223d Combat Communications Squadron

The United States Air Force's 223rd Combat Communications Squadron (223 CBCS) is an Air National Guard combat communications unit located at Hot Springs ANGS, Arkansas.

History

The 223rd began as the 8201st Air Base Squadron on 1 May 1952. The 8201st was discontinued on 30 November 1952 and became the 223rd radio Relay Squadron on 1 December 1952. With an authorized strength of four officers and 95 airmen, the 223rd had a mission to install and operate five radio relay stations and three radio terminals under field conditions. First Lt. Joe A. Holbrook became the Commanding Officer of the newly formed unit and held that position until March 1955. The unit was assigned to the Continental Air Command (CONAC), located at Selfridge AFB, Michigan.

Under Lt. Holbrook's command, recruiting took priority and the unit quadrupled in size within months. The unit's first exercise began on 5 July 1953, setting up a base station at the Garland County Municipal Airport and a second site at the Fairgrounds. There call signs were Zekeamoto Alpha and Zekeamoto Extra.

Captain George C. Bolton replaced Lt. Holbrook as commanding officer on 13 March 1955 and would hold that position until 1971. Lt. Holbrook's career with the 223rd was far from over. Through the years he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel, but would later accept a demotion to the enlisted ranks with a rank of master sergeant so that he could remain in the unit. The respect that Joe Holbrook earned in his decades with the unit would earn him the nickname "Sergeant Colonel Holbrook", and his men would proudly admit they continued to call him "Sir" even after joining the enlisted ranks.

The 223rd was federally activated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on 24 September 1957 to assist in the Little Rock Integration Crisis. During this time, a new building was under construction; the same building they would call home until the unit's closure in 2008. By 1960, the 223rd had gained recognition as a premier Radio Relay Squadron. The unit's manning increased to ten officers and 181 airmen, and they gained Food Services and Medical Services. The ongoing joke at the time was that introduction of both services at the same time was necessary, as you could not have a chow hall without having a medic.

In 1968, the unit's name changed to the 223rd Mobile Communications squadron, as they received Troposcatter radios, High Frequency (HF) radios, a Tactical Communications Center, Technical Control facilities, Tactical Switchboards and Cryptographic functions. Four months after receiving this equipment, virtually unseen by any member of the unit only months earlier, the 223rd took the Commanding Role in exercise Guard Strike 2.

The unit continued to grow, its inventory expanding and its members grasp of communications becoming sharper. By 1990, Lt. Col. Marc W. Barber, the former enlisted Air Advisor for the unit, became the commanding officer. His vision for the unit took it in new directions. After dozens of highly successful exercises and operations, the 223rd, now a Combat Communication Squadron, partnered with the C2TIG, or Command And Control Training and Integration Group at Hurlburt Field, Florida. This partnership led to the development of new eauipment, new missions and new ways of doing business; many of these new concepts were quickly adopted throughout the military and are standard practices today.

The decision to close the 223rd in 2008 was a financial one. The 189th Airlift Wing in Little Rock, Arkansas and the 188th Fighter Wing in Fort Smith gained many new personnel positions by this closure, as well additional equipment. During its history, over 4000 individuals signed the dotted line to become a member of the 223rd. Many came from active duty, representing all branches of the military, while many started and ended their careers with the unit.

Assignments

Major Command/Gaining Command

• Air National Guard/Air Combat Command (1992–2008)
• Air National Guard/Military Air Transport Service (1960–1992)
• Air National Guard/Continental Air Command (1952–1960)

Wing/Group

• 254th Combat Communications Group (1971 – present)
• 251st Combat Communications Group (1954–1971)

Previous designations

• 223rd Combat Communications Squadron (1976 – present)
• 223rd Mobile Communications Squadron (1968–1976)
• 223rd Radio Relay Squadron (1952–1968)
• 8201st Air Base Squadron (May - December 1952)

Bases stationed

• Hot Springs ANGS, Arkansas (???-Present)

^[2]

Commanders

• Lt. Col. Philip Z. Horton (2000-)
• Lt. Col. Marc W. Barber (1990–2000)
• Major Ralph Van Cleve ( 1987–1990)
• Lt. Col. William E. Titus (1986–1987)
• Lt. Col. Ray E. Garner (1981–1986)
• Lt. Col. Alvin A. Albinson ( 1973–1981)
• Major Glen W. "Bill" Crone (1972–1973)
• Major Thomas G. Haggard (1971–1972)
• Lt. Col. George C. Bolton (1955–1971)
• Lt. Col. Joe A. Holbrook (1952–1955)
• Lt. Richard H. Scheibel (1952)

Decorations

• Air Force Outstanding Unit Award

References

"The Unofficial History of the 223rd" MSgt Scotty W. Welland (ret.) Published 2004

External links

USAF Combat Communications Units
Groups	5 CCG 226 CCG 254 CCG
Squadrons	1 CBCS 5 CBCSS 23 CBCS 35 CBCS 42 CBCS 51 CBCS 52 CBCS 53 CBCS 55 CBCS 147 CBCS 221 CBCS 232 CBCS 236 CBCS 239 CBCS 242 CBCS 263 CBCS 264 CBCS 265 CBCS 267 CBCS 269 CBCS 271 CBCS 282 CBCS 283 CBCS 291 CBCS 292 CBCS 293 CBCS 644 CBCS
Former / Redesignated Units	689 CCW 3 CCG 162 CCG 201 CCG 251 CCG 252 CCG 253 CCG 281 CCG 3 CBCSS 31 CBCS 32 CBCS 33 CBCS 34 CBCS 54 CBCS 94 CBCS 148 CBCS 149 CBCS 193 CBCS 222 CBCS 224 CBCS 225 CBCS 228 CBCS 231 CBCS 240 CBCS 256 CBCS 261 CBCS 262 CBCS 280 CBCS 284 CBCS 285 CBCS 607 CBCS

Air National Guard (ANG)
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Wings and Groups Wings Composite 108th 113th 118th 119th 127th 140th 154th 175th 176th 178th 188th Air Control 116th Airlift 103d 105th 107th 109th 120th 123d 130th 133d 136th 139th 143d 145th 146th 152d 153d 156th 164th 165th 166th 167th 172d 179th 182d 189th Air Refueling 101st 117th 121st 126th 128th 134th 137th 141st 151st 155th 157th 161st 168th 171st 185th 186th 190th Attack 110th 174th Bomb 131st Fighter 52d* 53d* 54th* 55th* 60th* 61st* 62d* 63d* 66th* 67th* 71st* 86th* 104th 106th* 111th 114th 115th 122d 124th 125th 132d 138th 142d 144th 148th 149th 150th 159th 162d 169th 173d 177th 180th 183d 187th 192d Intelligence 102d 181st 184th Reconnaissance 147th 163d Regional Support 194th Rescue 106th 129th Special Operations 150th 193d Groups Composite 170th Airlift 135th* Air Operations 102d 152d 157th Air Refueling 112th* 127th 160th* Combat Communications 162d 163d 201st 226th 252d 254th 281st* Cyberspace Engineering Installation 251st 253d Operations 140th Reconnaissance 214th
Squadrons Flying Air Command and Control 12th 128th Airlift 105th 109th 115th 118th 130th 135th* 136th 137th 139th 142d 143d 144th 155th 156th 158th 164th 165th 167th 169th 172d 180th 181st 183d 186th 187th 189th* 192d 198th 200th 201st 204th 249th Air Refueling 106th 108th 116th 117th 126th 132d 133d 141st 145th 146th 147th 150th 151st 153d 166th 168th 171st 173d 174th 185th 191st 197th 203d Attack 138th Bomb 110th Fighter 100th 103d 104th 107th 112th 114th 119th 120th 121st 122d 123d 124th 125th 131st 134th 148th 149th 152d 157th 159th 160th* 163d 170th* 175th 176th 179th 182d 184th 190th 194th 195th 199th Reconnaissance 111th 162d 178th 196th 214th Rescue 101st 102d 103d 129th 130th 131st 188th 210th 211th 212th Special Operations 193d Training 154th Non-Flying Air Control 103d 116th 117th 128th 141st 176th Air Operations 112th Air Support 113th ASOS 172d Air Traffic Control 270th 245th Civil Engineering 285th Civil Engineering Squadron Combat Communications 143d 147th 149th 206th 221st 222d 223d 225th 228th 231st 232d 234th 236th 239th 240th 242d 244th 256th 261st 262d 263d 264th 265th 267th 269th 271st 272d 280th 282d 283d 291st 292d 293d Command and Control 119th 127th 153d 222d Engineering Installation 130th 202d 205th 210th 211th 212th 213th 214th 215th 217th 218th 219th 220th 241st 243d 270th 272d Force Support 187th Information Warfare Aggressor 177th Intelligence 101st 117th 123d 152d 161st 194th 234th Joint Communications Support 224th 290th Logistics Readiness 187th RED HORSE 202d 203d 819th Security Forces 187th Space Control 114th Space Operations 111th 148th Space Warning 137th 213th Special Operations Communications 193d 280th Special Tactics 125th Asterisk (*) denotes an inactive unit

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