9th Special Operations History

The 9th Special Operations Squadron (9th SOS) is part of the 27th Special Operations Wing (27th SOW) at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. The squadron operates the MC-130J Commando II and is ready at a moment’s notice to support special operations worldwide. Activated on 1 April 1944 as the 39th Bombardment Squadron, the unit was constituted as a B-29 Superfortress squadron but flew the B-17 Flying Fortress for the first year of the squadron’s existance. B-29s flew “shakedown” missions throughout the Western Pacific and the unit was inactivated in 1948. With the breakout of the Cold War, the 39th Bombardment Squadron flew again when it was reactivated in 1951. Initially the squadron flew second-line B-29s before being equipped with new Convair B-36 Peacemaker intercontinental strategic bombers in 1952. In 1957, the B-36s were replaced with B-52E Stratofortresses and began training B-52 crews for Strategic Air Command (SAC) until 1959 and was inactivated once again in 1967. As a result of the Vietnam War, the 9th Air Commando Squadron was activated in January 1967 and redesignated as the 9th Special Operations Squadron in 1968. The unit flew O-2B Skymasters and C-47 Skytrains performing psychological operations (PSYOPS) throughout Southeast Asia. The 9th SOS was inactivated in February 1972 and reactivated in 1988 as a result of the split of the 55th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron. It’s HC-130P/N aircraft became the core of the 9th SOS and were redesignated MC-130P Combat Shadows. With the Combat Shadow, the 9th SOS proved itself indispensable time and time again with deployments in support of Operation JUST CAUSE, Operation DESERT SHIELD, as well as simultaneous deployments to both Operation NOTHERN WATCH in Turkey and Operation SOUTHERN WATCH in Saudi Arabia, providing combat search and rescue. Since 9/11, the 9th SOS has been at the forefront of the Global War on Terrorism, spearheading the first wave of forces into Afghanistan during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM and later Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. In 2014, the unit went through a transition period as it prepared for the MC-130J. The 9th, which was located at Hurlburt Field, FL folded her flag and transferred to Cannon AFB to fly the MC-130J Commando II. Since then, the 9th SOS has become the premier specialized mobility unit, providing infiltration, exfiltration, refueling, and resupply for special operations forces throughout the world.