301st Airlift Squadron

The 301st Airlift Squadron (301 AS) is a United States Air Force Reserve squadron, assigned to the 349th Operations Group, stationed at Travis Air Force Base, California. It is a corollary unit of the active duty 21st Airlift Squadron, 60th Air Mobility Wing (60 AMW).

Mission
The mission of the 301st Airlift Squadron is to train and provide qualified C-17 Globemaster III aircrews to fly worldwide airlift missions and augment the active duty forces under various readiness conditions up to and including full mobilization.

History
Activated in August 1943 at Sedalia AAF, Missouri as an I Troop Carrier Command C-47 Squadron. After training in Missouri and later North Carolina, was sent to Baer Field, Indiana for final equipping with aircraft, personnel and other equipment. Deployed to Ninth Air Force in England, assigned to IX Troop Carrier Command in March 1944 during the build-up prior to the Invasion of France.

The squadron participated in the D-Day operation, dropping 101st Airborne Division paratroops near Cherbourg, then carried out re-supply and glider delivery missions the following day.

The squadron's aircraft flew supplies into Normandy as soon as suitable landing strips were available and evacuated casualties to England. On 17 July the air echelon flew to Grosseto airbase in Italy to prepare for operations connected with the invasion of southern France returning to England on 24 August.

Squadron moved to France in September 1944 and for the balance of the Northern France Campaign and the Western Allied invasion of Germany was engaged in combat resupply of ground forces, operating from Advanced Landing Grounds in northern France. Delivered supplies to rough Resupply and Evacuation airfields near the front lines, returning combat casualties to field hospitals in rear areas.

After V-E Day, the squadron was based in the Leipsig area, then when Leipsig was turned over to the Soviet Union as part of its occupation zone, was moved to the American Zone of Berlin where it was the first American air unit to occupy Tempelhof Airdrome on 4 July 1945.

Demobilized in Berlin, and returned to the United States in March 1946 as an administrative organization, was inactivated at Bolling Field, DC.

Reactivated as a C-46 Commando reserve transport squadron in 1949, activated as part of the Korean War mobilization in 1951. Unit personnel and aircraft were assigned as fillers to active-duty units and the squadron was quickly inactivated afterwards.

Since 1969 the 301st has trained in the Reserve to fly global strategic airlift missions, performing routine channel flights, contingency and humanitarian relief operations, and joint training exercises.

Operations and Decorations

 * Combat Operations. Dropped paratroopers in preparation for Normandy invasion, 6 Jun 1944. Transported cargo and mail in France and England, and evacuated wounded troops from the continent. Took part in airborne attacks in Netherlands in Sep 1944. Dropped supplies to 101 Airborne Division surrounded at Bastogne, Belgium, during the "Battle of the Bulge". Participated in airborne crossings of Rhine River into Germany, 24 Mar 1945. First American air unit to occupy Tempelhof Airdrome in Berlin, 1945. Supported Operations Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle after the 11 Sep 2001 terrorist attack on the U. S.


 * Campaigns. World War II: Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Panama, 1989-1990.


 * Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: France, [6-7] Jun 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat V Device: 1 Aug 2002-15 Aug 2003. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1974-30 Jun 1975; 1 Jul 1975-30 Jun 1977; 1 Jul 1992-30 Jun 1994; 1 Jul 1994-15 Aug 1995; 1 Jul 1996-30 Jun 1998; 1 Aug 2000-31 Jul 2002; 16 Aug 2003-17 Aug 2004; 18 Aug 2004-17 Aug 2005; 18 Aug 2005-17 Aug 2006; 18 Aug 2006-17 Aug 2007; 18 Aug 2007-17 Aug 2008; 18 Aug 2008-17 Aug 2009. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 25 Jul 1969-28 Jan 1973.

Lineage

 * Constituted as 301st Troop Carrier Squadron on 25 May 1943
 * Activated on 1 Aug 1943
 * Inactivated on 27 May 1946


 * Re-designated as 301st Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 10 May 1949
 * Activated in the Reserve on 27 Jun 1949
 * Ordered to active service on 10 Mar 1951
 * Inactivated on 14 Mar 1951


 * Re-designated as 301st Military Airlift Squadron (Associate) on 18 Mar 1969
 * Activated on 25 Jul 1969
 * Re-designated as: 301st Airlift Squadron (Associate), on 1 Feb 1992
 * Re-designated as: 301st Airlift Squadron on 1 Oct 1994.

Assignments

 * 441st Troop Carrier Group, 1 Aug 1943
 * Attached to 442d Troop Carrier Group, 18 May-16 Jul 1945


 * 442d Troop Carrier Group, 16 Jul 1945
 * 302d Transport Wing, 8 Aug 1945
 * 441st Troop Carrier Group, 8 Aug 1945
 * Attached to 473d Air Service Group, 18 Sep 1945-15 Feb 1946


 * Continental Air Forces (later, Strategic Air Command), 15 Feb 1946
 * Bolling Field Command, DC, 21 Mar-27 May 1946
 * 441st Troop Carrier Group, 27 Jun 1949-14 Mar 1951
 * 938th Military Airlift Group, 25 Jul 1969
 * 349th Military Airlift (later, 349th Airlift) Wing, 1 Jul 1973


 * 349th Operations Group, 1 Aug 1992–Present

Stations

 * Sedalia Army Air Field, Missouri, 1 Aug 1943
 * Camp Mackall North Carolina, 18 Jan 1944
 * Baer Field, Indiana, 22-29 Feb 1944
 * RAF Langar (AAF-490), England, 17 Mar 1944
 * RAF Merryfield (AAF-464), England, 25 Apr 1944
 * Operated from RAF Ramsbury (AAF-469), England, 7-24 Aug 1944


 * Villeneuve-Vertus Airfield (A-63), France, 8 Sep 1944
 * Saint Marceau Airfield (A-43), France, 1 Oct 1944
 * Dreux/Vernouillet Airfield (A-41), France, 3 Nov 1944


 * St-André de l'Euree Airfield (B-24), France, 20 May 1945
 * AAF Station Halle, Germany, 28 Jun 1945
 * Tempelhof Airdrome (later, Tempelhof US Air Force Station), Germany, 4 Jul 1945-15 Feb 1946
 * Bolling Field, DC, 15 Feb-27 May 1946
 * Chicago-Orchard (later, O'Hare International) Airport, Illinois, 27 Jun 1949-14 Mar 1951
 * Travis AFB, California, 25 Jul 1969–Present

Aircraft

 * L-3 Grasshopper (1943–1944)
 * C-53 Skytrooper (1943–1944)
 * C-47 Skytrain (1943–1946)
 * CG-4 Waco (1944–1945)
 * C-46 Commando (1949–1951)


 * T-6 Texan (1949–1951)
 * T-7 Navigator (1949–1951)
 * T-11 Kansan (1949–1951)
 * C-141 Starlifter (1969–1973)
 * C-5 Galaxy (1973–2006)
 * C-17 Globemaster III (2006 – Present)