and WB-47s in 1962 at Andersen AFB, Guam. From 1965 onwards exclusively flew the WC-130. Disbanded in 1987.

Disbanded

Started flying WC-130s along side WC-135s from 1970 to 1975 at McClellan AFB, California. During 1975 converted to the HC-130 but the WC-135s remained the active. Inactivated at the end of the cold war in 1993. During its time the squadron flew atmospheric sampling missions over the Pacific and Arctic region to monitor radiation from nuclear tests for breaches of treaties. After the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986, the squadron monitored atmospheric radiation.

Dropped Aircraft Type

Flew HC-130 from 1966 to 1968. Unit became the 55th Special Operations Squadron on March 1, 1988 and moved to Hurlburt Field, Florida transferring the HC-130s to the 9th SOS.

Disbanded

Activated on July 8, 1972 at Korat Royal Thai AFB. Inactivated on October 15, 1975.

Disbanded

Flew the HC-130 out of Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal. Role was typically search and rescue. Often (2-3 times a week) the squadron had to fly emergency escort flights to help aircraft with failed engines over the Atlantic Ocean to Lajes Field.

The 57th ARRS had a role in the Apollo program and trained for the day they might have to acturally participate in a real Apollo capsule rescue. The Navy or Coast Guard also based at Lajes would “Place” a dummy Apollo Capsule in the water somewhere in our search quadrant. Then the 57th would be scrambled to first locate the downed capsule and then drop a collar (flotation device) and PJs into the ocean to secure the capsule by attaching the collar to it. Not an easy task on a calm lake, but worse when the Atlantic was roaring.

Inactivated on December 1st, 1972. Currently an associate unit, the 57th Rescue Squadron based at RAF Lakenheath, England activating in 2015.

Active

First activated with the HC-130 on March 8, 1970 at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska where it operated at times along side CH-3s and HH-3s. Moved to Patrick AFB, Florida on October 1, 1991 before settling at Moody AFB, Georgia on April 1, 1997.

Active

Converted

Came from a renumbering of the 4025th SRS to the 350th SRS on June 25, 1966. DC-130E's operated Ryan AQM-34 Firebee drones in the reconnaissance role out of Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona but at the time of renumbering to the 350th were deployed to Vietnam. Disbanded on July 1, 1976 but later reactivated again as a refueling unit with the KC-135.

Disbanded

Flew RC-130A at Turner AFB, Georgia till moved to Forbes AFB, Kansas in May 1966. Although would often deploy all over the world for six month periods. Overall missions included precision photo-mapping, electronic controlled photo-mapping, and aerial electronic geodetic surveys across the globe. Inactivated March 1974 after a significant increase in the capability of satellite technology.

Dropped Aircraft Type

Began operating the HC-130 in 1973 and operated along side HH-43 Huskie and HH-53 Super Jolly Green Giant at Hill AFB, Utah. Lineage now follows the 551st Special Operations Squadron.

Disbanded

4025th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron operated from July 1, 1965 till June 25, 1966 at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. Originally operated the DC-130A with the Ryan AQM-34 Firbee drone and later converted to the DC-130E. On December 31, 1963 President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the order for the parent Wing to deploy to South Vietnam and the 4025th deployed under code name "Blue Springs". The squadron had already deployed to Kadena AB, Okinawa but relocated Bien Hoa, Vietnam. The C-130s flew varied mission types but flying mainly reconnaissance role, but also used the Firbee drones to drop smart bombs and leaflets. Became the 350th SRS and wing renumbered from 4080th SRW to the 100th SRW which continued to operate the DC-130 till 1976.

Disbanded

Operated at England AFB, Louisiana from March 1st, 1968 to July 15, 1969.

Disbanded

Activated at Sewart AFB in 1962 and later began operations July 10, 1968 at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. Was re-designated the 4472nd Support Squadron (Special Projects Activity) on 1 Jul 1969 Taken over by the 11th TDS in July 1971.

Disbanded

Converted from the RB-50E to the C-130A-II in 1958 at Rhein-Main AB, Germany. First two aircraft to arrive were #56-0525 and #56-0528 in July 1958.. Notably was the loss of C-130A-II #56-0528 when it was shot down by four Soviet MiG-17s with the loss of a crew of seventeen over Yerevan, USSR on September 2, 1958. It was the first Hercules lost to hostile fire. Another noteworthy event was the squadrons monitoring of the Arab-Israeli Six-Day War in which the C-130s flew the perilously exposed to collect intelligence. In early 1972 the squadron converted to the C-130B-II with the first arriving ahead of this with #59-1537 during November of 1971. Scheduled to disband, the last four aircraft departed June 26, 1975 back to CONUS for conversion back to standard C-130Bs. A deactivation ceremony was held June 28, 1974 and disbanded on June 30, 1974.