U.S. Air Force
Weather Squadrons
The meteorologists and combat weather specialists who forecast conditions for every air operation. From D-Day weather prediction to embedded combat weather teams with SOF, Weather determines if the mission goes or stops.
D-Day to Precision Targeting
1944 - Present
D-DAY
JUNE 6, 1944
June 6
1944
Stagg
Group Capt J. Stagg
24hr
Weather Window
Go
EISENHOWER'S CALL
The D-Day invasion hinged on a weather forecast. Group Captain James Stagg identified a brief 24-hour window of acceptable weather on June 5-6 that Eisenhower used to launch the invasion. If the forecast had been wrong, the largest amphibious operation in history would have landed in storms that could have destroyed it. Army Air Forces meteorologists provided critical weather data from reconnaissance flights and weather ships. The D-Day forecast proved that accurate weather prediction is as important as any weapon in the arsenal.
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COMBAT WX
DEPLOYED FORECASTING
Embedded
With SOF / Army
Tactical
Weather Intel
DZ
Drop Zone Forecast
Target
AREA WEATHER
Combat Weather teams deploy with Army brigade combat teams and SOF units to provide tactical weather support in the field. They forecast conditions for airborne operations, close air support windows, helicopter landing zones, and target area weather. During OIF and OEF, combat weather airmen operated from forward operating bases alongside ground units, providing the weather intelligence that determined whether CAS missions could execute and whether ISR platforms could collect. Some combat weather airmen have earned combat decorations for service under fire.
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1W
Weather AFSCs
DoD
Weather Executive Agent
D-Day
Critical Forecast
Combat
Weather Teams