747th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron

The 747th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit. It is under the control of Air Mobility Command and operates C-130 Hercules aircraft in theater airlift missions as part of the Global War on Terrorism. Its current status and duty location is undetermined.

In regular USAF service as the 747th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy), it was last assigned to the 456th Bombardment Group, being stationed at McChord Field, Washington. It was inactivated 27 June 1949.

History

Established in mid-1943 as a B-24 Liberator heavy bombardment group; trained under Second Air Force. Deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO), being assigned to Southern Italy at Stornara Airfield under Fifteenth Air Force.

Engaged in very long range strategic bombardment of enemy military, industrial and transportation targets. Operations included attacks against such objectives as marshalling yards, aircraft factories, railroad bridges, and airdromes in Italy, Austria, and Romania. Helped to prepare the way for and supported the invasion of Southern France during July and August 1944. At the same time, expanded previous operations to include attacks on oil refineries and storage facilities, locomotive works, and viaducts in France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Austria, and the Balkans.

Returned to the United States after the German Capitulation in May 1945; re-manned and re-equipped as a B-29 Superfortress heavy bombardment squadron. Began training under Second Air Force in August 1945, however was inactivated in October after the Japanese Capitulation.

Activated in the reserves in 1947 as a B-29 Superfortress squadron, but neither manned or equipped. Inactivated in 1949 due to budget constraints.

Reactivated as a C-130 Hercules airlift squadron as part of the Global War on Terrorism.

Lineage

• Constituted 747th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 14 May 1943

Activated on 1 Jun 1943

Redesignated 747th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 5 Aug 1945

Inactivated on 17 Oct 1945

• Activated in the reserve on 1 Aug 1947

Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949

• Redesignated: 747th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron and placed in provisional status on undetermined date (after 9/11/01)

Assignments

• 456th Bombardment Group, 1 Jun 1943-17 Oct 194; 1 Aug 1947-27 Jun 1949
• Air Mobility Command to activate or inactivate as required.

Stations

• Wendover Field, Utah, 1 June 1943
• Gowen Field, Idaho, 14 July 1943;
• Bruning Army Airfield, Nebraska, c. 30 July 1943
• Kearns Army Airfield, Utah, c. 11 September 1943
• Muroc Army Air Field, California, October–December 1943
• Cerignola Airfield, Italy, January 1944
• Stornara Airfield, Italy, January 1944-July 1945
• Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, 1 August 1945
• Smoky Hill Army Air Field, Kansas, 17 August-17 October 1945
• McChord Field, Washington, 1 Aug 1947-27 June 1949
• Undetermined Locations when activated as part of Air Mobility Command

Aircraft

• B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945
• B-29 Superfortress, 1945
• C-130 Hercules 2000s

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.