Lineage. Lineage. Constituted as 61 Troop Carrier Squadron on 13 Oct 1942. Activated on 26 Oct 1942. Inactivated on 30 Sep 1946. Redesignated as 61 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 20 Sep 1949. Activated on 17 Oct 1949. Redesignated as: 61 Troop Carrier Squadron on 1 Mar 1966; 61 Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 May 1967; 61 Airlift Squadron on 1 Dec 1991.
Assignments. 315 Troop Carrier Group (attached to 314 Troop Carrier Group), 26 Oct 1942; 314 Troop Carrier Group, 15 Mar 1943; 441 Troop Carrier Group, attached in Oct 1945, assigned Dec 1945-30 Sep 1946. 314 Troop Carrier Group, 17 Oct 1949; 314 Troop Carrier Wing, 8 Oct 1957; 839 Air Division, 1 Dec 1965 (attached to Troop Carrier Wing Provisional, 4413, 1 Dec 1965-30 Jun 1966); 64 Troop Carrier (later 64 Tactical Airlift) Wing, 1 Jul 1966 (attached to the 513 Tactical Airlift Wing, 6 May-11 Aug 1967, 8 Apr-29 Jun 1968, 27 May-6 Jul 1970; 322 Tactical Airlift Wing, 21 Oct-19 Dec 1970); 314 Tactical Airlift Wing, 31 May 1971 (attached to the 374 Tactical Airlift Wing, 16 May-1 Sep 1972; 513 Tactical Airlift Wing, 5 Jan-16 Mar 1973; 322 Tactical Airlift Wing, 5 Jun-11 Aug 1973, 16 Oct-16 Dec 1974, 15-30 Jun 1975; 435 Tactical Airlift Wing, 30 Jun-17 Aug 1975, 5 Mar-17 May 1976, 3 Dec 1976-13 Feb 1977, 5 Jul-9 Sep 1977, 13 Jul-13 Sep 1978); 314 Tactical Airlift Group, 1 Nov 1978 (attached to 435 Tactical Airlift Wing, 5 Apr-12 Jun 1980); 314 Tactical Airlift Wing, 15 Jun 1980 (attached to 435 Tactical Airlift Wing, 4 Dec 1982-15 Feb 1983; 313 Tactical Airlift Group, 8 Aug-10 Oct 1984, 1 Dec 1985-12 Feb 1986, 1 Feb-15 Apr 1987, 3 Apr-15 Jun 1988, 27 Dec 1990-12 May 1991, 3 Feb-6 Apr 1992); 314 Operations Group, 1 Dec 1991; 463 Airlift Group, 1 Apr 1997; 19 Operations Group, 1 Oct 2008-.
Stations. Bowman Field, KY, 26 Oct 1942; Knobnoster, MO, 5 Nov 1942; Lawson Field, GA, 20 Feb-3 May 1943; Berguent, French Morocco, May 1943; Kairouan, Tunisia, 26 Jun 1943; Castelvetrano, Sicily, 1 Sep 1943-16 Feb 1944; Saltby, England, 24 Feb 1944; Poix, France, Feb 1945; Frankfurt, Germany, 15 Oct 1945-30 Sep 1946. Smyrna (later, Sewart) AFB, TN, 17 Oct 1949-27 Aug 1950; Ashiya AB, Japan, 4 Sep 1950-15 Nov 1954; Sewart AFB, TN, 15 Nov 1954 (deployed at Clark AFB, Philippines, 1 Dec 1965-30 Jun 1966; RAF Mildenhall, England, 5 May-14 Aug 1967, 28 Mar-29 Jun 1968); Little Rock AFB, AR, 5 Mar 1970-(deployed at: RAF Mildenhall, England, 28 May-7 Jul 1970; 3 Jan-17 Mar 1973, 5 Mar-17 May 1976, 3 Dec 1976-13 Feb 1977, 5 Jul-9 Sep 1977, 13 Jul-13 Sep 1978, 5 Apr-12 Jun 1980, 4 Dec 1982-15 Feb 1983, 8 Aug-10 Oct 1984, 1 Dec 1985-12 Feb 1986, 1 Feb-15 Apr 1987, 3 Apr-15 Jun 1988, 27 Dec 1990-12 May 1991, 3 Feb-6 Apr 1992; Rhein-Main AB, Germany, 12 Oct-19 Dec 1970, 12 Jun-16 Aug 1973, 3 Oct-16 Dec 1974, 15 Jun-17 Aug 1975; Ching Chaun Kang AB, Taiwan, 16 May-1 Sep 1972.)
Commanders. Lt Col Campbell N. Smith, 26 Oct 1942; Lt Col William F. Colm, 30 Nov 1944; Capt Thomas E. Yarbrough, 21 Aug 1945; Capt Robert C. Wolf, Sep 1945; unkn, Jan-30 Sep 1946. Maj Gerald M. McNulty, Oct 1949; Lt Col Theo R. Diltz, 25 Dec 1950; Lt Col James D. Gilmore, 1 May 1951; Lt Col John H. Redmon, 30 Apr 1952; unkn, 1953-1954; Maj R. S. Saunders, by Jun 1955; Maj Roland Benson, by Dec 1956; Lt Col Wilbert Turk, 1 Sep 1957; Lt Col Lytle R. Perkins, 1 Aug 1960; Lt Col Jack D. Dieckman, 17 Jul 1961; Lt Col Kenneth A. Chatfield, 5 Jun 1963; Lt Col George M. Livers, by Jun 1964; Lt Col Rollin D. Childress, 3 Jun 1966; Lt Col Noble D. Wright, 13 Mar 1967; Lt Col William D. Small Jr., 23 Aug 1967; Lt Col John W. Maxwell, 22 Jul 1969; Lt Col Harry B. Doolittle, 29 Jan 1970; Lt Col Billie B. Mills, 9 Aug 1971; Lt Col Richard A. Peshkin, 1 Jun 1973; Lt Col John K. Stewart, 3 Jun 1974; Lt Col John D. Butterfield, 7 Jun 1976; Lt Col Phillip E. Jackey Jr., 8 May 1978; Lt Col Jerry M. Figgins, 26 Feb 1979; Lt Col Philip E. Bay Jr., 17 Mar 1981; Lt Col Kenneth E. McAlear, 10 May 1982; Lt Col Robert A. Cole, 7 Jun 1984; Lt Col Michael G. Jordan, 27 Nov 1985; Lt Col John J. Murphy, 15 Oct 1987; Lt Col Timmie D. Holmes, 25 May 1989; Lt Col Thomas M. Crawford, 1 Dec 1991; Lt Col Bruce E. Burda, 9 Oct 1992; Lt Col Jimmie L. Simmons Jr., 4 Mar 1994; Lt Col William L. Nichols, 11 Aug 1995; Lt Col John J. Evans, 13 Jun 1997; Lt Col Daniel P. Lentz, 18 Jun 1998; Lt Col John W. McDonald, 16 Aug 1999; Lt Col James C. Moulton, 23 Jun 2000-.
Aircraft. C-53, 1942-1943; C-47, 1943-1945; CG-4, 1943-1945; L-4, 1945. C-82, 1949-1950; C-119, 1950-1957; C-130, 1956-.
Operations. Provided airlift in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) and European Theater of Operations (ETO) during World War II, taking part in airborne assaults on Sicily, Normandy, Holland, and Germany (1943-1945). During the Korean War (1950-1953) furnished airlift between Japan and Korea and airdropped paratroops and supplies at Sukchon/Sunchon and Munsan-ni. Transported supplies from the Philippines into Southeast Asia, Dec 1965-Jun 1966. Part of squadron deployed to Vietnam in the summer of 1972 to test the Adverse Weather Aerial Delivery System (AWADS) in combat for the first time. Provided flood relief in the Philippines during same deployment. Airdropped humanitarian relief supplies in northern Iraq, Apr-May 1991. Conducted airdrop and aeromedical evacuation; supported combatant commanders with theater delivery of personnel and supplies, 2000-.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Central Europe. Korea: UN Defensive; UN Offensive; CCF Intervention; First UN Counteroffensive; CCF Spring Offensive; UN Summer-Fall Offensive; Second Korean Winter; Korean Summer-Fall, 1952; Third Korean Winter; Korea, Summer 1953. Vietnam: Vietnam Defensive; Vietnam Air.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. Panama, 1989-1990. Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Sicily, 11 Jul 1943; France, [6-7] Jun 1944; Korea, 28 Nov-10 Dec 1950. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device: 1 Dec 1965-30 Jun 1967. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 6 May 1953-10 Sep 1954; 11 Jan-14 Feb 1955; 23 Mar-22 Aug 1959; 1 Jan 1960-31 Dec 1961; 1 Sep 1962-15 Apr 1963; 1 Jun 1969-31 May 1971; 1 Jan 1975-30 Jun 1976; 1 Jun 1985-31 May 1986; 1 Jul 1991-30 Jun 1993; 1 Jul 1993-30 Jun 1995; 1 Jul 1995-31 Mar 1997; 1 Apr 1997-30 Jun 1998; 1 Jul 2000-30 Jun 2001; 1 Jul 2001-30 Jun 2002; 1 Jul 2002-30 Jun 2003; 1 Jul 2003-30 Jun 2004; 1 Jul 2004-30 Jun 2005; 1 Jul 2005-30 Jun 2006; 1 Jul 2006-30 Jun 2007. Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: 1 Jul 1951-27 Jul 1953. Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation: 21 Jul-15 Aug 1972. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Apr 1966-7 Jul 1968.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 20 Apr 2010.
Commanders through Dec 2000, Aircraft, and Operations through Apr 2010.
Supersedes statement prepared on 25 Jun 2003.
Emblem. Approved on 13 Jun 1956; modified on 3 Mar 1997.
Prepared by Patsy Robertson.
Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.