39th Airlift Squadron
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39th Airlift Squadron | |
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Active | 1942–1949; 1952–1971; 1971–1992; 1993–present |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Air Force |
Role | Airlift |
Part of | Air Mobility Command |
Garrison/HQ | Dyess Air Force Base |
Nickname(s) | Trailblazers,[1] Jungle Skippers[citation needed] |
Engagements | Southwest Pacific Theater Desert Storm Global War on Terrorism[1] |
Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm[1] |
Insignia | |
39th Airlift Squadron emblem (apoproved 27 October 1942)[1] |
The 39th Airlift Squadron is a United States Air Force unit based at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. The unit flies the Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules. It is primarily tasked to transport cargo and personnel, and where circumstances require, airdrop them. It traces its history to 1942 and fought in the Pacific during the Second World War.
History
The 39th conducted paratroop drops on Noemfoor, Luzon, as well as aerial transport in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II during World War II. The squadron participated in the Berlin Airlift in 1948. It was the squadron that provided disaster relief for the Peruvian earthquake in June 1970 conducting numerous missions to the people of Peru. It was part of airlift missions to Grenada, in October 1983, to Panama, December 1989 – January 1990, and to Southwest Asia, August 1990 – March 1991.
Operations
- Operation Desert Storm
- Operation Southern Watch
- Operation Iraqi Freedom
- Operation New Dawn
- Operation Enduring Freedom
Lineage
- Constituted as the 39th Transport Squadron on 2 February 1942
- Activated on 22 February 1942
- Redesignated 39th Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 July 1942
- Redesignated 39th Troop Carrier Squadron, Heavy, on 21 May 1948
- Inactivated on 14 September 1949
- Redesignated 39th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 3 July 1952
- Activated on 14 July 1952
- Redesignated 39th Troop Carrier Squadron on 1 March 1966
- Redesignated 39th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 May 1967
- Inactivated on 31 July 1971
- Activated on 31 August 1971
- Redesignated 39th Airlift Squadron on 1 January 1992
- Inactivated on 1 June 1992
- Activated on 1 October 1993[1]
Assignments
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Stations
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Aircraft
- Douglas C-47 Skytrain (1942–1946)
- Curtiss C-46 Commando (1946–1948)
- Douglas C-54 Skymaster (1946–1949)
- Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (1952–1958)
- Lockheed C-130 Hercules (1958–1971, 1971 – Present)[1]
Notes
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- 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. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.