CLASSIFICATION:

5Et:RE~~~~teF8Rjpt

(This page UNCLASSIFIED)
RCS: HAF-HO (A) 7101

(U) HISTORY
OF THE
353D SPECIAL OPERATIONS GROUP
01 January 2013 - 31 December 2013

SANITIZED
COPY

Assigned to
Air Force Special Operations Command
Stationed at
Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan

IISIGNEDII
(b)(3):10 U.S.C. § 130b,(b)(6)

l (b)(3):1 0 U.S.C. § 130b,(b)(6)

DATE SIGNED: 03 Sep 2014
OFFICE OF ORIGIN: 353 SOGIHO
DERIVED FROM: MULTIPLE SOURCES
DECLASSIFY ON: 01 Jan 2039

NOT RELEASABLE TO FOREIGN NATIONALS (NOFORN)
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY (FOUO)
If declassified, review this document to ensure the material is not FOUO and exempt under AF
Sup I to DoD 5400.7-R before making a public releaselPV; Not Releasable to Foreign Nationals.

(This page UNCLASSIFIED)

 UNCLASSIFIED

met with 353 SOG and I-I SFG(A) leaders and held an all call with 353
SOG personnel on ] 8 January in the Keystone Theater at Kadena AB.4

(b)(3):10
U.S.C. §130b,(b)(6)

24 Jan-08 Feb

(UI/FOUO) Members of the 353 SOG deployed in support of Exercise
TEAK TORCH 13-1 in Thai]and. s

27 Jan

(U) In the Ginza district of Tokyo, 4,000 Japanese citizens rallied in
protest of MCAS Futenma, the MV -22, and the potential CV -22
deployment to Okinawa. It was the largest protest rally in Tokyo since the
1972 reversion of Okinawa Prefecture to Japan. 6

07-23 Feb

(U//FOU(ij Members of the 353 SOG deployed in support of Exercise
COBRA GOLD 2013 in Thailand. 9

', _

27 Feb _.-

---- W)

f- -

Ifilled the first of five 353 SOG special operations

_ _ _ _ _ _ _-=.I:..::ia:.:.::is~o.:..:...n positions (SOLE) assigned to 613th Air Operations Center at HQ
(b)(3):10
4 (U) Biography (U), USNIPA, "(U) Admiral William McRaven," 24 Jan 12, SO-1017;
U.S.e. -=~
~), - - - - 353 SOG/CCP, "(U) Itinerary for DV2: 18-19 Jan
13Ob,(b)(e) 13," Jan 13, SO-1018; (U) '. .\"itiCle ' (UJ,
353 SOGIPA, "(U) USSOCOM
Commander Visits 353rd SOG, C ]-]," Jan 13, SO-1024.
(b)(3):10
5 (U) After Action Report (UI/FOUO),1 ····"'···fUeployed'Mlss,on
Commander, "(U) Teak Torch 13-1 (TT 13-1) After-Action Report," 22 Feb 13, SD-2001.

(b)(3):10

U.S . C.§ ~

130b,(b)(6)

(, (U) Article, (U), l(b)(6)
I (U) Okinawans Petition Tokyo to Remove All
Ospreys and Close Futenma," The Stars and Stripes, 28 Jan 13, SO-1018.

_

7 (U) SITREP (Uj/FOUOJ~ I~
" " ~-""'~""""~
""" ~
""" "=""""~
'"· · ~___IJSOAD-SN/CC, "(U) JSOAD-SN
Daily SITREP for 27 Jan 28," 27 Jan 13, SD-1022.
II

(V)

Special

Order

HQ

~~36~:=_AS ~m t~.!lj4pPQintJIlent to mman '
1~Ob (b)(e) Action Report (S720l802T3T,"
,

-~3~b:(b~(6)

Gr-S;...-.;.;13~-0.;..;8~~/IF~O~V;.,O,),

HQ AFSOC/AIMP, "(V)
" 29 Jan ]3, SO-1000; (U) After
353 ESOG-P/CC, "(U) JSOAD-P After-

Action Report," 03 Feb 13, SD-llOO.
(b)(3):10

(U) After Action Report (VI/FOUO), 1
·,-,---,-,-- +neployed- -Mission -u.S.c~ §
S
00
130b,(b)(6)
·
"
Commander, "(U) Cobra Gold 2013 (CG 13) A fter-ActJon Report, 15 Mar 13, D-2 2.
9

xi
UNCLASSIFIED

 UNCLASSIFIED

SOCPAC, Camp Smith, Hawaii. Five additional posItions remained
vacant at 353 SOG OL-B, Osan AB, Republic of Korea, established
concurrently with OL-A on 02 August 2012.10

17 Mar

(U) Under Preservation of the Force and Family funding, the 320th
Special Tactics Squadron inaugurated its new Human Performance Center
in Building 3522 at Kadena AB. The initial cadre included one physical
therapist and one physician's assistant. 13

(b)(3):10

-ltOcommana-of

23 Mar

(U) Upon the departure orl
Combined 130b,(b)(6)
Joint Special Operations Air Componenton 22 March, HQ
Air F~rce Special Operations Command appointed the 353d ~~~.i~l .~~6;1~
OperatIons Group Deputy Commander,
_u - to 130b,(b)(6)
permanent command of the unit during its leadership transition.

I

(b)(3):10

~~b~(b~(6)-~

"

___. -. -- .__. _.. W__S.C. §

10

(U)--E~Man(UJ7FOOO) I

·1

- ___., _ 1_, . ~~~:;1~

I SOCPAC/J36 to I

SOCPAC/S0J12, "(U) RE: 5 SOCPAC SOLE BILLETS," 28 Feb 13, SD_l'x-:O%ll"lIIj:-. ----~

(b)(3)'10

II

(U)

Special

Order HQ

-

130b,(b)(6)

-

/FOUO), HQ AFSOC/AIMP, "(U)
25 Mar 13, SO-1001; (U) After Action
524 ESOS-'P/CC, "(U) JSOAD-SN After-Action

U.S.c'.I:: : -..:....~~onfA-Jlpointmellt to Cornman . - - .

13Ob.(b)(<<rJ

Report {S7203803l3"}'- - - - - · Report," 13 Mar 13, S -

(b)(3):10
U.5.C,-§

- ---

(U) After Action Report (SIIROKUS/20380502),1
- - ' 1 Deployed
Mission Commander, "(U) KEY RESOLVE 2013 (KR 13) After-Action Report • 62 May 13,
S0-2003.

130b,(b)(6)

12

(b)(3):10
U.S.C. § __
130b,(b)(6)

-·--~(U) R~port (U);1· · ·---·,

(b)(3):.10

Positions), 20 Jun 13, SD-1511; (U) Article ( U ) , ' - · -·- .. ----1353-S0GlPA~- ·'(U) :f20th- ~b~b~(6)
STS Facility Strengthen Battlefield Airmen," 11 Apr 13, SD-1514; (U) Discussion (U//FOUO),
1320 STS!.<;::f.!_~i!bl - .. ···-·
1353 SOG/HO, 16 Jun 14.
(b)(3):10

I

(b)(3):10
.'_
U.s.C..§-·~- ·
.13Ob,(b)(6)

1353 SOG/MO, "(U) January 2013 UMD (HPC

.' -'

'" . _.... . _----.. .. . . -_ ... -

I

--

.. mm. - _ ·U~.S.C; §
130b.(b)(6)

14- (U) After Action Report (S//ROKUS/20380405),
ID~ployed
Mission Commander, "(U) FOAL EAGLE 13 (FE 13) After-Action Report," 05 Apr 13, SO2004.

xii
UNCLASSIFIED

 I

UNCLASSIFIED

(b)(3):10
U.S.C.-i - ....- _____

130b,(b)(6)

03 Jul

(b)(3):10

Ireplaced 1

--~-- (lJ1E

--

-- ias'commanderof"th~-~~~b~(6)

353d Special Operations Support Squadron.3o

08 Jul

(U) The 17th Special Operations Squadron acquired MC-130P TIN #660220 from RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom. AFSOC envisioned this
aircraft to be the last MC-130P to be assigned to 353 SOG prior to its
planned transition to a "purefleet" of MC-130H Combat Talon lIs.32

09-29 Jul

(U/lfOI::J8) Members of the 353 SOG deployed in support of Exercise
TALISMAN SABRE 2013 to Australia. 33

IS Jul

(U) Lt Gen Eric Fiel, commander of Air Force Special Operations
Command, revised the AFSOC MC-130 PACOM basing decision
program of record. The extant plan to "purefleet" MC-130H Combat
Talon lIs at Kadena AB changed to a plan to "puretleet" MC-130J
Commando lIs. Gen Fiel directed the continued retirement of MC-130P
Combat Shadows but converted their replacement to MC-130J Commando
lis in FYI5. He also authorized the replacement of 353 SOG MC-130H
Combat Talon lis with MC-130 Commando lis in FY 16. His intention to
field 10 CV-22s in PAC OM during FY15 remained unaffected. 34

... _. . _.._. ._.=O..

~~~6.~~

~~)

Special

Order

G-45

130b,(b)(6} Assumptiori!Appoifitffienno-Command!f .. ' .. '.'...

(U//FOUO),
HQ
AFSOC/AIMP,
18 Jun 13, SD-lOOS.

I"

"(U)

'U) Special

Order HQ GS-14-020 (UlIFOUO), HQ AFSOC/AIMP, "(U)
~~~~e)""'XsstimptionfA:ppoin eIl[ ~Q~omm1lD'd:tr:'::"":''':'-~~'':':':~;':;L'' II Mar 14, SD-I009; (U) After
--"(U) JSOAD-SN After-Action
Action Report (S/20380826), 1
Report," 26 Aug 13, SD-2201.

(b)(3):10 . ... .

31

I

(b)(3):10

(UIt),+I --1353 SOMXS/MXMO, to HQ AFSOC/A4MX,
"(U) AFI 21-103, Aero pace Equjpment Possession Change Report, HAF-ILM(AR) 9480:
Gain," 08 JUI13, SD-300S.

U.S.C.§--- _· -... -.--.- .12·{U)E-Mlitl

130b,(b)(6)

33 (U) After Action Report (U/IFOUO),
~ 1 j5epl~y;d Mis~'i~:
Commander, "(U) Talisman Sabre 2013 (TS 13) After-Action Report," 26 Jul 13, S0-200S.

I

(b)(3):10

-- - .

~3~b~ib1(6)u,--,~ '(U)-M~'~~mndum .(U77FOUOJ; f---·_·-··---

I AFSOC AS/8, "(U) PACOM

MC-130J Basing Decision," 18 Jun 13, SD-3000.

I

xvi

UNCLASSIFIED

I

(b)(3):10

U.s.c, §

130b,(b}(6)

 UNCLASSIFIED

08 Nov

(U) Super Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in Samar and Leyte Provinces in
the Republic of the Philippines. The coastal surge and rains killed
thousands and displaced more than one million Filipinos. 55

12-25 Nov

(UlIFO~O) Members of the 1 SOS deployed in support of Exercise
VECTOR BALANCE PISTON 14-1 to the Philippines. Members of the
the 17 SOS, 320 STS, 353 SOMXS, and 353 SOSS augmented a
concurrent Super Typhoon Haiyan relief effort, tenned Operation
DAMAyAN-.l,, -- --Ibased MC-130HlPs at Clark AB, C-146As at
Mactan AB, and U-28As at Zamboanga, and special tactics Assault Zone
Reconnaissance Teams at Tacloban, Onnoc, Guiuan and Borongan
airfields. In all, the 353 SOG and its JSOADs successfully executed 188
humanitarian relief sorties, delivering 721,300 pounds of aid and
transported 3,278 residents to safety.56

(b)(3):10

._--- - -

U.S.C ..§ __ _

130b,(b)(6)

(U) To allay public concern regarding potential 353 SOG campus
U.S.C.§- __ ~__
',...w.I.M.....:o.;....L~Io....lIILlIC.loWl~ent at Kadena AB, the 353 SOG Civil
130b,(b)(6)
~- --,
F~...;..;..;.u..._ _ _~~_...J and an 18th Wing Public Affairs officer,
(b)(3):10
held an official meeting with the Okinawa Defense
u.s.c. §~ _ _ _ _ -~- --,-"-130b,(b)(6)
Bureau. They expressed that the ADP was not a fully developed plan, that
Kadena AB was not the approval authority for CV-22 decisions, and that
the ADP ultimately had nothing to do with CV-22s.57

(b)(3):10 11 Dec

I

(b)(3):10

55 (U) Article (U).I(b)(6)
Staff Writer, ""(U) Overshadowed by Tacloban, Other
Devastated Philippine Cities Fear Aid Will Not Come," 14 Nov 13, SD-2509.

~3~b~ib~(6-)- ~- ---S6- (Uj-After-ActlollReporf (0I7FOOO); E -

_..
~353 SOGIHO, "(U) Operation
DAMAYAN: The Pacific Air Commandos in Support of the Typ oon HaiyanNolanda Relief in
the Republic of the Philippines," 06 Mar 14, S0-2521.

(b)(3):10

U.S.C.4-==:~ -- .,:-......51:fUtE-Mai (t1)~118 WG Deputy Chief of Public Affairs, to((b)(6)l

13Db.,(b)(8)

I

-

~

118 W

Chief of Public Affairs, "(U) Notes from the ODB Meeting," 11 ~

13, SD-3014.

xxi
UNCLASSIFIED

 I

UNCLASSIFIED

I

58 (U) Briefing (S), JSOAD-SN, U(U) NSAv Concept of Operations Vietnam SECSTATE
Movement," 30 Oct 13, So.2522.

I

xxii

UNCLASSIFIED

I

 UNCLASSIFIED

food, water, medical and government services. On to November, RADM Howe, the SOC PAC
commander, released a tasking order for U-28 crews assigned to JSOAD-P to provide ISR
support. The DRACO crews surveyed both Tacloban Airfield and Mactan AS in Cebu,
providing a detailed assessment of the devastated overland and port facilities across the region.
On II November, PACOM issued an EXORD enabling 353 SOG assets themselves to support
the relief effort, Operation DAMAYAN, in support of the 3d Marine Expeditionary Brigade, III
MEB, already deployed from Okinawa. 59
(UIIP8W~

On 12 November, the first I SOS MC-130H Combat Talon II crews

deployed with three Assault Zone Reconnaissance Teams (AZRTs) from the 320th Special
Tactics Squadron. The two ship flight of MC-130Hs fonned the core of a new Air Force Special
Operations Air Detachment at Clark AS under the Exercise VECTOR BALANCE PISTON 14-1

commander,I~~~~~~~~(~·S.C. §

IA sister two-ship flight of MC-130Ps from the 17 SOS joined the

I SOS crews at Clark AS carrying the 353 SOMXS deployed maintenance package the
following day. From Clark AB, the 320 STS immediately deployed to establish an airhead at
Tacloban Airfield in the heart of the disaster zone. The first AZRT provided positive control of
relief flights out of Tacloban for two days, until 14 November. On this date, a second AZRT
deployed to establish a second airhead at Orrnoc Airfield while the MC-130 crews used both to
begin delivering aid and evacuating stonn refugees, known in military parlance as internally
displaced personnel (lOPs). The following day, on IS November, the 320 STS again deployed
aboard USMC MV -22s to establish a new airhead at Guiuan, providing positive control of that
airfield until 17 November. On 18 November, the first MAGMA C-146 crews from JSOAD-SN

(U) EXORD (U//FOUO), CDRSOCPAC, "(U) SOCPAC Execute Order (EXORD)
Operation DAMAYAN," 12 Nov 13; S0-2515; (U) Article (U), l(b)(6)
Staff Writer,
"(U) People Looking to Leave Typhoon-Stricken Region Face Chaos at Tacloban Airport," Stars
and Stripes, IS Nov 13, SD-2505; (U) Article (U), l(b)(6)
IStaff Writer, "(U) 'Do They
Want Me to Die in the Airport?' Chaos in Tacloban as 3,000 Try to Board Two Planes,"
Associated Press, 13 Nov 13, SO-2507; (U) Article (U), l(b)(6)
Staff Writer, "(U) Typhoon
Haiyan: Philippines Air Effort Hampered by Lawlessoe s, ' The Guardian, 14 Nov 13, SD-2508;
~~3~:10 _.. __.(~2 _-~!!~~_~~J!QR . R~p-ort- ..(.uilF.OlJO)jF . - 353 SOGIHO, "(U) Operation
130b,(b3(6) DAMAYAN: The Pacific Air Commandos in Support of the Typhoon HaiyanlYolanda Relief in
the Republic of the Philippines," 06 Mar 14, S0-2521 .
59

I

I

I

62
UNCLASSIFIED

 UNCLASSIFIED

arrived at Mactan AB, which they used as a hub to conduct relief shuttles to and from airports in
the disaster zone. 60
(VIIFO(;O~

After 13 days of continuous operations providing aid relief workers and

supplies to airfields across the Super Typhoon Haiyan disaster area, the 353 SOG and its three
JSOADs performed their final sorties on 22 November. They had delivered an impressive effort
on behalf of the victims, providing 721,300 pounds of relief aid and delivering 3,278 residents to
safety. The three JSOADs together logged 224.1 hours in 188 sorties prior to turning the relief
etTort over to entirely conventional and international forces. They did so at personnel expense of
$940,888, MC-130H flying hours expense of $415,250, MC-130P flying hours expense of
$284,027, travel expense of $284,327, contract support expense of $53,000, supply expense of
$5,255. This placed the total VSG cost of the 353 SOG endeavor at $1,982,747. Further
information on the individual efforts of 353 SOG subordinate squadrons and JSOADs is
described in their respective sections of Chapter II. Additional information, including a day-today account of operations in support to Operation DAMAYAN is available in the Operation
DAMAYAN After Action Report, attached to this history as Supporting Document 4999. 61

~~~6.:"c:--'-----

_ ~i.U>-Artic1e (tJ}J-n--------,

IStatT Writer, "(U) Overshadowed by Tacloban, Other
Cities Fear Aid Will Not Come," 14 Nov 13, S0-2509; (U) After Action
.
Report (U),
1353 SOMXSIMXMH, "(U) Vector Balance Piston/Operation
~~~~.1~ _ DAMAYAN After-Action Report," 23 Dec 13, SD-2S04; (V) After Action Report (U//FOUO),
130b,(b)(S)
1353 SOGIHO, "(V) Operation DAMAYAN: The Pacific Air Commandos in
Support of the Typhoon HaiyanlYolanda Relief in the Republic of the Philippines," 06 Mar 14,
SD-2521 .

13Ob,(b)(Sj' Deva&tat~4"Philippine

I

I -

I

-- I-nepioye<j"-

(b)(3):10

U.S.CO §

(U) After Action Report (VI/FOVO),
~
Mi~sion 130b,(b)(6)
Commander, "(U) Vector Balance Piston 14-1 (VBP 14-1) I Operation DAMA YAN Afterb)(3):10
Action Report," 11 Dec 13, SO-2013; (U) E-Mail (VI/FOUO), 1
--~O
ed_ ~~[1~
L,s.c.,§ Mission Commander, "(V) Final Draft: of Report," 17 Feb 14, S0-2514' (V) Article (V), (b)(6)
130b,(b)(S)
StatT Writer, "(U) Aid Mission Boost US Troop' Image, Readiness," As OClale
130b,(b)(SJ't -""
Press, 17 Nov ] 3, SD-2506; (U) Lessons Learned Report (U), Brig Gen James Hecker 13
AEW/CC "(U) Operation DAMAYAN Joint Air Component Coordination Element (JAC~
(b)(3):10
Le SODS and Ob ervatioDs,' 01 Dec 13, SD-2516; (V) After Action Report (U/IFOUO),~
~3~b~(b~(6)-E 1353 OGIHO '(V) Operation DAMAYAN: The Pacific Air Commandos in
Support of the Typhoon Haiyan/Y olanda R Iief in the Republic of the Philippines," 06 Mar 14,
S0-2521.
61

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63
UNCLASSIFIED