The 619th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was constituted on 2 July 1946 and was activated on 1 August 1946 at Laoag, Philippine Islands, as a unit of the 527th Aircraft Control and Warning Group. Soon thereafter the 619th was moved to the site of the parent group at Floridablanca Army Air Base, Luzon. After all personnel had been withdrawn in January 1947, the squadron was transferred on 30 March 1947 to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. There it remained dormant until March 1948, when it was transferred from Kadena to Northwest Army Air Base Guam, Mariana Islands. The squadron was relieved from assignment to the 527th Group and assigned to the 46th Fighter Wing on 15 July 1948. Its mission was to provide early warning of attack, control fighter aircraft, and provide navigational assistance to friendly aircraft in the area of the Marianas. Detachments of the 619th were located at Saigon, Iwo Jima,-and Isely Air Force Base on Guam. The squadron was inactivated at Northwest Guam Air Force Base 1 April 1949.

The unit was re-designated the 619th Tactical Control Squadron on 1 August 1953 and it was activated at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, on 1 Nov 1953 as a unit of the 526th Tactical Control Group of the Twelfth Air Force. It was assigned the men and equipment of another squadron which was concurrently inactivated. During most of 1954 a large percentage of the squadron personnel' were on temporary duty at Kaiserslautern, operating a tactical air control center which served as a display facility for the Twelfth Air Force commander.

In late June 1954 the 619th moved from Spangdahlem to Toul/Rosiere-Air Base, France, where it served as a back-up control facility. The squadron also operated communications relay sites at Birkenfeld, Hohenstadt, and Leonberg in Germany, and at Toul/Rosiere Air Base, St. Mihiel, and Verdun in France. On 25 November 1955 it moved to Birkenfeld Aircraft Control and Warning Station, Germany, and remained there for more than three years. Between 1954 and 1958 it participated in many exercises and maneuver; of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the United States Air Force. in Europe (USAFE), and the Twelfth Air Force. During this period its primary mission was to operate and maintain an alternate air control center capable o: operating eight hours a day in order to control air traffic and operate direction finding equipment. In April 1958 the squadron as relieved from the mission of maintain-' the alternate air control center, and on 1 July it was reduced to token strength. On 18 January 1959 it was inactivated in Germany. On 13 December 1963 the 619th was activated for the third time and assigned to Pacific Air Forces for organization on or about 8 April 1964 and further assignment to the 5th Tactical Control Group.

The 619th Tactical Control Squadron has been operational in the Republic of South Vietnam for a proximately seven years. In 1965 due to the ever increasing communist threat and the increased infiltration of the Viet Cong and the NVA into South Vietnam, it became apparent that the United States would have to take an enlarged role in the conflict to deter aggression by Communistic forces in South Vietnam and, for that matter, in all of Southeast Asia. Therefore, we are no longer purely advisors but active participants.

USAF UNIT LINEAGE AND HONORS HISTORY

619th Tactical Control Squadron

prepared by: Headquarters USAF Historical Research Center

Date Prepared: 2 Jan 1990 (Supersedes Statement Prepared: 26 Feb 1970)

Approved by: Warren A. Test, 2 Acting Chief, Research Division, 6 Feb 1970

LINEAGE

Constituted 619th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron on 2 Jul 1946.
Activated on 1 Aug 1946.
Inactivated on 1 Apr 1949.
Redesignated 619th Tactical Control Squadron on 1 Aug 1953.
Activated on 1 Nov 1953. Inactivated on 18 Jan 1959.
Activated on 10 Dec 1963. Organized on 8 Apr 1964.
Inactivated on 15 Mar 1973, Activated on 15 Dec 1989.

ASSIGNMENTS

527th Aircraft Control and Warning Group, 1 Aug 1946;
46th Fighter Wing, 15 Jul 1948-1 Apr 1949.
526th Tactical Control Group, 1 Nov 1953;
501st Tactical Control Wing, 18 Dec 1957-18 Jan 1959.
Pacific Air Forces, 10 Dec 1963;
5th Tactical Control Group, 8 Apr 1964;
505th Tactical Control Group, 8 Nov 1965-15 Mar 1973.
5th Tactical Control Group, 15 Dec 1989-.

DETACHMENTS

Det. 1, 619th Control & Warning Squadron (Mt. Tapachao, Saipan, Marianas): 24 Mar 1948-1 Apr 1949
Det 2, 619th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (Central AFB, Iwo Jima): 24 Mar 1948-1 Apr 1949.
Det 3, 619th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (Isely AFB, Saipan, Marianas): 27 Jun-24 Aug 1948.
Det 1, 619th Tactical Control Squadron (Hohenstadt, West Germany [later, Metz, France]): 15 Feb 1955-18 Jan 1957.
Det 2, 619th Tactical Control Squadron (Leonburg, West Germany): 15 Feb-1 Jul 1955.
Det 1, 619th Tactical Control Squadron (Da Nang Airport, South Vietnam): 8 Apr 1964-22 Dec 1965.
Det 1, 619th Tactical Control Squadron (Duong Dong Airfield [later at Phu Quoc Airfield], South Vietnam): 15 Aug 1967-20 Dec 1968.
Det 2, 619th Tactical Control Squadron (Ubon, RTAFB, Thailand)8 Apr 1964-22 Dec 1965.
Det 3, 619th Tactical Control Squadron (Can Tho Airport, South Vietnam): 8 Apr 1964-30 Jun 1972
Det 4, 619th Tactical Control Squadron (Udorn RTAFB, Thailand): 18 Oct 1964-22 Dec 1965.
Det 5, 619th Tactical Control Squadron (Nakon Phanom RTAFB, Thailand): 10 Aug-22 Dec. 1965.
Det 6, 619th Tactical Control Squadron (Green Hill, Thailand): 10 Aug-22 Dec 1965
Det 7, 619th Tactical Control Squadron (Tay Ninh Mt [later at Trang Sup], South Vietnam): 10 Aug 1965-15 May 1968.
Det 8, 619th Tactical Control Squadron (Ca Mau, South Vietnam): 10 Aug 1965-15 May 1968.
Det 9, 619th Tactical Control Squadron (Ban Me Thuot Airport, South Vietnam):1 Oct 1965-29 Feb 1972.
Det 10, 619th Tactical Control Squadron (Pleiku Airport, South Vietnam): 1 Oct 1965-8 Nov 1966.
Det 11, 619th Tactical Control Squadron (Nha Trang Airport [later at Hon Tre Island; Cam Ranh Bay AB], South Vietnam) 22 Dec 1965-29 Feb 1972.
Det 12, 619th Tactical Control Squadron (Qui Nhon Airfield, South Vietnam): 22 Dec 1965-8 Nov 1966.

STATIONS

Laoag, Luzon, Philippines, 1 Aug 1946;
Floridablanca Army Air Base, Luzon, Philippines, 1946;
Kana AB, Okinawa, Ryukyus, 30 Mar 1947;
Northwest Army Air Base (later, Northwest AFB), Guam, Marianas, 9 Mar 1948-1 Apr 1949.
Spangdahlem AB, West Germany, 1 Nov 1953;
Toul-Rosieres AB, France, 30 Jun 1954;
Birkenfeld Aircraft Control and Warning Station (later, Birkenfeld Administrative Office) , West Germany, 29 Nov 1955-18 Jan 1959.
Tan Son Nhut Airfield, South Vietnam, 8 Apr 1964-15 Mar 1973.
Osan AB, South Korea, 15 Dec 1989-.

HONORS

Seventeen campaign streamers and seven decorations.

(Details of campaigns and decorations were missing in files I received. Have requested them, Webmaster.)

EMBLEM

Description. On a white disc edged dark blue, a green cockatrice, head feet and spine buff color, claws white, beak Air Force golden yellow, forked tongue and beak marking, red, eye green, pupil scales and shadows dark blue; wearing earphones of the second; four red electric flashes radiating upward from the earphones; in chief a green stylized aircraft highlighted white; all outlines and detail dark blue throughout. significance. The emblem symbolizes the squadron's tactical control mission. The cockatrice, a chimerical creature, with powerful wings and strong legs, symbolically portrays the squadron's ability to move, both on the ground and in the air. The creature's head, his piercing eye, and headphones he wears, indicate that the members of the unit are always alert in every phase of their mission and always ready to aid any aircraft at anytime, anywhere, anyway. The cockatrice's serpentine body signifies the unit is strong and adaptable to any type of situation. Motto. On a white scroll VIS A TERGO, A Force from Behind, inscribed in dark blue. Approved on 22 May 1957. Photographic negative number: 910AC. (No copy of photo available here.)

619th Tactical Control Squadron Republic of Vietnam