39th Military Airlift Squadron

39th Military Airlift Squadron
39th ATS Douglas C-133A-5-DL Cargomaster 54-142
Active	1948-1971
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Airlift
Insignia
39th Military Airlift Squadron emblem

The 39th Military Airlift Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 436th Military Airlift Wing, Military Airlift Command, stationed at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. It was inactivated on 31 March 1971.

History

Activated in 1942 to ferry newly manufactured combat aircraft to combat units deployed overseas. Primarily flew B-25 and B-26 medium bombers to Southwest Pacific Area, however also ferried aircraft to Africa for units assigned to the North African Campaign and European Theater of Operations. Inactivated in October 1943 during realignment of Ferrying Command to Air Transport Command.

Reactivated in 1954 under Military Air Transport Service (MATS), operated C-54 Skymaster aircraft on a worldwide scale from Dover AFB, Delaware. Upgraded to C-133A Cargomaster heavy-lift strategic transports in 1957, and continued global strategic airlift operations. Reassigned to Military Airlift Command (MAC) in 1966 after inactivation of MATS, continued operations until retirement of C-133s in 1971 then inactivated.

Lineage

Established as 39th Ferrying Squadron and activated on 9 July 1942

Redesignated as 39th Transport Squadron on 24 March 1943

Inactivated on 18 October 1943

Disbanded on 8 October 1948

Reconstituted, and redesignated as 39th Transport Squadron on 4 November 1953

Redesignated as 39th Air Transport Squadron, Medium on 4 November 1953

Activated on 16 February 1954

Redesignated as 39th Air Transport Squadron, Heavy on 8 September 1957

Redesignated as 39th Military Airlift Squadron on 6 January 1966

Inactivated on 31 March 1971

Assignments

27th Army Air Forces Ferrying Wing, 19 Jun 1942
Caribbean Wing, Air Transport Command, 1 Jul 1942-18 October 1943

Elements attached to Pacific Wing, Air Transport Command entire period

1607th Air Transport Group, 16 February 1954
1607th Air Transport Wing, 18 January 1963
436th Military Airlift Wing, 6 January 1966 – 31 March 1971

Stations

Morrison Field, Florida, 8 July 1942 – 18 October 1943
Dover AFB, Delaware, 16 February 1954 – 31 March 1971

Aircraft

Primarily ferrying B-25 Mitchell and B-26 Marauder, 1942-1943.
C-54 Skymaster, 1954-1957
C-133 Cargomaster, 1957-1971

References

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

Mueller, Robert, Air Force Bases Volume I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982, Office of Air Force History, 1989
Remembering an Unsung Giant The Douglas C-133 Cargomaster and Its People
AFHRA document search

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