118th Air Support Operations Squadron

The 118th Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS) at the Stanly County Airport was originally formed as the 118th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (118th ACWS), of Charlotte, North Carolina. The Detachment of the squadron that would become the 118th ASOS was initially formed in Wadesboro, North Carolina, and designated Detachment A. While designated the 118th ACWS the unit was ordered to active duty during the Korean War with three squadrons of the Georgia Air National Guard on January 8, 1951. On January 2, 1952, the 118th ACWS arrived in French Morocco, North Africa, and set up operations about 20 miles (32 km) from the city of Casablanca. Unit personnel calibrated numerous early warning radar sites for the Strategic Air Command in the Sahara, and in the Atlas mountains in Morocco. From October 8, 1952, until 1999 the unit functioned as a separate state of the art Communications Squadron. In 1999 the Air Force realizing a shortfall, chose to re-role the 118th Combat Communications Squadron into the 118th Air Support Operations Squadron. With this new mission the unit has gone from a front line communications unit to a unit in direct support of the Army war fighter. The 118th ASOS currently is tasked with supporting both the North and South Carolina Army National Guard units.