1 9 G s , ▁the ▁ 7 1 st ▁T act ical ▁Airl ift ▁Squadron ▁moved ▁to ▁Lock bourne ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base , ▁Ohio , ▁and ▁converted ▁to ▁AC - 1 1 9 ▁gun ship ▁operations . ▁On ▁that ▁same ▁date , ▁the ▁ 7 1 st ▁was ▁red es ign ated ▁as ▁the ▁ 7 1 st ▁Air ▁Comm ando ▁Squadron , ▁a ▁name ▁that ▁last ed ▁less ▁than ▁a ▁month , ▁as ▁the ▁unit ▁became ▁the ▁ 7 1 st ▁Special ▁Oper ations ▁Squadron ▁on ▁ 8 ▁July . ▁Con version ▁from ▁tact ical ▁air l ift ▁to ▁gun ship ▁operations ▁in ▁the ▁AC - 1 1 9 ▁brought ▁significant ▁changes . ▁The ▁crew ▁composition ▁increased ▁from ▁five ▁to ▁eight ▁as ▁the ▁crew ▁acquired ▁a ▁second ▁navig ator ▁and ▁two ▁g unn ers ▁while ▁the ▁load master ▁cross - tra ined ▁as ▁an ▁ill umin ator ▁operator . ▁Also , ▁a ▁change ▁in ▁the ▁ratio ▁of ▁cre ws ▁to ▁air plan es ▁increased ▁total ▁crew ▁requirements ▁from ▁six teen ▁to ▁twenty - four . ▁ ▁By ▁ 2 1 ▁November ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁the ▁cre ws ▁had ▁formed ▁and ▁were ▁ready . ▁The ▁air cre ws ▁left ▁for ▁Vietnam ▁on ▁ 5 ▁December ; ▁four ▁days ▁later , ▁other ▁elements ▁of ▁the ▁squad ron ▁left ▁via ▁Lock he ed ▁C - 1 4 1 ▁Star l if ters . ▁The ▁unit ▁was ▁re ass igned ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁Special ▁Oper ations ▁Wing ▁on ▁