313th Airlift Squadron

313th Airlift Squadron
Active 1943–1946; 1949–1951; 1952–present
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Role Airlift
Part of Air Force Reserve Command
Garrison/HQ McChord Air Force Base
Engagements European Theater of Operations
Iraq War[1]
Decorations Air Force Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm[1]
Insignia
313th Airlift Squadron emblem (approved 23 May 1984)[1]

The 313th Airlift Squadron is a United States Air Force Reserve squadron, assigned to the 446th Operations Group, stationed at McChord Field, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. It is an associate unit of the active duty 7th Airlift Squadron, 62d Airlift Wing.

Overview

The mission of the 313th consists of airlift and aerial delivery on a worldwide basis, flying the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III jet transport. The majority of the airlift mission is conducted in the Pacific and Alaska; however, missions are also flown to Europe, Africa, and South America.

History

World War II

Activated in late 1943 as a Douglas C-47 Skytrain troop carrier squadron, trained under I Troop Carrier Command in the United States. Was not deployed until the spring of 1945 to England, being assigned to the IX Troop Carrier Command. Was not used in combat operations, however did transport supplies and equipment to the front-line ground forces primarily into Germany and evacuated casualties to rear areas. Returned to the United States in September 1945 and was a transport squadron for Continental Air Forces until its inactivation in September 1946.

Return to airlift mission

Redesignated as the 313th Troop Carrier Squadron 1 September 1957, the unit transferred to Portland International Airport, Oregon. The squadron flew the Curtiss C-46 Commando and the Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar, and in September 1958 flew the first reserve mission outside the continental United States taking a R-33 engine to Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. The squadron was ordered to active service for a month in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It became part of the 939th Troop Carrier Group in 1963 and was redesignated the 313th Tactical Airlift Squadron 1 July 1967.

25 July 1968, the squadron transferred to McChord Air Force Base, Washington, where it was redesignated as the 313th Military Airlift Squadron as part of the 939th Military Airlift Group. At McChord, it flew the Lockheed C-141A Starlifter and with a global strategic mission, 313th aircrews saw much service providing airlift to Southeast Asia.

The 313th Military Airlift Squadron was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award in June 1970 and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm in January 1973. A second Air Force Outstanding Unit Award was awarded June 1974 following participation in Operation Nickel Grass in defense of Israel. It became part of the 446th Military Airlift Wing in July 1973.

The 313th Airlift Squadron has also received numerous safety awards and has recently completed 39 years and more than 168,000 hours of accident-free flying.

Lineage

  • Constituted as the 313th Troop Carrier Squadron on 23 October 1943
Activated on 1 November 1943
Inactivated on 7 September 1946
  • Redesignated 313th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 10 May 1949
Activated in the reserve on 27 June 1949
Ordered to active duty on 1 April 1951
Inactivated on 2 April 1951
  • Redesignated 313th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 26 May 1952
Activated in the reserve on 13 June 1952
Redesignated 313th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 1 September 1957
Ordered to active duty on 28 October 1962
Relieved from active duty on 28 November 1962
Redesignated 313th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 July 1967
Redesignated 313th Military Airlift Squadron (Associate) on 25 July 1968
Redesignated 313th Airlift Squadron (Associate) on 1 February 1992
Redesignated 313th Airlift Squadron on 1 October 1994[1]

Assignments

  • 349th Troop Carrier Group, 1 November 1943 – 7 September 1946
  • 349th Troop Carrier Group, 27 June 1949 – 2 April 1951
  • 349th Fighter-Bomber (later 349 Troop Carrier Group), 13 June 1952
  • 349th Troop Carrier Wing, 14 April 1959
  • 939th Troop Carrier Group (later 939 Tactical Airlift Group, 939 Military Airlift Group), 11 February 1963
  • 446th Military Airlift Wing (later 446 Airlift Wing), 1 July 1973
  • 446th Operations Group, 1 August 1992 – present[1]

Stations

Aircraft

Decorations

  • Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device: 1 August 2002 – 31 July 2002. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 23 December 1964 – 22 January 1965; 26 January 1968 – 1 June 1969; 1 July 1974 – 30 June 1975; 1 July 1975-30 June 1977; 1 July 1992 – 30 June 1994; 1 July 1994 – 15 August 1995; 1 July 1996 – 30 June 1998; 1 August 2000 – 31 July 2002; 16 August 2003 – 17 August 2004; 18 August 2004 – 17 August 2005; 18 August 2005 – 17 August 2006; 18 August 2006 – 17 August 2007; 18 August 2007 – 17 August 2008; 18 August 2008 – 17 August 2009. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 April 1966 – 28 January 1973.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Robertson, Patsy (December 7, 2012). "Factsheet 313 Airlift Squadron (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved August 5, 2017.
  2. ↑ Station number in Anderson.
  3. ↑ Station number in Johnson.
  4. ↑ Stations in Robertson, Factsheet 313 Airlift Squadron, except as noted.

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

  • Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL yes: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 23, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  • Cantwell, Gerald T. (1997). Citizen Airmen: a History of the Air Force Reserve, 1946-1994 (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Air Force History and Museums Program. ISBN 0-16049-269-6. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  • Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 29, 2015. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  • 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 December 17, 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 December 17, 2016.
  • Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
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