309th Troop Carrier Group

The 309th Troop Carrier Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 60th Troop Carrier Wing stationed at Dreux-Louvilliers Air Base, France. It was inactivated on 20 April 1958.

History

Lineage

• Constituted as 309th Bombardment Group (Medium) on 28 January 1942

Activated on 15 March 1942

Disbanded on 1 May 1944

Personnel and Equipment redesignated as: 329th Bombardment Group, 1 May 1944

Personnel and Equipment redesignated as: 329th Army Air Force Base Replacement Unit, 1 August 1944

Personnel and Equipment redesignated as: 129th Army Air Force Base Unit, 1 February 1945

Inactivated, 30 November 1945.

• Reconstituted, redesignated 309th Troop Carrier Group (Medium), and allotted to the reserve, on 16 May 1949.

Activated on 26 June 1949

Inactivated on 20 February 1951.

• Redesignated 309th Troop Carrier Group (Assault, Fixed Wing), and activated on 8 July 1955

Inactivated 20 April 1958

Assignments

• Third Air Force, 28 January 1942 – 1 February 1945
• First Air Force, 1 February – 30 November 1945
• 314th Troop Carrier Wing, 26 June 1949 – 20 February 1951
• 463d Troop Carrier Wing, 8 July 1955

Attached to 60th Troop Carrier Wing, 22 March – 7 August 1956

• 60th Troop Carrier Wing, 7 August 1956 – 20 April 1958

Components

• 376th Bombardment (later Troop Carrier) Squadron: 1942–1944; 1949–1951; 1955–1958

Later known as: Training Squadron "A", 1944–1945

• 377th Bombardment (later Troop Carrier) Squadron: 1942–1944; 1949–1950; 1955–1958

Later known as: Training Squadron "B", 1944–1945

• 378th Bombardment (later Troop Carrier) Squadron: 1942–1944; 1955–1958

Later known as: Training Squadron "C", 1944–1945

• 426th Bombardment Squadron: 1942–1944

Later known as: Training Squadron "D", 1944–1945

Stations

• Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 15 March 1942
• Jackson AAB, Mississippi, 15 March 1942
• Key Field, Mississippi, c. 26 April 1942
• Columbia AAB, South Carolina, 16 May 1942-1 May 1944;1 May 1944-30 November 1945
• Smyrna AFB, Tennessee, 26 June 1949 – 20 February 1951
• Ardmore AFB, Oklahoma, 8 July 1955
• Dreux-Louvilliers Air Base, France, 22 March 1956 – 20 April 1958

Aircraft

• B-25 Mitchell, 1942–1945
• A-26 Invader, 1945
• C-82 Packet, 1949–1951
• C-119 Flying Boxcar, 1949–1951
• YC-122 Avitruc, 1955–1956
• C-123 Provider, 1955–1958

Operations history

During World War II, trained bombardment groups and later trained replacement crews, using B-25 and later A-26 aircraft in both the operational and the replacement training programs.

Postwar the group was redesignated and reconstituted as a reserve Tactical Air Command Troop Carrier Group involved in joint airborne training with Army forces, developed assault airlift operations, and participated in aerial demonstrations, exercises, maneuvers, and joint operations. Inactivated in 1951 and personnel and equipment deployed to Far East Air Force to support 315th Air Division transport units during the Korean War.

The unit was last reactivated in 1955 and the group trained to airlift troops, equipment, and supplies for assault landings. Inactivated in 1956 due to fiscal reductions.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.

External links