779th Tactical Airlift Squadron

The 779th Tactical Airlift Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 464th Tactical Airlift Wing, stationed at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina. It was inactivated on 31 August 1971. During World War II, the 779th Bombardment Squadron was a B-24 Liberator heavy bomb squadron which saw combat with Fifteenth Air Force stationed in Italy, assigned to the 464th Bombardment Group.

History
Established as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber squadron in mid-1943, trained under Second Air Force. Deployed to Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO), October 1943, becoming a Fifteenth Air Force heavy bomb squadron, attacking enemy targets both in the MTO and European Theater of Operations (ETO). After end of war in Europe, used B-24s for transport of personnel from various points in Europe to Waller Field, Trinidad, being attached to Air Transport Command. Inactivated 31 July 1945.

Reactivated as a Tactical Air Command troop carrier squadron, 1953. Performed Troop Carrier missions using tactical transport aircraft until 1971 when inactivated. In 1965 the squadron received twelve modified C-130E-(I)s for special operations use and began training with the new airplanes in early 1966. The C-130E-(Is were assigned to Detachment One, 779th Troop Carrier Squadron. The detachment was re-designated as the 318th Special Operations Squadron in the late 1960s.

Lineage

 * Constituted 779th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 19 May 1943
 * Activated on 1 August 1943
 * Inactivated on 31 July 1945


 * Redesignated: 779th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 14 November 1945 (Remained inactive)
 * Redesignated: 779th Troop Carrier Squadron (Medium) on 15 December 1952
 * Activated on 1 February 1953
 * Redesignated: 779th Troop Carrier Squadron (Assault) on 1 December 1958
 * Redesignated: 779th Troop Carrier Squadron (Medium) on 8 January 1964
 * Redesignated: 779th Troop Carrier Squadron on 1 March 1966
 * Redesignated: 779th Troop Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 May 1967
 * Inactivated on 31 August 1971.  Assets absorbed by 41st Tactical Airlift Squadron.

Assignments

 * 464th Bombardment Group, 1 August 1943-31 July 1945
 * Attached to: Air Transport Command, 15 June-31 July 1945


 * 464th Troop Carrier Group, 1 February 1953
 * 464th Troop Carrier (later Tactical Airlift) Wing, 11 November 1957-31 August 1971
 * Tail Code after 1968: PR

Stations

 * Wendover Field, Utah, 1 August 1943
 * Gowen Field, Idaho, 22 August 1943
 * Pocatello Army Airfield, Idaho, 2 October 1943-9 February 1944
 * Pantanella Airfield, Italy, 10 April 1944
 * Gioia del Colle Airfield, Italy, 20 April 1944


 * Pantanella Airfield, Italy, c. 1 June 1944-c. 6 June 1945
 * Waller Field, Trinidad, 15 June-31 July 1945
 * Lawson AFB, Georgia, 1 February 1953
 * Pope AFB, North Carolina, 16 September 1954-31 August 1971

Aircraft

 * B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945
 * C-46 Commando, 1953–1954
 * C-119 Flying Boxcar, 1953–1958
 * C-123 Provider, 1958–1968
 * C-130 Hercules, 1968–1971