The 18th Airborne Command and Control Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit that operated the Bombardier E-11A BACN aircraft.Assigned to the 319th Reconnaissance Wing at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota, the 18th ACCS is based at Robins AFB, Georgia, since being activated in February 2023. The 18th ACCS gets its lineage from the 28th Transport Squadron and the 28th Logistic Support Squadron, which were both consolidated into the 18th Airborne Command and Control Squadron in 1985.

History

World War II Established as the 28th Transport Squadron (Mail & Cargo) on 1 February 1942 at Daniel Field, Georgia. The squadron was equipped with Douglas C-47 Skytrain transports as one of the original four squadrons of the 89th Transport Group.Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 154–155 The 89th group provided transition training for transport pilots. However, a little more than three months later, the squadron was reassigned to the 60th Transport Group at Westover Field, Massachusetts, and redesignated as the 28th Transport Squadron.

The 60th group at Westover was preparing for shipment overseas, and the squadron trained and trained for combat resupply and casualty evacuation missions. Was ordered deployed to England, assigned to Eighth Air Force in June 1942. Assigned fuselage code 3D, the unit was redesignated as the 28th Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 July 1942. Performed intro-theater transport flights of personnel, supply and equipment within England during summer and fall of 1942, reassigned to Twelfth Air Force after Operation Torch invasion of North Africa in November 1942, transporting paratroopers to Oran, Algeria during the early hours of Operation Torch.Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 123–125

In combat, performed resupply and evacuation missions across Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia during North African Campaign. During June 1943, the unit began training with gliders in preparation for Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. It towed gliders to Syracuse, Sicily and dropped paratroopers at Catania during the operation. After moving to Sicily, the squadron airdropped supplies to escaped prisoners of war in Northern Italy in October.

The unit provided support for partisans operating in the Balkans. Its unarmed aircraft flew at night over uncharted territory, landing at small unprepared airfields to provide guns, ammunition, clothing, medical supplies, gasoline, and mail to the partisans. It even carried jeeps and mules as cargo. On return trips it evacuated wounded partisans, evadees and escaped prisoners. These operations earned the squadron the Distinguished Unit Citation. It also dropped paratroopers at Megava, Greece in October 1944 and propaganda leaflets in the Balkans in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations until end of combat in Europe, May 1945.

After hostilities ended, was transferred to Waller Field, Trinidad attached to the Air Transport Command Transported personnel and equipment from Brazil to South Florida along the South Atlantic Air Transport Route. Squadron picked up personnel and equipment in Brazil or bases in Northern South America with final destination being Miami, Boca Raton Army Airfield or Morrison Fields in South Florida. Inactivated at the end of July 1945.

Special Airlift

The 28th Logistic Support Squadron was activated at Hill Air Force Base,Mueller, p. 243 Utah and equipped with Douglas C-124 Globemaster IIs in July 1953. Its mission was to provide worldwide airlift of special weapons and related equipment, with a secondary mission to airlift other Department of Defense cargo as required when space was available.Abstract, History 28 Logistic Support Squadron Jan–Jun 1955 Retrieved 26 December 2013

In 1955, Air Materiel Command organized the 3079th Aviation Depot Wing to exercise command jurisdiction over all its logistic support squadrons.Abstract, History 3079 Aviation Depot Wing Jan–Jun 1956 Retrieved 26 December 2013 Previously, the 7th, 19th and 28th Logistic Support Squadrons had been assigned to separate air materiel areas. The 3097th Wing also commanded aviation depot groups responsible for the storage and maintenance of special weapons.

In 1962, the squadron was transferred to Military Air Transport Service (MATS)'s 1501st Air Transport Wing at Travis Air Force Base, California. It was redesignated the 28th Air Transport Squadron, but remained at Hill with the same mission (as indicated by the "Special" added to its designation). When MATS became Military Airlift Command in 1966, the squadron was renamed the 28th Military Airlift Squadron while its headquarters, now the 60th Military Airlift Wing, remained at Travis.Ravenstein, p. 95 In the mid-1960s, logistic activity at Hill Increased, particularly in munitions support of operations in Southeast Asia. To improve logistics support to the battlefield, direct airlift missions from Hill to bases in Southeast Asia began. On 3 March 1966, the first squadron Douglas C-124 Globemaster II left Hill for Southeast Asia, loaded with airmunitions. The squadron conducted three flights per week. Airlifting eased overtaxed storage facilities at Travis and reduced cargo transit time by seven days.

In 1967, the 60th wing retired its C-124s and the squadron was reassigned to the 62d Military Airlift Wing, which now had the global special weapons airlift support mission,Ravenstein, p. 99 and operated all MAC C-124s in the western United States. The squadron flew its last mission, from Hill to Cam Ranh Air Base, Republic of Vietnam in March 1969 and was inactivated later that month.

Electronic Warfare The 18th Airborne Command and Control Squadron was activated at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, on 10 February 2023 and assigned to the 319th Reconnaissance Wing at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. The squadron received its first Bombardier E-11A BACN on 24 April 2023 and will be fully operational by FY2027. It was inactivated in 2025 and transferred its mission, personnel and aircraft to the 472nd Electronic Combat Squadron, which was simultaneously activated.

Lineage

28th Troop Carrier Squadron Constituted as the 28th Transport Squadron (Mail & Cargo) on 19 January 1942 Activated on 1 February 1942 Redesignated 28th Transport Squadron on 19 May 1942 Redesignated 28th Troop Carrier Squadron 4 July 1942 Inactivated on 31 July 1945Lineage of 28th Troop Carrier Squadron, including assignments, stations and aircraft in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 144–145 Consolidated with the 28th Military Airlift Squadron on 19 September 1985 as the 18th Airborne Command & Control SquadronDepartment of the Air Force/MPM Letter 662q, 19 September 85, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Tactical Squadrons

28th Military Airlift Squadron Constituted as the 28th Logistic Support Squadron on 28 April 1953 Activated on 8 July 1953See Mueller, p. 243 Redesignated 28th Air Transport Squadron, Special on 18 January 1962 Redesignated 28th Military Airlift Squadron, Special on 8 January 1966 Inactivated on 8 April 1969 Consolidated with the 28th Troop Carrier Squadron on 19 September 1985 as the 18th Airborne Command and Control Squadron

18th Airborne Command and Control Squadron Activated on 10 February 2023 Inactivated c. 1 May 2025

Assignments 89th Transport Group 1 February 1942 60th Transport Group (later 60th Troop Carrier Group), 19 May 1942 – 31 July 1945 Ogden Air Materiel Area, 8 July 1953 (attached to 2849th Air Base Wing) 3079th Aviation Depot Wing, 8 February 1955 1501st Air Transport Wing, 18 January 1962Abstract, History 1501 Air Transport Wing Jan–Jun 1963 Retrieved 26 December 2013 60th Military Airlift Wing, 8 January 1966 (attached to 62d Military Airlift Wing 1–8 July 1967) 62d Military Airlift Wing, 8 July 1967 – 8 April 1969 319th Operations Group, c. 10 February 2023 – c. 1 May 2025

Stations

Daniel Field, Georgia, 1 February 1942 Harding Field, Louisiana, 8 March 1942 Westover Field, Massachusetts, 20 May 1942 – 7 July 1942 RAF Podington (Station 109),Station number in Anderson, p. 20 England, 28 July 1942 RAF Aldermaston (Station 467),Station number in Anderson, p. 31 England, 7 August 1942 Tafaraoui Airfield, Algeria, 14 November 1942 Rélizane (Galizan) Airfield, Algeria, 27 November 1942

Thiersville Airfield, Algeria, 13 May 1943, El Djem Airfield, Tunisia, 1 July 1943 Gela East Airfield, Sicily, Italy, 4 September 1943 Gerbini Airfield, Sicily, Italy, 28 October 1943 Pomigliano d'Arco Airfield, Campania, Italy, 8 October 1944 – May 1945 Waller Field, Trinidad 2 June 1945 – 31 July 1945 Hill Air Force Base, Utah, 8 July 1953 – 8 April 1969 Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, c. 10 February 2023 – c. 1 May 2025

Aircraft Douglas C-47 Skytrain, 1942–1945 Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, 1952–1969 Bombardier E-11A BACN, 2023–2025

Awards and Campaigns

Campaign Streamer Campaign Dates NotesTunisia14 November 1942 – 13 May 194328th Troop Carrier SquadronSicily14 May 1943 – 17 August 194328th Troop Carrier SquadronNaples-Foggia18 August 1943 – 21 January 194428th Troop Carrier SquadronRome-Arno22 January 1944 – 9 September 194428th Troop Carrier SquadronNorth Apennines10 September 1944 – 4 April 194528th Troop Carrier SquadronPo Valley3 April 1945 – 8 May 194528th Troop Carrier SquadronAir Combat, EAME Theater28 July 1942 – 11 May 194528th Troop Carrier Squadron

Notes

Footnotes

References

AF Pamphlet 900-2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC, 15 June 1971

Further reading