24th Special Tactics Squadron

24th Special Tactics Squadron. The 24th Special Tactics Squadron is a premier United States Air Force special operations unit specializing in combat control, tactical air control party, and pararescue functions. Assigned to the 720th Special Tactics Group under the 24th Special Operations Wing and part of Air Force Special Operations Command, it is based at Pope Field, North Carolina. The squadron provides highly trained personnel to enable global special operations through precision strike, personnel recovery, and battlefield surveillance operations.

History

The squadron's lineage traces back to its initial activation as the 24th Liaison Squadron in 1943, supporting United States Army ground forces during World War II in the China-Burma-India Theater. Following several post-war activations and inactivations, it was redesignated the 24th Air Commando Squadron and served with distinction in the Vietnam War, conducting critical psychological operations and airlift missions. The unit was reactivated in its current special tactics configuration in 1989, consolidating combat control teams and pararescuemen into a single, integrated force. Since then, it has been a pivotal asset in every major U.S. conflict, from the Gulf War to the recent campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Organization

The 24th Special Tactics Squadron is a subordinate unit of the 720th Special Tactics Group, which itself falls under the 24th Special Operations Wing of Air Force Special Operations Command. Its operational structure is built around integrated teams of Special Tactics Officers, Combat Controllers, Pararescuemen (PJs), and Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) specialists. The squadron is organized into functional elements, including operations, logistics, and support flights, designed to deploy rapidly worldwide. It maintains a close partnership with other United States Special Operations Command components, such as the 75th Ranger Regiment, 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, and Naval Special Warfare Development Group.

Missions and operations

The squadron's core missions encompass personnel recovery, special reconnaissance, direct action, and global access through combat control of the battlespace. Its operators are experts in establishing and controlling assault zones for helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft in hostile environments. Historically, the unit played key roles in operations like Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada, Operation Just Cause in Panama, and the Battle of Mogadishu. In contemporary conflicts, its teams have been embedded with Joint Special Operations Command task forces, providing terminal guidance for close air support and conducting sensitive site exploitation across Afghanistan and Iraq.

Training and capabilities

Personnel undergo some of the most rigorous training in the U.S. military, beginning with the Combat Control School at Pope Field or the Pararescue Indoctrination Course at Joint Base San Antonio. Follow-on training includes military free fall, combat diving, sniper courses, and advanced trauma medicine. The squadron's unique capabilities include high-altitude low-opening (HALO) and high-altitude high-opening (HAHO) parachute insertions, underwater egress, and advanced land navigation. Operators are certified as Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs), authorized to control ordnance from various United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and allied nation aircraft.

Notable members

The squadron has been home to several highly decorated individuals, including Medal of Honor recipient Technical Sergeant John A. Chapman, who was posthumously honored for his actions on Takur Ghar during the Battle of Roberts Ridge in Afghanistan. Other distinguished alumni include Chief Master Sergeant William H. McRaven, who later commanded United States Special Operations Command, and numerous recipients of the Air Force Cross and Silver Star. These members exemplify the extraordinary skill and valor required within the special tactics community.

Awards and decorations

The 24th Special Tactics Squadron has been recognized with numerous unit and individual awards for extraordinary heroism and performance. Its honors include the Presidential Unit Citation, multiple Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Valor devices, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm. Individual operators have earned some of the nation's highest awards for gallantry, including the aforementioned Medal of Honor, several Air Force Crosses, and many Silver Star and Bronze Star Medals with "V" devices for valor in combat. Category:United States Air Force special operations squadrons Category:Special operations units and formations of the United States Category:Military units and formations in North Carolina