773d Airlift Squadron

773d Airlift Squadron

Past and present members of the 773rd Airlift Squadron pose in front of a C-130 Hercules aircraft here, April 6, 2014 following the unit’s deactivation ceremony.
Active 1943-1945; 1953-1971; 1972-1993; 1994-2014
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Role Airlift
Part of Air Force Reserve Command
910th Airlift Wing
910th Operations Group
Garrison/HQ Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio
Nickname(s) Fleagles
Engagements

  • World War II - EAME Theater

  • Vietnam War

  • 1991 Gulf War (Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation of Kuwait)

  • Afghanistan Campaign

  • Iraq Campaign
Decorations

  • Distinguished Unit Citation (2x)

  • Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device (3x)

  • Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (7x)

  • Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Insignia
773d Airlift Squadron

The 773d Airlift Squadron historically calls itself the "Fleagles" and was assigned to the 910th Airlift Wing (Air Force Reserve Command), Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Vienna Township, Trumbull County, Ohio. The unit flew the C-130 H2.5 aircraft.

During World War II, the 773d Bombardment Squadron was a B-17 Flying Fortress squadron, assigned to the 463d Bombardment Group, Fifteenth Air Force. It earned Two Distinguished Unit Citations. The unit later served as a C-130 Hercules tactical airlift squadron during the Vietnam War.

Mission

On 1 April 1995, with the Reserve Forces building, the Department of Defense reactivated the 773d at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport, joining the 910th Airlift Wing and the 757th Airlift Squadron. Since that time the 773d has flown numerous humanitarian missions from Europe to the former Yugoslavia. Delivering peacekeeping forces, food, and medicines to aid the people of the region. The 773d also continues the rotational airlift requirement for Central and South America, Southeast Asia and the Far East.

History

Established in mid-1943 as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombardment squadron; assigned to Second Air Force for training. Attached in late 1943 and early 1944 to Air University Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics. Deployed to Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) in February 1944, squadron taking the South Atlantic Transport Route though the Caribbean and South America; transiting the Atlantic Ocean via Brazil and Dakar, French West Africa, being assigned to Fifteenth Air Force in March 1944 at several airfields in Southern Italy.

773d Bombardment Squadron Douglas Long Beach B-17G-50-DL Fortress 44-6261. Aircraft Lost on mission to Vienna, Austria, 13 October 1944.

Engaged in long-range strategic bombardment of enemy military, industrial and transport targets, including oil refineries and production oilfields in Italy; France; Southern Germany; Austria and the Balkans. Continued strategic bombardment until German capitulation in May 1945. Demobilized in place in Italy during the summer of 1945; inactivated in September 1945.

Reactivated as a Tactical Air Command Troop Carrier squadron in June 1953, assigned C-119 Flying Boxcars. Engaged in transport of equipment and supplies; including support of Army Airborne parachute units throughout the 1950s and early 1960s. Equipped with new C-130A Hercules in 1956.

Deployed to Pacific Air Forces in 1966, being stationed in the Philippines. Engaged in airlift missions between the Philippines and South Vietnam, airlifting supplies and equipment to airfields in the combat areas; evacuating wounded personnel to hospitals at Clark Air Base. Remained in the Western Pacific until 1971 when inactivated as part of the drawdown of United States forces in the region.

Reactivated at Dyess AFB, Texas as a theater airlift squadron in June 1972, initially under Tactical Air Command, later Military Airlift Command and lastly Air Mobility Command. Deployed frequently to Europe or the Pacific, performing intra-theater airlift missions with C-130s. Inactivated in October 1993 as part of the drawdown of the USAF after the end of the Cold War.

Reactivated in 1995 in the Air Force Reserve. Nicknamed "The Quiet Professionals", members of the 773rd have deployed worldwide supporting contingency and humanitarian operations. Since 2001, members of the squadron have mobilized numerous times in support of the Global War on Terrorism. The Citizen Airmen operated out of bases in Southwest Asia including isolated airfields in Iraq and Afghanistan to provide airlift and airdrop capability of equipment and personnel.

Inactivated on 6 April 2014.

Lineage

773d Bombardment Squadron - Emblem
Activated on 1 August 1943
Re-designated 773d Bombardment Squadron, Heavy c. 29 September 1944
Inactivated on 25 September 1945
Activated on 16 January 1953
Re-designated: 773d Troop Carrier Squadron, Assault on 18 December 1961
Re-designated: 773d Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 15 May 1965
Re-designated: 773d Troop Carrier Squadron on 1 January 1967
Re-designated: 773d Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 August 1967
Inactivated on 15 June 1971
Activated on 1 June 1972
Inactivated on 1 October 1993
Reactivated on 1 April 1995
Inactivated on 6 April 2014

Assignments

Attached to: 513th Tactical Airlift Wing, 1 June – 14 July 1972; 28 August – 16 November 1972; 5 July – 5 September 1973; 5 May – 15 July 1974; 5 May – 14 July 1975
Attached to: 374th Tactical Airlift Wing, 28 February-c. 10 May 1973

Stations

Air echelon operated from Hunter Field, Georgia, 6–10 February 1944
Then staged through bases in South America and North Africa, 15 February – 13 March 1944
Air echelon operated from Amendola Airfield, Italy, 14–27 March 1944, then joined ground echelon at Celone Airfield, Italy, 28 March 1944
Deployed at RAF Mildenhall, England, 1 June – 14 July 1972; 28 August – 16 November 1972
Deployed at Ching Chuan Kang Air Base, Taiwan, 28 February-c. 10 May 1973
Deployed at RAF Mildenhall, England, 5 July – 5 September 1973; 5 May – 15 July 1974; 5 May – 14 July 1975

Aircraft

See also

References

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

    External links

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