603rd Special Operations Squadron

603rd Special Ops Sqd
Air Force:
Division:
Wing: 1st Air Commando Wing
Active:
Theater
Motto:
Aircraft: Douglas B-26K

This unit was originally known as the 603rd Fighter Squadron (Composite). They were renamed to the 603rd Air Commando Squadron circa 1965.

The 603rd Air Commando Squadron was renamed the 603rd Special Operations Squadron during 1968.

The Squadron's parent unit was the 1st Special Operations Wing. However, in 1966 a detachment of planes from this squadron, Detachment-1, were sent to Nakhon Phanom Air Base and attached to the 606th Special Operations Squadron, 56th Special Operations Wing.

This is the patch that was worn by Detachment-1 while they were stationed at Nakhon Phanom Air Base.

After the detachment duty was completed the 603rd returned to normal duties at England AFB. This is the patch that was worn while the unit was stationed at England AFB.

Later the Squadron was moved to Hurlburt Field and became a training squadron tasked with training new B-26K pilots on tactics and maneuvers. This patch was worn by the unit when they were a Special Operations Training Squadron at Hurlburt Field.

Big Eagle - Detachment 1

The following planes were assigned to the 603rd Air Commando Squadron, Detachement-1 - otherwise known as Operation Big Eagle. These planes were the first B-26Ks in Vietnam and were attached to the 606th Air Commando Squadron. In Jan 1967 all of these surviving planes were transferred to the 606th Air Commando Squadron.

These photos show planes of Project Big Eagle at NKP.

Serial Number	Date Assigned	Date Attached to 606th.	Comments
64-17643	3 Aug 1964	11 Jul 1966	Sent to Vietnam. Glass Nose. Crashed 25 Jul 1966.
64-17650	9 Sep 1964	11 Jun 1966	Sent to Vietnam. Shot down 28 Jun 1966.
64-17665	6 Jan 1965	11 Jun 1966	Sent to Vietnam. Scrapped.
64-17667	16 Jan 1965	11 Jun 1966	Sent to Vietnam. Shot down 23 Mar 1969.
64-17668	21 Jan 1965	11 Jun 1966	Shot down 22 Feb 1967.
64-17669	2 Feb 1965	11 Jun 1966	Destroyed 22 Feb 1967 when 64-17668 exploded in flight beside it.
64-17676	23 Mar 1965	11 Jun 1966	Sent to Vietnam. On disply at Wright-Patterson.
64-17672	22 Feb 1965	11 Jun 1966	Sent to Vietnam. Shot down 14 Dec 1966.

Regular Squadron Planes

Serial Number	Date Assigned	Date Attached to 606th.	Comments
64-17640	15 Apr 1968	23 Oct 1969	Sent to Davis-Monthan. On Display at South Dakota Air & Space Museum.
64-17641	22 Jan 1965	1 Sep 1967	Sent to Vietnam.
64-17642	20 Jul 1964	21 Dec 1966	Sent to Vietnam.
64-17643	4 Aug 1964	11 Jun 1966	Sent to Vietnam as part of Project Big Eagle.

Images