World War II Established in early 1942 as a
Douglas C-47 Skytrain transport squadron under
First Air Force, later trained under
I Troop Carrier Command in the eastern United States. Deployed to England in December 1942, being assigned to
VIII Air Support Command, Eighth Air Force to provide transport and resupply support to the buildup of the heavy bomber force in England. Was detached to Twelfth Air Force in Algeria in May 1943 to provide air resupply and transport during the North African Campaign in Algeria and Tunisia. Also performed combat casualty evacuation of wounded personnel to rear areas. Remained under jurisdiction of VIII ASC while in North Africa, providing transport between England and North Africa from its base in Algeria. Returned to England in early 1944 to participate in the buildup of forces prior to the Allied landings in France during D-Day in June 1944. Engaged in combat
operations by dropping
paratroops into
Normandy on
D-Day (6 June 1944) and releasing
gliders with reinforcements on the following day. The unit received a
Distinguished Unit Citation and a French citation for these missions. After the Normandy invasion the squadron ferried supplies in the United Kingdom. The squadron also hauled food, clothing, medicine, gasoline, ordnance equipment, and other supplies to the front lines and evacuated patients to rear zone hospitals. It dropped paratroops near
Nijmegen and towed gliders carrying reinforcements during the
airborne attack on the Netherlands. In December, it participated in the
Battle of the Bulge by releasing gliders with supplies for the 101st Airborne Division near
Bastogne. Moved to Belgium in early 1945, and participated in the Western Allied invasion of Germany, participating in the air assault across the
Rhine River in March 1945, each aircraft towed two gliders with troops of the
17th Airborne Division and released them near
Wesel. In late May 1945, after
V-E Day, the squadron was moved to
Waller Field, Trinidad and attached to
Air Transport Command. From Trinidad, the squadron ferried returning military personnel to Morrison Field, Florida, where they were sent on to other bases or prepared for separation after the war. Inactivated at the end of July 1945.
Reserve troop carrier Reactivated in 1949 as a reserve troop carrier squadron as part of
Tactical Air Command. Equipped with
Curtiss C-46 Commandoes. activated during the
Korean War and became a training unit for crews flying
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar assault transports in South Korea. Inactivated in 1953 after federalized activation period ended. Reactivated a year later operating variety of rotary wing helicopters. Provided helicopter support for
atomic weapons tests on
Bikini in the
Eniwetok Atoll, February–June 1956. Inactivated and replaced by the
21st Helicopter Squadron, which took over its personnel and
Piasecki H-21 Workhorse helicopters.
Vietnam War Reactivated again in 1963 at Pope AFB as a
Fairchild C-123 Provider combat resupply squadron, used in remote combat airfield resupply and casualty evacuation of ground forces. Deployed to South Vietnam after training and operated under
2d Air Division,
Pacific Air Forces to support advisory units, primarily in Mule Train combat cargo missions in South Vietnam to support special forces (Air Commandos) in the early stages of US Involvement in the
Vietnam War. Re-designated an Air Commando squadron in 1965 under
Seventh Air Force, engaged in special operations and tactical airlift during 1965–1970 based at
Phan Rang Air Base flying intratheater combat cargo and troop carrier missions. Inactivated as part of the Vietnamization withdrawal process in 1970.
Special airlift Reactivated in 2002 as a support transport squadron providing executive airlift support for Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), and Commander United States Air Forces in Europe (COMUSAFE). The 309th Airlift Squadron was inactivated on 5 October 2012. The 424th Air Base Squadron was activated at Chièvres Air Base the next week, on 12 October 2012.
Operations and decorations • Combat Operations. Aerial transportation in European Theater of Operations (ETO) of materiel, equipment, and troops, including airborne assaults on Normandy, the Netherlands, and Germany, 6 June 1944 – May 1945. Flew intratheater combat cargo and troop carrier missions in Southeast Asia, 1 July 1963 – 26 June 1970. • Campaigns. World War II: Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Central Europe. Vietnam: Vietnam Advisory; Vietnam Defensive; Vietnam Air; Vietnam Air Offensive; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air/Ground; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; TET 69/Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer-Fall; Vietnam Winter-Spring; Sanctuary Counteroffensive. • Decorations.
Distinguished Unit Citations: France [6] Jun 1944.
Presidential Unit Citations: Southeast Asia, 21 Jan-12 May 1968; Southeast Asia, 1 Apr-30 Jun 1970.
Navy Presidential Unit Citation: Vietnam, 20 Jan-31 Mar 1968.
Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat "V" Device: 1 May 1963 – 30 April 1965; 30 Jun-9 Jul 1965; 15 October 1966 – 30 April 1967; 10 Jun-31 Dec 1967; 15 July 1968 – 30 June 1969; 15 January 2004 – 31 October 2005.
Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: [12 Mar]-31 Dec 2002; 1 November 2005 – 31 December 2006; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2007.
Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 29 June 1966 – 31 July 1970. ==Lineage==