Vietnam era (1966–1975) , 1967. AF Ser. No. 66-0177 is in foreground. This aircraft will become the famous "
Hanoi Taxi" which flew
Bob Hope to
USO shows in
South Vietnam, and, in 1973, during the final days of the
Vietnam War, repatriated American
POWs from
North Vietnam.
Arizona Senator
John McCain was one of the POWs who flew home on the
Hanoi Taxi. 66-0177 was the last C-141 to be withdrawn from Air Force service after a career of almost 40 years, as the last of the fleet was retired in 2006. Today, 66-0177 is on permanent display at the
National Museum of the United States Air Force at
Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio , AF Ser. No. 71-0874, used for
Aeromedical Evacuation Established at the height of the United States' involvement in the
Vietnam War, MAC provided long-range strategic airlift from bases in the United States to Military Airlift Support Squadrons (MASS) located on
Pacific Air Forces bases in the Pacific AOR. These were: •
Kadena Air Base,
Okinawa, Japan, (603rd MASS) •
Clark Air Base,
Philippines, (604th MASS) •
NAS Agana,
Guam, (605th MASS) • Mactan AB, Philippines (606th MASS) • Henderson Field Airport,
Midway Island, (607th MASS) •
Yokota Air Base,
Japan, (610th MASS) •
Osan Air Base,
South Korea, (611th MASS) •
Cam Ranh Air Base,
South Vietnam (608th MASS) •
Tan Son Nhut Air Base,
South Vietnam (616th MASS) :
Phu Cat Air Base,
South Vietnam (Det. 1, 616th MASS) :
Bien Hoa Air Base,
South Vietnam (Det. 2, 616th MASS) •
Da Nang Air Base,
South Vietnam (617th MASS) :
Pleiku Air Base,
South Vietnam (Det. 1, 617th MASS) •
U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield,
Thailand (618th MASS) In addition, MAC operated MASS Squadrons on Non-CONUS bases in both Alaska and Hawaii: •
Elmendorf AFB,
Alaska, (602d MASS) •
Hickam AFB,
Hawaii, (61st MASS) By 1968, MAC military and contract transports were hauling 150,000 passengers and 45,000 tons of cargo monthly to and from
Southeast Asia. At first, MAC transports to Vietnam landed regularly only at Tan Son Nhut AB, necessitating considerable transshipment within Vietnam by the Common Service Airlift System. New air bases opened at Da Nang AB and Cam Ranh AB in January 1966, and later at Pleiku, Bien Hoa and Phu Cat Air Bases, reducing the need for redistribution. Major unit movements by MAC aircraft from the United States usually required further airlifts to operating areas by in-country transports. Introduction of the
C-5 Galaxy transport in the summer of 1970 created new problems of in-country distribution, since C-5 deliveries were massive, and, initially the planes could land only at Cam Ranh Bay. Eventually, however, C-5s could unload at Tan Son Nhut and elsewhere. MAC subsequently supported
Operation New Life (April 1975 – September 1975), the transport to Guam of Vietnamese refugees and their subsequent resettlement.
Special Air Mission parked on the flight line at
Andrews AFB,
Maryland Inherited from MATS, MAC assumed the Special Air Mission (SAM) of providing global airlift, logistics, aerial port and communications for the
President,
Vice President, and senior government leaders as tasked by the
White House and
Chief of Staff of the Air Force. The
89th Military Airlift Wing, stationed at
Andrews AFB,
Maryland carried out this mission on a worldwide basis. The airlift proved key to the Israeli victory. It had not only brought about the timely resupply of the Israeli armed forces but also provided a series of deadly new weapons put to good use in the latter part of the war. These included the
AGM-65 Maverick, the
BGM-71 TOW anti-tank weapons and extensive new electronic countermeasures equipment that warded off successful attacks on Israeli fighters. Reflecting on the operation's vital contribution to the war effort, Reader's Digest would call it "The Airlift That Saved Israel." The airlift taught the Air Force many lessons, large and small. With refueling denied for MAC airlift flights bound for Israel by
France and
West Germany,
Lajes Field in the
Azores had to be used instead. The Air Force established an immediate requirement for aerial refueling to become standard practice in MAC so that its airlifters could operate without forward bases, if necessary. These modified aircraft were designated
C-141B. Additional 'plug' sections were added before and after the wings, lengthening the fuselage by 23 ft 4 in (7.11 m) and allowing the carriage of 103 litters for wounded, 13 standard pallets, 205 troops, 168
paratroopers, or an equivalent increase in other loads. Also added at this time was a boom receptacle for
inflight refueling which gave the C-141 truly intercontinental range. The conversion program took place between 1977 and 1982, with first delivery taking place in December 1979. It was estimated that this stretching program was the equivalent of buying 90 new aircraft, in terms of increased capacity. During its development phase, problems with the C-5 had been discovered, including structural problems that required the replacement of wing sections. During the early 1980s, the C-5A force was retrofitted with a new wing to strengthen the aircraft and allow it to carry additional cargo loads. Also, a shortage of airlift capability was addressed with the introduction of the C-5B, The first C-5B incorporating significant improvements such as strengthened wings and updated avionics was delivered to Altus Air Force Base in January 1986. C-5B production concluded with delivery of the last "B" model aircraft in April 1989. In the 1950s, the MATS
Air Resupply And Communications Service (ARCS) controlled special operations forces during the
Korean War and throughout the 1950s supporting both DoD as well as CIA activities. MATS worked closely with the USAF Special Air Warfare Center (later, USAF Special Operations Force) in the 1960s and early years of the
Vietnam War. After 1964, Special Operations were assigned to
Tactical Air Command's
Ninth Air Force, and when the war in Vietnam ended, the special operations forces were cut back along with the rest of the military. • Consolidated with
Air Mobility Command as
Air Mobility Command on 1 October 2016
Components Headquarters • Headquarters, MAC :
Scott AFB, Illinois, 1 January 1966 – 1 June 1992. assigned to the 75th Military Airlift Squadron, 60th Military Airlift Wing •
Twenty-First Air Force :
McGuire AFB, New Jersey, 3 January 1966 – 1 June 1992. •
Twenty-Second Air Force :
Travis AFB, California, 8 January 1966 – 1 June 1992 •
Twenty-Third Air Force :
Scott AFB, Illinois, 1 March 1983 – 22 May 1990, : Redesignated
Air Force Special Operations Command, with the status of a major command
Services •
Air Weather Service, 1 January 1966 – 30 June 1991 •
Air Rescue Service, 1 January 1966 : Redesignated: Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service, 8 January 1966 – 30 June 1991 • Air Photographic and Charting Service, 1 January 1966 – 1972
Divisions •
2d Air Division,
Hurlburt Field, Florida, 1 March 1983 – 1 February 1987 •
76th Airlift Division,
Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, 1 March 1976 : Redesignated 76th Military Airlift Wing, 30 September 1977 : Redesignated 76th Airlift Division, 15 December 1980 – 1 October 1985 •
322d Airlift Division,
High Wycombe Air Station, United Kingdom, 1 January 1966 – 24 December 1968;
Ramstein Air Base, Germany, 3 June 1978 – 1 April 1992 •
832d Air Division,
Sewart Air Force Base, Tennessee, 1–31 December 1974 •
834th Airlift Division, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, 1 October 1978 – 1 April 1991, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, 1–31 December 1974 (as 834th Air Division)
Military Airlift Units Operated
C-141 Starlifter or
C-5 Galaxy aircraft •
60th Military Airlift Wing,
Travis AFB, California, 8 January 1966 : Redesignated: 60d Airlift Wing, 1 November 1991 – 1 June 1992 •
62d Military Airlift Wing,
McChord AFB, Washington, 8 January 1966 : Redesignated: 62d Airlift Wing, 1 December 1991 – 1 June 1992 •
63d Military Airlift Wing,
Norton AFB, California, 8 January 1966 : Redesignated: 63d Airlift Wing, 1 January-1 Jun 1992 •
436th Military Airlift Wing,
Dover AFB, Delaware, 8 January 1966 : Redesignated: 436th Airlift Wing, 1 December 1991 – 1 June 1992 •
437th Military Airlift Wing,
Charleston AFB, South Carolina, 8 January 1966 : Redesignated: 437th Airlift Wing, 1 October 1991 – 1 June 1992 •
438th Military Airlift Wing,
McGuire AFB, New Jersey, 8 January 1966 : Redesignated: 438th Airlift Wing, 1 November 1991 – 1 June 1992 •
443d Military Airlift Wing (Training) :
Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, 8 January 1966 :
Altus AFB, Oklahoma, 5 May 1969 : Redesignated: 443d Airlift Wing, 27 August 1991 – 1 June 1992
Tactical Airlift Units Operated
C-130 Hercules aircraft •
314th Tactical Airlift Wing,
Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, 31 December 1974 : Redesignated: 314th Airlift Wing, 1 November 1991 – 1 June 1992 •
316th Tactical Airlift Wing,
Langley AFB, Virginia, 31 December 1974 – 30 June 1975 :
Andrews AFB, Maryland, 15 December 1980 – 12 July 1991 •
317th Tactical Airlift Wing,
Pope AFB, North Carolina, 31 December 1974 : Redesignated: 317th Airlift Wing, 1 January-1 Jun 1992 •
463d Tactical Airlift Wing,
Dyess AFB, Texas, 31 December 1974 : Redesignated: 463d Airlift Wing-1 November 1991 – 1 June 1992
Other Airlift Units •
89th Military Airlift Wing,
Andrews AFB, Maryland, 8 January 1966 (Special Air Mission) : Redesignated: 89th Military Airlift Group, 30 September 1977 : Redesignated: 89th Military Airlift Wing, 15 December 1980 : Redesignated: 89th Airlift Wing, 12 July 1991 – 1 June 1992 • 65th Military Airlift Group^,
Yokota AB, Japan, 14 August 1967 (PACAF Operations) : Redesignated:
65th Military Airlift Support Group^, 24 December 1968 – 1 January 1972 : Replaced by: 610th Military Airlift Support Squadron^, 1 January 1972 – 1 October 1978 : MAC operations at Yokota operated by MAC/TA Section,
475th Air Base Wing (PACAF) 1 October 1978 – 1 October 1989 •
69th Military Airlift Support Group^,
Clark AB, Philippines, 8 January 1966 (PACAF Operations) : Redesignated: 69th Military Airlift Support Squadron^, 1 January 1972 : Replaced by:
374th Tactical Airlift Wing, 31 March 1975 : Reassigned:
Yokota AB, Japan, 1 October 1989 – 1 April 1992 •
435th Military Airlift Support Wing,
RAF High Wycombe, England, 24 December 1968 (USAFE Operations) : Reassigned:
Rhein-Main AB, West Germany (later Germany), 1 July 1969 – 1 June 1992 : Redesignated: 435th Tactical Airlift Wing, 1 July 1975 : Redesignated: 435th Airlift Wing, 1 April 1992 Note: ^Commanded by:
61st Military Airlift Support Wing, Hickam AFB, Hawaii.
Major Aircraft •
C-47 Skytrain, 1975–1976; 1983–1990 •
C-54 Skymaster, 1966–1975 •
C-121 Constellation, 1966–1978 •
C-124 Globemaster II, 1966–1974 •
C-130 Hercules, 1974–1992 •
AC-130 Spectre, 1983–1990 •
HC-130 Hercules, 1964–1992 •
MC-130 Combat Talon & Combat Shadow, 1983–1990 •
WC-130 Hercules, 1962–1992 •
C-133 Cargomaster, 1966–1971 •
C-135 Stratolifter, 1966–1992 •
C-140 Jetstar, 1961–1992 •
C-141 Starlifter, 1966–1992 •
C-5 Galaxy, 1970–1992 •
C-9 Nightingale, 1968–1992 •
Boeing VC-137, 1961–1992 (
Air Force One /
Air Force Two / Special Assignment Airlift Mission (SAAM) •
Boeing VC-25, 1990–1992 (
Air Force One) source for lineage, assignments, stations, components, aircraft ==See also==