The Gunships

The Gunships

Association

Page Updated
February 3, 2008

Contact: Bill Petrie
CMSgt, USAF, Ret.

The AC-119 Gunships

Shadows and Stingers, the famed gunships of the Vietnam War. Armed and unafraid....If you don't believe it, just ask the guy who was on the ground. Often the last message on the FM net was always the same "Thanks Shadow/Stinger! We wouldn't be here without you."

To learn more about these remarkable AC-119 gunships of the 17th & 18th Special Operations Squadrons click on either the AC-119G Shadow or AC-119K Stinger below.

AC-119G Shadow AC-119K Stinger

Squadron Chronolgies

71st SOS| 17th SOS | 18th SOS

Webmaster Note: The AC-119G Shadow Gunship served combat duty for the United States Air Force in Southeast Asia for two (2) years, nine (9) months starting with the United States Air Force Reserve's 71st Special Operations Squadron in January 1969 and ending with the 17th SOS in September 1971.

Activation chronology of the 71st Special Operations Squadron is used with permission from the www.71stsos.com Webmaster, Jim Alvis, and by Dr. Larry Elton Fletcher for use on the AC-119 Gunship website to show the background of the 17th Special Operations Squadron. The Reservists of the 930th TAG and 71st TAS led the way to and in South Vietnam for AC-119 Gunships in Southeast Asia.
Job Well Done!

For more information on the 71st SOS click here

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