It provided light transport, observation, and aeromedical evacuation support for Allied forces fighting in Burma.

The 966th Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron was organized in 1962 to provide seaward radar coverage in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea.

The squadron is the Boeing E-3 Sentry formal training unit (FTU) for all Airborne Warning and Control System aircrew.

[5] In addition to its training mission, the squadron maintains its personnel and equipment in readiness for dispersal and augmentation of tactical forces worldwide.

Accordingly, the Army Air Forces adopted a more functional system in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit.

It flew aeromedical evacuation missions and provided light transport services for ground forces in Burma until May 1945, when it was withdrawn to Burnpur Airfield.

It returned to the United States and upon arrival at the Port of Embarkation was inactivated at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey on 3 November 1945.

[23][24] Once Cuba was no longer a friendly power, similar coverage was extended over the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent waters.

The 551st Wing began sending crews to McCoy Air Force Base, Florida on temporary duty to provide this coverage.

[25] The 966th Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron was organized on 1 February 1962 at McCoy to provide the coverage on a permanent basis.

[27] In addition to its primary active air defense mission, the squadron assisted with antisubmarine patrols and developed weather information in its area of operations.

[25] During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the squadron was reinforced on 20 October 1962 by six EC-121s deployed from the 552d Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing at McClellan Air Force Base, California.

[24][28] Along with the deployment of Navy Grumman WF-2s to Key West Naval Air Station, this enabled the maintenance of three separate airborne warning tracks off southern Florida, rather than the single orbit usually maintained.

Its EC-121Ds provided radar coverage for United States forces over North Viet Nam from orbits flown over Laos and the Gulf of Tonkin.

[2] The 966th was redesignated the 966th Airborne Warning and Control Training Squadron and activated at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma on 1 May 1976.