41st Electronic Combat Squadron


The 41st Electronic Combat Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. Its current assignment is with the 55th Electronic Combat Group at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona as a geographically separated unit from its parent wing, the 55th Wing at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. It operates the Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call communications-jamming aircraft.
The squadron is one of the oldest in the United States Air Force, its origins dating to 14 June 1917, when it was organized at Kelly Field, Texas. It served overseas in France as part of the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I. The squadron also saw combat during World War II, and became part of Tactical Air Command during the Cold War. It also holds the distinction of being the longest continuously deployed U.S. Air Force unit.

History

World War I

The squadron's origins date to the 9th Balloon Company of the Observation Balloon Service in World War I, which served with the French 17th and 32nd Army Corps, and the III and IV Army Corps, United States Army, from 16 August – 11 November 1918.

World War II

The squadron provided air defense for Panama Canal, January 1942 – May 1944, with occasional antisubmarine patrols over the Caribbean and Pacific, especially during May and June 1942; deployed to Western Pacific in June 1945, but never entered combat.

Cold War

The squadron was reactivated at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, where it was assigned to the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group and equipped with Douglas RB-26 Invader aircraft. In 1956 as deliveries of the Douglas RB-66B Destroyer to the Air Force increased, the squadron was equipped with the newer jet aircraft.

From the 1960s

The unit fought in Southeast Asia, c. November 1965 – 31 October 1969.
The unit was tasked with command, control, and communications countermeasures from 1982 onwards. It flew electronic countermeasures missions from the United Arab Emirates during Operation Desert Shield/Operation Desert Storm from 27 August 1990 – 17 April 1991.

Post-9/11 Operations

From 2002 to 2021, the 41st Electronic Combat Squadron was the longest continuously deployed unit in the history of the U.S. Air Force, primarily supporting Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Resolute Support in Afghanistan. Over this 19-year deployment, the squadron flew nearly 14,800 sorties and logged over 90,000 combat flight hours, providing critical electronic warfare support.

Lineage

  • Organized as Company A, 4th Balloon Squadron on 13 November 1917
  • Redesignated 41st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Night-Photographic on 14 January 1954
  • Redesignated 41st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Photo-Jet and activated on 30 June 1965
  • Redesignated 41st Electronic Combat Squadron on 17 June 1980

Assignments

Source:

Stations

Aircraft