605th Special Operations Squadron

5th Fighter Squadron (Commando)
5th Fighter Squadron (Commando)
	OA-37B of the 24th Wing in Guatemala
Active	1944–1945, 1962–1972
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Special Operations
Motto(s)	Cualquier Hora, Cualquier Lugar Spanish Anyplace, Anytime
Insignia
605th Special Operations Squadron emblem

Last updated July 07, 2025

The 605th Special Operations Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 24th Special Operations Wing at Howard Air Force Base, Panama Canal Zone, where it was inactivated on 30 April 1972.

History

The squadron was first active during World War II as the 5th Fighter Squadron, Commando. After training in the United States the squadron moved to the China Burma India Theater, where it served in combat until the surrender of Japan. The squadron returned to the United States where it was inactivated in November 1945.^[1]

The squadron was activated again in October 1963 as the United States expanded its special operations units and was stationed in the Panama Canal Zone, where it trained units of various Latin American air forces until it was inactivated in late 1972.

Lineage

Constituted as the 5th Fighter Squadron, Commando on 9 August 1944

Activated on 1 September 1944

Inactivated on 3 November 1945

Disbanded on 8 October 1948^[1]
Reconstituted 24 October 1963, redesignated 605th Air Commando Squadron, Composite and activated (not organized)

Organized on 15 November 1963^[2]

Redesignated 605th Special Operations Squadron on 1 August 1968

Inactivated on 30 April 1972^[2]

Assignments

1st Air Commando Group, 1 September 1944 – 3 November 1945 (attached to 1st Provisional Fighter Group, February 1945 – May 1945)^[1]
Tactical Air Command, 24 October 1963 (not organized)
1st Air Commando Wing 15 November 1963 (attached to USAF Southern Command (?) November 1963 – July 1964)
5700th Air Base Wing. 1 July 1965
24th Air Commando Wing (later 24th Special Operations Wing), 8 November 1967 – 30 April 1972^[3]

Stations

Asansol, Bihar, India, 1 September 1944
- one detachment operated from Cox's Bazar, Bengal, India, 15–21 Oct 1944, and another from Fenny Airfield, Bengal, India, 8–30 Nov 1944)
Fenny Airfield, Bengal, India, 28 December 1944;
Hay, India, 7 February 1945
Asansol, Bihar, India, 13 May 1945
Kalaikunda Air Force Station, Bengal, India, 23 May 1945
Asansol, Bihar, India, 22 June 1945 – 6 October 1945
Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 1 November 1945 – 3 November 1945.^[1]
Howard Air Force Base, Panama Canal Zone 15 November 1963 – 30 April 1972^[2]

Aircraft

Helio U-10 Courier ^[2]
Douglas A-26K Invader ^[2]
Douglas C-47 Skytrain ^[2]
North American T-28 Trojan ^[2]
North American P-51 Mustang (1945)^[1]
Republic P-47 Thunderbolt (1944–1945)^[1]

  Curtiss C-46 Commando

References

Notes

1 2 3 4 5 6 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 35
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 See Ravenstein, pp. 25–26
↑ Ravenstein, pp. 25–26

Bibliography

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

* Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 December 2016.
Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 . Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.

External links

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[Maurer5FS-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 35

[Ravenstein24SOW2-2] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 See Ravenstein, pp. 25–26

[3] Ravenstein, pp. 25–26

[1]

[2]

[3]