History 53d Airlift Squadron

1 history

1.1 operations , decorations
1.2 lineage
1.3 assignments
1.4 stations
1.5 aircraft

history

activated in june 1942 troop carrier command c-47 skytrain troop carrier squadron, trained in united states. assigned twelfth air force , deployed north africa during may 1943. squadron s aircraft flew supplies front-line units in algeria , tunisia during north african campaign suitable landing strips available , evacuated casualties rear area field hospitals.

squadron engaged in combat operations, dropping airborne units sicily during operation husky invasion , later areas around anzio, italy part of operation shingle, invasion of mainland italy , initiation of italian campaign, january 1944. moved north though italy, in 1943 in support of allied ground forces, evacuated wounded personnel , flew missions behind enemy lines in italy , balkans haul guns, ammunition, food, clothing, medical supplies, , other materials partisans , drop propaganda leaflets.

was moved england in february 1944, assigned ix troop carrier command, ninth air force. prepared invasion of nazi-occupied europe. in june 1944, subordinate units dropped paratroops in normandy, subsequently flying numerous missions bring in reinforcements , needed supplies. during airborne attack on netherlands (operation market garden, september 1944), squadron dropped paratroops, towed gliders, , flew resupply missions. several of subordinate units participated in invasion of southern france in august 1944. 50th supported 101st airborne division in battle of bulge towing gliders full of supplies near bastogne on 27 december 1944.

when allies made air assault across rhine river in march 1945, each aircraft towed 2 gliders troops of 17th airborne division , released them near wesel. squadron hauled food, clothing, medicine, gasoline, ordnance equipment, , other supplies front lines , evacuated patients rear zone hospitals.

in late may 1945, after v-e day, squadron moved waller field, trinidad , attached air transport command. trinidad, squadron ferried returning military personnel morrison field, florida, sent on other bases or prepared separation after war.

the squadron participated in berlin airlift, 1948–1949, , conducted aerial transportation u.s. japan august–december 1950, , between japan , korea 13 december 1950 – november 1952. conducted worldwide airlift operations 1953 1966, including resupply antarctica 1957 1958, , missions southeast asia during vietnam war. 53d again conducted worldwide airlift 1972 1993 flying missions grenada, 23 october 1983 – 9 november 1983, during invasion of panama, 20 december 1989, , southwest asia, august 1990 – june 1991. squadron inactivated in 2008 , detached aetc. reactivated in october 2008 part of 19th airlift wing, 18th air force, amc.

operations , decorations

combat operations. world war ii: included airborne assaults on sicily, normandy, netherlands, , germany; aerial transportation in mediterranean theater of operations (mto) , european theater of operations (eto). berlin airlift, 1948–1949. korean war: aerial transportation japan, aug–dec 1950, , between japan , korea, 13 dec 1950 – nov 1952. airlift, 1953–1966, including resupply antarctic, (project deep freeze), 1957–1958, , missions southeast asia during conflict in vietnam. worldwide airlift, 1972–1993, grenada, 23 oct-9 nov 1983, during invasion of panama, 20 december 1989, , southwest asia, aug 1990 – jun 1991. conducted c-130 aircrew training active duty usaf, air force reserve (usafr), air national guard (ang), navy, marine corps , selected allied nations, 1993–2008.
campaigns. world war ii: sicily; naples-foggia; normandy; northern france; rhineland; central europe. korea: ccf intervention; first un counteroffensive; ccf spring offensive; un summer-fall offensive; second korean winter; korea summer-fall, 1952.
decorations. distinguished unit citations: sicily, 11 july 1943; france, [6–7] jun 1944; korea, 13 dec 1950 – 21 apr 1951. air force outstanding unit awards: 1 jul 1957 – 10 dec 1962; 1 jul 1968 – 30 jun 1969; 1 jul 1970 – 30 jun 1971; 1 jun 1978 – 31 may 1980; 1 jan-31 dec 1983; 1 jan-31 dec 1987; 1 jan 1990 – 30 apr 1991. republic of korea presidential unit citation: 1 jul 1951–[18 nov 1952]. republic of vietnam gallantry cross palm: 1 apr 1966 – 8 jan 1973.

lineage

constituted 53d transport squadron on 30 may 1942


activated on 1 june 1942
re-designated: 53d troop carrier squadron on 4 july 1942
inactivated on 31 july 1945


activated on 30 september 1946


re-designated: 53d troop carrier squadron, medium, on 1 july 1948
re-designated: 53d troop carrier squadron, heavy, on 15 august 1948
re-designated: 53d military airlift squadron on 8 january 1966
discontinued, , inactivated, on 8 july 1966


activated on 8 january 1972


re-designated: 53d airlift squadron on 1 january 1992
inactivated on 30 april 1993


activated on 1 october 1993


inactivated on 11 january 2008


activated on 15 may 2008.

assignments

61st transport (later, 61st troop carrier) group, 1 jun 1942 – 31 jul 1945
61st troop carrier group, 30 september 1946


attached airlift task force, provisional, aug 1958 – feb 1959, feb–jul 1960, , 5 jan 1961 – apr 1962


63d troop carrier group, 8 october 1959
63d troop carrier (later, 63d military airlift) wing, 18 jan 1963 – 8 jul 1966
63d military airlift wing, 8 january 1972
63d military airlift group, 1 october 1978
63d military airlift wing, 1 july 1980
63d operations group, 1 jan 1992 – 30 apr 1993
314th operations group, 1 oct 1993 – 11 jan 2008
463d airlift group, 15 may 2008 – 1 october 2008
19th operations group, 1 october 2008 – present

stations

aircraft