The Black Stars, officially known as the 1st Special Operations Squadron, was an elite unit of the Imperial Starfighter Corps. Formed by Danik Kreldin, the unit was intended to be an all-purpose commando unit capable of performing a wide variety of missions, ranging from rescue operations, interdiction, sabotage, and frontal assaults. The Battle Hymn of the Black Stars became a famous military hymn shortly after the dismantling of the Black Stars Squadron; the hymn was in commenoration of the famous Imperial squadron, and spread through Imperial space rather quickly.