Military Air Transport Service
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The Military Air Transport Service (MATS) is an inactive
In 1966, the World War II Air Transport Command (ATC) (1942–1948) and the Military Air Transport Service were consolidated with Military Airlift Command (MAC) (1966–1992).
Overview
The Military Air Transport Service (MATS) was activated under United States Air Force
During the Second World War, the Army Air Force's aerial transportat arm was the
MATS was the first Joint-Service command, and naval aircrews participated in every major MATS airlift operation. MATS would organizationally be under the Department of the Air Force, as the vast majority of its equipment and personnel of ATC had been inherited by the Air Force with the inactivation of the USAAF.
During the
In 1965 conflicting views of the Air Force and Navy triggered by the demands of the Vietnam War led to the services returning to separate airlift commands. In turn, MATS was disbanded and superseded in the Air Force by the Military Airlift Command, during a 1966 restructuring.
History
Origins
With the end of World War II, the
When the United States Air Force was established as a separate service in 1947, the Air Transport Command was not established as one of its major commands. The ATC commander and his staff took it upon themselves to convince the new civilian leadership of the newly created Department of Defense (DOD) (and Secretaries of the Army and Air Force) that ATC had a mission. They seized upon testimony by former
The DOD believed it should have its own air transport service and decided that ATC should become the Military Air Transport Service (MATS), supported by the Air Force, even though not listed as a formal military mission. Also, as a cost-saving measure, MATS would combine the resources of Air Transport Command with those of the Naval Air Transport Service. This way the command would be sanctioned by the Department of Defense, and not by either the Air Force or the Navy.
Although MATS was under the operational control of the United States Air Force, the United States Navy was a full partner in the command and operational components of the organization. Major naval components of MATS were naval air transport (VR) squadrons. VR-3
Naval aviators flew scheduled MATS routes to Newfoundland, Iceland, Scotland, West Germany, Italy, Puerto Rico and Africa. In the Pacific, MATS naval aviators flew to all MATS stations from Hawaii to Japan to South Vietnam, Bangkok, India and to Saudi Arabia.
Air Force pilots flew Navy MATS planes, just as naval aviators could be found piloting Air Force MATS transport aircraft.
Organization
During World War II, the USAAF
- Atlantic Division (after 1 July 1958: EASTAF) - From McGuire AFB, New Jersey, provided service across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe; to the Caribbean and South America; to North Africa and the Middle East to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
- Pacific Division (after 1 July 1958: WESTAF) - From Travis AFB, California, provided service to Hawaii and on to locations in the Pacific, including Japan and the Philippines; across Southeast Asia; India; Pakistan and on to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
- Continental Division - From McGuire to points in Northern Canada; along the North Atlantic coast north to Shemya AFS. Also provided coast to coast aeromedical evacuation flights within the United States and cargo service between major Air Force Air Materiel Commanddepots. The division was disbanded on 1 July 1958, with mission divided between Eastern Transport Air Force (EASTAF) and Western Transport Air Force (WESTAF).
When MATS was established, it also took responsibility for several other missions:
- Special Air Mission (SAM)
The Special Air Mission was the transport of the
- Air Rescue Service(ARS)
Provided rescue of downed military service members in enemy occupied areas; humanitarian relief to civilians in emergency conditions (floods, hurricanes, earthquakes)
- Air Weather Service(AWS)
Weather forecasting for military airfields; hurricane hunters.
Mapping the world providing accurate aerial charts to military aviators wherever they need to be. Also producing all Air Force training films; public relations films; monthly newsreels, and coordinating with private filmmakers with regards to use of Air Force equipment and facilities.
- Aeromedical Transport Wing (AMTW)
Evacuation of wounded military personnel from combat zones; transport of critically ill military personnel (and dependents) to military medical facilities for treatment.
Performed unconventional warfare missions during the Korean War and early years of the Cold War (1950–1956).
Major operations
Berlin Airlift (1948–1949)
MATS was established on 1 June 1948, less than a month before the commencement of the
Korean War (1950–1953)
The organization's next major test was the bootstrap supply operations supporting the United Nations troops under General Douglas MacArthur in the country of South Korea which was nearly overrun by the time UN forces were mobilized. The MATS role was purely logistical, and operated from the United States to Japan. Theater transport forces assigned to the Far East Air Forces Combat Cargo Command, which became the 315th Air Division, operated supply routes into Japan and provided troop carrier services for UN forces.
Suez, Lebanon and Taiwan Straits Crisis (1956–1958)
During the 1956
Operation Deep Freeze (1957–1963)
In December 1962, MATS Douglas
Congo Airlift (1960–1963)
MATS
Berlin Crisis (1961)
As a result of the construction of the Berlin Wall and the ending of free crossing to and from their occupation zone of Berlin, more than 100 MATS =aircraft from EASTAF and WESTAF participated in deployments of American forces from the United States to West Germany and France.
When the Reserve Forces were called to active duty in October 1961, MATS airlift force and technical units provided support for their movement to Europe. Operation Stair Step was the name given to the deployment of Air National Guard fighter units overseas to NATO bases in France, and Operation High Top was the redeployment, June–August 1962. In High Top, for example, more than 260 missions were flown by MATS aircraft of all types, including the C-97's which themselves had been called to active duty. These aircraft returned more than 9,600 ANG personnel and 1,400 tons of equipment.
On addition, the 101st Airborne Division was airlifted from Fort Campbell, Kentucky to locations in Turkey. Approximately 2,000 personnel and 900 tons of equipment were airlifted (Exercise Checkmate II). During the exercise, about 300 MATS airmen and officers lived in tents for about three weeks handling maintenance and communications. Lt. Gen. Joe W. Kelly, MATS commander, was on hand to greet the first arriving aircraft, Despite "miserable" weather, no accidents or incidents occurred.
Throughout 1962, tensions were high in Europe and in January, Exercise Long Thrust II was commenced in which MATS new four-engined jets, the Boeing
Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
In the midst of one of the heaviest airlift schedules it has ever had (more than 17 airlifts under way or developing during October and November), MATS was called on to support the buildup of forces in the southeastern part of the United States. On 16 October, MATS began working at its wartime activity rate. Between 16 October and the end of the month, MATS airlifted thousands of troops and thousands of tons in hundreds of sorties from bases throughout the country into
During the airlift operation, MATS was called on to react to a call for arms to India in early November to stem the
Operation "Big Lift" (1963)
In the first time that a full
Vietnam War
Beginning in 1948, MATS flew airlift missions into
Throughout the 1950s and early 1960s military aid was shipped to the
As the United States built up its forces in Southeast Asia in the early 1960s, the number of MATS flights to the area increased. MATS C-124s and
During Vietnam, MATS was jokingly said to be an acronym for "Maybe Again, Tomorrow, Sometime."[3]
Military Airlift Command
On 1 January 1966, as a result of the Navy announcing the withdrawal of its components, MATS was redesignated Military Airlift Command.
The R5D Skymasters of Naval Transport Squadron Seven Alpha (VR-7A) were retired in July 1966 and the unit inactivated. VR-7, flying C-121/RV-7 Super Constellations remained attached to MAC until 31 January 1967, and the Naval Air Transport Wing (Pacific) was inactivated on 23 March 1967. VR-8 and VR-22 at NAS Moffett Field withdrew its C-130s from MAC on 20 April. The last naval squadron, VR-3, flying C-130s from McGuire AFB, was inactivated on 30 June and the formal DOD program action directive relieving the Navy from MAC responsibilities became effective 1 July 1967.
Most passenger transport missions except the Special Air Mission were contracted out by MAC to commercial airlines such as
On 1 December 1974, MAC expanded its mission by acquiring the theater troop carrying and tactical airlift mission (i.e.,
In June 1992, MAC was reorganized and redesignated as the
Lineage
- Established and activated as Military Air Transport Service on 1 June 1948
- Mission and operational control of Air Transport Command, established on 29 May 1941, consolidated into organization same date.
- Air Transport command discontinued and inactivated same date.
- Mission and operational control of Naval Air Transport Service, established on 12 December 1941, consolidated into organization same date.
- Naval Air Transport Service disestablished, 1 July 1948
- Redesignated Military Airlift Command on 1 January 1966
- Navy components assigned to: United States Navy.
Components
Headquarters
- Headquarters, MATS
- Andrews AFB, Maryland, 1 June 1948
- Scott AFB, Illinois, 15 January 1958 – 1 January 1966
- Continental Division, 1 June 1948
- Headquartered: Kelly AFB, Texas
- Redesignated: Western Transport Air Force, (WESTAF) 1 July 1958 – 1 January 1966
- Headquarters moved to: Travis AFB, California
- Atlantic Division, 1 June 1948
- Headquartered: Westover AFB, Massachusetts
- Redesignated: Eastern Transport Air Force, (EASTAF) 1 July 1958 – 1 January 1966
- Headquarters moved to: McGuire AFB, New Jersey
- Pacific Division, 1 June 1948 – 30 June 1958
- Headquarters: Hickam AFB, Territory of Hawaii
- Inactivated, units reassigned to WESTAF
Services
- Air Rescue Service(ARS)
- Redesignated: Aerospace Rescue Recovery Service (ARRS)
- Air Weather Service(AWS)
- Special Airlift Mission(SAM)
- Air Photographic and Charting Service (APCS)
- Aeromedical Transport Wing (AMTW)
- Air Resupply And Communications Service (ARCS)
Air Transport Units
- Bolling AFB, District of Columbia, 1 June 1948
- Redesignated: Andrews AFB, Maryland, 10 July 1961 – 8 January 1966
- Personnel and equipment reassigned to: 89th Military Airlift Wing, Military Airlift Command, 8 January 1966
- 1405th Aeromedical Transport Wing, Scott AFB, Illinois, 26 August 1948
- Redesignated: 375th Aeromedical Airlift Wing, 31 December 1965
- Transferred to Military Airlift Command, 8 January 1966
- Fairfield-Suisun (Later Travis) AFB, California, 1 June 1948 – 8 January 1966
- Personnel and equipment reassigned to: 60th Military Airlift Wing, Military Airlift Command, 8 January 1966
- Hickam AFB, Hawaii, 1 June 1948
- Redesignated: 1502d Air Transport Wing, 1 July 1955 – 8 January 1966
- Personnel and equipment reassigned to: 61st Military Airlift Wing, Military Airlift Command, 8 January 1966
- Tachikawa AB, Japan, 1 June 1948
- Redesignated: 1503d Air Transport Group, 22 June 1964 – 8 January 1966
- Westover AFB, Massachusetts, 1 June 1948 – 1 April 1955
- Wiesbaden AB, Germany (later West Germany), 1 June 1948 – 1 July 1952
- Transferred to Kindley AFB, Bermuda, Bermuda Base Command
- Wheelus AB, Libya, 1 June 1948 – 1 January 1953
- Reassigned to United States Air Forces in Europe
- 1605th Air Transport Wing, Lajes AB, Azores, 1 June 1948 – 8 January 1966
- Dover AFB, Delaware, 1 January 1954
- Redesignated: 1607th Air Transport Wing, 1 February 1954 – 8 January 1966
- Personnel and equipment reassigned to: 436th Military Airlift Wing, Military Airlift Command, 8 January 1966
- Charleston AFB, South Carolina, 15 January 1954
- Redesignated: 1608th Air Transport Wing, 1 March 1955 – 8 January 1966
- Personnel and equipment reassigned to: 437th Military Airlift Wing, Military Airlift Command, 8 January 1966
- McGuire AFB, New Jersey, 1 May 1954 – 8 January 1966
- Personnel and equipment reassigned to: 438th Military Airlift Wing, Military Airlift Command, 8 January 1966
- Kelly AFB, Texas, 1 June 1948 – 1 May 1957
- Great Falls AFB, Montana, 1 June 1948 – 1 May 1953
- Reassigned to: Brookley AFB, Alabama, 1 May 1953 – 18 June 1957
- Brookley AFB, Alabama, 1 October 1948 – 18 June 1957
- McChord AFB, Washington, 1 August 1950
- Reassigned to: North Pacific Air Transport Wing, (Provisional), 1 October 1951 – 1 January 1952
- Reassigned to: 1705th Air Transport Group, 1 January 1952 – 18 June 1960
- Personnel and equipment reassigned to: 62d Troop Carrier Wing, 18 June 1960
- Redesignated: 62d Air Transport Wing, 1 January 1965
- Redesignated: 62d Military Airlift Wing, Military Airlift Command, 8 January 1966
- Palm Beach AFB, Florida, 1 September 1951
- Reassigned to: Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, 1 July 1959 – 8 January 1966
- Personnel and equipment reassigned to: 443d Military Airlift Wing, Military Airlift Command, 8 January 1966
Note: 4-digit Military Air Transport Service units at all levels were considered Major Command (MAJCOM) provisional units by the USAF due to MATS being a Department of Defense Unified Command. Under the USAF lineage system they did not a permanent lineage or history and were discontinued upon inactivation.
Troop Carrier Units
On 1 July 1957 a reorganization of USAF troop carrier forces included the transfer of
- Larson AFB, Washington, 1 July 1957 – 18 June 1960
- McChord AFB, Washington, 18 June 1960
- Redesignated: 62d Air Transport Wing, Heavy, on 1 January 1965
- Redesignated: 62d Military Airlift Wing, Military Airlift Command, 8 January 1966
- Donaldson AFB, South Carolina, 1 July 1957 – 8 October 1959
- Donaldson AFB, South Carolina, 1 July 1957 – 18 January 1963
- Hunter AFB, Georgia, 18 January 1963 – 8 January 1966
- Redesignated: 63d Military Airlift Wing, Military Airlift Command, 8 January 1966
Station facilities
Upon its establishment, Military Air Transport Service inherited much of Air Transport Command's worldwide network of stations and transport routes. By the time of its disestablishment, MATS had closed its facilities at many of these stations; however, some are still in use today by Air Mobility Command in support of United States interests around the world.
- United States
- Biggs AFB, Texas
- Griffiss AFB, New York
- Hill AFB, Utah
- Langley AFB, Virginia
- March AFB, California
- McClellan AFB, California
- Mitchel AFB, New York
- Muroc (Edwards) AFB, California
- NAS Alameda, California
- NAS Corpus Christi, Texas
- NAS Norfolk, Virginia
- NAS Oakland, California
- NAS Jacksonville, Florida
- NAS Patuxent River, Maryland
- NAS San Diego, California
- National Airport, Washington, D.C.
- NOTS China Lake, California
- Olmsted AFB, Pennsylvania
- Robins AFB, Georgia
- NAS Saufley Field, Florida
- Tinker AFB, Oklahoma
- Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
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Major aircraft assigned
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Accidents and incidents
- On 22 March 1955, a U.S. Navy
- On 10 October 1956, a U.S. Navy Douglas R6D-1 Liftmaster, BuNo 131588, operating a MATS flight from
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- ^ "VR-3". Navy MATS VRs.
- ^ "VR-6". Navy MATS VRs. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
- ^ Broughton, Jack, Thud Ridge. New York: Bantam Books, 1969.
- ^ Aviation Safety Network Aircraft Accident Douglas R6D-1 (DC-6) 131612 Honolulu, HI
- ^ Associated Press, "66 Killed as Navy Plane Hits Hawaiian Peak," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, story dated 22 March 1955, quoted in full at lifegrid.com Charles J. Coombs, Jr. Archived 30 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Chronology of Significant Events in Naval Aviation: "Naval Air Transport" 1941 -- 1999". Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
- ISBN 0-945274-34-3, p. 206.
- ^ Aviation Safety Network Aircraft Accident Douglas R6D-1 (DC-6) 131588 Land’s End, UK
- ^ "Chronology of Significant Events in Naval Aviation: "Naval Air Transport" 1941 -- 1999". Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
- ISBN 0-945274-34-3, p. 214, states that the accident date was 11 October 1956.
- Stanley M. Ulanoff, MATS: The Story of the Military Air Transport Service, 1964, The Moffa Press, Inc.
- Office of Air Force History, The United States Army Air Forces in World War II, edited by Craven and Cate
- James Lee, Operation Lifeline - History and Development of the Naval Air Transport Service, 1947, Ziff-Davis Publishing Company
- Nicholas M. Williams, Aircraft of the Military Air Transport Service, 1948–1966,1999, Midland.'