▁Special ▁Oper ations ▁Wing . ▁It ▁was ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁Fair child ▁AC - 1 1 9 G ▁Sh adow ▁gun ships ▁and ▁replaced ▁the ▁ 7 1 st ▁Special ▁Oper ations ▁Squadron , ▁which ▁re located ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁for ▁in activ ation . ▁The ▁ 1 7 ▁S OS ▁absor bed ▁around ▁two - third s ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 1 st ▁S OS ' ▁personnel , ▁with ▁the ▁remainder ▁being ▁res erv ists ▁who ▁were ▁transferred ▁to ▁in active ▁status ▁days ▁after ▁their ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁By ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁June , ▁the ▁squad ron , ▁commanded ▁by ▁Lieutenant ▁Colonel ▁Richard ▁E . ▁K nie , ▁had ▁trained ▁rep lac ements ▁and ▁begun ▁routine ▁operations . ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁year , ▁it ▁was ▁divided ▁into ▁three ▁fl ights , ▁operating ▁from ▁different ▁bases : ▁A ▁Fl ight ▁with ▁four ▁aircraft ▁at ▁T uy ▁Ho a ▁Air ▁Base , ▁B ▁Fl ight ▁with ▁seven ▁at ▁Ph an ▁Rang ▁Air ▁Base , ▁and ▁C ▁Fl ight ▁at ▁Tan ▁Son ▁N h ut ▁Air ▁Base . AC - 1 1 9 ▁cre ws ▁from ▁the ▁squad ron ▁provided ▁air base ▁defense , ▁close ▁air ▁support , ▁and ▁armed ▁reconna issance . ▁ ▁Four ▁gun ships ▁were ▁dam aged ▁in ▁combat ▁and ▁on ▁ 6 ▁August ▁another ▁was ▁hit ▁by ▁. 5 0 ▁cal iber ▁r ounds ▁in ▁the ▁fus el age ▁and ▁an ▁engine , ▁causing ▁an ▁engine ▁fire ▁and ▁extensive ▁damage . ▁The ▁ 1 7