9th Special Operations Squadron The 9th Special Operations Squadron ( 9 SOS ) is part of the 1st Special Operations Wing ( 1 SOW ) at Hurlburt Field , Florida . The squadron operates MC - 130P Combat Shadow aircraft in support of special operations . The 9th SOS specializes in the use of night vision goggles and close interval formation tactics to refuel large helicopter formations . On 20 May 2013 , the 9th SOS moved from its historic location at Eglin AFB to join the rest of the 1 SOW at Hurlburt Field . Mission . Clandestine penetration of enemy territory using low - level formation procedures to provide aerial refueling of special operations helicopters and the insertion , extraction , and resupply of special operations forces by low or high altitude airdrop or airland operations . History . B - 29 Superfortress operations against Japan . Re - designated on 1 April 1944 as a B - 29 Superfortress Very Heavy bombardment squadron . When training was completed moved to North Field Tinianin the Mariana Islands of the Central Pacific Area in January 1945 and assigned to XXI Bomber Command , Twentieth Air Force . It ' s mission was the strategic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands and the destruction of its war - making capability . Flew " shakedown " missions against Japanese targets on Moen Island , Truk , and other points in the Carolines and Marianas . The squadron began combat missions over Japan on 25 February 1945 with a firebombing mission over Northeast Tokyo . The squadron continued to participate in wide area firebombing attack , but the first ten - day blitz resulting in the Army Air Forces running out of incendiary bombs . Until then the squadron flew conventional strategic bombing missions using high explosive bombs . The squadron continued attacking urban areas with incendiary raids until the end of the war in August 1945 , attacking major Japanese cities , causing massive destruction of urbanized areas . Also conducted raids against strategic objectives , bombing aircraft factories , chemical plants , oil refineries , and other targets in Japan . The squadron flew its last combat missions on 14 August when hostilities ended . Afterwards , its B 29s carried relief supplies to Allied prisoner of war camps in Japan and Manchuria Squadron remained in Western Pacific , assigned to Twentieth Air Force on Okinawa . Maintained as a strategic bombardment squadron until inactivated due to budget reductions in late 1948 . Some aircraft scrapped on Tinian ; others flown to storage depots in the United States . Strategic Air Command . Reactivated in 1951 as a result of the expansion of the Air Force after the breakout of the Cold War . Initially equipped with second - line B - 29 Superfortress medium bombers for training ; redesignated as a heavy bomb squadron in 1952 and equipped with new B - 36 Peacemaker intercontinental strategic bombers . Initially was equipped with B - 36Fs . Later Featherweight III B - 36Js were added , the squadron operating both types . Carried red stripe on the tip of the vertical stabilizer ; the lip of the jet intakes and the " nose cone " of the jet itself along with triangle - R tail code . SAC eliminated tail codes in 1953 . In 1957 the B - 36s were replaced with B - 52E Stratofortress aircraft and all squadron markings were eliminated . While retaining combat capability , the 9th trained B - 52 crews for Strategic Air Command from 15 July 1959 – September 1963 . Remained equipped with the B - 52s until the closure of Walker AFB in 1967 . Consolidated with the Vietnam Era 9th Air Commando Squadron ( Psychological Operations ) in 1985 . The 9th ACS operated primarily C - 47 Skytrains over South Vietnam from March 1967 to January 1972 . The squadron ' s psychological warfare missions directly or indirectly influenced the surrender of thousands of enemy soldiers . In addition , carried out night combat operations against enemy forces and hamlets through flare drops . Despite the often heavy and accurate enemy antiaircraft fire , used light observation aircraft to perform search and rescue missions to locate and direct recovery forces finding downed airmen over enemy controlled territory . 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 , refueling 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 .