Lineage. Constituted 311 Troop Carrier Squadron on 23 Oct 1943. Activated on 1 Nov 1943. Inactivated on 15 May 1946. Redesignated 311 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 10 May 1949. Activated in the Reserve on 27 Jun 1949. Ordered to active service on 1 Apr 1951. Inactivated on 2 Apr 1951. Redesignated 311 Troop Carrier Squadron, Assault, and activated, on 24 May 1963. Organized on 8 Jul 1963. Redesignated: 311 Air Commando Squadron, Troop Carrier on 8 Mar 1965; 311 Air Commando Squadron, Tactical Airlift on 1 Aug 1967; 311 Special Operations Squadron on 1 Aug 1968; 311 Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 Jan 1970. Inactivated on 5 Oct 1971. Redesignated 311 Airlift Flight on 27 Mar 1997. Activated on 1 Apr 1997. Redesignated 311 Airlift Squadron on 15 Jun 2005.
Assignments. 349 Troop Carrier Group, 1 Nov 1943; I Troop Carrier Command, 1 Dec 1944; VI Air Service Area Command, 9 Feb 1945; Seventh Air Force, 22 Jul 1945; U.S. Army Forces, Middle Pacific, 31 Jul 1945; VIII Air Force Service Command, 1 Sep 1945; 54 Troop Carrier Wing, 15 Feb-15 May 1946. 349 Troop Carrier Group, 27 Jun 1949-2 Apr 1951. 315 Troop Carrier (later, 315 Air Commando) Group, 8 Jul 1963; 315 Air Commando (later, 315 Special Operations; 315 Tactical Airlift) Wing, 8 Mar 1966-5 Oct 1971. 458 Airlift Squadron, 1 Apr 1997; 375 Operations Group, 15 Jun 2005-.
Stations. Sedalia AAFld, MO, 1 Nov 1943; Alliance AAFld, NE, 19 Jan 1944; Pope Field, NC, 8 Mar 1944; Baer Field, IN, 8 Jan 1945; Fort Lawton, WA, 24 Jan-1 Feb 1945; Kahuku AAB, TH, 9 Feb 1945; Bellows Field, TH, 15 Feb-22 Jul 1945; Okinawa, 22 Aug 1945-15 May 1946. Hamilton AFB, CA, 27 Jun 1949-2 Apr 1951. Da Nang AB, South Vietnam, 8 Jul 1963; Phan Rang AB, South Vietnam, 21 Jul 1967-5 Oct 1971. Offutt AFB, NE, 1 Apr 1997; Peterson AFB, CO, 15 Jun 2005-..
Commanders. Unkn, 1 Nov-1 Dec 1943; Maj John T. Blossom Jr., 1 Dec 1943; Capt Charles M. Ricker, late 1945; Capt Joseph H. Conner Jr., 23 Jan 1946-unkn. Unkn, 27 Jun 1949-1950; Lt Col Joseph R. Klein, by May 1950-unkn. Lt Col Winton Christner, c. 8 Jul 1963; Lt Col Harry G. Howton, 20 Oct 1964; Lt Col Hugh L. Baynes, 26 Sep 1965; Lt Col Raymond A. Normandin, 20 Jul 1966; Lt Col Donald L. Zedler, 18 Sep 1966; Lt Col Jack T. Gillis, 2 Sep 1967; Col William K. Bailey, 1 Jul 1968; Lt Col James E. Muldoon Jr., 7 Nov 1968; Lt Col Iris W. Bailey, 17 Jan 1969; Lt Col Robert M. Hodges, 19 Jul 1969; Lt Col Robert W. Hoffman, 7 Dec 1969; Lt Col Paul R. Zavitz, 21 Sep 1970; Lt Col Earl D. Thompson, 12 May-5 Oct 1971. Maj Tony G. Cox, 1 Apr 1997; unkn, 1998-12 Dec 2002; Lt Col Scott A. Wilhelm, 13 Dec 2002-.
Aircraft. C-47, 1943-1945; C-53, 1943-1944; C-46, 1945-1946. C-46, 1949-1951. C-123, 1963-1971. C-21A, 1997-.
Operations. The 311th Troop Carrier Squadron trained in the United States 1943-1944 and later flew cargo and personnel missions. It transferred to Hawaii in Feb 1945 and flew cargo in the Hawaiian Island group. When Lt Gen Millard F. Harmon crashed in the Pacific, the squadron participated in an intensive air search for survivors. In Aug 1945 it moved to Okinawa and continued its airlift mission until May 1946. The 311th trained in C-46 aircraft from Jun 1949-Apr 1951. In Vietnam, the 311th flew cargo and passengers in support of I and II Corps. In addition, the unit flew flare, communications cover, air evacuation and search missions for downed aircraft. The flight replaced the 11th Airlift Flight and was equipped with C-21A aircraft in 1997. It supported the Commander in Chief, US Strategic Command (CINCUSSTRATCOM), providing passenger airlift for high-level defense officials and members of Congress throughout the US.
Service Streamers. World War II American Theater. World War II Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
Campaign Streamers. Vietnam: Vietnam Advisory; Vietnam Defensive; Vietnam Air; Vietnam Air Offensive; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air/Ground; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; Tet 69/Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer-Fall, 1969; Vietnam Winter-Spring, 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V; Commando Hunt VI.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Presidential Unit Citations, (Vietnam): 21 Jan-12 May 1968; 1 Apr-30 Jun 1970. Navy Presidential Unit Citation: Khe Sanh, South Vietnam, 20 Jan-1 Apr 1968. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with the Combat "V" Device: [8 Jul] 1963-30 Apr 1965; 30 Jun-9 Jul 1965; 7 Jul-7 Dec 1966; 8 Dec 1966-30 Apr 1967; 10 Jun-31 Dec 1967; 15 Jul 1968-30 Jun 1969; 1 Jan-5 Oct 1971. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 1 Jun 1998-31 May 2000. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Crosses with Palm: 22 Apr 1966-5 Oct 1971.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 21 Jun 2005.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through Jun 2000.
Supersedes statement prepared on 28 Jul 1998.
Emblem. Approved on 13 Jun 2005. Replaced emblem approved on 29 Sep 1965.
Prepared by Carl E. Bailey.
Reviewed by A. Timothy Warnock.