904th Tactical Airlift Group

The 904th Military Airlift Group is an inactive United States Air Force Reserve unit. It was last active with the 459th Military Airlift Wing, based at Stewart Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on 31 December 1969.

History
Following the mobilizations in 1961 and 1962 for the Berlin Crisis and the Cuban Missile Crisis, Continental Air Command (ConAC) realized that it was unwieldy to mobilize an entire wing unless absolutely necessary. Their original Table of Organization for each Wing was a wing headquarters, a troop carrier group, an Air Base Group, a maintenance and supply group, and a medical group. In 1957, the troop carrier group and maintenance and supply groups were inactivated, with their squadrons reassigned directly to the wing headquarters - despite the fact that many wings had squadrons spread out over several bases due to the Detached Squadron Concept dispersing Reserve units over centers of population.

To resolve this, in late 1962 and early 1963, ConAC reorganized the structure of its reserve Troop Carrier Wings by establishing fully deployable Troop Carrier Groups and inserting them into the chain of command between the Wing and its squadrons at every base that held a ConAC troop carrier squadron. At each base, the group was composed of a material squadron, a troop carrier squadron, a tactical hospital or dispensary, and a combat support squadron. Each troop carrier wing consisted of 3 or 4 of these groups. By doing so, ConAC could facilitate the mobilization of either aircraft and aircrews alone, aircraft and minimum support personnel (one troop carrier group), or the entire troop carrier wing. This also gave ConAC the flexibility to expand each Wing by attaching additional squadrons, if necessary from other Reserve wings to the deployable groups for deployments.

As a result, the 904th Troop Carrier Group was established with a mission to organize, recruit and train Air Force Reserve personnel in the tactical airlift of airborne forces, their equipment and supplies and delivery of these forces and materials by airdrop, landing or cargo extraction systems. The group was equipped with C-119 Flying Boxcars for Tactical Air Command airlift operations.

The 904th TCG was one of three C-119 groups assigned to the 514th TCW in 1963, the others being the 903d Troop Carrier Group at McGuire AFB, New Jersey and 905th Troop Carrier Group at Bradley Field, Connecticut.

Reassigned to Military Airlift Command, 1966, trained and re-quipped with C-124 Globemaster II intercontinental transports. Began flying worldwide airlift missions. Elevated to active-duty in January 1968 to provide additional airlift support for the Vietnam War. Returned to reserve status, June 1969. Inactivated with retirement of C-124 in December 1969 and inactivation of Stewart AFB.

Lineage

 * Established as 904th Troop Carrier Group, Medium and activated on 28 December 1962 (not organized)
 * Organized in the Reserve on 17 January 1963
 * Redesignated 904th Tactical Airlift Group on 1 July 1966
 * Redesignated 904th Military Airlift Group (Associate) on 1 October 1966
 * Ordered to Active Service on 26 January 1968
 * Relieved from Active Duty on 2 June 1969
 * Redesignated 904th Tactical Airlift Group on 1 April 1972
 * Inactivated on 1 September 1975

Assignments

 * Continental Air Command, 28 December 1963
 * 514th Troop Carrier Wing, 17 January 1963
 * 459th Military Airlift Wing, 1 July 1966
 * 445th Military Airlift Wing, 26 January 1968
 * 459th Military Airlift Wing, 2 June 1969
 * 452d Military Airlift Wing (later 452d Tactical Airlift Wing), 31 December 1969 - 1 September 1975

Components

 * 336th Troop Carrier Squadron (later 336th Tactical Airlift, 336th Military Airlift Squadron, 336th Tactical Airlift Squadron), 17 January 1963 - 1 September 1975

Stations

 * Stewart Air Force Base, New York, 17 January 1963
 * Hamilton Air Force Base, California, 31 December 1969  - 1 September 1975

Aircraft

 * C-119 Flying Boxcar, 1963-1966
 * C-124 Globemaster II, 1966-1972
 * Lockheed C-130 Hercules, 1972-1975