961st Airborne Air Control Squadron
| 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1941-1945; 1954-1969; 1979-Present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Airborne Command and Control |
| Part of |
Pacific Air Forces 5th Air Force 18th Wing 18th Operations Group |
| Garrison/HQ | Kadena Air Base |
| Decorations |
Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
William Crumm Colonel Caleb Lutter |
| Insignia | |
| 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron emblem (approved 2 March 1981) |  |
| 961st Airborne Early Warning & Control Sq emblem |  |
| 61st Bombardment Squadron emblem (approved 15 May 1942) |  |
The 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron (961 AACS) is part of the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base, Japan. It operates the E-3 Sentry aircraft conducting airborne command and control missions.
Provide airborne command and control, long-range surveillance, detection and identification information for commanders in support of U.S. goals.
Established in November 1940 as a B-17 Flying Fortress Heavy Bombardment squadron organized at Fort Douglas, Utah; assigned to the GHQ Air Force Northwest Air District at Geiger Field, Washington where the squadron flew training missions and also reconnaissance missions along the Northwest Pacific Coast. After the Pearl Harbor Attack, became first an Operational Training Unit (OTU) at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, later converting to a B-24 Liberator Replacement Training Unit (RTU).
Re-designated on 1 April 1944 as a B-29 Superfortress Very Heavy bombardment squadron. When training was completed moved to North Field Guam in the Mariana Islands of the Central Pacific Area in January 1945 and assigned to XXI Bomber Command, Twentieth Air Force. Its mission was the strategic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands and the destruction of its war-making capability.
Flew "shakedown" missions against Japanese targets on Moen Island, Truk, and other points in the Carolines and Marianas. The squadron began combat missions over Japan on 25 February 1945 with a firebombing mission over Northeast Tokyo. The squadron continued to participate in wide area firebombing attack, but the first ten-day blitz resulting in the Army Air Forces running out of incendiary bombs. Until then the squadron flew conventional strategic bombing missions using high explosive bombs.
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