Lineage. Constituted 19 Observation Squadron (Light) on 5 Feb 1942. Activated on 2 Mar 1942. Redesignated: 19 Observation Squadron on 4 Jul 1942; 19 Liaison Squadron on 2 Apr 1943. Inactivated on 1 Dec 1945. Redesignated 19 Tactical Air Support Squadron (Light), and activated, on 17 Jun 1963. Organized on 8 Jul 1963. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 8 Aug 1964. Activated on 16 Oct 1964. Organized on 21 Oct 1964. Inactivated on 1 Oct 1993. Redesignated 19 Weapons Squadron on 24 Jan 2003. Activated on 3 Feb 2003.
Assignments. Air Force Combat Command, 2 Mar 1942; Army Air Forces, 9 Mar 1942; 66 Observation (later, 66 Reconnaissance) Group, 29 Mar 1942; I Air Support Command (later, I Tactical Air Division), 11 Aug 1943; U. S. Army Forces, China-Burma-India, Apr 1944; Fourteenth Air Force. 29 May 1944 (attached to Y Force, 29 May 1944-); 69 Composite Wing, 10 Jun 1944 (remained attached to Y Force to 8 Aug 1944); Tenth Air Force, 1 Aug-1 Dec 1945. 34 Tactical Group, 8 Jul 1963-8 Aug 1964. 34 Tactical Group, 21 Oct 1964; 6251 Tactical Fighter Wing, 8 Jul 1965 (attached to 6250 Tactical Air Support Group, Provisional, 1 Aug-8 Nov 1965); 505 Tactical Control Group, 8 Nov 1965 (attached to Tactical Air Support Group, Provisional, 6253, 9 Sep-8 Dec 1966); 504 Tactical Air Support Group, 8 Dec 1966; 314 Air Division, 15 Jan 1972; 51 Composite Wing, 30 Sep 1974; 5 Tactical Air Control Group, 8 Jan 1980; 51 Fighter (later, 51 Operations) Group, 1 Oct 1990-1 Oct 1993. USAF Weapons School, 3 Feb 2003-.
Components. Detachment: 1 (Camp Casey, South Korea): 15 Apr 1976-8 Jan 1980.
Stations. Miami Muni Aprt, FL, 2 Mar 1942; Jacksonville Muni Aprt, FL, 7 Mar 1942; Pope Field, NC, 11 May 1942; Morris Field, NC, 19 Oct 1942; Camp Campbell (later, Campbell AAFld), KY, 3 Apr 1943; Aiken AAFld, SC, 22 Jun 1943-26 Feb 1944; Bombay, India, 9 Apr 1944; Kanchrapara, India, c. 15 Apr 1944; Ondal, India, 29 Apr 1944; Chabua, India, 17 May 1944; Kunming, China, 29 May 1944; Chengkung, China, 28 Mar 1945; Nanning, China, 18 Aug 1945; Calcutta, India, c. Oct-7 Nov 1945; Fort Lewis, WA, 30 Nov-1 Dec 1945. Bien Hoa AB, South Vietnam, 8 Jul 1963-8 Aug 1964. Bien Hoa AB, South Vietnam, 21 Oct 1964; Phan Rang AB, South Vietnam, 1 Aug 1971; Osan AB, South Korea, 15 Jan 1972; Suwon AB, South Korea, 1 Aug 1989; Osan AB, South Korea, 1 Oct 1990-1 Oct 1993. Nellis AFB, NV, 3 Feb 2003-.
Commanders. Maj Lorick L. Stephenson Jr., 2 Mar 1942; Maj George W. Ribble, 15 Mar 1942; 1st Lt Forrest J. Jourder, 27 Sep 1942; Capt Woodrow Herring, 28 Sep 1942; Capt Horace B. Wetherwell, 8 Oct 1942; Maj Richard D. Day, 26 Apr 1943; Capt Edward W. Gamard, Sep 1944; 1st Lt Dominic V. DiVincenzo, Dec 1944; Maj William E. Surginer, Jan 1945-unkn. Unkn, 8-9 Jul 1963; Maj David W. Shoup, 10 Jul 1963; Lt Col John J. Wilfong, 19 Jul 1963; Lt Col Fredrick J. McAnally, 9 Mar 1964; Lt Col Andrew J. Chapman, 14 Jul-8 Aug 1964. Lt Col Vincent J. Mankowski, 21 Oct 1964; Lt Col Daniel J. Miller, 1 May 1965; Lt Col Alfred N. King, by Jun 1966; Lt Col John J. Jones Jr., 10 Feb 1967; Lt Col Paul D. Jones, 2 Sep 1967; Lt Col James T. Patrick, 13 Mar 1968; Lt Col John D. Ward, 4 Dec 1968; Lt Col William G. Reitz, 3 Jun 1969; Maj Thomas A. Shircliff, 16 Sep 1969 (acting); Lt Col William G. Reitz, 13 Oct 1969; Lt Col William G. Morton, 6 Apr 1970; Lt Col Andrew G. Martin Jr., 19 Jan 1971; Lt Col Irl R. Hollingsworth, 15 Jul-30 Sep 1971; none (not manned), 1 Oct 1971-14 Jan 1972; Col William R. Peters, 15 Jan 1972; Lt Col Reginald H. Shepherd, 25 Jul 1972; Col Ross W. Watt Jr., 8 Aug 1972; Col Charles C. Carr, 13 Aug 1973; Col Elford L. Carwile, Aug 1974; Lt Col Robert J. Watson, 21 Sep 1974; Lt Col Ralph F. Wetzel, 23 Jul 1975; Lt Col Glenn A. Griffith, 22 Jan 1976; Lt Col Felix L. Sambogna, 1 Sep 1977; Lt Col Donald C. Wheeler Jr., 17 Oct 1977; Maj Thomas E. Cleland, 24 Jul 1979 (temporary); Lt Col Ralph D. Barclay, 25 Aug 1979; Lt Col Frederick C. Bosse, 23 Sep 1980; Lt Col Morris R. Taffet, 1 Jul 1982; Lt Col Robert W. Gaskin, c. 15 Jun 1984; Lt Col William E. Townsley, 12 Jun 1985; Lt Col Garland W. Padgett Jr., 26 Jun 1987-unkn; Lt Col Richard B. Tallman Jr., 14 Dec 1990; Lt Col William H. Camp, 29 Jun 1992; Lt Col Sydney G. McPherson, 12 Jul-1 Oct 1993.
Aircraft. A-20, 1942-1943; B-25, 1942-1943; DB-7, 1942-1943; L-1, 1942-1943, 1944-1945; L-4, 1942-1943, 1943-1944; O-46, 1942-1943; O-52, 1942; P-39, 1942-1943; P-43, 1942-1943; L-2, 1943, 1943-1944; L-3, 1943; L-5, 1943, 1943-1945; L-6, 1943; 1943-1944; P-51, 1943. O-1, 1963-1964. O-1, 1964-1970, 1971; O-2, 1968-1971, 1972-1975; OV-10, 1968-1971, 1975-1983, 1985-c. 1989; OA-37, 1983-1985; A(later OA)-10, 1989-1993.
Operations. Antisubmarine patrols, Mar-c. Oct 1942; combat in CBI, Jun 1944-Aug 1945. Combat in Southeast Asia, Jul 1963-Aug 1964 and Oct 1964-Sep 1971. Provided close air and aerial reconnaissance support, supporting the Eighth U.S. Army and Republic of Korea ground forces, Jan 1972-c. 1980; operated the forward air control mission within the Korean tactical air control system, 1980-1 Oct 1993.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; India-Burma; China Defensive; Central Burma; China Offensive. Vietnam: Vietnam Advisory; Vietnam Defensive; Vietnam Air; Vietnam Air Offensive; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air/Ground; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; TET 69/Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969; Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V; Command Hunt VI.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Presidential Unit Citations (Southeast Asia): 1 Aug 1968-31 Aug 1969; 1 Jan-31 Dec 1970; 30 Jan-30 Sep 1971. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with the Combat "V" Device: 1 May 1963-31 Jul 1964; 1 Jul 1965-15 May 1966; 1 Jul 1966-31 May 1967; 1 May 1969-30 Apr 1970. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 30 Sep 1974-31 Mar 1976; 1 Jul 1982-30 Jun 1984; 1 Jul 1984-30 Apr 1986; 1 Dec 1986-2 Oct 1988; 3 Oct 1988-30 Sep 1990; 1 Oct 1992-[1 Oct 1993]. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Apr 1966-[30 Sep 1971]. Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: 19-20 Aug 1972.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 26 Feb 2003.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 1 Oct 1993.
Supersedes statement prepared on 4 Jan 1991.
Emblem. Approved on 11 Oct 1943. Squadron apparently has used several unofficial emblems at various times, but never carried through with the approval process.
Prepared by Judy G. Endicott.