įrom late December 1989 to 14 January 1990, the squadron participated in the invasion of Panama during Operation Just Cause. It provided last-second surveillance and intelligence to the air assault forces, silencing anti-aircraft artillery emplacements, knocking out enemy armored personnel carriers, defending political dignitaries surrounded by enemy troops, and relieving troops in combat. The 16th supported the multi-national assault on Grenada on 25 October 1983. In November 1979 the 16th set a flight endurance record of 29.7 hours, flying non-stop from Hurlburt Field, Florida to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. All 53 members of the 16 SOS were killed in action during the Vietnam War. As the war drew to a close the squadron supported Operation Eagle Pull, the evacuation of Phnom Penh, Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of Saigon and figured prominently in the rescue of the Mayagüez. The 16th flew combat missions in Southeast Asia where it was charged with attacking convoys on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the defense of hamlets and fire bases, providing close air support to troops in contact with the enemy, providing convoy escort, and battlefield illumination, November 1968 – July 1974. It flew combat aerial transportation missions from India into Burma and China from December 1944 – October 1945. The 16th ferried aircraft from factories to units in US and Canada and conducted pilot training from April 1942 – April 1944. Train and maintain its combat-ready force to provide highly accurate firepower in support of both conventional and unconventional forces. It operates the AC-130W Stinger II aircraft in support of special operations. The 16th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico.
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