55th Airlift Flight | |
|---|---|
_DF-ST-85-11154.jpg) TwoC-12 Huron operational support aircraft as flown by the 55th | |
| Active | 1942–1946; 1947–1952; 1952–1957; 1992–2007 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Operation Support Airlift |
| Part of | Pacific Air Forces |
| Garrison/HQ | Osan Air Base |
| Motto | Double Nickle Airlift (1993–2007)[1] |
| Engagements | Southwest Pacific Theater[1] |
| Decorations | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Philippine Presidential Unit Citation[1] |
| Insignia | |
| 55th Airlift Flight emblem(approved 3 December 1993)[1] |  |
The55th Airlift Flight (55 ALF) is an inactive unit of theUnited States Air Force, last stationed atOsan Air Base,South Korea. It was inactivated in 2007.
The unit was first activated as the55th Troop Carrier Squadron in 1942. Thesquadron deployed to New Guinea in July 1943. The 55th participated in theairborne assault onNadzab, New Guinea, on 5 September 1943. During 1944, the 55th also operatedBoeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers as supply aircraft. In February 1945 the squadron rebased to thePhilippines, and in August toOkinawa. In September 1945 it moved toTachikawa Airfield, Japan, and was inactivated there in 1946.
The squadron was activated in thereserves in May 1947, and mobilised for theKorean War in October 1950. In Korea it performed airlift support missions until July 1952. The squadron returned to the reserves for 3 years and was inactivated on 16 November, 1957.
On 1 July 1992 the squadron was re-activated as the55th Airlift Flight atOsan Air Base, South Korea, equipped withBeechcraft C-12 Hurons. Its mission since activation has been to ferryVIPs and senior personnel throughout the Pacific region.
Theflight was first activated as the55th Troop Carrier Squadron atBowman Field, Kentucky. It was one of the original squadrons of the375th Troop Carrier Group and equipped withDouglas C-47 Skytrains. The squadron trained at variousI Troop Carrier Command bases until June 1943, preparing for a move overseas.[1][2]
Thesquadron arrived in New Guinea in July 1943. It transported personnel and supplies to forward bases in New Guinea,New Britain, theSolomon Islands and theAdmiralty Islands.[2] During 1944, the 55th also operatedBoeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers.[1] These planes were used for landing supplies atairfields that were under attack byJapanese forces, as their armament provided a means to defend themselves.[2]
The 55th participated in theairborne assault onNadzab, New Guinea, on 5 September 1943.[1] This was the first airborne operation to be conducted in theSouthwest Pacific Theater. The operations seized theJapanese airfields at Nadzab (from which the squadron would later operate) and cut supply lines for enemy forces in the area. Although the squadron retained some C-47s until the end of the war, during 1944 it converted to theCurtiss C-46 Commando as its primary aircraft.[2]
The squadron moved forward with American forces to the Philippines in February 1945, and toOkinawa in August, continuing to fly supply missions to military in the area. It supported landing forces in theRyuku Islands beginning in June. FollowingVJ Day, the squadron flew troops from the Philippines to Okinawa to stage for further movement to Japan and on return flights carried formerPrisoners of War back to the Philippines.[2]
In September 1945, the squadron moved toTachikawa Airfield, where it served in theoccupation forces in Japan. The squadron was inactivated with the other units of the 375th Group in March 1946, as the airlift mission at Tachikawa was taken over by the317th Troop Carrier Group, which had arrived there in January 1946.[1][2][3]
The squadron was activated in thereserves underAir Defense Command (ADC) atReading Army Air Field, Pennsylvania in May 1947. It was again assigned to the 375th Group, which was located atGreater Pittsburgh Airport, Pennsylvania. Little more than two months after its activation, the squadron moved toNortheast Philadelphia Airport, Pennsylvania. It does not appear the squadron was fully manned or equipped at this time.[4] In June 1949,Continental Air Command, which had assumed responsibility for managing reserve units from ADC in 1948, reorganized its reserve flying units under thewing base organizational system, which placed combat and support units on a base under a single commander. As part of this reorganization and also in response to PresidentTruman's reduced 1949 defense budget which required reductions in the number of units in the Air Force,[5] reserve flying operations at Northeast Philadelphia Airport were terminated and the squadron joined its parent group in Pittsburgh,[1] replacing the70th Troop Carrier Squadron.[6]
The 55th, like all reserve combat units was mobilized for the Korean war. It was part of the first wave of mobilization, following the452d Bombardment Wing and437th Troop Carrier Wing, being called up in October 1950.[7] Its parent375th Troop Carrier Wing was assigned toTactical Air Command, moving to Greenville Air Force Base, South Carolina upon mobilization where it began to equip withFairchild C-82 Packets. Along with six C-46 reserve wings mobilized later, the 375th Wing formed TAC'sEighteenth Air Force.[8] The squadron performed airlift support missions until July 1952, when it was relieved from active duty and replaced by the17th Troop Carrier Squadron.[1][9]
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The same day it was inactivated, the squadron returned to the reserve in Pennsylvania where it replaced the457th Troop Carrier Squadron, which had been activated at Greater Pittsburgh Airport the previous month when the reserve began to receive aircraft to replace the ones that had been transferred to the regular air force when the reserves were mobilized.[10] The squadron trained as an airlift unit with C-46 Commandos until about 1954, then withFairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars.[11] Cuts in the budget in 1957 led to inactivation of three troop carrier wings, including the 375th and its component squadrons.[12][13] On 16 November, the squadron was inactivated,[1] as all the remaining resources of the 375th Wing were compressed into a single squadron, the758th Troop Carrier Squadron, which was activated at Pittsburgh the same day.[14]
The squadron was redesignated the55th Airlift Flight and activated atOsan Air Base, South Korea on 1 July 1992. At Osan, it was assigned to the51st Operations Group and equipped withBeechcraft C-12 Hurons. Its mission since activation has been to ferryVIPs and senior personnel throughout South Korea and the Pacific.[1] The unit was inactivated at Osan Air Base on 1 July 2007.[15]
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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