Eighteenth Air Force (AMC)

Lineage. Established as Eighteenth Air Force (Troop Carrier) on 7 Mar 1951. Organized on 28 Mar 1951. Redesignated as Eighteenth Air Force on 26 Jun 1951. Inactivated on 1 Jan 1958. Activated on 1 Oct 2003. Redesignated as Eighteenth Air Force (Air Forces Transportation) on 1 Apr 2007.

Assignments. Tactical Air Command, 28 Mar 1951-1 Jan 1958. Air Mobility Command, 1 Oct 2003-.

Operational Components. (For expanded listing covering 1951-1958, see Atch 1). Task Forces. 15 Expeditionary Mobility: 1 Oct 2003-. 21 Expeditionary Mobility: 1 Oct 2003-. Air Divisions. 42: 1 Oct 1957-1 Jan 1958. 831: 8 Oct 1957-1 Jan 1958. 832: 8 Oct 1957-1 Jan 1958. 834: 1 Oct 1957-1 Jan 1958. Wings. 6 Air Mobility: 1 Oct 2003-. 19 Airlift, 18 Sep 2008-; 22 Air Refueling: 1 Oct 2003-. 43 Airlift: 1 Oct 2003-. 60 Air Mobility: 1 Oct 2003-. 62 Troop Carrier (later, 62 Airlift): 17 Sep 1951-1 Jul 1957; 1 Oct 2003-. 63 Troop Carrier: 8 Jan 1953-1 Jul 1957. 64 Troop Carrier: 14 Jul 1952-21 Jul 1954. 89 Airlift: 1 Oct 2003-. 92 Air Refueling: 1 Oct 2003-. 305 Air Mobility: 1 Oct 2003-. 312 Fighter-Bomber: 1-8 Oct 1957. 313 Troop Carrier: 1 Feb-25 Aug 1953. 314 Troop Carrier: 1 Jun 1951-1 Sep 1957. 319 Air Refueling: 1 Oct 2003-. 375 Troop Carrier (later, 375 Airlift; 375 Air Mobility): 1 Jun 1951-14 Jul 1952; 1 Oct 2003-. 403 Troop Carrier: 1 Jun 1951-1 Jan 1953 (detached 14 Apr 1952-1 Jan 1953). 433 Troop Carrier: 1 Jun-8 Aug 1951. 434 Troop Carrier: 1 Jun 1951-1 Feb 1953. 435 Troop Carrier: 1 Jun 1951-1 Dec 1952. 436 Airlift: 1 Oct 2003-. 437 Airlift: 1 Oct 2003-. 443 Troop Carrier: 1 Jun 1951-8 Jan 1953. 450 Fighter-Day: 1 Oct 1957-1 Jan 1958. 456 Troop Carrier: 1 Dec 1952-9 Jul 1956. 463 Troop Carrier (see Groups). 464 Troop Carrier: 1 Feb 1953-1 Sep 1957. 465 Troop Carrier: 25 Aug 1953-1 Apr 1954. 479 Fighter-Day:1-8 Oct 1957. 506 Fighter-Day: 1 Oct 1957-1 Jan 1958. 514 Troop Carrier: 1 Jun 1951-1 Feb 1953. 516 Troop Carrier: 1 Jun 1951-16 Jan 1953. Groups. 19 Air Refueling: 1 Oct 2003-. 61 Troop Carrier: 1 Oct 1951-1 Jul 1957 (detached entire period). 309 Troop Carrier: 8 Jul 1955-2 Jun 1956 (detached 8 Jul 1955-May 1956). 313 Troop Carrier: 25 Aug 1953-8 Jun 1955 (detached entire period). 316 Troop Carrier: 1 Jun 1951-15 Nov 1954 (detached entire period). 317 Airlift: 1 Oct 2003-. 419 Troop Carrier: 9 Jul 1956-1 Sep 1957 (detached entire period). 443 Troop Carrier: 8 Jan-1 Feb 1953 (detached entire period). 463 Troop Carrier Wing (later, 463 Airlift Group): 16 Jan 1953-1 Sep 1957; 1 Oct 2003-1 Oct 2008. 465 Troop Carrier: 1 Feb-25 Aug 1953 (detached entire period). 513 Troop Carrier: 8 Nov 1955-1 Sep 1957 (detached entire period). 516 Troop Carrier: 8 Mar 1955-9 Jul 1956 (detached entire period). Squadrons. (assigned, but attached to subordinate units of 18 AF) 1 Tow Target: 1 Oct 1957-1 Jan 1958. 4 Liaison: 22 Jul 1952-13 Feb 1953. 4 Tow Target: 1 Oct 1957-1 Jan 1958. 5 Liaison: 8 Sep 1952-1 Apr 1953. 7 Liaison: 20 Oct 1952-18 Jun 1954. 20 Helicopter: 9 Jul 1956-1 Sep 1957. 21 Helicopter: 9 Jul 1956-1 Sep 1957. 23 Helicopter: 9 Jul-1 Nov 1956. 24 Helicopter: 9 Jul-13 Oct 1956. 54 Troop Carrier: 23 Jul 1956-1 Jul 1957. 309 Troop Carrier: 8 Oct 1954-9 Jul 1956. 310 Troop Carrier: 8 Feb 1955-7 Sep 1956. 427 Air Refueling: 1 Oct 1957-1 Jan 1958. 622 Air Refueling: 1 Oct 1957-1 Jan 1958. 644 Troop Carrier: 16 Dec 1952-8 Mar 1955. 4419 Flying Training: 1 May-1 Aug 1953. Flight. 8 Helicopter: 14 Mar-16 Dec 1952 (detached).

Stations. Greenville (later, Donaldson) AFB, SC, 28 Mar 1951; Waco, TX, 1 Sep 1957-1 Jan 1958. Scott AFB, IL, 1 Oct 2003-.

Commanders. Col Earl B. Young, 28 Mar 1951; Maj Gen Robert W. Douglass Jr., 1 May 1951; Maj Gen Chester E. McCarty, 22 Nov 1954-1 Jan 1958. Maj Gen Paul W. Essex (interim), 1 Oct 2003; Maj Gen William Welser III, 1 Dec 2003; Maj Gen James A. Hawkins, 29 Nov 2005; Maj Gen Winfield W. Scott III, 24 Jun 2008; Lt Gen Robert R. Allardice, 19 Aug 2009-.

Operations. Activated in March 1951 to discharge Tactical Air Command's troop carrier responsibilities. Became operational on 1 Jun 1951 and assumed control initially of nine continental "medium" troop carrier wings, seven of which were Reserve wings called to active duty. Added a "heavy" (C-124) wing in Fall 1951 and another in early 1953. By early 1953 the Reserve wing designations were replaced by active duty wings. Eighteenth Air Force organized, administered, equipped, trained, and prepared for combat assigned troop carrier units. Augmented troop carrier forces in the Far East and Europe and provided trained crews and replacement personnel to units in the Korean conflict. Provided USAF troop carrier participation in joint operations training. Took part in joint exercises and provided support for airborne paratroop training. Worked to improve communications capabilities and to include AF medical air evacuation in joint exercises. Provided airlift support to other USAF major commands and to other Tactical Air Command (TAC) organizations. Supplemented Military Airlift Transportation Service (MATS) airlift when needed. Moved units of USAF and US Army for training and/or deployment. Rotated troop carrier units to Europe in support of NATO. Heavily committed to airlift operations in arctic areas beginning autumn 1952. Airlanded and airdropped equipment supporting the construction of the Distant Early Warning radar system across northern Canada in proximity to the Arctic Circle, 1955-1957. Helicopters of the 310th TCS, operating from two icebreakers, provided support airlift to the U.S. Navy in the HIRAN (High Precision Air Navigation) project, Jan 1956. Provided airlift and airlift expertise to the U.S. Navy in Antarctic operations Deep Freeze I and II, establishing a base at the South Pole. Crews of the 63 TCW performed the first airdrop at the South Pole in Oct 1956; a combat controller of the 1 Aerial Port Squadron performed the first parachute jump at the South Pole in Nov 1956 in order to determine necessary corrections to ongoing airdrops of equipment. Provided airdrop and airland support, Mar-early Jun 1957, to Alaskan Air Command and Northeast Air Command to establish similar sites on ice islands in Arctic regions. Instrumental in development of aerial port concept, including techniques and equipment for loading troop carrier aircraft and airdropping cargo. Developed the AF "pathfinder" combat controller capability to establish ground to air communications and navigation aids at jump sites, and to select landing sites. Developed fixed wing assault mission using C-123 aircraft for landing on small unimproved landing areas. Organized the first rotary assault group in the USAF before losing the mission to the U.S. Army. Served as advisory body for reserve troop carrier wings. Tested new aerial delivery equipment, equipment and techniques for dropping paratroops and cargo, and navigation devices to determine "point of release". Lost troop carrier and airlift functions, Jul-Aug 1957. Moved to Texas in Aug 1957. Effective 1 Oct 1957, gained responsibility for Tactical Air Command's day fighter, fighter-bomber, and aerial tanker operations on western U.S. bases. Inactivated effective 1 Jan 1958, replaced by Twelfth Air Force, which moved on paper from Germany. Activated 1 Oct 2003 as Air Mobility Command's warfighting headquarters to accomplish the command's global mobility mission through a combination of airlift and air refueling missions, as well as the command and control of air mobility assets around the globe.

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. None.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
 
Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Oct 2004-30 Sep 2005; 1 Oct 2005-30 Sep 2006; 1 Oct 2006-30 Sep 2007; 1 Oct 2007-30 Sep 2008.

Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, Commanders, Operations and Honors through 2 Mar 2010.

Emblem. Approved on 21 Sep 1951, modified on 28 Jul 2003.

Superseded statement prepared on 12 Aug 2004.

Prepared by Robert Kane.

Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.