7th Special Operations Squadron

7th Special Operations Squadron
7th SOS CV-22 Osprey at RAF Lakenheath
Active	17 Jul 1942 to 30 Nov 1943 19 Feb 1945 to 3 Oct 1946 14 May 1964 to present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Special Operations
Role	Air infiltration and exfiltration
Part of	Air Force Special Operations Command 752d Special Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom
Decorations	Gallant Unit Citation AFOUA w/V Device AFOUA
Insignia
7th Special Operations Squadron emblem (Approved 11 January 1965)

The 7th Special Operations Squadron is an active flying unit of the United States Air Force. It is a component of the 752d Special Operations Group (752 SOG), United States Special Operations Command, and is currently based at Royal Air Force Station Mildenhall in Suffolk, UK. From their base at RAF Mildenhall, the 7th Special Operations Squadron is able to deploy or extract troops from hostile, sensitive, or otherwise undesirable locations.

The squadron flies the CV-22 Osprey. Their mission is to provide long-range infiltration, exfiltration and resupply of non conventional special operation forces. The CV-22 is fitted with advanced electronic warfare systems, terrain following and avoidance radars, and navigation systems allowing them to operate under almost any adverse weather or time condition, to maximum efficiency.

As the 27th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, the unit was assigned to Third Air Force (Jul 1942 – Nov 1943) in the southeastern United States. It provided aerial support for training ground forces. Later, as the 167th Liaison Squadron, the unit served in the European Theater with Ninth Air Force flying courier flights with army group headquarters in areas to the rear of front lines during 10 Mar – May 1945.

The 7th Special Operations Squadron (SOS) was activated on 1 July 1964 as the 7th Air Commando Squadron (7 ACS/USAFE) at Sembach Air Base, West Germany. The original cadre came from Hurlburt Field, Florida, in March 1964, as Detachment 4, 1st Air Commando Wing. The new squadron was equipped with 4 C-123s, 6 C-47s and 2 U-10 aircraft, and had 265 personnel authorized. In February 1967, the 7 ACS was designated as the unit to receive the new C-130E(I) Combat Arrow aircraft. In May 1967, command of the squadron was transferred from USAFE to 17th Air Force.