702d Airlift Squadron

702d Airlift Squadron
Emblem of the 702d Airlift Squadron
Active	1943-2000
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Airlift

The 702d Airlift Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 305th Operations Group, stationed at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey. It was inactivated on 1 March 2000.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Lineage 1.2 Assignments 1.3 Stations 1.4 Aircraft 2 References

History

Established as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber squadron in early 1943; trained under Second Air Force. Deployed to England in late 1943 and assigned to the XIII Bomber Command 2d Bombardment Wing. Performed strategic bombing missions over Nazi Germany and Occupied Europe, receiving a DUC for a mission of Gotha, Germany on 24 February 1944. Personnel demobilized in England in May 1945; unit returned to the United States and prepared to be reformed as a B-29 Superfortress squadron, however was inactivated in September without personnel or equipment.

Reactivated in 1952 as a reserve theater troop carrier squadron in the reserves. Activated in 1962 due to the Cuban Missie Crisis; performing routine airlift missions until inactivated in 1965. Reactivated in 1973 and equipped with long-range C-141 Starlifter as an associate Military Airlift Squadron. Provided worldwide airlift until retirement of C-141 aircraft in 2000.

Lineage

• Constituted 702d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 20 March 1943

Activated on 1 April 1943

Inactivated on 12 September 1945

• Redesignated 702d Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 13 May 1947

Activated in the reserve on 1 January 1948

Inactivated on 27 June 1949.

• Redesignated 702d Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 24 June 1952

Activated in the reserve on 8 July 1952

Inactivated on 1 July 1957

• Redesignated 702d Troop Carrier Squadron (Medium) on 24 October 1957

Activated in the reserve on 16 November 1957

Redesignated 702d Troop Carrier Squadron (Assault) on 25 September 1958

Ordered to active service on 28 October 1962

Relieved from active duty on 28 November 1962

Inactivated on 15 December 1965

• Redesignated 702d Military Airlift Squadron (Associate) and activated, 1 July 1973

Redesignated 702d Airlift Squadron, 1 August 1992

Inactivated on 1 March 2000

Assignments

• 445th Bombardment Group, 1 April 1943-12 September 1945

ETO Fuselage Code: WW

• 445th Bombardment Group, 1 January 1948
• 452d Bombardment Group, 28 May 1948-27 June 1949.
• 445th Fighter-Bomber Group, 8 July 1952-1 July 1957
• 445th Troop Carrier Group, 16 November 1957
• 445th Troop Carrier Wing, 25 September 1958
• 920th Troop Carrier Group, 11 February 1963-15 December 1965
• 514th Military Airlift Wing, 1 July 1973
• 514th Operations Group, 1 August 1992-1 March 2000

Stations

Gowen Field, Idaho, 1 April 1943 Wendover Field, Utah, 8 June 1943 Sioux City Army Air Base, Iowa, 8 July-20 October 1943 RAF Tibenham, England, 2 November 1943-30 May 1945 Fort Dix Army Air Base, New Jersey, c. 9 June-12 September 1945 Hill Army Airfield, Utah, 1 August 1947-27 June 1949

Buffalo Airport, New York, 8 July 1952 Niagara Falls Airport, New York, 15 June 1955-1 July 1957 Memphis Mun Airport, Tennessee, 16 November 1957-15 December 1965 Keesler AFB, Mississippi, 1 July 1973 McGuire AFB, New Jersey, 1 August 1992-1 March 2000

Aircraft

• B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945
• C-47 Skytrain, 1955–1957
• C-123 Provider, 1957–1975
• C-141 Starlifter, 1973–2000

References

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

• Mauer, Mauer (1969), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II, Air Force Historical Studies Office, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBN 0-89201-097-5