311th Airlift Squadron

311th Airlift Squadron

375th Operations Group C-21 Learjet
Active 1943–1946; 1949–1951; 1963–1971; 1997–2014
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Role Airlift
Part of Air Mobility Command
Engagements Vietnam War[1]
Decorations Presidential Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm[1]
Insignia
311th Airlift Squadron emblem (approved 13 June 2005)[1]
Patch with 311th Air Commando Squadron emblem (approved 29 September 1965)[1]

The 311th Airlift Squadron is part of the 375th Airlift Wing at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. It operated Learjet C-21 aircraft providing executive airlift for Combatant Commanders.

History

World War II

The 311th Troop Carrier Squadron trained in the United States from 1943 to 1944 and later flew cargo and personnel missions. It transferred to Hawaii in February 1945 and flew cargo in the Hawaiian Islands. When Lieutenant General Millard Harmon crashed in the Pacific, the squadron participated in an intensive air search for survivors. In August 1945 it moved to Okinawa and continued its airlift mission until May 1946.

Air Force reserve

The 311th trained in C-46 aircraft from June 1949 – April 1951.

Vietnam War

In Vietnam, the 311th flew cargo and passengers in support of I and II Corps. In addition, the unit flew flare, communications cover, air evacuation, and search and rescue missions for downed aircraft.

On 10 May 1968, The special forces camp at Kham Duc in the central highlands near Laos came under heavy mortar fire and was ordered to be evacuated. On 12 May, during evacuation efforts, an Army Boeing CH-47 Chinook and two division C-130s were disabled by enemy fire. One C-130 burst into flames at the end of the runway, killing all aboard. The final C-130 took off thinking it had boarded the last of the men on the ground. As the Viet Cong overran the forward outpost and established gun positions on the airstrip, eight aircraft were destroyed and the C-130 on the runway reduced its usable length to only about 2,200 feet. However, the three-man combat control team, in charge of directing the evacuation, was still on the ground searching for survivors.[2]

Informed that three men remained behind, Lt Col Joe M. Jackson of the 311th Air Commando Squadron (834th Air Division) dove his Fairchild C-123K Provider from 9,000 to land at the field. Unable to slow by reversing his propellers (Reversing the propellers on the C-123K shut off the two jet engines. They would have to be restarted before the aircraft could begin to take off again.) he jammed on the brakes and skidded halfway down the runway. The three combat controllers jumped from a culvert next to the runway and leaped into the open rear cargo door. A 122 mm rocket, fired from just outside the perimeter stopped only 10 meters from the plane. It did not explode. Jackson taxied around the shell and took off under heavy fire from the hills on either side of the camp. For this rescue, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.[2]

Operational support airlift

The squadron was redesignated the 311th Airlift Flight and activated at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska in April 1997, adduming the mission, personnel and Learjet C-21 aircraft of the inactivating 11th Airlift Flight,[1][3] when Air Force operational support airlift in the United States was centralized under the 375th Air Mobility Wing. It supported the Commander, United States Strategic Command, providing passenger airlift for Department of Defense officials throughout the US. In June 2005, the flight became the 311th Airlift Squadron and moved to Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, absorbing the resources of the 84th Airlift Flight, which was inactivated.[4] It was inactivated in June 2014, leaving the 200th Airlift Squadron of the Colorado Air National Guard to continue its mission at Peterson.[3]

Lineage

Activated on 1 November 1943
Inactivated on 15 May 1946
Activated in the reserve on 27 June 1949
Ordered to active service on 1 April 1951
Inactivated on 2 April 1951
Organized on 8 July 1963
Redesignated 311th Air Commando Squadron, Troop Carrier on 8 March 1965
Redesignated 311th Air Commando Squadron, Tactical Airlift on 1 August 1967
Redesignated 311th Special Operations Squadron on 1 August 1968
Redesignated 311th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 January 1970
Inactivated on 5 October 1971
Activated on 1 April 1997
Redesignated 311th Airlift Squadron on 15 June 2005[1]
Inavtivated on 1 June 2014[3]

Assignments

Stations
  • Okinawa, Ryuku Islands, 22 August 1945 – 15 May 1946
  • Hamilton Air Force Base, California, 27 June 1949 – 2 April 1951
  • Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam, 8 July 1963
  • Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam, 21 July 1967 – 5 October 1971
  • Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, 1 April 1997
  • Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, 15 June 2005 – 1 June 2014[1][3]

Aircraft

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Bailey, Carl E. (December 10, 2007). "Factsheet 311 Airlift Squadron (AMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Air Force Link: People: Colonel Joe M. Jackson". United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 19 February 2007. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Golembesky, Michael (May 6, 2014). "311th Airlift Squadron makes final departure from Peterson, Air Force". 21st Space Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  4. ↑ Research Division, Air Force Historical Research Agency, Air Force Organization Change Status Report, June 2005, Maxwell AFB, AL

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

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