18th COMMUNICATIONS SQIADRON, AIR FORCE

[TLHorstead]

This is Incomplete information as USAF HRA reported the could not locate the Lineage and History report, The information has been reconstructed from several sources.

 

Terry L Horstead

 

 

Lineage: Constituted: as the 18^th Communications Squadron, Air Force and on or before 30 Jul 1946. Activated: on 30 Jul 1946. Organized: on 30 Jul 1946. Inactivated: on 30 Jun 1973. Discontinued: on 15 Jun 1983.

Assignments: Strategic Air Command (Inactive Unit), on or before 30 Jul 1946; Eighth Air Force, 30 Jul 1946– 01 Oct 1970. 99^th Combat Support Group: 01 Oct 1970–30 Nov 1973. Strategic Air Command (Inactive Unit), 01 Dec 1973–15 Jun 1983

Stations: Carswell AFB, TX, 30 Jul 1946 – 04 May 1955; Westover AFB, MA, 05 May 1955–30 Nov 1973;

 

Awards, Honors, and Decorations:
Service Streamers: None.

Campaign Streamers: None.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers: None.

Decorations: Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 01 Jul 1971 - 30 Jun 1972 DAFSO: GB-24 /1973

 

 

 

 

 

[dag]

Thanks so much for this one, Terry. I've been looking for more history on this unit - I have a patch for this one, like the drawing.

 

By the way, what is the significance of "(Air Force)" after some of these early Communications Squadrons' names? Did that mean that the unit did not report directly to the Air Force Communications Command (formally Air Force Communications Service, formally Airways and Air Communications Service)? Who would they have reported to during that time?

[TLHorstead]

Dag, These units never were AFCS units (at least not before McPeak reorganized the world) These first were almost all designated as "Communications Squadron (Command)"[sAC had the 36th, 30th, 31st, and the 32nd as well as the 1st Aerospace Communications Group/Wing, assigned to Offutt], and later some were redesignated as "Communications Squadron (Air Force)" and assigned to a Numbered Air Force Headquarters (18th, 27th*, 33rd & 46th "Communications Squadron (Air Force)", located at (18th) Carswell & Westover; 27th "Communications Squadron (Division)" assigned to HQ 3rd Air Division at Andersen AFB Guam / (Redesignated as 27th Communications Squadron (Air Force) Apr 1970-Jan 1975 assigned to HQ Eighth AF) and returned to the 27th "Communications Squadron (Division) designation, when HQ Eighth AF replaced HQ Second Air Force at Barksdale 1 Jan 1975, and HQ 3rd Air Division, reactivated at Andersen AFB Guam. There were also the 33rd Communications Squadron (Air Force) that was later redesignated 33rd Communications Group and later redesignated as the 33rd Communications Squadron, assigned to Fifteenth Air Force HQ at March AFB, CA, again USAF HRA could not locate the Lineage and History. The 46th "Communications Squadron (Air Force) designation, assigned to HQ, Second Air Force at Barksdale, untill HQ, Eighth Air Force stood up on 1 Jan 1975. SAC also had assigned the 47th Communications Group at Colorado Springs / Cheyenne Mountain Combat Operations Center after ADC Stood down and before Space Command formed.The 49th Communications Squadron (Division) stood up at Offutt and relocated several months later tp Rabat AP, French Morocco, later relocated to Sidi Slimane AB, Morocco, assigned to HQ, 5th Air Division and later redesignated 49th Communications Squadron (Air Force) assigned to HQ, Sixteenth Air Force at Torrejon Spain, again USAF HRA could not locate the Lineage and History. The was an 11th Communications Squadron (Division) later 11th Communications Squadron (Air Force), located at RAF South Ruislip, (London), England, again USAF HRA could not locate the Lineage and History. and the last SAC Communications Squadron us the 485th Communications Squadron (Division), Located at RAF High Wycombe, UK did not have an insignia but USAF HRA could provide the Lineage and History.

[dag]

More great information that's "a keeper".

Thanks again, Terry.

[TLHorstead]

ADC / NORAD also had Communications Squadrons (or Group), Command or Air Force; Tactical Air Command, had their own system with Communications Squadrons, Operations and PACAF, FEAF, & USAFE had a mixed batch of designations and AF Material Command used the Communications Squadrons, depot designations.

 

TLH