71st Special Operations Squadron

71st Special Operations Squadron
71st Special Operations Squadron Patch
Active	9 February 1943 – 31 July 1946 15 March 1947 – 1 October 1973 1 October 1987 – 1 October 1993 20 May 2005 – 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	DUC PUC AFOUA French Croix de Guerre w/Palm French Fourragère RVGC w/ Palm

The 71st Special Operations Squadron (71 SOS) is part of the 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operates CV-22 Osprey conducting special operations flying training.

Provide Combat Ready CV-22 Aircrews to Air Force Special Operations Command.

Established in early 1943 as a C-47 Skytrain transport squadron under First Air Force, later trained under I Troop Carrier Command in the eastern United States. Deployed to England in late 1943, being assigned to Ninth Air Force in England, IX Troop Carrier Command to participate in the buildup of forces prior to the Allied landings in France during D–Day in June 1944.

Engaged in combat operations by dropping paratroops into Normandy on D-Day (6 June 1944) and releasing gliders with reinforcements on the following day. The unit received a Distinguished Unit Citation and a French citation for these missions.

After the Normandy invasion the squadron ferried supplies in the United Kingdom. The squadron also hauled food, clothing, medicine, gasoline, ordnance equipment, and other supplies to the front lines and evacuated patients to rear zone hospitals. It dropped paratroops near Nijmegen and towed gliders carrying reinforcements during the airborne attack on the Netherlands. In December, it participated in the Battle of the Bulge by releasing gliders with supplies for the 101st Airborne Division near Bastogne.