73rd Airlift Squadron

73d Airlift Squadron
73d Airlift Squadron emblem
Active	9 February 1943 - 31 July 1946 1 August 1947 - 24 March 1954 8 June 1957 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Distinguished Visitor Airlift
Part of	Air Force Reserve Command 4th Air Force 932nd Airlift Wing 932nd Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	Scott Air Force Base
Engagements	Operation Overlord Operation Market Garden Battle of Bastogne
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award French Croix de Guerre with Palm French Fourragère Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Commanders
Current commander	Lt. Col. Harry Hughes

The 73d Airlift Squadron (73 AS) is a United States Air Force Reserve squadron, assigned to the 932d Operations Group, stationed at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.

Overview

The squadron operates C-40 Clipper aircraft providing executive airlift for distinguished visitors and their staffs.

History

Established in early 1943 as a 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 late 1943, being assigned to Ninth Air Force in England, IX Troop Carrier Command 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 France 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.

Returned to the United States in August, 1945, becoming a domestic troop carrier squadron for Continental Air Forces, inactivated July 1946.

It transported personnel, equipment, and supplies and airdropped airborne troops and equipment from, 1957-1967. The squadron conducted long range movement of troops, cargo, and equipment from 1965–1969 and trained for space capsule recovery from, 1961-1969. It augmented the active duty 375th Airlift Wing in operating the aeromedical airlift system from, 1969-2005. Since 2005 the 73d has conducted executive airlift with the 54th Airlift Squadron, an Active-Associate Squadron under TFA (Total Force Association).

Operations and Decorations

• Combat Operations. Airborne assaults on Normandy, the Netherlands, and Germany; relief of Bastogne; transportation of passengers and cargo in ETO during World War II. Transported personnel, equipment and supplies and airdropped airborne troops and equipment, 1957-1967; long range movement of troops, cargo, and equipment, 1965-1969; and trained for space capsule recovery, 1961-1969.

• Campaigns. World War II: Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe

• Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: France, [6]-7 Jun 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 20 Aug 1969-30 Jun 1971; 1 Jan 1972-31 Mar 1973; 24 Jul 1975-23 Jul 1977; 29 Sep 1980-30 Jun 1982; 1 Jun 1986-31 Jul 1988; 1 Jan 1993-1 Aug 1994. French Croix de Guerre with Palm: 6-7 Jun 1944; 20-28 Aug 1944. French Fourragere. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Apr 1967-24 Jul 1969.

Lineage

• Constituted 73d Troop Carrier Squadron on 30 Jan 1943

Activated on 9 Feb 1943

Inactivated on 31 Jul 1946

• Activated in the Reserve on 1 Aug 1947

Re-designated 73d Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 1 Jul 1949

Ordered to Active Service on 1 May 1951

Inactivated on 1 Feb 1953

• Activated in the Reserve on 1 Feb 1953

Inactivated on 24 Mar 1954

• Activated in the Reserve on 8 Jun 1957

Ordered to Active Service on 28 Oct 1962

Relieved from Active Duty on 28 Nov 1962

• Re-designated: 73d Military Airlift Squadron on 1 Apr 1967

Re-designated: 73d Aeromedical Airlift Squadron (Associate) on 25 Jul 1969

Re-designated: 73d Airlift Squadron on 1 Oct 1994.

Assignments

• 434th Troop Carrier Group, 9 Feb 1943-31 Jul 1946; 1 Aug 1947
• 436th Troop Carrier Group, 1 Jul 1948
• 434th Troop Carrier Group, 1 Jul 1949-1 Feb 1953
• 434th Troop Carrier Group, 1 Feb 1953-24 Mar 1954
• 434th Troop Carrier Group, 8 Jun 1957
• 434th Troop Carrier Wing, 14 Apr 1959
• 932d Troop Carrier (later, 932 Military Airlift; 932 Aeromedical Airlift) Group, 11 Feb 1963
• 932d Operations Group, 1 Aug 1992–Present

Stations

• Alliance Army Air Field, Nebraska, 9 Feb 1943
• Baer Field, Indiana, 4-28 Sep 1943
• RAF Fulbeck (AAF-488), England, Oct 1943
• RAF Welford (AAF-474), England, Nov 1943
• RAF Fulbeck (AAF-488), England, 10 Jan 1944
• RAF Aldermaston (AAF-467), England, 3 Mar 1944
• Mourmelon-le-Grand Airfield (A-80), France, Feb-Jun 1945
• Baer Field, Indiana, 5 Aug 1945
• Alliance Army Air Field, Nebraska, 15 Sep 1945

• George Army Airfield, Illinois, 11 Oct 1945
• Greenville Air Force Base, South Carolina, 2 Feb-31 Jul 1946
• Lunken Airport, Ohio, 1 Aug 1947
• Atterbury AFB, Indiana, 1 Jul 1949
• Lawson AFB, Georgia, 23 Jan 1952-1 Feb 1953
• Atterbury AFB, Indiana, 1 Feb 1953-24 Mar 1954
• Dress Memorial Airport, Indiana, 8 Jun 1957
• Scott AFB, Illinois, 16 Nov 1957–Present

Aircraft

• C-47 Skytrain (1943–1946, 1949)
• CG-4 Waco (1943–1945)
• C-46 Commando (1945–1946, 1949–1953, 1957)
• T-11 Kansan (1947–1952, 1953)
• T-7 Navigator (1947–1952)
• T-6 Texan (1953)

• C-45 Expeditor (1953–1954)
• C-119 Flying Boxcar (1957–1967)
• C-124 Globemaster II (1967–1969)
• McDonnell Douglas C-9 (1969 – 2011)
• C-40 Clipper (2007 – Present)

References

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

• 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.
• USAF 73d Airlift Squadron History
• 932nd Airlift Wing Fact Sheet
• 932nd Airlift Wing History