731st Airlift Squadron

731st Airlift Squadron
A squadron C-130 Hercules makes a drop during annual Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System training
Active	1942–1945; 1947–1951; 1952–1982; 1982–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Airlift
Part of	Air Force Reserve Command
Garrison/HQ	Peterson Air Force Base
Engagements	European Theater of Operations
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Insignia
731st Airlift Squadron emblem (modified 22 July 1996)
331st Bombardment Squadron emblem (approved 10 April 1943)

The 731st Airlift Squadron is part of the 302d Airlift Wing at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. It operates Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft providing global airlift.

Mission

• Tactical Airlift
• Aerial fire-fighting for the U.S. Forest Service.

History

World War II

Activated as a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomb squadron; trained under Second Air Force. Completed training in early 1943; deploying to European Theater of Operations (ETO) assigned to VIII Bomber Command of the Eighth Air Force in England. Engaged in long-range strategic bombardment operations over Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany, March 1944 – May 1945 attacking enemy military and industrial targets as part of the United States' air offensive against Nazi Germany. Most personnel demobilized in Europe after the German capitulation in May 1945; squadron inactivated as a paper unit in November.

Reserve

Reactivated in 1947 as a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomb squadron in the reserve, however equipped with trainers until 1949 when equipped with the Douglas B-26 Invader light bomber. Squadron activated in 1951 as a result of the Korean War; personnel and equipment assigned as replacements, then inactivated as a paper unit.

Reactivated in 1952 with RB-26 Invader photo-reconnaissance aircraft; Curtiss C-46 Commando transports; North Emerican F-51 Mustangs, and other second-line aircraft. In 1957, moved from Scott Air Force Base, Illinois to Laurence G. Hanscom Field, Massachusetts and re-equipped with Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars for tactical airlift. Activated during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962; returned to reserve status after crisis was resolved. In 1966, re-equipped with Douglas C-124 Globemasters for performing strategic airlift on a worldwide scale. Reassigned to various Air Force reserve wings; flying Fairchild C-123 Providers until inactivation in 1982. Reactivated in Colorado in the Air Force Reserve same date and equipped with Lockheed C-130 Hercules.

Lineage

• Constituted as the 331st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 January 1942

Activated on 15 June 1942

Redesignated 331st Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 20 August 1943

Inactivated on 29 November 1945

Redesignated 331st Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavyon 13 May 1947

Activated in the reserve on 29 May 1947

Redesignated 331st Bombardment Squadron, Light on 26 June 1949

Ordered to active service on 10 March 1951

Inactivated on 20 March 1951

• Redesignated 331st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 26 May 1952

Activated in the reserve on 14 June 1952

Redesignated 331st Bombardment Squadron, Tactical on 18 May 1955

Redesignated 731st Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 1 July 1957

Ordered to active service on 28 October 1962

Relieved from active duty on 28 November 1962

Redesignated: 731st Military Airlift Squadron on 1 January 1967

Redesignated: 731st Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 October 1972

Inactivated on 1 October 1982

• Activated in the reserve on 1 October 1982

Redesignated 731st Airlift Squadron on 1 February 1992

Assignments

• 94th Bombardment Group, 15 Jun 1942 – 29 Nov 1945; 29 May 1947 – 20 Mar 1951
• 94th Tactical Reconnaissance Group (later 94th Bombardment Group, 94th Troop Carrier) Group), 14 June 1952
• 94th Troop Carrier Wing, 14 April 1959
• 901st Troop Carrier Group (later 901 Military Airlift Group 901st Tactical Airlift Group), 11 February 1963
• 439th Tactical Airlift Wing, 1 April 1974
• 901st Tactical Airlift Group, 1 October 1982
• 302d Tactical Airlift Wing (later 302d Airlift Wing), 1 April 1985
• 302d Operations Group, 1 August 1992 – present

Stations

• MacDill Field, Florida, 15 June 1942
• Pendleton Field, Oregon, 29 June 1942
• Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 29 August 1942
• Biggs Field, Texas, 1 November 1942
• Pueblo Army Air Base, Colorado, 3 January–17 April 1943
• RAF Earls Colne (AAF-358), England, 11 May 1943
• RAF Bury St. Edmunds (AAF-468), England, c. 13 June 1943 – 22 November 1945

• Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, c. 27–29 November 1945
• Marietta Army Air Field (later Dobbins Air Force Base), Georgia, 29 May 1947 – 20 March 1951
• Dobbins Air Force Base, Georgia, 14 June 1952
• Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, 18 May 1955
• Laurence G. Hanscom Field, Massachusetts, 16 November 1957
• Westover Air Reserve Base, Massachusetts, 17 September 1973 – 1 October 1982
• Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, 1 October 1982 – present

Aircraft

• Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress (1942–1945)
• North American T-6 Texan (1947–1950, 1952–1954)
• Beechcraft T-7 Navigator (1947–1951)
• Beechcraft Model T-11 Kansan (1947–1951)
• Douglas B-26 Invader (1949–1951, 1953–1957)
• Curtiss C-46 Commando (1952–1955)
• North American P-51 Mustang (1953–1955)
• North American T-28 Trojan (1953–1954)
• Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor (1953–1955)
• Lockheed T-33 T-Bird (1954–1955)
• Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star (1954–1955)
• Douglas RB-26 Invader (1954–1955)
• Republic F-84 Thunderjet (1954–1955)
• Douglas C-47 Skytrain (1955)
• Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (1957–1966)
• Douglas C-124 Globemaster II (1966–1972)
• Fairchild C-123 Provider (1972–1982)
• Lockheed C-130 Hercules (1982 – present)

References

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL yes: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
• Cantwell, Gerald T. (1997). Citizen Airmen: a History of the Air Force Reserve, 1946-1994 (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Air Force History and Museums Program. ISBN 0-16049-269-6. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.