2nd Airlift Squadron

{{Infobox military unit

|unit_name=2nd Airlift Squadron

|image=Defense.gov News Photo 000507-F-6655M-005.jpg

|image_size=300px

|caption=C-130s taxiing at Pope Army Airfield

|dates=1935–1945; 1992–2016

|country={{USA}}

|branch={{air force|USA}}

|type=

|role=Airlift

|size=

|command_structure=

|current_commander=

|garrison=

|nickname=Lancers{{citation needed|date=April 2017}}

|motto=

|colors=

|march=

|mascot=

|battles=China-Burma-India Theater{{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/433940/2-airlift-squadron/ |title=Factsheet 2 Airlift Squadron (AMC)|date=4 January 2008|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=19 April 2017}}

|notable_commanders=

|anniversaries=

|decorations=Distinguished Unit Citation

|battle_honours=

|identification_symbol=165px

|identification_symbol_label=2nd Airlift Squadron emblem{{efn|To comply with Air Force standards, all elements were moved within the disc after the squadron was reactivated in 1992. See Endicott, p. 325.}}

|identification_symbol_2=145px

|identification_symbol_2_label=2nd Troop Carrier Squadron emblem{{efn|Approved 5 May 1942. Description: Upon a disc per bend indented or and azure, a brown spear in fess, headed gold, winged gules.}}Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 17-18

}}

The 2nd Airlift Squadron is an inactive airlift of the United States Air Force squadron that specializes in airlift and transport missions. Established in 1940 as the 2nd Transport Squadron, the unit served primarily as a cargo and personnel transport squadron during World War II and subsequent conflicts. The squadron operated various transport aircraft throughout its history, including the C-47 Skytrain, C-124 Globemaster II, and C-141 Starlifter. Based at different times at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina and McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, the 2nd Airlift Squadron participated in numerous military operations, humanitarian missions, and strategic airlifts before its inactivation. The squadron's extensive service record included supporting Allied operations in World War II, the Berlin Airlift, the Korean War, and operations in Vietnam, as well as later missions in the Middle East and humanitarian efforts worldwide.

Mission

Provide the Department of Defense with highly trained, highly motivated, combat-ready aircrews who execute the best tactical airlift/airdrop operations in the United States Air Force.{{cite web|url=http://public.pope.amc.af.mil/units/organizations/43doperationsgroup/index.asp|author=No byline|title=Pope Air Force Base Units: 43d Operations Group|publisher=43d Airlift Wing Public Affairs|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080524005303/http://public.pope.amc.af.mil/units/organizations/43doperationsgroup/index.asp|archive-date=2008-05-24|access-date=17 July 2018}}

History

=Early airlift in the Air Corps=

File:BellancaC27c (4461059799).jpg

Prior to the early 1930s, transport aircraft in the Air Corps had been assigned to air depots and to service squadrons, although provisional transport squadrons had been formed for special projects. By 1932 Major Hugh J. Kerr, Chief of the Field Service Section of the Materiel Division, proposed the formation of a transport squadron at each air depot to act as a cadre for the transport wing the Air Corps proposed to support a field army in the event of mobilization. Major General Benjamin Foulois approved the formation of four provisional squadrons in November 1932.Maurer, Aviation in the U.S. Army, pp. 367-368

The 2nd Provisional Transport Squadron was constituted in October 1933. By March 1934, it had become a Regular Army Inactive unit at Norton Field, Ohio, with reserve officers assigned.Clay, p. 1369

In the spring of 1935, these squadrons, including the 2nd Transport Squadron at Olmsted Field, Pennsylvania, were made regular units and activated with Bellanca C-27 Airbus aircraft assigned. With enlisted men as pilots, the squadron hauled engines, parts, and other equipment to airfields in their assigned depot area, returned items to the depot, and transferred materiel between depots. They also furnished transportation for maneuvers. The rapid transport of supplies by the squadrons permitted the Air Corps to maintain low levels of materiel at its airfields, relying on replenishment from depot stocks only when needed.

In May 1937, the squadron was reassigned from the Middletown Air Depot to the newly activated 10th Transport Group, which assumed command of all four squadrons. The squadron received two-engine Douglas C-33s, the military version of the DC-2 in 1936 and Douglas C-39s (DC-2s with tail surfaces of the DC-3) in 1939 to replace the single engine Bellancas. These, and various other militarized DC-3s remained as the squadron's equipment until the entry of the United States into World War II.

=World War II=

The squadron trained transport pilots, 21 May-1 October 1942; transported troops and airdropped them during the airborne assault on Myitkyina, Burma, 17 May 1944; aerial transportation in China-Burma-India theater, 25 February 1943-c. August 1945; airlift of Chinese troops to eastern China for disarmament operations, September–November 1945. Airlift for airborne troops, 1 June 1992 – 2015.{{fact|date=January 2024}}

=Air Mobility Command=

The squadron flew C-130H2 Hercules transport aircraft on airlift missions and shared these aircraft in an association with the Air Force Reserve Command's 440th Airlift Wing. After being moved to Pope in the 2005 BRAC, the 440th became the first Air Force Reserve Wing to have an active duty associate squadron.{{cite web|url= http://www.af.mil/brac/northcarolina.asp |author=No byline|title=Base Realignment and Closure 2005: North Carolina|publisher=Air Force Link|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081003023309/http://www.af.mil/brac/northcarolina.asp |archive-date=3 October 2008|access-date=17 July 2018}}{{cite web|url= http://www.afrc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123023512 |author=No byline|title=Milwaukee reserve unit begins move to North Carolina|date=18 July 2006|publisher=Air Force Reserve Command Public Affairs|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140505171855/http://www.afrc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123023512 |archive-date=5 May 2014|access-date=17 July 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.afrc.af.mil/News/story/id/123056630/|title=Farewell Flying Badgers -- Wisconsin wing flag moves to Pope AFB|last=Peru Knabe|first=Ann|date=11 June 2007|publisher=Air Force Reserve Command Public Affairs|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607233708/http://www.afrc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123056630|archive-date=7 June 2011|url-status=live|access-date=17 July 2018}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

Lineage

Constituted as the 2nd Provisional Transport Squadron on 1 March 1935

: Redesignated 2nd Transport Squadron and activated on 28 June 1935

: Redesignated 2nd Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 July 1942

: Inactivated on 24 December 1945

Redesignated 2nd Airlift Squadron and activated, on 1 June 1992Lineage, including stations, through 2008 in AFHRA Factsheet, 2 Airlift Squadron

: Inactivated 3 June 2016{{cite web|last1=Barnes|first1=Marc|title=AMC unit at Pope Army Airfield is renamed|url=https://www.amc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/809571/amc-unit-at-pope-army-airfield-is-renamed|website=Air Mobility Command|date=22 June 2016|publisher=Air Mobility Command Public Affairs|access-date=24 June 2016}}{{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/1064317/43-air-mobility-operations-group-amc/ |last1=Bailey|first1=Carl E.|title=Factsheet 43 Air Mobility Operations Group (AMC)|date=30 January 2017|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=20 April 2017}}

=Assignments=

Middletown Air Depot, 28 June 1935
10th Transport Group (later 10th Troop Carrier Group), 20 May 1937
Tenth Air Force, c. 17 February 1943 (attached to India-China Wing, Air Transport Command, 9 March–1 July 1943)
Assam Air Base Command, c. 1 July 1943 (attached to Troop Carrier Command, Eastern Air Command, 20 December 1943 – 6 March 1944)
443rd Troop Carrier Group, 6 March 1944 – 24 December 1945
23d Operations Group, 1 June 1992Assignments through 1992 in AFHRA Factsheet, 2 Airlift Squadron
43rd Operations Group (later 43rd Airlift Group), 1 April 1997 – 3 June 2016

=Stations=

Olmsted Field, Pennsylvania, 28 June 1935
Stout Field, Indiana, 21 May 1942
Kellogg Field, Michigan, 1 July 1942
Bowman Field, Kentucky, 4 August 1942
Pope Field, North Carolina, 1 October 1942 – 23 January 1943
Yangkai Airfield, China, 17 February 1943
Dinjan Airfield, India, 1 July 1943
Shingbwiyang, Burma, 14 August 1944
Dinjan Airfield, India, 1 June 1945
Chihkiang Airfield, China, 24 August 1945
Hankow Airfield, China, 25 September–21 November 1945
Camp Anza, California, 23–24 December 1945
Pope Air Force Base (later Pope Army Airfield), North Carolina, 1 June 1992 – 3 June 2016

=Aircraft=

Bellanca C-27 Airbus, 1935–1937
Douglas C-33, 1936–1939
Douglas C-39, 1939-1941
Various civilian and military modifications of the Douglas DC-3, 1939-1941
Douglas C-47 Skytrain, 1942–1945
Curtiss C-46 Commando, 1945
Lockheed C-130 Hercules, 1992–2016

References

=Notes=

; Explanatory notes

; Citations

=Bibliography=

{{cite book|last=Endicott|first=Judy G.|title=Active Air Force Wings as of 1 October 1995 and USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995|url= http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/virtual_disk_library/index.cgi/4908883/FID1533/wings_cd.pdf |access-date=2 July 2014|year=1998 |series= Air Force History and Museums Program|publisher= Office of Air Force History|location= Washington, DC |asin= B000113MB2}}
{{cite book|last=Maurer|first=Maurer|title=Aviation in the U.S. Army, 1919-1939|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/23/2001330114/-1/-1/0/AFD-100923-007.pdf|access-date=17 December 2016|year= 1987|publisher=Office of Air Force History, United States Air Force|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-38-2|oclc=15661556|lccn=87012257}}{{dead link|date=April 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
{{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Air Force Combat Units of World War II|orig-year= 1961|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf|archive-url= https://archive.today/20210115181723/https://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf|url-status= dead|archive-date= 15 January 2021|access-date= 17 December 2016|edition=reprint|year=1983|publisher= Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-02-1|lccn=61060979}}
{{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II|orig-year=1969|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf |archive-url= https://archive.today/20230820144531/https://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf |url-status= dead |archive-date= 20 August 2023 |edition= reprint|access-date= 17 December 2016|year=1982|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-405-12194-6|oclc=72556|lccn=70605402}}

External links

{{cite web|url=https://www.amc.af.mil/|title=Air Force Mobility Command|access-date=2006-08-18| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060820121001/http://www.amc.af.mil/| archive-date= 20 August 2006 | url-status= live}}

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