150th Special Operations Squadron
150th Special Operations Squadron
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150th Special Operations Squadron

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150th Special Operations Squadron

The 150th Special Operations Squadron (150 SOS), equipped with the C-32B aircraft, is a unit of the 108th Wing of the New Jersey Air National Guard. It provides global airlift to special response teams within the Department of Defense and other agencies.

The squadron was established in 1956 as the 150th Air Transport Squadron. The following year, it converted to the aeromedical evacuation mission as the 150th Aeromedical Evacuation Transport Squadron. It continued in various airlift roles until 1973, when it converted to the air refueling mission as the 150th Air Refueling Squadron. The squadron was stationed at Newark Municipal Airport until 1965, when it moved to McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey. The squadron was inactivated in 2008 following the retirement of the wing's Boeing KC-135E Stratotanker aircraft. It was later reactivated with a special operations mission.

The squadron was established and federally recognized at Newark Municipal Airport, New Jersey, on 1 February 1956. It was initially equipped with Curtiss C-46 Commando aircraft, performing transport missions from Newark in the northeast. In 1963, it retired the C-46 and was re-equipped with the Lockheed C-121 Constellation long-distance transport, primarily for passenger movements to Europe, also flew to the Caribbean and to Japan, Thailand, South Vietnam, Australia and the Philippines during the Vietnam War. In 1965, the unit relocated to McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey.

The Constellations were retired in 1973, being replaced with the de Havilland Canada C-7 Caribou light transport, which was withdrawn from service in the Vietnam War. The C-7s were used for carrying small payloads in combat areas with rough airstrips.

In 1977, upon receipt of Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers, the unit became the 150th Air Refueling Squadron. It was the first air refueling unit in the United States to launch tankers to establish the U.S.-Saudi Arabia "Air Bridge" during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Hours after President Bush ordered U.S. forces to the Persian Gulf, 150th aircrews were refueling fighters and cargo transports winging their way nonstop from the U.S. to the Persian Gulf. Shortly thereafter, and again, prior to certain units personnel being activated, the 150th deployed aircraft, aircrews, maintenance and support personnel to Saudi Arabia. It also provided urgently needed medical, security police and support personnel to U.S. air bases to assist active duty personnel and serve as "back-fill" for those already rushed to the combat theater.

On 1 October 1993, the squadron's parent 170th Air Refueling Group was inactivated and its components transferred to or consolidated with the parent 108th Air Refueling Wing at McGuire under the Objective Wing organization. The 150th was assigned to the 108th Operations Group as its second KC-135 Squadron (along with the 141st Air Refueling Squadron).

In September 1994, for over 30 days, five aircraft and 300 squadron members deployed to Pisa International Airport, Italy for Operation Deny Flight. Supported by 15 active duty Air Force personnel, the squadron was the first Air National Guard unit to take full responsibility during that period.

The squadron was inactivated in 2008, as the Air Force retired the KC-135E from the inventory.

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