731st Airlift Squadron

The 731st Airlift Squadron (731 AS) is part of the 302d Airlift Wing at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. It operates C-130 Hercules aircraft providing global airlift.

Mission

 * Tactical Airlift
 * Aerial fire-fighting for the U.S. Forest Service.

History
Activated as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomb squadron; trained under Second Air Force. Completed training in early 1943; deploying to European Theater of Operations (ETO) assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England. Engaged in long-range strategic bombardment operations over Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany, March 1944-May 1945 attacking enemy military and industrial targets as part of the United States' air offensive against Nazi Germany. Most personnel demobilized in Europe after the German capitulation in May 1945; squadron inactivated as a paper unit in November.

Reactivated in 1947 as a B-29 Superfortress squadron in the reserves, however equipped with trainers until 1949 when equipped with B-26 Invader light bomber. Squadron activated in 1951 as a result of the Korean War; personnel and equipment assigned as replacements to units of Far East Air Forces, then inactivated as a paper unit.

Reactivated in 1952 with RB-26 Invader photo-reconnaissance aircraft; C-46 Commando transports; F-51 Mustangs. and other second-line aircraft. In 1957 reassigned to Massachusetts and re-equipped with C-119 Flying Boxcars for tactical airlift. Activated during Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962; returned to reserve status after crisis was resolved. In 1966 re-equipped with C-124 Globemasters for performing strategic airlift on a worldwide scale. Reassigned to various reserve wings; flying C-123 Providers until inactivation in 1982. Reactivated in Colorado in the reserves same date and equipped with C-130 Hercules.

Lineage

 * Constituted as 331st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942
 * Activated on 15 Jun 1942
 * Redesignated 331st Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 20 Aug 1943
 * Inactivated on 29 Nov 1945
 * Redesignated 331st Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 13 May 1947
 * Activated in the Reserve on 29 May 1947
 * Redesignated 331st Bombardment Squadron, Light on 26 Jun 1949
 * Ordered to active service on 10 Mar 1951
 * Inactivated on 20 Mar 1951


 * Redesignated 331st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 26 May 1952
 * Activated in the Reserve on 14 Jun 1952
 * Redesignated 331st Bombardment Squadron, Tactical on 18 May 1955
 * Redesignated 731st Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 1 July 1957
 * Ordered to active service on 28 Oct 1962
 * Relieved from active duty on 28 Nov 1962
 * Redesignated: 731st Military Airlift Squadron on 1 Jan 1967
 * Redesignated: 731st Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 Oct 1972
 * Inactivated on 1 Oct 1982


 * Activated in the Reserve on 1 Oct 1982
 * Redesignated 731st Airlift Squadron on 1 Feb 1992.

Assignments

 * 94th Bombardment Group, 15 Jun 1942-29 Nov 1945; 29 May 1947-20 Mar 1951
 * 94th Tactical Reconnaissance (later, 94 Bombardment; 94 Troop Carrier) Group, 14 Jun 1952
 * 94th Troop Carrier Wing, 14 Apr 1959
 * 901st (later, 901 Military Airlift; 901 Tactical Airlift) Group, 11 Feb 1963
 * 439th Tactical Airlift Wing, 1 Apr 1974-1 Oct 1982
 * 901st Tactical Airlift Group, 1 Oct 1982
 * 302d Tactical Airlift (later, 302 Airlift) Wing, 1 Apr 1985
 * 302d Operations Group, 1 Aug 1992–present

Stations

 * MacDill Field, Florida, 15 Jun 1942
 * Pendleton Field, Oregon, 29 Jun 1942
 * Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 29 Aug 1942
 * Biggs Field, Texas, 1 Nov 1942
 * Pueblo Army Air Base, Colorado, 3 Jan-17 Apr 1943
 * RAF Earls Colne (AAF-358), England, 11 May 1943
 * RAF Bury St. Edmunds (AAF-468), England, c. 13 Jun 1943-22 Nov 1945


 * Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, c. 27-29 Nov 1945
 * Marietta Army Airfield (later Dobbins AFB), Georgia, 29 May 1947-20 Mar 1951; 14 Jun 1952
 * Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, 18 May 1955
 * Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, 16 Nov 1957
 * Westover Air Reserve Base, Massachusetts, 17 Sep 1973-1 Oct 1982
 * Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, 1 Oct 1982–Present

Aircraft Operated

 * B-17 Flying Fortress (1942–1945)
 * T-6 Texan (1947–1950, 1952–1954)
 * T-7 Navigator (1947–1951)
 * T-11 Kansan (1947–1951)
 * B-26 Marauder (1949–1951, 1953–1957)
 * C-46 Commando (1952–1955)


 * P-51 Mustang (1953–1955)
 * T-28 Trojan (1953–1954)
 * C-45 Expeditor (1953–1955)
 * T-33 Shooting Star (1954–1955)
 * F-80 Shooting Star (1954–1955)
 * RB-26 Invader (1954–1955)


 * F-84 Thunderjet (1954–1955)
 * C-47 Skytrain (1955)
 * C-119 Flying Boxcar (1957–1966)
 * C-124 Globemaster II (1966–1972)
 * C-123 Provider (1972–1982)
 * C-130 Hercules (1982 – Present)

Operations

 * World War II