732d Airlift Squadron

732d Airlift Squadron

Emblem of the 732d Airlift Squadron
Active 15 June 1942 - 15 December 1945
29 May 1947 - 20 March 1951
14 June 1952 - 25 January 1966
1 April 1970 - Present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
Type Airlift
Part of Air Force Reserve Command
22nd Air Force
514th Air Mobility Wing
514th Operations Group
Garrison/HQ McGuire Air Force Base
Decorations Distinguished Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
World War II 332nd Bombardment Squadron emblem

The 732d Airlift Squadron (732 AS) is a unit of the United States Air Force. It is part of the 514th Air Mobility Wing at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey. It operates C-17 Globemaster III aircraft in providing global strategic airlift to US and allied forces.

History

Activated as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomb squadron; trained under Second Air Force. Completed training in early 1943; deploying to European Theater of Operations (ETO) assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England. Engaged in long-range strategic bombardment operations over Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany, March 1944-May 1945 attacking enemy military and industrial targets as part of the United States' air offensive against Nazi Germany. Most personnel demobilized in Europe after the German capitulation in May 1945; squadron inactivated as a paper unit in November.

Reactivated in 1947 as a B-29 Superfortress squadron in the reserves, however equipped with trainers until 1949 when equipped with B-26 Invader light bomber. Squadron activated in 1951 as a result of the Korean War; personnel and equipment assigned as replacements to units of Far East Air Forces, then inactivated as a paper unit.

The squadron trained in bombardment operations from, 1947–1951 and 1955–1957, reconnaissance operations from, 1952–1955, and troop carrier operations 1957-1966. After 1970, it participated in strategic airlift missions and exercises. In 1989 took part in Operation Just Cause in Panama by transporting U.S. troops.

Reactivated as a reserve transport squadron in 1952, being equipped with C-119 Flying Boxcars. Activated during Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962; returned to reserve status after crisis was resolved; inactivated in 1966 with phaseout of C-119 from the inventory.

Activated in 1970 with long-range C-141 Starlifters, performing intercontinental airlift of personnel and materiel. The unit upgraded to Boeing C-17 Globemaster IIIs in 2004 after retirement of its C-141s. Most recently, the unit participated in relief efforets after the 2010 Haiti earthquakes.[1]

Lineage

Activated on 15 Jun 1942
Redesignated 332d Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 20 Aug 1943
Inactivated on 15 Dec 1945
Activated in the reserve on 29 May 1947
Redesignated 332d Bombardment Squadron, Light on 26 Jun 1949
Ordered to active service on 10 Mar 1951
Inactivated on 20 Mar 1951
Activated in the reserve on 14 Jun 1952
Redesignated: 332d Bombardment Squadron, Tactical on 18 May 1955
Redesignated: 732d Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 1 Jul 1957
Ordered to active service on 28 Oct 1962
Relieved from active duty on 28 Nov 1962
Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 Jan 1966
Activated on 1 Apr 1970
Redesignated: 732d Airlift Squadron (Associate) on 1 Feb 1992
Redesignated: 732d Airlift Squadron on 1 Oct 1994.

Assignments

Stations

Aircraft Operated

Operations

References

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

  1. "Aircrews deliver relief supplies to Haiti" By Tech. Sgt. Denise Johnson, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs. 15 January 2010

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, February 09, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.