USAF 320th STS Patch Set

USAF 320th Special Tactics Squadron Patch Set

Circa 2017 / Japan Made

The 320th Special Tactics Squadron (320th STS) is a Special Tactics unit of the United States Air Force Special Operations Command, based at Kadena Air Base.

World War II 

The 320th STS was originally constituted as the 320th Fighter Control Squadron, an aircraft warning unit, during World War II on 30 March 1943. It was activated on 1 April, part of the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics at Orlando Army Air Base. After completing air defense training, it became part of the Orlando Fighter Wing on 1 November. Between 20 November and 11 December, the 320th staged at Camp Stoneman, then was shipped to Guadalcanal, where it arrived on 30 December, becoming part of XIII Fighter Command. Between 24 July and 14 November 1944, the squadron was attached to the 13th Air Warning Group (Provisional). On 30 September, it was moved forward to Toem and on 15 December the 320th relocated to Wakde. The squadron relocated to Biak on 11 February 1945, then to Mindoro on 22 February. On 1 March, it moved to Puerto Princesa and was under the 85th Fighter Wing's operational control between 1 April and 1 June. The 320th was transferred to the 85th Fighter Wing on 15 June but was under the operational control of the Thirteenth Air Force until 14 July. In October it was transferred to XIII Fighter Command, and on 29 October moved to Luzon. The squadron became part of XIII Bomber Command on 2 November and left Luzon for Vancouver Barracks on 30 November. After arriving at Vancouver Barracks on 14 December, it was inactivated on 18 December. The 320th was disbanded on 8 October 1948.

Special Tactics Squadron was reconstituted and redesignated as the 320th Special Tactics Squadron on 20 February 1992 and activated at Kadena Air Base with the 720th Special Tactics Group on 31 March. The 320th included Combat Controllers, Pararescuemen, Combat Weathermen and Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape specialists.

A U.S. Air Force combat control Airman from the 320th Special Tactics Squadron fires a 40 mm grenade launcher during a training exercise March 10, 2017, at the Irisuna Jima Training Range, Okinawa, Japan. The Airman joined a joint training exercise with U.S. Marines from the III Marine Expeditionary Force to pursue advanced JTAC qualifications. Smoke grenades are used as a visual marker for friendly aircraft.

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