775th Troop Carrier Squadron

775th Troop Carrier Squadron
B-17s of the 463d Bombardment Group
Active 1943–1945; 1955–1957; 1964; unknown
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Role Airlift
Engagements

  • World War II - EAME Theater[1]
Decorations

  • Distinguished Unit Citation (2x)[1]
Insignia
Emblem of the 775th Bombardment Squadron (approved 3 May 1945)[1]

The 775th Troop Carrier Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 463d Troop Carrier Group. It was inactivated at Ardmore Air Force Base, Oklahoma on 1 August 1957.

During World War II, the 775th Bombardment Squadron was a B-17 Flying Fortress squadron, assigned to the 463d Bombardment Group, Fifteenth Air Force. It earned Two Distinguished Unit Citations.

History

World War II

Established in mid-1943 as a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombardment squadron; assigned to Second Air Force for training. Attached in late 1943 and early 1944 to the Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics. Deployed to Mediterranean Theater of Operations in February 1944, squadron taking the South Atlantic Transport Route though the Caribbean and South America; transiting the Atlantic Ocean via Brazil and Dakar, French West Africa, being assigned to Fifteenth Air Force in March 1944 at several airfields in Southern Italy.

Engaged in long-range strategic bombardment of enemy military, industrial and transport targets, including oil refineries and production oilfields in Italy; France; Southern Germany; Austria and the Balkans. Continued strategic bombardment until German capitulation in May 1945. Demobilized in place in Italy during the summer of 1945; inactivated in September 1945.

Airlift operations

Reactivated as a Tactical Air Command (TAC) troop carrier squadron in June 1955, assigned Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars. Engaged in transport of equipment and supplies; including support of Army Airborne parachute units until inactivated in 1957 due to budget restrictions.

In the spring of 1964, the 464th Troop Carrier Wing had completed the transition of its operational units from the Fairchild C-123 Provider to the Lockheed C-130 Hercules. TAC organized its remaining C-123 assets into the 775th Troop Carrier Squadron on 1 April. Two weeks later, the squadron moved to Eglin Air Force Auxiliary Field No. 9 (Hurlburt Field), Florida, where it was assigned to the 1st Air Commando Wing. On 1 July, the squadron was inactivated and its assets transferred to the 317th Air Commando Squadron, which was simultaneously activated.[2][3]

The 775th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron was activated as a provisional Air Combat Command transport squadron as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, consisting of deployed Air Force Reserve personnel from the 910th Airlift Wing in 2005.

Lineage

  • Constituted 775th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 19 May 1943
Redesignated 775th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 29 September 1944
Activated on 1 August 1943
Inactivated on 25 September 1945
  • Redesignated 775th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 24 May 1955
Activated on 8 June 1955
Inactivated on 1 August 1957[4]
  • Redesignated 775th Troop Carrier Squadron, Assault on 29 October 1963[5]
Activated on 1 April 1964[2]
Inactivated on 1 July 1964[3]
  • Converted to provisional status and redesignated 775th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron by 2005

Assignments

  • 463d Bombardment Group, 1 August 1943 – 25 September 1945
  • 463d Troop Carrier Group, 8 June 1955 – 1 August 1957[4]
  • 464th Troop Carrier Wing, 1 April 1964[6]
  • 1st Air Commando Wing, 15 April 1964 – 1 July 1964[7]
  • Air Combat Command, to activate or inactivate as needed

Stations

Aircraft

  • Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1943–1945
  • Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar, 1953–1957[4]
  • Fairchild C-123 Provider, 1964

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 749
  2. 1 2 3 Tactical Air Command Special Order G-17, 4 February 1964
  3. 1 2 Tactical Air Command Special Order G-69, 13 April 1964, See Mueller, p. 131 (showing termination of 775th and start of 317th at Hurlburt on 1 July 1964.)
  4. 1 2 3 4 Lineage information, including assignments and stations, through 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 749
  5. ↑ AFOMO Letter 109n, 29 October 1963
  6. ↑ Ravenstein, p. 259. This entry indicates the squadron was detached after 15 April, but cf. Ravenstein, p. 3 (squadron was reassigned).
  7. ↑ Ravenstein, p. 3
  8. ↑ Mueller, p. 131

Bibliography

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

  • 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.
  • Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. 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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