48th Airlift Squadron

World War II The squadron as activated at Daniel Field, Georgia in June 1942 as the 48th Transport Squadron, when the 313th Transport Group expanded from a headquarters and a single squadron, the 29th Troop Carrier Squadron, to a four squadron group. The squadron trained under Air Transport Command with Douglas C-47 Skytrain and the C-53 Skytrooper modification of the C-47. A few weeks after the squadron's activation, the Army Air Forces gave the "transport" designation to its strategic airlift units, and the squadron became the 48th Troop Carrier Squadron under I Troop Carrier Command. The 47th trained in the southeastern United States until April 1943, when it deployed to North Africa. Two days later, 11 July 1943, the squadron was part of a formation of troop carrier units of the 52d Troop Carrier Wing bringing reinforcements, planning to drop paratroops near Gela. Planes of the 313th Group led the stream of troop carriers. However, attacks in the Gela area by enemy aircraft had sunk two ships and forced other ships in the invasion force to disperse. The heaviest enemy attack came at 2150 hours. Fifty minutes later, the first 313th Group aircraft approached the drop zone. The 48th was able to successfully make its drop on Farello Airfield. Mistaking the troop carriers for another enemy attack, ships of the assault force and antiaircraft units ashore began a heavy fire on squadron's C-47s as they departed. Of the 144 planes of the 52d Wing that participated in the mission, 23 were shot down and an additional 37 were heavily damaged. For its completion of this mission the squadron earned its first Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC). In February 1944, the squadron moved to RAF Folkingham, England, where it became part of IX Troop Carrier Command and began training for the assault on the continent of Europe. On D-Day the squadron dropped paratroopers near Picauville, Normandy and dropped reinforcements the following day. The squadron's efforts during Operation Overlord earned it a second DUC. Tactical Air Command The squadron was activated at Mitchel Air Force Base, New York on 1 April 1953, when it assumed the mission, personnel, and Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars of the 337th Troop Carrier Squadron, a reserve unit that had been called to active duty for the Korean War. That October, the 48th moved to Sewart Air Force Base, where it performed airlift missions under the control of Eighteenth Air Force until inactivating in June 1955. Reactivated as a Lockheed C-130 Hercules Troop Carrier (later Tactical Airlift) squadron under TAC in 1964. The 48th provided airlift for airborne forces from 1965 to 1967. It deployed aircraft and crews to France and England, October 1965 – March 1967 and to Panama Canal Zone, March–June 1967. It provided intra-theater airlift and support of U.S. Army airborne forces from 1971 to 1973. Air Education and Training Command In 2003, the 48th Airlift was reactivated as the first active duty C-130J Super Hercules Formal Training Unit. Decorations • Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Sicily, 11 July 1943; France [6–7] Jun 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: [1 Dec] 2003–30 Jun 2004; 1 July 2005 – 30 June 2006; 1 July 2006 – 30 June 2007; 1 July 2008 – 30 June 2009. ==Lineage==