89th Airlift Squadron
89th Airlift Squadron
 | |
|---|---|
|
A squadron C-141 Starlifter supporting Operation Deep Freeze | |
| Active | 1943-1945; 1949-1951; 1952-1957; 1982-present |
| Country |
 United States |
| Branch |
 United States Air Force |
| Role | Airlift |
| Part of | Air Force Reserve Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Wright-Patterson Air Force Base |
| Nickname(s) | Rhinos |
| Engagements |
Operation Overlord Operation Dragoon Operation Market Garden Battle of Bastogne |
| Decorations |
Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
| Insignia | |
| 89th Airlift Squadron emblem (Approved 15 August 1985)[1] |
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The 89th Airlift Squadron (89 AS) is a United States Air Force Reserve squadron, assigned to the 445th Operations Group, stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
Overview
It operates C-17 Globemaster III aircraft providing strategic, tactical and global airlift.
History
World War II
The squadron was first activated as the 89th Troop Carrier Squadron in June 1943 by I Troop Carrier Command and equipped with Douglas C-47 Skytrains. It trained in various parts of the eastern United States until the end of 1943. The squadron deployed to England, where it became part of IX Troop Carrier Command.
The squadron prepared for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. On 5 June 1944, the squadron took off for assigned drop zones in Occupied France, commencing at 23:48 hours. Despite radio black-out, overloaded aircraft, low cloud cover and lack of marked drop zones, they carried parachute infantry of the 101st Airborne Division's 502d Parachute Infantry Regiment, who were dropped soon after midnight in the area northwest of Carentan. Glider-borne reinforcement missions followed, carrying weapons, ammunition, rations, and other supplies.
On 20 July 1944 the 89th departed for Italy in preparation for the August invasion of Southern France, Operation Dragoon. In that invasion, it dropped paratroops and towed gliders that carried reinforcements.
Returning to England, during Operation Market Garden in September 1944, the group released gliders carrying troops and equipment for the airborne attack in the occupied Netherlands. Resupply missions were flown on 20 September and on the 21st to Overasselt and on the 21st to Son.
During the Battle of the Bulge (December 1944 – January 1945), the squadron flew air supply missions to battle areas, including the first two flights into beleaguered Bastogne, re-suppllying the 101st Airborne Division.
After moving to France in February 1945, the squadron flew combat operations from rough resupply and evacuation airfields carrying supplies and ammunition to front line forces and evacuating wounded personnel to rear-zone hospitals. The unit released gliders in support of an American crossing of the Rhine River called Operation Varsity in March 1945.
After V-E Day, the unit evacuated prisoners of war and displaced persons to relocation centers. It returned to the United States in August 1945, where it was inactivated in September 1945.
Air Force reserve
The squadron was reactivated in the reserve in 1949 at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. It flew Curtiss C-46 Commando medium transports. The squadron was called to active duty in 1951 due to the Korean War, and its personnel and aircraft were assigned to other units as fillers and the unit was inactivated.
The unit was redesignated the 89th Fighter-Bomber Squadron and trained for fighter-bomber missions from 1952 until inactivating in 1957
In 1982 the squadron was again activated as the 89th Tactical Fighter Squadron and trained on fighter operations until 1994.
Since 1994 the 89th has trained for and flown strategic airlift missions worldwide, taking part in contingency operations as needed.
Lineage
- Constituted as the 89th Troop Carrier Squadron on 14 May 1943
- Activated on 1 June 1943
- Inactivated on 22 September 1945
- Redesignated 89th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 10 May 1949
- Activated in the reserve on 27 June 1949
- Ordered to active service on 10 March 1951
- Inactivated on 14 March 1951
- Redesignated 89th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 26 May 1952
- Activated in the reserve on 15 June 1952
- Inactivated on 16 November 1957.
- Redesignated 89th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 20 January 1982
- Activated in the reserve on 1 July 1982
- Redesignated 89th Fighter Squadron on 1 February 1992
- Redesignated 89th Airlift Squadron on 1 October 1994[1]
Assignments
- 438th Troop Carrier Group, 1 June 1943 – 22 September 1945
- 438th Troop Carrier Group, 27 June 1949 – 14 March 1951
- 438th Fighter-Bomber Group, 15 June 1952 – 16 November 1957
- 906th Tactical Fighter Group (later 906th Fighter Group), 1 July 1982
- 445th Operations Group, 1 October 1994 – present[1]
Stations
- Baer Field, Indiana, 1 June 1943
- Sedalia Army Air Field, Missouri, 11 June 1943
- Laurinburg-Maxton Army Air Base, North Carolina, 30 October 1943
- Baer Field, Indiana, c. 15 January - c. 28 January 1944
- RAF Langar (AAF-490),[2] England, February 1944
- RAF Greenham Common (AAF-486),[2] England, Mar 1944
- Operated from Montalto Di Castro Airfield, Italy, 20 July - 23 August 1944
- Prosnes Airfield (A-79),[3] France, February 1945
- Amiens Glisy Airfield (B-48),[3] France, May - Aug 1945
- Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts, 21 September - 22 September 1945
- Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, 27 June 1949 – 14 March 1951
- General Mitchell Field, Wisconsin, 15 June 1952 – 16 November 1957
- Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, 1 July 1982 – present[1]
Aircraft
- Douglas C-47 Skytrain (1943-1945, 1949–1951)
- Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor (1949–1951)
- Curtiss C-46 Commando (1949–1951)
- North American F-51 Mustang (1953–1954)
- Lockheed T-33 T-Bird (1954–1957)
- Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star (1955–1957)
- McDonnell F-4 Phantom II (1982–1989)
- General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon (1989–1994)
- Lockheed C-141 Starlifter (1994–2006)[1]
- Lockheed C-5 Galaxy (2005 – 2011)
- McDonnell Douglas C-17 Globemaster III (2011–present)
See also
- List of United States Air Force airlift squadrons
- List of C-47 Skytrain operators
- List of F-4 Phantom II operators
- General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon operators
References
Notes
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
- Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Retrieved July 7, 2012.
- Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
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