729th Airlift Squadron

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729th Airlift Squadron
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm[1]
Insignia
729th Airlift Squadron emblem[a][1]
729th Military Airlift Sq emblem[b][1]
Unofficial 729th Bombardment Squadron emblem (B-26 era)
729th Bombardment Squadron emblem[c][2]
World War II fuselage code[3][d]M3
Aircraft flown
TransportC-17 Globemaster III

The 729th Airlift Squadron is a

452d Operations Group, stationed at March Air Reserve Base, California. It operates Boeing C-17 Globemaster III
aircraft providing global airlift any time, any place.

The squadron was first activated as the 729th Bombardment Squadron in 1943. After training in the United States with the

V-E Day
, the squadron returned to the United States and was inactivated.

The squadron was activated again in the

Far East Air Forces
and began flying combat missions. It was awarded two additional DUCs for its operations in Korea. In May 1952, the squadron was inactivated and its personnel and equipment were transferred to a regular unit that was simultaneously activated.

The squadron was activated in the reserves again two months later as the 729th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron. It returned to the light bomber mission in 1955, but the Air Force's reserve units were converting to the airlift mission, and the squadron became the 729th Troop Carrier Squadron in July 1957, and has served in tactical and strategic airlift roles since then.

History

World War II

452 Bomb Group B-17G Flying Fortress flying through flak

The

European Theater of Operations.[1][4] The ground echelon staged through Camp Shanks and sailed on the RMS Queen Elizabeth on 2 January 1944. The air echelon deployed via the South Atlantic air ferry route[5]

The squadron established itself at

marshalling yards near Frankfurt, aircraft factories near Regensberg and Kassel. the ball bearing factory at Schweinfurt and an oil refinery near Bohlen.[4] In September 1944, the squadron participated in the third shuttle mission, striking Chemnitz before landing in bases in the Soviet Union.[6]

The 729th was occasionally diverted to support tactical operations. It hit

lines of communication. It struck an airfield to support Operation Varsity, the airborne assault across the Rhine.[4]

Shortly before the end of the war, on 7 April, the squadron struck the

Distinguished Unit Citation. It flew its last mission of the war on 21 April against marshalling yards at Ingolstadt.[4]

After

Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota.[1]

Reserve duty and Korean War call-up

B-26Bs of the 452d Bomb Wing in Korea[e]

The squadron was reactivated in the

Douglas B-26 Invaders.[f] The squadron was manned at only 25% of its authorized strength.[9]

The squadron was mobilized for the

448th Bombardment Wing, which was also stationed at Long Beach, but remained in reserve status until the following year.[10] The 729th was a squadron of one of the first two reserve wings to be mobilized,[g] and administrative provisions for mobilization proved inadequate, with numerous reservists never receiving the telegrams calling them to active duty.[11]

The unit moved to

Itazuke Air Base, Japan to begin combat operations.[1] It entered combat two days later, depending on support from organizations already in theater and not waiting for support from the 452d Wing's ground echelon, which arrived by ship in November.[12] The squadron operated from Japan and later from the southern tip of Korea. The squadron flew armed reconnaissance, intruder and interdiction missions. It supported ground troops and attacked tactical targets.[4]

On 23 March 1951, the squadron led troop carrier aircraft carrying the

37th Bombardment Squadron, which was simultaneously activated at Pusan East (K-9) Air Base, South Korea.[1][14]

Reconnaissance and Bombardment in the reserves

The squadron was redesignated the 729th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and activated in June 1952 at Long Beach, where it absorbed some of the resources of the 921st Reserve Training Wing, which was inactivated. The reserve mobilization for the Korean War, however, had left the reserve without aircraft, and the unit did not receive aircraft until July 1952.

Lockheed F-80 Shooting Stars.[1][16]

In 1955, the squadron once again became the 729th Bombardment Squadron and trained with the Invader as a tactical bombardment unit.[16] However, at this time, the Joint Chiefs of Staff were pressuring the Air Force to provide more wartime airlift. At the same time, about 150 Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars became available from the active force. Consequently, in November 1956 the Air Force directed Continental Air Command (ConAC) to convert units to the troop carrier mission by September 1957.[17] In July 1957, the squadron became the 729th Troop Carrier Squadron.[1]

Tactical airlift

As a troop carrier squadron the unit transitioned to the C-119 and flew them from Long Beach until reserve flying operations there ended in the fall of 1960 and the

March Air Force Base. The squadron had been assigned directly to the wing since April 1959, when ConAC converted its flying wings to the dual deputy organization[h] and inactivated the 452d Troop Carrier Group.[1][16] At March, in place of active duty support for reserve units, ConAC used the Air Reserve Technician Program, in which a cadre of the unit consisted of full-time personnel who were simultaneously civilian employees of the Air Force and held rank as members of the reserves.[18]

Activation of groups under the wing

Since 1955, the Air Force had been detaching Air Force Reserve squadrons from their parent wing locations to separate sites. The concept offered several advantages: communities were more likely to accept the smaller squadrons than the large wings and the location of separate squadrons in smaller population centers would facilitate recruiting and manning. In time, the detached squadron program proved successful in attracting additional participants.

943d Troop Carrier Group was formed at March on 17 January as the headquarters for the 729th and its supporting units.[1][16]

In March 1968, the squadron moved to Norton Air Force Base, California, but it would only fly C-119s from Norton for a year.[1]

C-141B Starlifter
over the Grand Canyon in 1998

Strategic airlift

By 1968 regular air force military airlift squadrons were operating the

aeromedical flights, and airdrops of supplies and paratroopers.[1]

In August 1992, Air Force Reserve Command reorganized its flying wings under the Objective Wing model. The squadron, along with the other flying squadrons of the 445th Wing, was assigned to the reactivated 445th Operations Group. As a result of the closure of Norton as part of the United States Department of Defense's 1988 Base Realignment and Closure Commission program, on 14 August 1993, the 729th returned to March Air Force Base, where it was assigned to the 452d Operations Group and once more operated its own planes. The 729th was renamed the 729th Airlift Squadron on 1 February 1992.[1][16] The squadron retired its C-141 Starlifter fleet in 2005.[22]

On 9 August 2005 the wing received its first Boeing C-17 Globemaster III strategic airlifter, named "Spirit of California". This was the first of nine C-17s assigned to the 452nd, the wing became the first Air Force Reserve Command C-17 Globemaster III unit.[23]

Lineage

  • Constituted as the 729th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 14 May 1943
Activated on 1 June 1943
Redesignated 729th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 20 August 1943
Inactivated on 28 August 1945
  • Redesignated 729th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 13 May 1947
Activated in the reserve on 12 July 1947
Redesignated 729th Bombardment Squadron, Light on 27 June 1949
Ordered to active service on 10 August 1950
Redesignated 729th Bombardment Squadron, Light, Night Intruder on 25 June 1951
Relieved from active service and inactivated on 10 May 1952
  • Redesignated 729th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 6 June 1952
Activated in the reserve on 13 June 1952
Redesignated 729th Bombardment Squadron, Tactical on 22 May 1955
Redesignated 729th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 1 July 1957
Redesignated 729th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 July 1967
Redesignated 729th Military Airlift Squadron (Associate) on 25 April 1969
Redesignated 729th Airlift Squadron (Associate) on 1 February 1992
Redesignated 729th Airlift Squadron on 1 April 1993[1]

Assignments

  • 452d Bombardment Group, 1 June 1943 – 28 August 1945
  • 452d Bombardment Group, 12 July 1947 – 10 May 1952
  • 452d Tactical Reconnaissance Group (later 452d Bombardment Group, 452d Troop Carrier Group), 13 June 1952
  • 452d Troop Carrier Wing, 14 April 1959
  • 943d Troop Carrier Group (later 943 Tactical Airlift Group), 17 January 1963
  • 944th Military Airlift Group, 25 April 1969
  • 445th Military Airlift Wing, 1 July 1973
  • 445th Operations Group, 1 August 1992
  • 452d Operations Group, 1 May 1994 – present[1]

Stations

Aircraft

Awards and campaigns

Award streamer Award Dates Notes
Distinguished Unit Citation
 7 April 1945 Germany 729th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Distinguished Unit Citation 9 July-27 November 1951 Korea 729th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Distinguished Unit Citation 28 November 1951-30 April 1952 Korea 729th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
 1 July 1970-30 June 1971 729th Military Airlift Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 September 1985-31 August 1987 729th Military Airlift Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 September 1995-31 August 1996 729th Airlift Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 September 1997-31 August 1999 729th Airlift Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 October 2002–30 September 2004 729th Airlift Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 October 2004–30 September 2006 729th Airlift Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 October 2006–30 September 2008 729th Airlift Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 October 2008–30 September 2010 729th Airlift Squadron[1]
Korean Presidential Unit Citation
 27 October 1950-27 October 1951 729th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm
 25 July 1968-28 January 1973 729th Tactical Airlift Squadron (later 729th Military Airlift Squadron)[1]
Campaign Streamer Campaign Dates Notes
Air Offensive, Europe 8 January 1944 – 5 June 1944 729th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Air Combat, EAME Theater 8 January 1944 – 11 May 1945 729th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Normandy 6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944 729th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Northern France 25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944 729th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Rhineland 15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945 729th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Ardennes-Alsace 16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945 729th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Central Europe 22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945 729th Bombardment Squadron[1]
CCF Intervention 3 November 1950 – 24 January 1951 729th Bombardment Squadron[1]
1st UN Counteroffensive 25 January 1951 – 21 April 1951 729th Bombardment Squadron[1]
CCF Spring Offensive 22 April 1951 – 9 July 1951 729th Bombardment Squadron[1]
UN Summer-Fall Offensive 9 July 1951 – 27 November 1951 729th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Second Korean Winter 28 November 1951 – 30 April 1952 729th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Korea Summer-Fall 1952 1 May 1952 – 10 May 1952 729th Bombardment Squadron[1]

See also

References

Notes

Explanatory notes
  1. ^ Modified 2 May 1995.
  2. ^ Approved 29 April 1980.
  3. ^ Approved 1 October 1943. Description: On a light blue disc, a caricatured tan wolf, wearing flight suit and helmet brown, riding astride of a flying fortress camouflaged green and brown, grasping white steering wheel in right forepaw, and holding red aerial bomb under left forepaw, all between small white cloud formation in dexter chief and large white cloud formation in sinister base and emitting white speed lines to rear.
  4. ^ The squadron did not use this code until the end of the war, although it had been assigned earlier. Instead, the squadron's aircraft only carried the individual aircraft letter, preceded by a bar. Freeman, p. 289.
  5. ^ Aircraft in foreground is Douglas B-26B-61-DL Invader
  6. ^ Robertson indicates the training began in 1949. Robertson, Factsheet 729 Airlift Squadron. Maurer, however, indicates that B-26 training did not begin until 1950. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 725.
  7. 437th Troop Carrier Wing
    .
  8. ^ Under this plan flying squadrons reported to the wing Deputy Commander for Operations and maintenance squadrons reported to the wing Deputy Commander for Maintenance.
Citations
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap Robertson, Patsy (26 November 2012). "Factsheet 729 Airlift Squadron (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  2. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 724–725
  3. ^ Freeman, p. 289
  4. ^ a b c d e Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 326–328
  5. ^ a b Freeman, p. 258
  6. ^ Freeman, p. 188
  7. ^ "Abstract, History 416 AAF Base Unit Jan–Mar 1945". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  8. ^ "Abstract, History 2347 Air Force Reserve Training Center Jul–Sep 1950". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  9. ^ Cantwell, p. 74
  10. ^ Cantwell, p. 92, Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 522–523
  11. ^ Cantwell, p. 93
  12. ^ a b Endicott, pp. 69–70
  13. ^ Cantwell, p. 103
  14. ^ See Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 175 (simultaneous activation at Pusan)
  15. ^ Cantwell, p. 139
  16. ^ a b c d e Robertson, Patsy (22 June 2017). "Factsheet 452 Air Mobility Wing (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  17. ^ Cantwell, p. 168
  18. ^ Cantwell, p. 163
  19. ^ Cantwell, p. 156
  20. ^ a b Cantwell, pp. 189–191
  21. ^ Cantwell, p. 210
  22. ^ Proeitti, MSG Matt (14 December 2007). "War's end meant 452nd's demise . . . for 20 months". 452nd Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  23. ^ "March accepts AF Reserve Command's first C-17". Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  24. ^ Station number in Anderson.
  25. ^ Station number in Endicott.
  26. ^ Station information in Robertson, 729 Airlift Squadron Factsheet, except as noted.
  27. ^ Dougherty, TSG Thomas P. (9 August 2005). "Air Force Reserve welcomes its first unit-equipped C-17 Globemaster III". Air Force Reserve Command Public Affairs. Retrieved 29 March 2020.

Bibliography

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

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