459th Airlift Squadron

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 459th Airlift Squadron


caption= 459th Airlift Squadron Patch
dates= 1 July 1942 - 21 December 1945
12 October 1966 - 1 June 1970
1 April 1975 - Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch=United States Air Force
type= Airlift
role=
size=
command_structure= Pacific Air Forces
5th Air Force
374th Airlift Wing
374th Operations Group
current_commander=
garrison= Yokota Air Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=
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 459th Airlift Squadron (459 AS) is part of the 374th Airlift Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It operates UH-1 Iroquois and C-21 aircraft providing aeromedical evacuation and search and rescue missions.

Mission

History

The 459th conducted replacement training from 1942–1944 and participated in combat in the Western Pacific from, c. 12 April 1945 – 14 August 1945.

It provided intratheater airlift in Southeast Asia from, January 1967-May 1970. The squadorn conducted airlift of key Department of Defense personnel from, April 1975-March 1978, aeromedical airlift from, March 1978-November 1991, and operational support airlift since December 1991.

Operations

*World War II
*Vietnam War

Previous designations

*459th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) (1942 – 1944)
*459th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy (1944 – 1952)
*459th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium (1952 – 1966)
*459th Troop Carrier Squadron (1966 – 1967)
*459th Tactical Airlift Squadron (1967 – 1991)
**Consolidated with: 1400th Military Airlift Squadron (activated in 1975) in 1991
*459th Airlift Squadron (1991 – Present)

Assignments

*330th Bombardment Group (1942 – 1945, 1949 - 1951)
*Pacific Air Forces (1946 - 1947)
*483d Tactical Airlift Wing (1967 - 1970)
*89th Military Airlift Wing (1975 - 1978)
*375th Military Airlift Wing (1978 - 1993)
*374th Airlift Wing (1993 - Present)

Bases stationed

*Salt Lake City Army Air Base, Utah (1942)
*Alamogordo, New Mexico (1942, 1942 – 1943)
*Biggs Field, Texas (1942, 1943 – 1944)
*Walker Army Air Field, Kansas (1944, 1944 – 1945)
*Dalhart Army Air Field, Texas (1944)
*North Field, Guam (1945)
*Camp Anza, California (1945)
*Phù Cát Air Base, South Vietnam (1967 – 1970)
*Norton Air Force Base, California (1975 - 1992)
*March Air Force Base, California (1992 - 1993)
*Yokota Air Base, Japan (1993 – Present)

Aircraft Operated

*B-17 Flying Fortress (1942, 1944)
*B-24 Liberator (1942 – 1944)
*B-29 Superfortress (1944 – 1945)
*C-7 Caribou (1967 – 1970)
*T-39 Sabreliner (1975 – 1984)
*C-12 Huron (1984 – )
*C-21 (1985 – Present)
*UH-1 Iroquois ( – Present)

References

* [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0459as.html USAF 459th Airlift Squadron History]
* [http://www.yokota.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=6823 374th Operations Group]

External links