20th Operational Weather Squadron

Until its inactivation in April 2006, the 20th Operational Weather Squadron was responsible for producing and disseminating mission planning and execution weather analyses, forecasts, and briefings for Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, Guard, Reserve, USFK, PACOM, PACAF, USAPRAC, SOCPAC, and NAVPAC forces operating at 115 installations/sites over 5.2 million sq.mi.

The two stars indicate the services, US Air Force and US Army, that the unit supports by providing meteorological information.

The 20th Weather Squadron activated at Cairo, Egypt, on 15 April 1943, and was assigned to the Ninth Air Force, but was soon thereafter disbanded on 31 October 1943.

The Army Air Forces again activated the 20th on 6 December 1944, on Biak Island in what was then known as the Netherlands East Indies, today's Indonesia.

In May 1945 the squadron moved its headquarters by from Biak Island to Fort William McKinley near Manila, Philippines.

By the close of July 1945, the squadron had grown to more than 700 men and the headquarters was overseeing the work of 34 weather stations, many of which were in isolated locations.

Due to congested quarters at Fort William McKinley, the 20th's headquarters moved again in August 1945 to nearby Nichols Field.

The leadership of the 20th Weather Squadron was soon burdened by the growth of detachments both in Korea and Japan to support the war effort.

The Air Force activated the 30th Weather Squadron to oversee Korean operations, but the 20th remained deeply involved in the war effort.

World War II European-African-Middle Eastern Theater; Korean Service Campaign Streamers.