815th Airlift Squadron

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815th Airlift Squadron
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Insignia
Emblem of the 815th Airlift Squadron[b][1]
815th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron emblem[2]
815th Troop Carrier Squadron emblem[c][3]
815th Bombardment Sq emblem (unofficial)[4]

The 815th Airlift Squadron is a flying unit of the

Lockheed C-130J Hercules
aircraft providing global airlift.

During

Distinguished Unit Citations
in combat over Germany. After the war, it helped transport American soldiers returning to the United States until it was inactivated in Italy.

The squadron was activated as the 816th Troop Carrier Squadron in 1953 in Japan, when it replaced a reserve unit that had been activated for the Korean War. It airlifted troops and materiel in the Pacific until inactivating in 1969.

Four years later, the squadron was activated in the reserves. It has performed airlift and weather reconnaissance missions from Keesler

Mission

Support the theater commander with the capability to resupply the forces, provide for their airlift requirements and employment operations within the combat zone or forward areas, and when requested, to provide aeromedical/refugee evacuation and augment strategic airlift forces. The unit can perform precision air drop of supplies and paratroopers in all weather conditions either day or night, as well as perform day and night assault zone loadings.

History

World War II

B-17G of the 815th Bombardment Squadron[d]

The

MacDill Field, Florida, where it trained with Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses under Third Air Force.[1][5]

The 815th deployed to the

Mediterranean Theater of Operations, where it became part of Fifteenth Air Force at Sterparone Airfield in Southern Italy.[1] The squadron's air element flew its Flying Fortresses to Sterparone via Tortorella Airfield, while the ground element moved to Sterparone via troop ship.[6] It began operations in April 1944 with an attack on a cement factory in Split, Yugoslavia.[7]

The squadron engaged in long-range strategic bombardment of enemy military, industrial and transport targets, including factories,

flak to bomb tank factories at Berlin on 24 March 1945.[5]

The squadron was occasionally diverted from the strategic attack on Germany. It struck targets in southern France in preparation for Operation Dragoon, the invasion of August 1944. The group also supported ground forces in northern Italy during the Allied offensive in April 1945.[5]

After

Port Lyautey Airfield, French Morocco for further movement them across the Atlantic.[citation needed] The squadron was inactivated in Italy in September 1945.[1]

Airlift in the Pacific Area

483d Group C-119G Flying Boxcar

The Air Force was returning the

63d Troop Carrier Squadron, which was simultaneously inactivated.[1][11][e]

In June 1953, the squadron, along with the other squadrons of the 483d Wing airlifted the

Lockheed C-130A Hercules, losing its last Flying Boxcar in 1959.[1]

C-130 LAPES drop in Vietnam

On 25 June 1960, the Air Force turned Ashiya Air Base over to the

Tachikawa Air Base, Japan, where it was assigned directly to the 315th Air Division.[1] It continued intratheater transport operations, also flying to locations in the Philippines, Thailand and Indochina, supporting United States civilian and military personnel assigned to the region. As the United States increased its combat presence in Indochina in the early 1960s, made frequent flights to airfields in South Vietnam and to locations within the country, periodically deploying crews and aircraft there. As in South Korea, the flights within South Vietnam were extremely hazardous as the squadron operated within combat areas and frequently were under fire from communist forces during takeoff, landing and ground operations. The squadron inactivated in December 1969.[1]

Air Force Reserve

Reactivated in April 1973 at

Operation Just Cause
in Panama, December 1989 – January 1990.

The 815th was selected in May 1999 as the first unit in the U.S. Air Force to take delivery of the C-130J variant and participated heavily in writing the book for "J" model operations. Along with a sister Air Mobility Command unit, the 41st Airlift Squadron, the 815th deployed the C-130J into combat, and bested all previous C-130 squadrons that were previously employed by setting numerous records in the theater for best aircraft availability, missions flown, as well as passengers and cargo carried.[12]

On 6 August 2010 the Air Force activated the

Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, beginning in October 2013 in preparation for inactivation of the 815th.[13] The transfer was delayed in early 2014 because of pending plans to shut down the airlift wing at Pope and the inactivation of the 815th itself delayed on 28 July,[14]
then cancelled.

Lineage

  • Constituted as the 815th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 14 September 1943
Activated on 20 September 1943
Redesignated 815th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy c. September 1944
Inactivated on 25 September 1945
  • Redesignated 815th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 15 November 1952
Activated on 1 January 1953
Redesignated 815th Troop Carrier Squadron on 8 December 1965
Redesignated 815th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 August 1967
Inactivated on 15 December 1969
  • Activated in the Reserve on 25 April 1973
Redesignated 815th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron on 1 January 1976
Redesignated 815th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 31 December 1987
Redesignated 815th Airlift Squadron on 1 February 1992[1]

Assignments

  • 483d Bombardment Group, 20 September 1943 – 25 September 1945
  • 483d Troop Carrier Group, 1 January 1953
  • 483d Troop Carrier Wing, 8 December 1958
  • 315th Air Division, 25 June 1960[15]
  • 374th Tactical Airlift Wing
    , 1 November 1968 – 15 December 1969
  • 920th Tactical Airlift Group (later
    920 Weather Reconnaissance Group
    ), 25 April 1973
  • 403d Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing (later, 403 Tactical Airlift Wing, 403 Airlift Wing), 1 November 1983
  • 403d Operations Group, 1 August 1992 – present[1]

Stations

Aircraft

  • Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress (1943–1945)
  • Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (1953–1959)
  • Lockheed C-130A Hercules (1958–1969)
  • Lockheed C-130E Hercules (1973–1975, 1988–1998)
  • WC-130 (1976–1990, 1991–1993)[1]
  • C-130J-30 Super Hercules (1998–present)

Awards and campaigns

Award streamer Award Dates Notes
Distinguished Unit Citation
 18 July 1944 Germany, 815th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Distinguished Unit Citation 24 March 1945 Germany, 815th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Combat "V" Device
 1 January 1968-10 November 1969 815th Tactical Airlift Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 6 May 1953-10 September 1954 815th Troop Carrier Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 January 1961-30 June 1961 815th Troop Carrier Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 July 1964-30 June 1966 815th Troop Carrier Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 July 1977-31 December 1978 815th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 July 1984-30 June 1986 815th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 May 1992-30 April 1994 815th Airlift Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 May 1994-30 April 1996 815th Airlift Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 May 1996-31 August 1997 815th Airlift Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 January 2004-31 December 2005 815th Airlift Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 October 2008-30 September 2010 815th Airlift Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 January 2015-31 December 2017 815th Airlift Squadron[1]
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
 1 January 1953-28 July 1953 815th Troop Carrier Squadron[1]
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
 1 January 1968-10 November 1969 815th Tactical Airlift Squadron[1]
Campaign Streamer Campaign Dates Notes
Air Offensive, Europe 9 April 1944 – 5 June 1944 815th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Normandy 6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944 815th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Northern France 25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944 815th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Rome-Arno 22 January 1944 – 9 September 1944 815th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Southern France 15 August 1944 – 14 September 1944 815th Bombardment Squadron[1]
North Apennines 10 September 1944 – 4 April 1945 815th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Po Valley 3 April 1945 – 8 May 1945 815th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Rhineland 15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945 815th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Central Europe 9 April 1944 – 21 May 1945 815th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Air Combat, EAME Theater 9 April 1944 – 11 May 1945 815th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Third Korean Winter 1 January 1953 – 30 April 1953 815th Troop Carrier Squadron[1]
Korea Summer-Fall 1953 1 May 1953 – 27 July 1953 815th Troop Carrier Squadron[1]
Just Cause 20 December 1989–31 January 1990 815th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Panama[1]

See also

References

Notes

Explanatory notes
  1. ^ Aircraft is Lockheed C-130J-30 Hercules, serial 04-8153.
  2. ^ Reinstated and modified in 1988.
  3. ^ Approved 28 April 1960. Description: On a white rhombic diamond bordered red, a white cloud formation issuing from base, edges and details red, surmounted by a running jenny ass in profile, silhouetted red, her eyes, teeth and nostrils indicated white.
  4. prisoners of war. Missing Air Crew Report 13247. The bomber was hit first by Flak, then finished off by a Messerschmitt Me 262. Baugher, Joe (19 July 2023). "1944 USAF Serial Numbers"
    . Joe Baugher. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  5. ^ The squadron adopted the "Flying Jennies" nickname of the 63d as well. See Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 242.
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 aq Lahue, Melissa (10 July 2008). "Factsheet 815 Airlift Squadron (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Official emblem for the 815th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron". National Archives Catalog. 30 August 1984. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  3. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 765-766
  4. ^ Watkins, pp. 116–117
  5. ^ a b c d e f Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 354-355
  6. ^ "Abstract, History 483 Bombardment Group March 1944". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  7. ^ "Abstract, History 483 Bombardment Group April 1944". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  8. ^ "Abstract, History 483 Bombardment Group June 1944". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  9. ^ Ravenstein, pp. 215-217
  10. ^ a b Ravenstein, pp. 268-279
  11. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 242
  12. ^ "815th Airlift Squadron "Flying Jennies"". 403d Airlift Wing Public Affairs. 27 July 2011. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  13. ^ 403rd Wing losing C-130J aircraft Archived 16 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine, 403rd Wing Public Affairs (Retrieved 21 March 2013)
  14. ^ Air Force Reserve Command delays inactivation of 815th Airlift Squadron Archived 28 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine, 403rd Wing Public Affairs (Retrieved 28 July 2014)
  15. ^ "Factsheet 315 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 10 December 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2014.

Bibliography

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

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