67th SOS Night Owls Squadron Patch – Plastic Backing

This is a 9.5W x 10.8H cm(as 4″) with Plastic Backing squadron patch of the 67th SOS Night Owls Squadron.

67th Special Operations Squadron

The 67th Special Operation Squadron (67th SOS), nicknamed the Night Owls, is an active United States Air Force unit operating the Lockheed MC-130J Commando II. It is based at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, in the United Kingdom and assigned to the 752d Special Operations Group. The 67th SOS is tasked with flying single or multi-ship low-level air refueling missions for special operations helicopters, and infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply of special operations forces by airdrop or airland.

History
1952–1994
The unit was constituted as the 67th Air Rescue Squadron (67th ARS) on 17 October 1952. It was activated on 14 November 1952 at RAF Sculthorpe, England, and discontinued, and inactivated, on 18 March 1960 at Prestwick Airport, Scotland. It was activated again on 10 May 1961, and organized on 18 June 1961 at Prestwick Airport, Scotland. The unit was redesignated 67th Air Recovery Squadron (67th ARS) on 1 August 1965, and then as the 67th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (67th ARRS) on 8 January 1966.[5]

It was transferred to Morón Air Base, Spain on 1 July 1966. On 15 January 1970, the 67th ARRS transferred to RAF Woodbridge, Suffolk, England. The unit operated the Lockheed HC-130N/P fixed wing (also used as rotational support for their detachment of HH-3E Jolly Green Giant helicopters stationed at NAS Keflavik, Iceland) and Sikorsky MH-53 rotary wing aircraft.[5]

On 1 June 1988, the unit was split into two units redesignated the 67th Special Operations Squadron (67th SOS) for the HC-130 aircraft and the 21st Special Operations Squadron for the HH-53 rotary wing. On 1 April 1992, they moved to RAF Alconbury, Cambridgeshire, UK.

RAF Mildenhall (1995–present)

On 7 May 1993, it was announced that the 352nd Special Operations Group, including the 67th SOS, would relocate to RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk.[6] However, this move was not completed until 30 April 1995, with the 67th SOS arriving on 17 February 1995.[1]

In February 1996, the squadron’s HC-130N/Ps were redesignated the MC-130P Combat Shadow by Air Force Special Operations Command.[7]

On 7 June 2013, the Night Owls began to replace their MC-130P Combat Shadows when their first Lockheed MC-130J Commando II (10-5714) arrived.[8] The last MC-130P sortie was flown on 24 January 2014, which saw a tour of the country over locations including Prestwick, Alconbury and the Dumfries. The squadron completed the transition from the MC-130P to the MC-130J on 3 February 2014, when 66-0215 departed for Hurlburt Field, Florida.[9]

On 8 January 2015, the United States Department of Defense announced that RAF Mildenhall would be closing, with the 67th SOS relocating to Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany.[10] After a prolonged assessment on the future of Mildenhall, the Department of Defense revealed on 29 July 2020 that the decision on Mildenhall would be reversed,[11] while Spangdahlem Air Base would lose its flying mission with the relocation of the 480th Fighter Squadron to Aviano Air Base, Italy.[12]

On 31 October 2020, the Night Owls participated in the successful rescue of 27 year-old hostage Philip Warton in Nigeria.[13]

Lineage
Constituted as the 67th Air Rescue Squadron on 17 October 1952
Activated on 14 November 1952
Discontinued and inactivated on 18 March 1960
Activated on 10 May 1961 (not active)
Organized on 18 June 1961
Redesignated 67th Air Recovery Squadron on 1 August 1965
Redesignated 67th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on 8 January 1966
Redesignated 67th Special Operations Squadron on 1 June 1988[1]Assignments
9th Air Rescue Group, 14 Nov 1952 (attached to Third Air Force after 15 November 1953)
Air Rescue Service, 24 Jun 1958–18 March 1960
Military Air Transport Service, 10 Ma