1942 to present


usa 20th Special Operations Squadron

US Air Force

20th SOS







20th Special Operations Squadron US Air Force

20th Special Operations Squadron
Originally an aerial reconnaissance unit during WWII.

The Green Hornets were reactivated as 20th Helicopter Squadron in 1956. In 1968 was redesignated 20th SOS when around 20 UH-1F were drawn from 4 SAC bases and used to insert special forces troops into Vietnam and Laos on covert operations.

On June 12, 2008 they perform their last flight with MH-53M Pave Low helicopters. They currently fly CV-22B Ospreys tilt-rotors.
The 20th Helicopter Squadron was deployed to South Vietnam in Oct 1965.
The unit started to take delivery of 15 MH-53J Pave Low III airframes in mid 1987 at Hurlburt Field.




1970-1971 crew chief UH-1N 69-6614 Cam Rahn Bay, Vietnam

1971, Cam Rahn Bay, South Vietnam. I was assigned to the 20 SOS and went out to ban me thout along with 7 UH-1N and flew daily missions loaded with rockets to support ground troops in the area

1971/72, UH-1Ns were in Vietnam as 20th SOS. Inactivated March 30, 1972 and sent to Hulbert Field Aux #9. In 1974 the squadron was to be shipped to other bases and 20th SOS reactivated at Aux #9 in 1976 when the UH-1Ns returned

1971-1972, I was in cam Rahm bay 20th sos as no ice of gunners

1976-1985, UH-1Ns assigned to the 20th SOSwere 69-6604, 69-6641, 69-6642, 69-6644, 69-6653 and 69-6654




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  News about 20th SOS


Osprey First Air-Refueling from KC-46

Osprey First Air-Refueling from KC-46

13-Jun-22 - An US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) Bell/Boeing CV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor completed first aerial refueling from the new air force tanker KC-46 Pegasus
CV-22 with Nacelle Improvement at Cannon AFB

CV-22 with Nacelle Improvement at Cannon AFB

07-Apr-22 - US Air Force 20th Special Operations Squadron (20 SOS) at Cannon AFB is upgrading its third Bell/Boeing CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor with the new nacelle improvement modifications #nacelle
First CV-22 Nacelle Improvement Modification

First CV-22 Nacelle Improvement Modification

29-Jan-22 - Bell’s Amarillo Assembly Center (AAC) in Texas completed first Nacelle Improvements Modification on an US Air Force CV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor including new wiring components and changing structure in order to improve maintainability #nacelle
CV-22B Osprey Crew Received Highest Honors

CV-22B Osprey Crew Received Highest Honors

22-Oct-15 - USAF 20th Special Operations Squadron CV-22B Osprey crew received the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with Valor for their actions on Dec. 5, 2014.
1st SOW in operations Desert Storm, Desert Shield

1st SOW in operations Desert Storm, Desert Shield

15-Nov-06 - HURLBURT FIELD, Fla ny Master Sgt Jeff Michalke , 16th SOW History Office - President George H.W. Bush ordered ground, sea and air forces to Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf as part of a multi-national operation named Desert Shield on Aug. 6, 1990.
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  Locations


YearsLocationICAO/FAA
2008-    Cannon AFBKCVS
1976/08Hurlburt FieldKHRT
1970/72VN Cam RanhVVCR
1969/70VN Dong Tac / Tuy HoaVVTH
1966/69TH Udorn Air BaseVTED
1965/66VN Tan Son NhatVVTS
1959/60Myrtle BeachKMYR
1956/59Smyrna / Sewart AFBKMQY


helicopter   Models


Years Models
2008-    V-22 Osprey
1998/08 S-65 H-53 MH-53M Pave Low IV
1980/98 S-65 H-53
1976/85 UH-1N
1976/80 S-61 H-3
1971/72 UH-1N
1967/72 UH-1F Iroquois
1965/69 S-61 H-3
1956/60 H-21



  20th Special Operations Squadron Operations


Dates Operation
1983-may-011985-sep-30 Operation BAT







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