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|command_structure=[[Air Combat Command]]
|current_commander=Lt Col Steven Bailey<ref name="AFMMAY22-17">{{cite book|title=[[AirForces Monthly]]|year=May 2022|publisher=[[Key Publishing]]|location=[[Stamford, Lincolnshire]], England|page=17}}</ref>
|garrison=[[Prince Sultan AB]], {{nowrap|Saudi Arabia}}
|nickname=
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|identification_symbol=[[File:968 Expeditionary Air Control Sq emblem.png|165px]]
|identification_symbol_label=968th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron emblem
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The '''968th Expeditionary Airborne Air Control Squadron''' (968 EAACS) is a provisional unit of the [[United States Air Force]], flying the [[Boeing E-3 Sentry|Boeing E-3G Sentry]].<ref name="50kHours"/> Since March 2022, the squadron is stationed at [[Prince Sultan Air Base]], Saudi Arabia.<ref name="transferPSAB">{{Cite web |title=New aircraft, Airmen arrive at PSAB |url=https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7084236/new-aircraft-airmen-arrive-psab |date=2022-03-06 |access-date=2022-07-04 |website=DVIDS |language=en}}</ref> It has been activated twice
The first predecessor of the 968th is the '''858th Bombardment Squadron''', first activated in October 1943 as a [[Consolidated B-24 Liberator]] heavy bomber unit. After deploying to England, the [[squadron (aviation)|squadron]] entered the [[strategic bombing during World War II#US bombing in Europe|strategic bombing campaign against Germany]], but was transferred to [[VIII Composite Command]] in June 1944, where it replaced the [[422d Bombardment Squadron]] on special operations, dropping propaganda leaflets over Occupied Europe. In August 1944, the [[492d Bombardment Group]], which had suffered the most severe losses of an [[United States Air Forces Europe|Eighth Air Force]] bomber group was withdrawn from combat 858th began to engage in [[Operation Carpetbagger]], dropping agents and supplies behind German lines, primarily in France. As American forces advanced in France during September 1944, this special operations mission diminished, but operations resumed in Germany during the last months of the war.
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===World War II===
====Training and strategic bombing====
[[File:Consolidated B-24J-150-CO Liberator 44-40159 492nd BG 858th BS Battling Boop.jpg|thumb|Consolidated B-24 Liberator of the 858th Bombardment Squadron
The squadron was first organized in October 1943 at [[Alamogordo Army Air Field]], New Mexico, as one of the original squadrons of the [[492d Bombardment Group]]. Its [[cadre (military)|cadre]] was drawn from the [[859th Bombardment Squadron]], a former [[antisubmarine]] unit whose mission had transferred to the [[United States Navy|Navy]].<ref name=Maurer859BS>Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 785</ref> By January 1944, most of the ground echelon of the squadron had been used to form other bomber units. [[2d Bombardment Division]], which controlled [[VIII Bomber Command]]'s Liberator units in England, began to form a new ground echelon for the squadron from personnel of bomber units already in England,<ref name=Freeman262>Freeman, p. 262</ref> while the air echelon of the 858th continued training at Alamogordo.<ref name=Maurer492BG>Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp 361-362</ref> The air echelon began to depart Alamogordo on 1 April 1944, following the southern ferry route, while the few remaining members of the ground echelon departed on 11 April, sailing on the {{RMS|Queen Elizabeth}} on 20 April.<ref name=Freeman262/>
On 14 April, the ground echelon that had been formed in England arrived at [[RAF North Pickenham]]
====Special operations====
[[File:Consolidated B-24D-65-CO Liberator - 42-40509 -Cookie - 492bg 858 bs.jpg|thumb|858th Squadron B-24D marked for Carpetbagger operations
On 18 June the squadron moved without personnel or equipment, to [[RAF Cheddington]], where it assumed the night leaflet operations that had been performed by the [[422d Bombardment Squadron]].<ref>Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 517-518</ref> Only a cadre of the 858th actually transferred, and the squadron was filled out by veterans of the 422d, who joined on 24 June.<ref>Warren, p. 141</ref> On leaflet missions, called Nickling, squadron aircraft would fly at high level and drop cardboard canisters with leaflets that would explode at 2–3000 feet above ground level to disperse the materials. The squadron lost one aircraft on these missions. This was the first loss for the Eighth Air Force night leaflet squadron and all ten crewmembers were lost.<ref>Warren, pp. 146, 149</ref>
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===Expeditionary Operations===
[[File:968th EAACS E-3G Exercise Red Sands.jpg|thumb|A 968th EAACS E-3G Sentry conducts [[
The 968th was converted to provisional status and redesignated the '''968th Expeditionary Airborne Air Control Squadron''' in late January 2002. It was assigned to [[Air Combat Command]] (ACC) to activate or inactivate as needed. ACC activated the squadron at [[Thumrait Air Base]], Oman and equipped it with the [[Boeing E-3 Sentry]] in December to provided early warning of enemy activity and to control friendly aircraft over the Gulf area in December 2002, inactivating it in May 2003.<ref name=968EAACSfacts/>
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===Notes===
; Explanatory notes
{{notelist}}
; Citations
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