555th RED HORSE Squadron

MISSION
The RED HORSE mission is to support combat air power worldwide, RED HORSE provides the Commander of Air Force Forces (COMAFFOR) a dedicated, flexible, airfield and base heavy construction and repair capability.  RED HORSE also provides many special capabilities that allow the COMAFFOR to move and support missions as the air order of battle dictates.  The standard RED HORSE capability consists of 404 personnel (engineers and support personnel) with approximately 1,000 short-tons of vehicles, heavy construction and support equipment.  This organic support allows the unit to operate independently for extended periods of time until normal supply channels are established. In addition to the standard capability, the RED HORSE special capabilities consist of approximately 2,200 short-tons, which can be tailored to meet specific construction and repair requirements. When operating in a higher threat, non-permissive environment outside a forward operating base or collocated operating base, the RED HORSE commander, in coordination with the area commander (i.e. combat arms land force commander), determines additional security requirements based on operational risk.

HISTORY
The 555th Civil Engineering Squadron (Heavy Repair) (CES(HR) was constituted and activated on 1 Oct 1965 then organized on 12 October 1965, and was assigned to Pacific Air Forces for organization.  Members of the 555th and 554th, the first two CES(HR), received training at Cannon AFB prior to their deployment to Vietnam, the 555th CES(HR) was the second to arrive in country in February 1966.  In 1967, it became the first CES(HR) unit to own and operate a concrete batch plant, constructing parking aprons.  It was reassigned to the 1st Civil Engineering Group in May 1967.  The 555th, one of the original CES(HR) was headquartered at Cam Ranh Bay from February 1966 to early 1970.  The 555th CES(HR) was inactivated at Cam Ranh Bay on 15 December 1969.

Nearly 32 years later, on 21 August 2001 the unit was redesignated the 555th RED HORSE Squadron (RHS) in preparation for re- activation in the Air Force Reserve. On 1 October 2001 HQ Air Force Reserve Command activated the unit at Nellis AFB, NV, with assignment to the 610th Regional Support Group, to augment the 554th RED HORSE Squadron at Osan AB, Korea. Gaining command was Pacific Air Forces.  All Reserve and Air National Guard units have approximately 200 personnel assigned.

OPERATIONS
From February 1966 to early 1970, the 555th CES(HR) completed much of the troop housing, roads, and utilities on Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam.  The 555th CES(HR) constructed hundreds of buildings, maintained AM-2 runways, taxiways, and parking aprons, and sent deployed units to several other locations to construct facilities.  An 18-man unit constructed radar site facilities on Phu Quoc Island, and the unit deployed a 50-man detachment to Nha Trang to accomplish major construction projects at the direction of the 1st Civil Engineering Group.

In 2006, RED HORSE squadrons from around the globe combined forces, engineers from the 555th RHS and others worked closely with Osan’s 554th RHS on several projects to improve the quality of life for military members and safety conditions for Airmen and aircraft in South Korea.  In total, about 170 HORSE brothers and sisters supported the project in Korea from April through September, some just doing their two-week annual tours, while others stayed on to provide additional continuity on the jobs.

Completed projects across the peninsula include construction at air bases at Kimhae, Wonju, Suwon, Kunsan and Osan. (At Kunsan), old expeditionary aircraft arresting systems were replaced with new motor-driven systems which improved operational safety for any aircraft with barrier engagement capability, which better protects the aircraft and pilot during a barrier engagement.  Access roads, drainage culverts, and buildings to house the engines were added.

Some of the many other projects included two steel arch warehouse buildings at Kimhae that will provide security and weather protection for RED HORSE and war reserve materiel; 30 contingency cabins at Kunsan to support air expeditionary force rotations, joint exercises, and operations; and a shower, latrine and laundry facility at Suwon which improves quality of life for deployed forces there.

In 2008, during “Beyond the Horizon” a US Southern Command-sponsored program brings humanitarian assistance to the people of Peru.  A 64-member 555th RHS team joined a task force for the three-month-long humanitarian mission, the task force built two schools, three medical clinics, and two water wells.

UNIT PATCH