45th Airlift Squadron

The 45th Airlift Squadron (45 AS) is part of the 314th Airlift Wing at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. It operates C-21 aircraft training pilots for executive airlift.

History

Activated in June 1942 under First Air Force, being formed at Patterson Field, Ohio. Trained at various stationd in the southeast and Texas with C-47 Skytrain transports. Deployed to Egypt in November 1942 as part of President Roosevelt's decision to aid the Royal Air Force Western Desert Air Force, assigned to the newly established Ninth Air Force, headquartered in Cairo.

Transported supplies and evacuated casualties in support of the British Eighth Army, operating from desert airfields in Egypt and Libya. Reassigned in May 1943 to the USAAF Twelfth Air Force in Algeria, supporting Fifth Army forces in the Tunisian Campaign. Began training for the invasion of Sicily; dropped paratroops over the assault area on the night of 9 July. Carried reinforcements to Sicily on 11 July and received a DUC for carrying out that mission although severely attacked by ground and naval forces; dropped paratroops over the beachhead south of the Sele River on the night of 14 Sep 1943. Remained in the MTO until February 1944 until being reassigned back to Ninth Air Force in England, IX Troop Carrier Command to participate in the buildup of forces prior to the Allied landings in France during D-Day in June 1944.

Engaged in combat operations by dropping paratroops into Normandy near Ste-Mere-Eglise on D-Day (6 June 1944) and releasing gliders with reinforcements on the following day. The unit received a third Distinguished Unit Citation and a French citation for these missions.

After the Normandy invasion the squadron ferried supplies in the United Kingdom. The squadron also hauled food, clothing, medicine, gasoline, ordnance equipment, and other supplies to the front lines and evacuated patients to rear zone hospitals. It dropped paratroops near Nijmegen and towed gliders carrying reinforcements during the airborne attack on the Netherlands. In December, it participated in the Battle of the Bulge by releasing gliders with supplies for the 101st Airborne Division near Bastogne.

Returned to the United States in May, 1945, becoming a domestic troop carrier squadron for Continental Air Forces. Reassigned to Seventh Air Force in Hawaii in September 1945, operating until being inactivated at the end of the year.

Reactivating in 1993 under AETC it has trained pilots in operational support airlift missions for VIP personnel using Lear C-23 executive aircraft.

Operations and Decorations

• Combat Operations. Included airborne assaults on Sicily, Normandy, the Netherlands, and Germany; aerial transportation of personnel (including casualties), supplies, and equipment in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) and European Theater of Operations (ETO), Nov 1942-Apr 1945.
• Campaigns. World War II: Egypt-Libya; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Central Europe.
• Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Sicily, 25 Nov 1942-25 Aug 1943; Sicily, 11 Jul 1943; France, [6-7] Jun 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1996-30 Jun 1998; 1 Jul 1999-30 Jun 2001; 1 Jul 2001-30 Jun 2003; 1 Jul 2003-30 Jun 2004; 1 Jul 2005-30 Jun 2006; 1 Jul 2006-30 Jun 2007; 1 Jul 2008-30 Jun 2009.

Lineage

• Constituted as 45th Transport Squadron on 30 May 1942

Activated on 15 Jun 1942

Re-designated as: 45th Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 Jul 1942

Inactivated on 26 Dec 1945

• Re-designated as: 45th Airlift Flight on 1 Apr 1993

Activated on 1 May 1993

Inactivated on 1 Oct 1993

• Re-designated as: 45th Airlift Squadron on 21 Mar 1994

Activated on 1 Jul 1994

Re-designated as: 45th Airlift Flight on 1 Oct 1999

Re-designated as: 45th Airlift Squadron on 9 Jul 2001

Assignments

• 316th Transport (later, 316th Troop Carrier) Group, 15 Jun 1942
• I Troop Carrier Command, May-26 Dec 1945

Attached to VI Air Service Area Command, 9 Sep-c. 20 Dec 1945

• 2d Operations Group, 1 May-1 Oct 1993
• 81st Training Group, 1 Jul 1994
• 314th Operations Group, 1 Oct 1999–Present

Stations

Aircraft

• C-47 Skytrain (1942–1945)
• C-46 Commando (1945)
• C-12 Huron (1994–1999)
• C-21 (1994 – Present)

Operations

• World War II

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. 
• AFHRA 45th Airlift Squadron Factsheet

External links

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