66th Troop Carrier Squadron

66th Troop Carrier Squadron
Emblem of the 66th Troop Carrier Squadron
Active	1942–1951
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force

The 66th Troop Carrier Squadron is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. Its last assignment was with the 403d Troop Carrier Group, stationed at Portland Municipal Airport, Oregon.

It was inactivated on 17 April 1951.

During World War II, the squadron operated primarily in the Southwest Pacific Theater, conveying personnel, dropping parachutists, towing gliders, transporting cargo, munitions and evacuating casualties in numerous campaigns. The squadron earned both the United States Distinguished Unit Citation and the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for its combat operations.

As part of the Air Force Reserve during the postwar years, the squadron performed peacetime transport missions. Ordered to active service during the Korean War, the units' equipment and personnel were reassigned to Far East Air Force active duty units.

It was then inactivated as a paper unit.

History

Lineage

• Constituted as the 66th Troop Carrier Squadron on 7 December 1942

Activated on 12 December 1942

Inactivated on 15 January 1946

• Activated in the reserve on 3 August 1947

Redesignated the 66th Troop Carrier Squadron (Medium) on 27 June 1949.

Ordered to active service on 1 April 1951.

Inactivated on 17 April 1951.

Assignments

403d Troop Carrier Group, 12 December 1942 Fifth Air Force, 21 July 1943 54th Troop Carrier Wing, 13 August 1943

433d Troop Carrier Group, 9 November 1943; 20 February 1945 – 15 January 1946 419th Troop Carrier Group, 3 August 1947 403d Troop Carrier Group, 27 June 1949 – 17 April 1951

Stations

Bowman Field, Kentucky, 12 December 1942 Alliance Army Air Field, Nebraska, 18 December 1942 Pope Field, North Carolina, 3 May 1943 Baer Field, Indiana, 18 June-6 July 1943 Port Moresby Airfield Complex, New Guinea, 21 July 1943 Nadzab Airfield Complex, New Guinea, 25 September 1943 Operated from Tadji Airfield, New Guinea, 12 May- June 1944

Mokmer Airfield, Biak, Netherlands East Indies, 18 November 1944 Operated from Hill Field, Mindoro, and Dulag Airfield, Leyte, Philippines, 18 January-27 February 1945 Wama Airfield, Morotai, Netherlands East Indies, 27 February 1945 Dulag Airfield, Leyte, Philippines, 15 August 1945 – 15 January 1946 Roanoke Municipal Airport, Virginia, 3 August 1947 Portland Municipal Airport, Oregon, 27 June 1949 – 17 April 1951

Aircraft

• C-47 Skytrain, 1943–1945
• C-46 Commando, 1944–1945

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.