309th Airlift Squadron

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 309th Airlift Squadron


caption= 309th Airlift Squadron Patch
dates= 25 May 1943 - 31 July 1945
27 June 1949 - 1 February 1953
8 October 1954 - 9 July 1956
18 March 1963 - 31 July 1970
12 March 2002 - Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch=United States Air Force
type= Airlift
role=
size=
command_structure= United States Air Forces in Europe
3rd Air Force
86th Airlift Wing
86th Operations Group
current_commander=
garrison= Chièvres Air Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles= Operation Overlord
Operation Market Garden
Operation Plunder
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=
decorations= Distinguished Unit Citation
Presidential Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
battle_honours=

The 309th Airlift Squadron (309 AS) is part of the 86th Airlift Wing at Chièvres Air Base, Belgium. It operates C-37 aircraft providing executive airlfit for NATO.

Mission

History

The 309th provided aerial transportation in the European Theater of Operations of materiel, equipment, and troops, and participated in the airborne assaults on Normandy, Holland, and Germany from 6 June 1944-May 1945.

The 309th flew intratheater combat cargo and troop carrier missions in Southeast Asia from 1 July 1963-26 June 1970.

Operations

*World War II
*Vietnam War

Lineage

*309th Troop Carrier Squadron (1943 - 1949)
*309th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium (1949 - 1954)
*309th Troop Carrier Squadron, Assault, Rotary Wing (1954 - 1963)
*309th Troop Carrier Squadron, Assault (1963 - 1965)
*309th Air Commando Squadron, Troop Carrier (1965 - 1967)
*309th Air Commando Squadron, Tactical Airlift (1967 - 1968)
*309th Special Operations Squadron (1968 - 1970)
*309th Tactical Airlift Squadron (1970 - 2002)
*309th Airlift Squadron (2002 - Present)

Assignments

*443d Troop Carrier Group (1943 – 1944)
*I Troop Carrier Command (1944)
*8th Air Force (1944)
*315th Troop Carrier Group (1944 – 1945)
*443d Troop Carrier Group (1949 – 1953)
*8th Air Force (1954 – 1956)
**Attacehed: 63d Troop Carrier Wing (1954 – 1956)
*9th Air Force (1963)
**Attached: 464th Troop Carrier Wing (1963)
*Pacific Air Forces (1963)
*315th Tactical Airlift Wing (1963 - 1970)
*86th Airlift Wing (2002 - Present)

Bases stationed

*Sedalia Army Air Field, Missouri (1943 – 1944)
*Alliance Army Air Field, Nebraska (1944)
*Camp Mackall, North Carolina (1944)
*RAF Spanhoe, England (1944 - 1945)
*Amiens, France (1945)
*Waller Field, Trinidad (1945)
*Hensley Field, Texas (1949 - 1951)
*Donaldson Air Force Base, South Carolina (1951 - 1953, 1954 - 1956)
*Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina (1963)
*Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam (1963 - 1967)
*Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam (1967 - 1970)
*Chièvres Air Base, Belgian (2002 - Present)

Aircraft operated

*L-3 Grasshopper (1943)
*C-53 Skytrooper (1943 – 1944)
*C-47 Skytrain (1944 – 1945)
*B-24 Liberator (1944 – 1945)
*C-46 Commando (1945, 1951 – 1952)
*C-119 Flying Boxcar (1952 – 1953)
*H-19 Chickasaw (1954 – 1956)
*H-21 Shawnee (1956)
*C-123 Provider (1963 – 1970)
*C-37 (2002 – Present)

References

* [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0309as.asp USAF 309th Airlift Squadron History]

External links