25th Space Range Squadron

25th Space Range Squadron
25th Space Range Squadron emblem
Active	1917-1946 1988-1995 2004-present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Space Control
Part of	595th Space Group
Garrison/HQ	Schriever AFB, Colorado
Nickname(s)	"Executioners"
Mascot(s)	Hatchet Man
Engagements	World War I World War II
Decorations	AFOUA
Commanders
Current commander	Lt Col Todd Spradley

B-29-10-BW Superfortress 42-6331 25th Bomb Squadron, 40th Bomb Group, 20th Air Force. This aircraft was the first B-29 to reach the China-Burma-India Theatre of Operations. Photo taken in July 1944 at Chakulia AB, India showing aircraft taking off to attack Japanese targets during the Battle of Imphal. The aircraft was lost in combat, December 1, 1944.

The United States Air Force's 25th Space Range Squadron (25 SRS) is a space control unit located at Schriever AFB, Colorado. 25 SRS operates the Space Test and Training Range (STTR).

Mission

The 25th Space Range Squadron is responsible for the operation of the Space Test and Training Range, a capability that allows units to exercise space capabilities in a safe, secure and realistic environment while eliminating the risk of unintended collateral effects.

The 25 SRS owns the advanced concepts environment, which simulates a target, weapon system and environment for training and rapid reaction prototype development. The 25 SRS has also deployed equipment and personnel to support theater operations.

History

World War I

Established as an Air Service Aero Squadron in June 1917 after the United States' entry into World War I. Deployed to Europe, first to England, then Toul, France. Flew combat missions as a pursuit unit with the Second Army from 10–11 November 1918. It was demobilized after the 1918 armistice.

Panama Service

The squadron was reactivated as the 25th Aero Squadron on October 1, 1921 at France Field the Panama Canal Zone, as part of the 6th Composite Group. It flew various biplane bombers to defend the Panama Canal. During the 1920s and early 1930s, It participated in various goodwill missions in Latin America, including the Goodwill flights to El Salvador and Nicaragua, 13–19 May 1935, to Guatemala, 8–11 February 1938, and to El Salvador, 19–22 April 1938. The squadron also flew mercy mission to Chile following the devastating 1939 Chillán earthquake, 28 January-13 February 1939.

The 25th Bombardment Squadron became the 25th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 6 December 1939 and then, on 20 November 1940, the 25th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy). Equipped with the Douglas B-18 Bolo the squadron had opportunity to put its new, long-legged aircraft to the test in October 1939, when two Peruvian flyers, en route from the United States to Lima, Peru on a long-distance flight, were reported missing between the Canal Zone and Peru. Although eventually found to have made an emergency forced landing in Ecuador, three B-18s of the squadron conducted extensive searches of the area along the 80th meridian some 250 miles to sea. The aircraft carried enough fuel for a flight of 11 hours duration, a capability which would place them in good stead in the Command in the years to come.

By 25 August 1941, with its pre-war strength at but five B-18s, the Squadron was re-equipped with B-17E Flying Fortresses. After the United States entered World War II, the Squadron had deployed to Salinas, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands (shuttling patrols hack and forth) with four of the B-17Es, flying antisubmarine patrols over the Pacific approaches to the Panama Canal. These aircraft being joined by a B-18 by February. The main body of the Squadron left Salinas by 15 February and returned to Howard Field in early 1943, although a detachment was still in Ecuador as late as 30 June.

Assignment to the 6th Bomb Group ended on 12 May 1943.

B-29 Superfortress era

With the diminished need for a Caribbean defense, reassigned to the United States in late 1943 and received prototype and early production-model B-29 Superfortress very heavy bombers. Trained under Second Air Force for an extended period due to Boeing technicians making modifications of B-29 aircraft. Deployed to the new XX Bomber Command in the China-Burma-India Theater, flying to bases in India via South Atlantic Transport route; across central Africa, Arabia to Karachi. Additional modifications of B-29s were necessary in India to accommodate very high ground temperatures (115 degrees F).

From airfields in eastern India, engaged in very long range bombardment raids on Japan, the first American Air Force attacks on the Japanese Home Islands since the Doolittle raid in 1942; staging though airfields in central China for refueling. Also engaged in very long range attacks against enemy targets in Burma, Thailand, China, Japan, Indonesia, and Formosa.

Advance of American forces in the Central Pacific though the Northern Mariana Islands made new airfields available within the effective bombing range of Japan. Moved to West Field on Tinian in April 1945, becoming part of the new XXI Bomber Command. From the Marianas, engaged in very long range strategic attacks on Japan, making devastating attacks on Japanese industrial, transportation and military targets. Also participated in large area night incendiary raids on urban areas, and dropped mines in Japanese shipping lanes. Continued aerial assaults until the Japanese Capitulation in August 1945. After V-J Day, the squadron dropped food and supplies to Allied prisoners in Japan, Korea, and Formosa, and took part in show-of-force missions. Demobilized on Tinian in 1946, aircraft being returned to the United States for storage. Inactivated as a paper unit in October.

Strategic Air Command

Reactivated in 1953 under Strategic Air Command, receiving then second-line B-29s for training and organization. Replaced the propeller-driven B-29s with new B-47E Stratojet swept-wing medium bombers in 1954, capable of flying at high subsonic speeds and primarily designed for penetrating the airspace of the Soviet Union. In the late 1950s, the B-47 was considered to be reaching obsolescence, and was being phased out of SAC's strategic arsenal. Began sending aircraft to other B-47 wings as replacements in early 1964, being one of the last SAC squadrons equipped with the Stratojet. Inactivated in September when the last aircraft was retired.

Reactivated in 1988 as a SAC training squadron. From 1988 to 1992, supervised SAC and from 1992 to 1995 ACC B-52H Stratofortress and then B-1B Bomber crew training program at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota.

Lineage

• Organized as 20th Aero Squadron On 13 June 1917

Redesignated 25th Aero Squadron on 22 June 1917

Demobilized on 17 June 1919

• Reconstituted and consolidated (1924) with 25th Squadron which was authorized on 30 August 1921.
• Organized on 1 October 1921

Redesignated: 25th Bombardment Squadron on 25 January 1923

Redesignated: 25th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 6 December 1939

Redesignated: 25th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 20 November 1940

Redesignated: 25th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 20 November 1943

Inactivated on 1 October 1946.

• Redesignated: 25th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 9 May 1952

Activated on 28 May 1952

Inactivated on 1 September 1964

• Redesignated and activated: 25th Strategic Training Squadron on 21 June 1988

Redesignated 25th Flying Tactics Training Squadron on 1 September 1991

Redesignated 25th Training Squadron on 15 June 1993.

Inactivated on 21 September 1995

• Redesignated and activated: 25th Space Control Tactics Squadron on 1 July 2004

Redesignated: 25th Space Range Squadron on 11 November 2007

Assignments

• Unknown, 13 June 1917-November 1918
• 4th Pursuit Group, November 1918—April 1919
• Unknown, April-17 June 1919
• Second Corps Area, 1 October 1921
• Panama Canal Department, 30 April 1922
• 6th Observation (later Composite; Bombardment) Group, 27 May 1922
• 40th Bombardment Group, 12 May 1943 - 1 October 1946
• 40th Bombardment Wing, 28 May 1952 - 1 September 1964
• Strategic Air Command, 1 July 1988
• 99th Strategic Weapons Wing, 10 August 1989

99th Operations and Maintenance (later, 99th Operations) Group, 1 September 1991-21 September 1995

• 595th Space Group, 1 July 2004–present

Stations

• Camp Kelly, Texas, 13 June-28 December 1917
• Ayr Scotland, 31 January 1918
• Marske, England, 23 April-7 August 1918
• Saint-Maixent, France, 20 August 1918
• Romorantin, France, 29 August 1918
• Colombey-les-Belles, France, 18 September 1918
• Toul, France, 24 October 1918
• Colombey-les-Belles, France, 15 April 1919
• Le Mans, France 5–19 May 1919
• Mitchel Field, New York, 6–17 June 1919, 1 October 1921-22 April 1922
• France Field, Canal Zone, 30 April 1922

• Rio Hato AAB, Panama, 8 December 1941
• Salinas Afld, Ecuador, c. 21 January 1942
• Howard Field, Canal Zone, 22 May-16 June 1943
• Pratt AAF, Kansas, 1 July 1943-12 March 1944
• Chakulia AB, India, C. 11 April 1944—April 1945
• West Field, Tinian, April-7 November 1945
• March Field, California, 27 November 1945
• Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, c. 8 May-1 October 1946
• Smoky Hill AFB, Kansas, 28 May 1952
• Forbes AFB, Kansas, 20 June 1960—1 September 1964
• Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, 1 July 1988-21 September 1995.
• Schriever AFB, Colorado, 1 July 2004–present

Aircraft

• Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5, 1918–1919
• Unkn, 1921–1922
• Included Martin NBS-1 during period 1922-1929
• Included Keystone LB-5 and LB-7 during period 1928-1932
• Keystone B-3A, 1931–1936
• Keystone B-6, 1936–1937
• Martin B-10, 1937–1939
• Douglas B-18 Bolo, 1938–1942

• B-24 Liberator, 1942–1943
• LB-30 1942-1943
• Martin B-26 Marauder, 1943
• Boeing B-17, 1943–1944
• YB-29, 1943–1944
• Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1944–1946
• Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1953–1954
• Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1954—1964

See also

• List of American Aero Squadrons
• Hilbert Bair

References

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

• Conaway, William. "VI Bomber Command In Defense Of The Panama Canal 1941 - 45". Planes and Pilots Of World War Two.
• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
• Hagedorn, Dan (1995). Alae supra canalem = Wings over the canal: the Sixth Air Force and the Antilles Air Command. Paducah, KY: Turner Pub. Co. ISBN 978-1-56311-153-2
• Mayborn, Mitch (1971). The Boeing B-29 Superfortress (Aircraft in Profile 101). Leatherhead, UK: Profile Publications (reprint). OCLC 36547156