special operations group

The 353rd Special Operations Wing is an operational unit of the United States Air Force Special Operations Command, stationed at Kadena Air Base, Japan.The Wing's first predecessor was activated in 1944 as the 3rd Air Commando Group. The unit was assigned to Fifth Air Force in the Philippines in 1944 for operations with North American P-51 Mustangs, Douglas C-47 Skytrains, and Stinson L-5 Sentinels. It attacked Japanese airfields and installations in the Philippines, supported ground forces on Luzon, and provided escort for missions to Formosa and the China coast. It also made raids on airfields and railways on Formosa, and furnished cover for convoys. In addition, the group transported personnel, dropped supplies to ground troops and guerrilla forces, evacuated casualties from front-line strips, adjusted artillery fire, and flew courier and mail routes.
The second predecessor of the Wing is the 553rd Reconnaissance Wing, which conducted electronic surveillance, particularly of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, in Southeast Asia from 1967 to 1970. The two units were consolidated in 1985 under the wing designation. In 1989, the consolidated unit was activated as the 353rd Special Operations Wing. It was given its current name in 1992. In July 2021, it was reorganized from a group into a wing.

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