76th Airlift Squadron

76th Airlift Squadron
200px 76th Airlift Squadron Patch
Active	30 January 1943 - 31 March 1944 20 July 1952 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Airlift
Part of	United States Air Forces in Europe 3rd Air Force 86th Airlift Wing 86th Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	Ramstein Air Base
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm

File:UsafC-121-54-0168.jpg

Lockheed C-121C-LO Super Constellation 54-0168

The 76th Airlift Squadron (76 AS) is part of the 86th Airlift Wing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It operates C-20, C-21, C-37, C-40 Clipper aircraft providing executive airlfit in Europe.

Mission

Conduct executive airlift missions.

History

The 76th trained transport flight crews, February 1943-March 1944. It has flown worldwide airlift since 1952. The squadron transported UN troops to Suez Canal in November 1956. The 76th has also supported operations in Southeast Asia from, 1966–1973, the evacuation of Saigon in May 1975, in Grenada, October-December 1983, Panama, 18–28 December 1989, and Southwest Asia, August 1990-December 1991.

Lineage

• Constituted as 76th Ferrying Squadron (Special) on 30 Jan 1943

Activated on 8 Feb 1943

Redesignated as 76th Transport Transition Squadron on 4 Jun 1943

Disbanded on 31 Mar 1944

• Reconstituted, and redesignated as 76th Air Transport Squadron, Medium, on 20 Jun 1952

Activated on 20 Jul 1952

Redesignated as: 76th Military Airlift Squadron on 8 Jan 1966

Redesignated as: 76th Airlift Squadron on 1 Oct 1991.

Assignments

• 2d Operational Training Unit, 8 Feb 1943-31 Mar 1944
• 1700th Air Transport Group, 20 Jul 1952
• 1608th Air Transport Group, 1 Feb 1956
• 1608th Air Transport Wing, 18 Jan 1963
• 437th Military Airlift Wing, 8 Jan 1966
• 437th Operations Group, 1 Oct 1991
• 86th Operations Group, 1 Oct 1993-Present

Bases stationed

• Homestead Army Air Base, Florida (1943–1944)
• Kelly Air Force Base, Texas (1952–1956)
• Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina (1956–1993)
• Ramstein Air Base, Germany (1993–Present)

Aircraft operated

• C-49 (1943)
• AT-17 Bobcat (1943)
• C-46 Commando (1943)
• C-54 Skymaster (1943–1944, 1952–1956)
• C-60 Lodestar II (1943–1944)
• C-87 Liberator Express (1943–1944)
• B-24 Liberator (1943–1944)

• C-121 Constellation (1956–1963)
• C-130 Hercules (1963–1966)
• C-141 Starlifter (1966 – 1993)
• C-20A (1993 - 2002)
• C-20H ( 2002 – Present)
• C-21A ( – Present)
• C-37A (2010 – Present)
• C-40B ( 2008 – Present)
• CT-43 Bobcat (1993-96)

Aircraft flying in this unit

C-21A
84-0084 (Feb'94); 84-0086 (Feb'94)

Operations

• World War II
• Vietnam War
• Operation Urgent Fury
• Operation Just Cause
• Operation Desert Shield
• Operation Enduring Freedom
• Operation Iraqi Freedom
• Operation New Dawn
• Operation Odyssey Dawn

References

• USAF 76th Airlift Squadron History