Air Commando Heritage Foundation

09/01/2026

ON THIS DAY IN AIR COMMANDO HISTORY - SEPTEMBER 1, 1968

Flying as "Sandy 01", Lt Col William A. Jones III led a mission over North Vietnam to locate and rescue downed pilot Capt Jack Wilson. Despite intense enemy fire, Jones repeatedly flew low over hostile positions until he found Wilson and attacked the guns threatening the rescue.

His A-1H Skyraider was hit and his cockpit erupted in flames, severely burning him. Unsure whether his transmission with Wilson's location had been received, Jones flew his crippled aircraft nearly 90 miles back to Nakhon Phanom RTAFB to make sure rescuers had the information they needed.

Capt Wilson was rescued later that day. For his extraordinary actions, Jones was awarded the Medal of Honor.

And this history is closer than you might think. Visit Hurlburt Field's Memorial Air Park today and you'll find an A-1E Skyraider among the aircraft preserving our Air Commando heritage. The future "Air Commando Museum" will build upon that legacy, giving stories like Jones' a permanent home and bringing more than 80 years of courage, innovation and sacrifice to life.

Jones once shared words that capture exactly why that matters:

“Poor is the country that has no heroes, but beggared is that people who having them forgets.”

We will remember. We will tell their stories. Learn more here: https://www.war.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/2653309/medal-of-honor-monday-air-force-col-william-a-jones-iii/

08/26/2026

JUST WHO ARE THE AIR COMMANDOS?

This month in history...the idea that would become the Air Commandos was taking shape.

During the Quebec Conference in August 1943, British Brig. Gen. Orde Wingate presented plans to expand operations deep behind Japanese lines in Burma. Gen. Henry “Hap” Arnold saw an opportunity to use airpower in a very different way.

Rather than simply provide aircraft, Arnold envisioned a highly mobile, self-contained air organization capable of inserting, supplying and supporting forces operating deep in enemy territory.

That vision became "Project 9." Arnold selected Lt. Cols. Philip Cochran and John Alison to build the new force, which would eventually become the "1st Air Commando Group."

And the name “Air Commando?" Arnold chose it as a tribute to British Adm. Lord Louis Mountbatten and his connection to Britain’s Commandos.

What began as an experiment in air warfare became something much bigger.

MORE THAN 80 YEARS LATER, THE AIR COMMANDO LEGACY ENDURES.

Pictured: Gen. Henry “Hap” Arnold and Adm. Lord Louis Mountbatten at the Quebec Conference, Aug. 20, 1943.

Pictured: Gen. Henry “Hap” Arnold, Adm. Lord Louis Mountbatten and other senior Allied military leaders during the Quebec Conference, Aug. 23, 1943.

08/21/2026

A legacy worth preserving. An impact worth investing in.

The future Air Commando Museum will honor more than 80 years of Air Commando courage, innovation and sacrifice. But its impact will reach well beyond the museum walls.

A comprehensive economic impact study by the University of West Florida HAAS Center projects the completed museum could generate an estimated $65 million in economic impact along the Gulf Coast, attract 550,000 annual visitors, generate $18 million in household income and support more than 100 full-time jobs.

The museum will be located outside the Hurlburt field gates in the airpark that is already open to the public. Hurlburt sits along the Highway 98 corridor near Destin and Navarre. This museum will become part of one of Florida’s most active tourism regions.

We are building more than a museum. We are preserving an American military legacy while creating an economic and educational asset for Northwest Florida.

Corporate partners have an opportunity to be part of it.

Learn more about our mission and corporate partnership opportunities:
https://www.aircommandoheritagefoundation.org/corporate.html

08/19/2026

Have you met the AIR COMMANDO MUSEUM?

There is a lot happening behind the scenes as we work tirelessly to bring the Air Commando Museum to life, and we want to take you along for the journey.

The museum will preserve MORE THAN 80 YEARS of Air Commando history and, more importantly, tell the stories of the people behind it. The courage. The innovation. The missions. The sacrifices. The legacy.

If you haven’t visited our website lately, TAKE A LOOK. Learn more about the museum, see what we’re building and find out how you can be part of it.

START HERE:
aircommandoheritagefoundation.org

And stay tuned! Over the next few weeks, we’ll introduce you to some of the people helping make it happen.

08/12/2026

PARTNERS IN THE MISSION — Aviation Training Consulting

Behind every Air Commando mission is countless hours of training, preparation and people committed to making sure the force is ready when called.

Aviation Training Consulting, LLC (ATC) supports training associated with some of AFSOC’s most recognizable aircraft. These include the AC-130J Ghostrider, MC-130J Commando II and CV-22 Osprey.

Through this training, ATC helps prepare Air Commando aircrews to carry out special operations missions around the world today.

ATC is also a valued supporter of the Air Commando Heritage Foundation and building the future Air Commando Museum!

There is something fitting about that connection. While ATC helps prepare today’s Air Commandos for the mission, its support of ACHF helps us preserve the stories of the Air Commandos who built the legacy they carry forward.

Thank you, ATC, for supporting Air Commandos, past, present and future!

08/06/2026

Throwback Thursday

Every legacy has a beginning.

This month marks an important chapter in Air Commando history. In August 1961, a small group of Air Commandos deployed to Mali to train local paratroopers. It wasn’t a combat mission, but it marked the return of Air Commandos to overseas operations after World War II.

Just months later, Air Commandos would deploy to South Vietnam, helping shape the future of special operations for generations to come.

More than 60 years later, that same spirit of innovation, adaptability, and quiet professionalism continues wherever Air Commandos are called.

Today’s Air Commandos are writing the next chapter in a legacy that began decades ago.

Pictured: Col. Benjamin H. King, commander of the original “Jungle Jim” Air Commandos. His leadership helped revive the Air Commando mission in 1961 and laid the foundation for today’s Air Force Special Operations Command.

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07/29/2026

Tuesday Mission Spotlight

Did you know Air Commandos helped save more than 2,080 lives during one of the largest two helicopter rescue missions in U.S. Air Force history?

In July 2010, Afghan Air Force helicopter crews, supported by U.S. Air Force Air Commando advisors, flew into dangerous flood zones in eastern Afghanistan. For two days, they rescued families stranded by devastating floodwaters while operating in an area threatened by insurgents.

This mission was about more than saving lives. It showed people that their government could respond when they needed help most. It proved that airpower is not only about combat. Sometimes its greatest impact comes from compassion, courage, and hope.

Air Commandos have always answered the call, no matter the mission.

07/24/2026

It’s Fundraising Friday.

Every Air Commando has a story.

Some changed the course of history. Others quietly answered the call and came home without anyone knowing what they did.

Those stories deserve a permanent home.

We’re building the Air Commando Museum to make sure they are never forgotten.

If you’d like to help, please consider making a donation today. Every gift helps preserve the Air Commando legacy.

Donate here: www.aircommandoheritagefoundation.org

Air Force Special Operations Command has innovated, accelerated and...

07/19/2026

THIS IS THEIR STORY

The mission that failed… and still changed history.

On November 21, 1970, Air Commandos and special operations forces launched one of the boldest rescue missions in military history. Their goal was to rescue American POWs from the Sơn Tây prison camp in North Vietnam.

When they arrived, the camp was empty. It looked like a failure.

But the raid changed everything. The North Vietnamese moved American POWs into larger camps where they could communicate, support each other, and know they had not been forgotten.

Sometimes history isn’t written by the mission’s outcome. It’s written by its impact.

This is the Air Commando legacy.

07/17/2026

For many Air Commandos, tattoos are more than artwork, they’re a permanent reminder of the people, places, and moments that shaped their lives. From unit emblems and deployments to memorials honoring fallen teammates, tattoos often tell stories of service, sacrifice, resilience, and brotherhood. In a profession built on trust and shared hardship, those stories are carried long after the mission ends.

Today is , and we’d love to hear yours.

What’s your favorite tattoo, and what inspired you to get it?

Share a photo (if you’re comfortable) and tell us the story behind the ink.