97th Airlift Squadron

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 97th Airlift Squadron


caption= 97th Airlift Squadron Patch
dates= 25 May 1943 - 18 October 1945
15 September 1947 - 4 May 1951
15 June 1952 - 1 July 1957
16 November 1957 - Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch=United States Air Force
type= Airlift
role=
size=
command_structure= Air Force Reserve Command
4th Air Force
446th Airlift Wing
446th Operations Group
current_commander=
garrison= McChord Air Force Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=
decorations= Distinguished Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
battle_honours=

The 97th Airlift Squadron (97 AS) is part of the 446th Airlift Wing at McChord Air Force Base, Washington. It operates C-17 Globemaster III aircraft supporting the United States Air Force global reach mission world wide.

Mission

Train and equip C-17 aircrews for global air-land and airdrop operations.

History

During World War II the 97th participated in Allies airborne assaults on Normandy, southern France, the Netherlands, and Germany as well as the relief of Bastogne and the transportation of cargo and personnel in the European Theater of Operations and Mediterranean Theater of Operations.

It trained for troop carrier missions from 1947-1951 and for fighter-bomber operations from 1952-1957. The squadron has conducted worldwide airlift since 1957 including Supporting contingency operations in Panama, 1989-1990, and in southwest Asia, 1990-1991.

Operations

*World War II
*Operation Overlord
*Operation Dragoon
*Operation Market Garden
*Operation Vittles
*Vietnam War
*Operation Just Cause
*Operation Urgent Fury
*Operation Desert Shield
*Operation Desert Storm
*Operation Joint Endeavor
*Operation Joint Forge
*Operation Enduring Freedom
*Operation Iraqi Freedom
*Operation Deep Freeze

Previous designations

*97th Troop Carrier Squadron (1943 – 1949)
*97th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium (1949 – 1952)
*97th Fighter-Bomber Squadron (1952 – 1957)
*97th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium (1957 – 1965)
*97th Air Transport Squadron, Heavy (1965 – 1966)
*97th Military Airlift Squadron (1966 – 1969)
*97th Military Airlift Squadron (Associate) (1969 – 1992)
*97th Airlift Squadron (Associate) (1992 – 1994)
*97th Airlift Squadron (1994 – Present)

Assignments

*440th Troop Carrier Group (1943 - 1945, 1947 - 1951)
*440 Fighter-Bomber Group (1952 - 1957)
*440th Troop Carrier Wing (1957 - 1958)
*349th Troop Carrier Wing (1958 - 1963)
*941st Military Airlift Group (1963 - 1969)
*939th Military Airlift Group (1969 - 1973)
*446th Airlift Wing (1973 - Present)

Bases stationed

*Baer Field, Indiana (1943)
*Sedalia Army Air Field, Missouri (1943)
*Alliance Army Air Field, Nebraska (1943 – 1944)
*Pope Field, North Carolina (1944)
*Baer Field, Indiana (1944)
*RAF Bottesford, England (1944)
*RAF Exeter, England (1944)
**Operated: Ombrone Airfield, Italy (18 July – 24 August 1944)
*Reims, France (1944)
*Le Mans, France (1944)
*Orléans, France (1944 - 1945)
*Scott Field, Illinois (1947 – 1949)
*Wold-Chamberlain Municipal Airport, Minnesota (1949 – 1951)
*Ft. Snelling, Minnesota (1952 – 1953)
*Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, Minnesota (1953 – 1957)
*O'Hare International Airport, Illinois (1957 - 1958)
*Paine Air Force Base, Washington (1958 - 1965)
*McChord Air Force Base, Washington (1965 – Present)

Aircraft Operated

*C-47 Skytrain (1942 – 1945, 1946 - 1948)
*C-54 Skymaster (1948 – 1949)
*C-82 Packet (1949 – 1953)
*C-119 Flying Boxcar (1953 – 1960)
*VT-29A (1969 – 1970)
*C-131 Samaritan (1969 - 1970)
*C-23 (1984 - 1990)
*C-17 Globemaster III (2003 – Present)

References

* [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0097as.html Official USAF 97th Airlift Squadron History]

External links