page_title: 10th Airborne Command and Control Squadron
section_title: Skoshi Tiger
hierarchical_section_title: 10th Airborne Command and Control Squadron / History / Skoshi Tiger
caption_attribution_description: A U.S. Air Force Northrop F-5B Freedom Fighter (s/n 65-13074) of the 602th Fighter Squadron at Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam, in 1966. It was part of the project "Skoshi Tiger" to evaluate the F-5. This aircraft was later passed on to the South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF).
context_page_description: The 10th Airborne Command and Control Squadron in an inactive United States Air Force unit that flew airborne command post aircraft from RAF Mildenhall, England from January 1970 to December 1991. Through a unit consolidation in September 1985, the squadron has roots in units that participated in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War
  The first predecessor of the squadron was the 10th Transport Squadron, which flew distinguished visitors to all areas of the globe where the Allies of World War II operated. It was disbanded in the spring of 1944 in a reorganization of Army Air Forces units.
  The 10th's second predecessor was the 10th Liaison Squadron, which provided light airlift support to Fifth Air Force units during the Korean War, this squadron was inactivated in 1955.
  The final predecessor was the 10th Fighter Squadron, Commando, which performed combat testing of the Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter from April 1966 until the planes were transferred to the Viet Nam Air Force in April 1967. These three units were consolidated into a single unit in September 1985.
context_section_description: The 10th Fighter Squadron, Commando was activated at Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam in April 1967 to test the Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter in operational missions.  Tactical Air Command had organized the Tactical Fighter Squadron, Provisional, 4503d at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona to begin testing the F-5 under the name "Skoshi Tiger" on 22 July 1965, with pilots and maintenance personnel from the USAF Tactical Air Warfare Center.  After conducting initial tests in the United States, the 4503d deployed a dozen of its fighters to Bien Hoa in October 1965, although the squadron officially remained at Williams until 10 March 1966. On 8 April, the provisional squadron was discontinued and its personnel and equipment were used to form the regular 10th Squadron.
  The squadron increased in size to 18 aircraft.  It flew more than 7,000 operational missions, earning a Presidential Unit Citation and a Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm. Six squadron aircraft were lost to enemy fire. In October 1966, the squadron began to train Viet Nam Air Force (VNAF) personnel on the operation and maintenance of the F-5.  After a year of testing, its aircraft were turned over to the 522nd Fighter Squadron of the VNAF 23rd Tactical Wing at Bien Hoa on 17 April 1967 and the unit was inactivated, although some squadron personnel remained behind to continue training.
caption: F-5B at Bien Hoa AB
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