page_title: 9th Special Operations Squadron
section_title: Vietnam War
hierarchical_section_title: 9th Special Operations Squadron / History / Vietnam War
caption_attribution_description: English: A U.S. Air Force Douglas C-47D of the 9th Special Operation Squadron, 14th Special Operations Wing, based at Nha Trang, South Vietnam, releases psychological warfare leaflets near its home base in August 1969.
context_page_description: The 9th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. The squadron operates MC-130J Commando II aircraft in support of special operations. The 9th SOS specializes in the use of night vision goggles and formation tactics to refuel large helicopter and tilt-rotor formations. On 9 December 2014, the 522nd SOS was re-flagged as the 9th SOS moved from its location at Hurlburt Field to join the 27 SOW at Cannon Air Force Base.
context_section_description: Consolidated with the Vietnam Era 9th Air Commando Squadron (Psychological Operations) in 1985. The 9th ACS was re-designated as the 9th Special Operations Squadron (SOS) in 1969. The 9th SOS operated Douglas HC-47 Skytrain and Cessna O-2B aircraft over South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia from 1968 until January 1972 in support of the US Army 4th Psychological Operations Group psychological warfare initiatives. 
  9th SOS aircraft were primarily based at three operating locations in the Republic of Viet Nam: Da Nang AB, Phan Rang AB and Tuy Hoa AB. The 9TH SOS disseminated leaflets during daylight operations and broadcast propaganda during night missions. A significant number of 9th SOS flight operations were in support of the “Chieu Hot” or “Open Arms” campaign which was designed to induce North Vietnamese Army Personnel and Viet Cong guerrillas to defect to the Republic of Viet Nam. These “Chieu Hoi" psychological warfare missions were reported to have directly and indirectly influenced tens of thousands of enemy personnel to defect. 9th SOS HC-47 aircraft also conducted flare drop missions in support of night combat operations against enemy forces in South Viet Nam. The 9th SOS was  Inactivated in 1972 as part of the drawdown of forces in Indochina.
  Reactivated in 1988 as a special operations unit, the squadron has trained for special operations, refuelling and resupply missions using modified C-130 aircraft. It has seen combat in Panama, 20 December 1989 – 14 January 1990 and Southwest Asia, 16 January 1991 – 5 April 1991. It routinely deployed personnel and aircraft to contingency operations in the Balkans and Southwest Asia from, 1991–2001. The squadron has participated in combat operations in Afghanistan since October 2001 and Iraq since March 2003.
caption: A 9th SOS C-47D dropping leaflets near Nha Trang, 1969.