778th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron

778th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron
Members of the 778th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron and 621st Air Mobility Group load a forklift onto a C-130 Hercules in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom
Active	1943-1945; 1953-1971; After 2002
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Airlift
Motto(s)	Guarding Global Liberty
Insignia
778th Tactical Airlift Squadron emblem
778th Bombardment Squadron emblem.

The 778th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force squadron activated after 3 May 2002, being engaged in the Global War on Terrorism. Its current status is undetermined.

Previously, the squadron was a Tactical Air Command Tactical Airlift squadron, assigned to the 464th Tactical Airlift Wing, stationed at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina. It was inactivated on 31 August 1971. During World War II, the 778th Bombardment Squadron was a B-24 Liberator heavy bomb squadron which saw combat with Fifteenth Air Force stationed in Italy, assigned to the 464th Bombardment Group.

History

Established as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber squadron in mid-1943, trained under Second Air Force. Deployed to Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO), October 1943, becoming a Fifteenth Air Force heavy bomb squadron, attacking enemy targets both in the MTO and European Theater of Operations (ETO). After end of war in Europe, used B-24s for transport of personnel from various points in Europe to Waller Field, Trinidad, being attached to Air Transport Command. Inactivated 31 July 1945.

Reactivated as a Tactical Air Command theater transport squadron, 1953. Performed Troop Carrier missions using tactical transport aircraft until 1971 when inactivated.

Activated as a Lockheed C-130 Hercules airlift squadron as part of the Global War on Terrorism after 3 May 2002.

Lineage

Constituted 778th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 19 May 1943

Activated on 1 August 1943

Inactivated on 31 July 1945

Redesignated: 778th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 14 November 1945 (Remained inactive)

Redesignated: 778th Troop Carrier Squadron (Medium) on 15 December 1952

Activated on 1 February 1953

Redesignated: 778th Troop Carrier Squadron (Assault) on 1 December 1958

Redesignated: 778th Troop Carrier Squadron (Medium) on 8 January 1964

Redesignated: 778th Troop Carrier Squadron on 1 March 1966

Redesignated: 778th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 May 1967

Inactivated on 31 August 1971. Assets absorbed by 40th Tactical Airlift Squadron.

Converted to provisional status and redesignated as 778th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron on 3 May 2002

Assignments

464th Bombardment Group, 1 August 1943 – 31 July 1945 (attached to Air Transport Command after 15 June 1945)
464th Troop Carrier Group, 1 February 1953
464th Troop Carrier (later Tactical Airlift) Wing, 11 November 1957 – 31 August 1971

Tail Code after 1968: PG

Allotted to Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate as needed

Stations

Wendover Field, Utah, 1 August 1943
Gowen Field, Idaho, 22 August 1943
Pocatello Army Air Field, Idaho, 2 October 1943 – 9 February 1944
Pantanella Airfield, Italy, 10 April 1944
Gioia del Colle Airfield, Italy, 20 April 1944

Pantanella Airfield, Italy, c. 1 June 1944-c. 6 June 1945
Waller Field, Trinidad, 15 June-31 July 1945
Lawson Air Force Base, Georgia, 1 February 1953
Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, 16 September 1954
Tan Son Nhut Airport, Vietnam, 1 July 1963
Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, 8 July 1963 – 31 August 1971

Aircraft

B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945
C-46 Commando, 1953–1954
C-119 Flying Boxcar, 1953–1958
C-123 Provider, 1958–1968
C-130 Hercules, 1968–1971; undetermined

References

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

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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