94th Flying Training Squadron

94th Flying Training Squadron [1]

94th Flying Training Squadron Patch
Active 1 June 1943 - 31 July 1946
27 June 1949 - 3 April 1951
1 October 1983 - Present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
Part of Air Education and Training Command
19th Air Force
306th Flying Training Group
Garrison/HQ United States Air Force Academy
Engagements Operation Overlord
Operation Dragoon
Operation Market Garden
Operation Varsity
Decorations DUC
FCdG w/ Palm
French Fourragère
A UV-18B used for parachute training.
Douglas C-47A-80-DL Serial 43-15159 of the 94th Troop Carrier Squadron in Normady Invasion Markings.

The 94th Flying Training Squadron (94 FTS) is part of the 306th Flying Training Group based at United States Air Force Academy, Colorado. It conducts glider training for Air Force Academy cadets. The squadron is augmented by the Reserve 70th Flying Training Squadron.[2]

History

Activated in June 1943 under I Troop Carrier Command and equipped with C-47 Skytrains. Trained in various parts of the eastern United States until the end of 1943. Deployed to England and assigned to IX Troop Carrier Command, Ninth Air Force.

Prepared for the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. Began operations by dropping paratroops of the 101st Airborne Division in Normandy on D-Day (6 June 1944) and releasing gliders with reinforcements on the following day. The unit received a Distinguished Unit Citation and a French citation for these missions. After the Normandy invasion the squadron ferried supplies in the United Kingdom.

After moving to France in September, the unit dropped paratroops of the 82nd Airborne Division near Nijmegen and towed gliders carrying reinforcements during the airborne attack on the Netherlands. In December, it participated in the Battle of the Bulge by releasing gliders with supplies for the 101st Airborne Division near Bastogne.

When the Allies made the air assault across the Rhine River in March 1945, each aircraft towed two gliders with troops of the 17th Airborne Division and released them near Wesel. The squadron also hauled food, clothing, medicine, gasoline, ordnance equipment, and other supplies to the front lines and evacuated patients to rear zone hospitals. It converted from C-47s to C-46s and the new aircraft to transport displaced persons from Germany to France and Belgium after V-E Day.

Returned to the U.S. during the period July–September 1945, and trained with C-46 aircraft until inactivated.

The squadron has taught soaring and parachuting to cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy since October 1983.[1]

Operations and Decorations

Lineage

Activated on 1 Jun 1943
Inactivated on 31 Jul 1946
Activated in the Reserve on 27 Jun 1949
Ordered to active service on 1 Apr 1951
Inactivated on 3 Apr 1951
Activated on 1 Oct 1983
Re-designated as 94th Flying Training Squadron on 31 Oct 1994.

[1]

Assignments

[1]

Stations

[1]

Aircraft
  • UV-18 Twin Otter (1983 - 1994)
  • TG-10B (2002–2012)
  • TG-10C (2002-2011)
  • TG-15A (2008–present)
  • TG-15B (2008–present)
  • TG-16A (2011–present)

[1]

References

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

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 AFHRA 94 FTS Page Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ↑ 70th FTS flexes wartime muscle

See also

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