User:Pmsyyz/89th Operations Support Squadron

The 89th Operations Support Squadron (89 OSS) is a United States Air Force unit at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, provides mission support including intelligence, weather, airfield operations, Special Air Mission (SAM) operations, operational training. Airfield operations manages the nation's executive airfield which includes two major runways, and coordinates operations with nine partner flying units from all the military services, including active, guard and reserve; and the Department of Energy, Maryland State Police, and Civil Air Patrol. It is part of the 89th Operations Group and the 89th Airlift Wing.

Lineage

Constituted as 89th Airdrome Squadron on 30 Mar 1943
Activated on 1 Apr 1943
Inactivated on 16 Jan 1946
Disbanded on 8 Oct 1948
Reconstituted and redesignated 89th Operations Support Squadron, 18 June 1991^[1]
Activated, 12 Jul 1991

Stations

Hunter Field, Georgia, 1 Apr 1943
Lebanon Airport, Tennessee, 18 Aug 1943
Hunter Field, Georgia, 7 Nov 1943
Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia, 7-12 Dec 1943
India, 13 Feb 1944
Malir, India, 2 Mar 1944
Agra, India, c. 1 Aug 1945-16 Jan 1946
Andrews AFB, Maryland, 12 Jul 1991-present

Assignments

Third Air Force, 1 Apr-Dec 1943
AAF, India-Burma Sector, China-Burma-India Theater, c. 13 Feb 1944
Central India Air Depot, 25 Jul 1945-16 Jan 1946
89th Operations Group, 12 Jul 1991-present

History and operations

3 Apr 1943: The 89th Airdrome Sq. was activated at Hunter Field, Savannah, GA. Maneuvers and duty at Lebanon, TN Airport with Tennessee Air Support Command from Aug-Oct 43.

6 Dec 1943: Unit began travel to overseas duty; departed from Camp Patrick Henry, Newport, VA, on 13 Dec 43 by liberty ship SS William H. Mulholland. Arrived and debarked at Oran, Algeria 1 Jan 44 and moved on to Algiers before boarding a ship for transport to a permanent assignment at an Indian location.

3 Jan 1944: 89th Airdrome Sq broken up and personnel placed under administrative control of the China-Burma-India Chinese American Operational Training Unit (CAOTU).

25 Jul 1945: Unit assigned to the Central India Air Depot.

The unit was known as Cantrel’s Kittens, after the unit commander.

The patch was unofficial and was made in mid-to-late 1945 as a memento for the unit members. The current emblem was approved on 9 Dec 1993, and the latest rendering is from 29 Oct 2018.

In the summer of 1991, the unit was reconstituted, redesignated, and reactivated as the 89th Operations Support Squadron by Military Airlift Command.

Component flights in 2024: Airfield Operations, Weather, Intelligence, Combat Crew Comm, In-Flight Service Funds, Aircrew Flight Equipment, Executive Airlift Formal Training Unit, Student Flight, and SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape).^[2]

Emblem

Emblem blazon: On a disc Azure, in chief a sphere edged and gridlined Sable, surmounted by a stylized fox head affrontée Gules, eyed Argent, pupils of the second, above a column Or; all within a narrow border Yellow.

Attached above the disc, a Blue scroll edged with a narrow Yellow border and inscribed “EXPECT THE BEST” in Yellow letters.

Attached below the disc, a Blue scroll edged with a narrow Yellow border and inscribed “89 OSS” in Yellow letters.

Significance: Ultramarine blue and Air Force yellow are the Air Force colors. Blue alludes to the sky, the primary theater of Air Force operations. Yellow refers to the sun and the excellence required of Air Force personnel. The globe reflects the unit’s support to the aircrews who provide worldwide transportation for the President, Vice-President, heads of state, and United States and foreign dignitaries. The fox’s face is a historical reference to the call sign for Special Air Missions (SAM) and the phonetic Foxtrot (FOX) designates foreign rather than domestic flights. Over the years, the term SAMFOX has come to symbolize the unit’s dedication and superior customer support. The column denotes the Squadron’s support to the wing’s mission.

Campaign and service streamers

Decorations

Air Force Meritorious Unit Award: 1 Jul 2011-30 Jun 2012
Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1992-30 Jun 1994; 1 Jul 1994-30 Jun 1996; 1 Jul 1996-30 Jun 1998; 1 Jul 1998-30 Jun 2000; 1 Jul 2002-30 Jun 2004; 1 Jul 2004-30 Jun 2005; 1 Jul 2005-30 Jun 2006; 1 Jul 2006-30 Jun 2007; 1 Jul 2007-30 Jun 2008; 1 Jul 2008-30 Jun 2009; 1 Jul 2009-30 Jun 2011; 1 Jul 2015-30 Jun 2016; 1 Jul 2016-30 Jun 2017; 1 Jul 2017-30 Jun 2018; 1 Jul 2018-30 Jun 2019; 1 Jul 2019-30 Jun 2020

References

This article incorporates public domain material from Air Force Historical Research Agency.

^ Headquarters Military Airlift Command Special Order GA-92, 18 June 1991
^ "HBD 89OSS". 89th Airlift Wing. Retrieved 12 April 2024. {{cite web}}: Text "This week was the 80th Anniversary of the 89th Operational Support Squadron" ignored (help)

Category:Squadrons of the United States Air Force

[1] Headquarters Military Airlift Command Special Order GA-92, 18 June 1991

[2] "HBD 89OSS". 89th Airlift Wing. Retrieved 12 April 2024. {{cite web}}: Text "This week was the 80th Anniversary of the 89th Operational Support Squadron" ignored (help)

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