902d Troop Carrier Group

902d Troop Carrier Group
C-119 Flying Boxcar^{[note 1]}
902d Troop Carrier Group C-119 Flying Boxcar
Active	1963-1966
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Airlift
Part of	Continental Air Command

The 902d Troop Carrier Group is an inactive

Grenier Air Force Base

, Massachusetts, where it was inactivated on 25 January 1966.

History

Need for reserve troop carrier groups

During the first half of 1955, the Air Force began 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

wings and the location of separate squadrons in smaller population centers would facilitate recruiting and manning. Continental Air Command (ConAC)'s plan called for placing Air Force Reserve units at fifty-nine installations located throughout the United States. When these relocations were completed in 1959, reserve wing headquarters and wing support elements would typically be on one base, along with one (or in some cases two) of the wing's flying squadrons, while the remaining flying squadrons were spread over thirty-five Air Force, Navy and civilian airfields under what was called the Detached Squadron Concept.^[1]

Although this dispersal was not a problem when the entire wing was called to active service, mobilizing a single flying squadron and elements to support it proved difficult. This weakness was demonstrated in the partial mobilization of reserve units during the

groups with support elements for each of its troop carrier squadrons. This reorganization would facilitate mobilization of elements of wings in various combinations when needed. However, as this plan was entering its implementation phase, another partial mobilization occurred for the Cuban Missile Crisis, with the units being released on 22 November 1962. The formation of troop carrier groups occurred in January 1963 for units that had not been mobilized, but was delayed until February for those that had been.^[2]

Activation of 902d Troop Carrier Group

As a result, the 902d Troop Carrier Group was established at

732d Troop Carrier Squadron, which had been stationed there since November 1957, when it replaced the 81st Troop Carrier Squadron.^[3]

Along with group headquarters, a Combat Support Squadron, Materiel Squadron and a Tactical Infirmary were organized to support the 732d.

The group mission was to organize, recruit and train Air Force Reserve personnel in the tactical airlift of airborne forces, their equipment and supplies and delivery of these forces and materials by airdrop, landing or cargo extraction systems. The group was equipped with

C-119 Flying Boxcars for Tactical Air Command

airlift operations.

The 902d was one of two

901st Troop Carrier Group at Hanscom Field

, Massachusetts.

Inactivated in January 1966 with the closure of Grenier Air Force Base.

Lineage

Established as the 902d Troop Carrier Group, Medium and activated on 15 January 1963 (not organized)

Organized in the Reserve on 11 February 1963

Inactivated on 25 January 1966

Redesignated 902d Military Airlift Group on 31 July 1985 [4]

Assignments

Continental Air Command, 15 January 1963 (not organized
94th Troop Carrier Wing
, 11 February 1963 – 25 January 1966

Components

732d Troop Carrier Squadron, 11 February 1963 – 25 January 1966

Stations

Grenier Air Force Base, New Hampshire, 11 February 1963 – 25 January 1966

Aircraft

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar, 1963-1966

References

Notes

^ Aircraft is Kaiser-Frazer C-119F-KM Flying Boxcar serial 51-8156

Citations

^ Cantwell, pp. 156, 169
^ Cantwell, pp. 189-191
^ Maurer, p. 409
^ Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 648q, 31 July 1985, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Organizations