Lineage. Constituted as 776 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 19 May 1943. Activated on 1 Aug 1943. Redesignated as 776 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 29 Sep 1944. Inactivated on 31 Jul 1945. Redesignated as 776 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium, on 15 Dec 1952. Activated on 1 Feb 1953. Redesignated as: 776 Troop Carrier Squadron, Assault, on 1 Dec 1958; 776 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium, on 8 Jul 1963; 776 Troop Carrier Squadron on 1 Jan 1967; 776 Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 Aug 1967. Inactivated on 31 Oct 1975. Redesignated as 776 Expeditionary Airlift Squadron and converted to provisional status on 3 May 2002.
Assignments. 464 Bombardment Group, 1 Aug 1943-31 Jul 1945. 464 Troop Carrier Group, 1 Feb 1953; 464 Troop Carrier Wing (later, 464 Troop Carrier Wing, Assault), 11 Nov 1957; 315 Troop Carrier Group, Assault, 1 Jul 1963; 315 Air Division, 26 Dec 1965; 314 Troop Carrier (later, 314 Tactical Airlift) Wing, 25 Mar 1966; 374 Tactical Airlift Wing, 31 May 1971-31 Oct 1975. Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate at any time after 3 May 2002.
Stations. Wendover Field, UT, 1 Aug 1943; Gowen Field, ID, 22 Aug 1943; Pocatello AAFld, ID, 22 Oct 1943-9 Feb 1944; Pantanella Airfield, Italy, 10 Apr 1944; Gioia, Italy, 20 Apr 1944; Pantanella Airfield, Italy, c. 1 Jun 1944-c. 6 Jun 1945; Waller Field, Trinidad, 15 Jun-31 Jul 1945. Lawson AFB, GA, 1 Feb 1953; Pope AFB, NC, 16 Sep 1954; Tan Son Nhut AFld, South Vietnam, 1 Jul 1963; Pope AFB, NC, 8 Jul 1963; Tachikawa AB, Japan, 26 Dec 1965; Ching Chuan Kang AB, Taiwan, 1 Apr 1966; Clark AB, Philippines, 15 Nov 1973-31 Oct 1975.
Commanders. Maj Harold E. Blehm, 1 Aug 1943; Lt Col William H. Reddell, 22 Jul 1944; Lt Col John W. Nance, Dec 1944-at least May 1945. Unkn, 1 Feb 1953- unkn; Lt Col Benjamin C. Warren, by Jul 1954; Lt Col Joseph F. Mistrot, by 31 Dec 1955; Lt Col George B. Herndon, by 30 Oct 1957; Lt Col Robert V. Maggart, 12 Dec 1960; Maj Thomas G. Tharp, 7 Apr 1961; Lt Col Howard E. Reaves, 21 Apr 1961; Lt Col Rector C. Dacus, by 31 Dec 1962; Lt Col Charles W. Borders, 8 Jul 1963; Lt Col Homer Q. Stephens, 11 Jun 1964; Lt Col Eugene E. Hurst, 1 Nov 1965; Lt Col George Perbetsky, 11 Jan 1967; Lt Col James H. Marable, 19 Jun 1967; Lt Col Clyde G. Miller, Jan 1968; Lt Col George Perbetsky, 27 Mar 1969; Lt Col Arthur S. Cooper, by Dec 1970; Lt Col Roger W. Johnson, by Dec 1971; Lt Col James L. Jarrett, 15 Jan 1972; Lt Col William E. Porter 25 May 1973; Lt Col Jimmy L. Maturo, 27 Dec 1973; Lt Col Alfred N. Luttrell, 1 Sep-31 Oct 1975.
Aircraft. B-24, 1943-1945. C-46, 1953-1954; C-119, 1953-1958; C-123, 1958-1964; C-130, 1964-1975.
Operations. Combat operations in Mediterranean and European Theaters of operation, Feb 1944-May 1945. Moved to Trinidad in Jun 1945 and inactivated on 31 Jul 1945. Served briefly in South Vietnam, July 1963. Activated as a Troop Carrier Squadron and in Apr 1964 carried the casket and body of General Douglas MacArthur from Washington, DC, to Norfolk, Virginia, for burial. In Nov and Dec 1964 participated in operation "Dragon Rouge", evacuating refugees of civil war from the Congo. In Mar 1965, participated in Operation Steep Hill to protect Alabama citizens during civil rights demonstrations. Rotated crews in and out of Southeast Asia and the Congo in 1965 and participated in humanitarian airlift during revolutionary crisis in the Dominican Republic. Moved to Japan in Dec 1965 and conducted combat airlift into Vietnam, transporting troops, equipment, and supplies to various bases in Southeast Asia, including resupply operations to Khe Sanh and the A Shau Valley during the first half of 1968. Crews rotated to Cam Ranh Bay and Tan Son Nhut to fly shuttle missions. As Saigon fell in Apr 1975, airlifted Vietnamese orphans from the city during Operation Baby Lift.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Rome-Arno; Southern France; North Apennines; Po Valley; Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Central Europe; Air Combat EAME. Vietnam: Vietnam Advisory.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Vienna, Austria, 8 Jul 1944; Pardubice, Czechoslovakia, 24 Aug 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat "V" Device: 1 Nov 1967-31 Dec 1969; 12 Feb-17 May 1975. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 28 Nov 1961-1 May 1963. Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation: 21 Jul-15 Aug 1972. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Nov 1967-31 Dec 1969.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 31 Oct 1975.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 31 Oct 1975.
Supersedes statement prepared on 25 Jul 1990.
Emblem. Approved on 9 Jul 1959.
Prepared by Carl E. Bailey.
Reviewed by Daniel L. Haulman.