550th Special Operations Squadron

550th Special Operations Squadron
550th Special Operations Squadron Patch
Active	1 April 1971 – present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Special Operations Training
Part of	Air Education and Training Command 19th Air Force 58th Special Operations Wing 58th Operations Group
Decorations	AFOUA

The 550th Special Operations Squadron (550 SOS) "WOLFPACK" is part of the 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operates Lockheed HC-130s and MC-130s, conducting special operations flying training.

Mission

To provide United States Special Operations Command and theater commanders the finest special operations and combat search and rescue forces in the world.^[1]

History

The 1550th developed, conducted, and monitored helicopter flying training from, 1971–1987, in addition to search and rescue missions from, 1976–1987. It has conducted special operations training since 1987.^[2]

Lineage^[2]

1550th ATTW (Aircrew Training & Test Wing) 1971-
1550th Flying Training Squadron (1971–1991)
550th Flying Training Squadron (1991–1994)
550th Special Operations Squadron (1994 – present)

Assignments^[2]

1550th Combat Crew Training Wing (1971–1991)
542d Flying Training Wing (1991–1994)
58th Special Operations Wing (1994 – present)

Bases stationed^[2]

Hill Air Force Base, Utah (1971–1976)
Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico (1976 – present)

Aircraft Operated

^[1]

HH-3E Jolly Green Giant 1971-
HH-53 1971- Super Jolly Green Giant
UH-1N 1972-
TH-1 (1971–1987)
UH-1 Iroquois (1971–1987)
HH-43 Huskie (1973–1975)
HC-130P/N King (1987 – present) Callsign AKELA
MC-130H Combat Talon II (1994 – present) Callsign OPUS
MC-130P Combat Shadow (1996 – 2013) Callsign SHADOW/UMBRA

Notes

1 2 550th SOS Fact Sheet Archived 5 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
1 2 3 4 AFHRA 550 SOS Page

Bibliography

Air Education and Training Command (AETC)

Air Forces	Second Nineteenth Air University

Bases	Altus Columbus Goodfellow Gunter Annex Keesler Lackland Laughlin Luke Maxwell Randolph Sheppard Tyndall Vance

Wings	12th Flying Training 14th Flying Training 17th Training 33d Fighter 37th Training 42d Air Base 47th Flying Training 56th Fighter 58th Special Operations 59th Medical 71st Flying Training 80th Flying Training 81st Training 82d Training 97th Air Mobility 314th Airlift 502d Air Base

Groups	336th Training Group 381st Training Group

Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC)

Bases

Wings

Groups

Squadrons

Operations	1st 2d 3d 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 15th 16th 17th 19th 20th 21st 22d 33d 34th 43d 49th 67th 71st 73d 193d 318th 319th 427th 512th 522d 524th 550th 551st 711th 919th

Special Tactics	17th 21st 22d 23d 24th 26th 123d 125th 320th 321st

other	18th Flight Test 23d Weather Squadron

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