557TH RED HORSE SQUADRON
Lineage and Honors History
of the
557th CIVIL ENGINEERING SQUADRON, HEAVY REPAIR
Lineage: Constituted 557th Civil Engineering Squadron (Heavy Repair), and activated, on 5 Feb 1968. Organized on 10 Feb 1968. Redesignated 557th Civil Engineering Squadron, Heavy Repair, on 15 Oct 1969. Inactivated on 1 Jun 1972.
Honors:
Service Streamers. None
Campaign Streamers. None
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None
Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: (10) Sep 1968-15 Dec 1969; 1 Jul 1970-1 Jun 1972.
Assignments: Tactical Air Command, 5 Feb 1968; Fifth Air Force, 30 Aug 1968; Ninth Air Force, 10 Dec 1969-1 Jun 1972.
Stations: Eglin AF Auxiliary Airfield #2, FL, 10 Feb 1968; Osan AB, Korea 30 Aug 1968; Eglin AF Auxiliary Field #2, 10 Dec 1969-1 Jun 1972.
Emblem: Approved 25 Apr 1968
Date Prepared: 10 Jan 1977
Supersedes: N/A
Prepared By: The Albert F. Simpson Historical Research Center, USAF
Approved By: James N. Eastman, Jr., Chief, Research Branch
In the late 1960's, the United States of America was involved in many conflicts within the continent of Asia. The 1968 Pueblo crisis in North Korea sparked a buildup of American forces in South Korea. To meet the construction needs of South Korea, the 557th RED HORSE Squadron was formed and deployed to Osan Air Base, South Korea in April 1968. From Osan the 557th deployed Red Horse Teams to Kunsan, Kwangju and Taegu Air Bases to accomplish a variety of construction projects. They were inactivated on June 1st, 1972 and everyone thought this was the end of the 557th. However, on May 1st 2005, the Air Force approved the return of the 557th Red Horse Squadron. This historic event was actualized with the "passing of the colors" to Colonel Dewey Perkins, who is now the 557th Red Horse Squadron's Commander. The last commander to hold this position was LtCol Herbert G. Campbell (July 1971 thru June 1972). The ceremony of 1 May 2005 encompassed progress, patches, and Purple Hearts. It was a day that personified the long commitment that RED HORSE has had to her nation. The Purple Hearts remind us that there are Airmen willing to put their life on the line for RED HORSE and their country. The patching ceremony gave RED HORSE another icon to characterize their colorful history. When given the title of the 557th RED HORSE Squadron, the Airmen in the unit continued a legacy. Ironically, it was an immediate war threat, in support of the United States Army, that birthed the original 557th. Today it is the same type of war situation which has recreated the 557th RED HORSE Squadron and her call to duty.
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