The 1254th Air Transport Wing was a

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

unit, existing between 1948 and 1966. It was last stationed at Andrews AFB, Maryland. The 1254th Air Transport Wing was a

wing A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is expres ...

of the

Military Air Transport Service The Military Air Transport Service (MATS) is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy's Naval Air Transport Service (NATS) and the United States Air Force's ...

(MATS) which was first organized as a squadron in 1948. The mission of the 1254th Air Transport Wing was to manage the MATS

Special Air Mission The United States Air Force Special Air Mission provides air transportation for the president of the United States (POTUS), vice president of the United States (VPOTUS), first lady of the United States (FLOTUS), presidential Cabinet, U.S. congres ...

fleet of aircraft for

Very Important Person A very important person or personage (VIP or V.I.P.) is a person who is accorded special privileges due to their high social status, influence or importance. The term was not common until sometime after World War 2 by RAF pilots. Examples incl ...

s (VIP)s in the

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

area. The wing reported directly to MATS Headquarters after 1952. It was discontinued on 8 January 1966.

History

''For the history of

s after 1966 see 89th Airlift Wing''

Origins

In 1944

Air Transport Command Air Transport Command (ATC) was a United States Air Force unit that was created during World War II as the strategic airlift component of the United States Army Air Forces. It had two main missions, the first being the delivery of supplies and ...

(ATC) organized the 503d AAF Base Unit at

Washington National Airport Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport , sometimes referred to colloquially as National Airport, Washington National, Reagan National Airport, DCA, Reagan, or simply National, is an international airport in Arlington County, Virginia, across ...

, Virginia and assigned it to its North Atlantic Division. The unit replaced the 26th Transport Group and the Washington National Airport Staff Squadron. Because of its frequent transport of high-ranking passengers, the unit was referred to as the "Brass Hat Squadron." The 503d operated the first airplane designated as a presidential plane, the Douglas VC-54C known as the "Sacred Cow." This aircraft was used by Presidents Roosevelt and Truman. It took President Roosevelt to the

Yalta Conference The Yalta Conference (codenamed Argonaut), also known as the Crimea Conference, held 4–11 February 1945, was the World War II meeting of the heads of government of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union to discuss the post ...

in 1945. On 26 July 1947, President Truman signed the

National Security Act of 1947 The National Security Act of 1947 ( Pub.L.br>80-253 61 Stat.br>495 enacted July 26, 1947) was a law enacting major restructuring of the United States government's military and intelligence agencies following World War II. The majority of the pro ...

while on board this plane. This act established the Air Force as an independent service, making the Sacred Cow the "birthplace" of the USAF. In 1947 the unit began to operate the Douglas VC-118 named "Independence" after President Truman's home town as the primary presidential airplane.

1254th Squadron

On 1 June 1948

(MATS) replaced ATC. MATS organized the 16th Air Transport Squadron at Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts.''See'' The squadron moved to

, Virginia on 1 September. Its mission was to provide air transportation for high-ranking United States government officials, and for designated individuals of foreign dignitaries visiting the United States. The Squadron also sent aircraft to Europe in support of the

Berlin Airlift The Berlin Blockade (24 June 1948 – 12 May 1949) was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War. During the multinational occupation of post–World War II Germany, the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway, road ...

. In October the squadron was redesignated the 1254th Air Transport Squadron. From 1949 to 1951 the squadron also trained an attached

Air Force Reserve The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a MAJCOM, major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of ...

unit, the 8522d Air Transport Squadron.Abstract, History 1254 Air Transport Squadron Jul-Aug 1950
(retrieved 10 October 2013) In October 1950, President Truman flew a Lockheed VC-121 Constellation, also named "Independence" to the

Wake Island Conference On October 15, 1950, U.S. President Harry S. Truman and General Douglas MacArthur met on Wake Island to confer about the progress of the Korean War. Truman decided he would meet MacArthur at Wake Island, "so that General MacArthur would not have ...

to meet with General

Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was C ...

to confer on the progress of the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

1254th Group

The

squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, de ...

was expanded to group status on 1 August 1952. The following month, the 1111th Special Air Missions Squadron at Bolling Air Force Base, District of Columbia was transferred to MATS from

Headquarters Command Headquarters (commonly referred to as HQ) denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top ...

, redesignated the 1299th Air Transport Squadron (Special Missions) and assigned to the group, In January 1953 1298th Air Transport Squadrons (Special Missions) was organized under the group at Washington National. On 1 March 1957 the group was assigned two Bell H-13J helicopters, the first rotary wing aircraft assigned. The H-13s initial mission was to provide short range air transportation for the President to an alternate location in the event of an emergency evacuation. These helicopters remained on alert to perform this mission.Abstract, History 1254 Air Transport Group Jan-Jun 1957
(retrieved 10 October 2013) In 1959 the group became the first USAF unit to operate jet aircraft for the transportation of personnel when it accepted three VC-137As. One of the more unusual passengers carried by the wing was

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

prime minister

Nikita Khrushchev Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (– 11 September 1971) was the First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964 and chairman of the country's Council of Ministers from 1958 to 1964. During his rule, Khrushchev s ...

who was transported on one of these aircraft during his 1959 tour of the United States.

1254th Wing

The unit expanded to

size and in 1961 all its units moved to

Andrews Air Force Base Andrews Air Force Base (Andrews AFB, AAFB) is the airfield portion of Joint Base Andrews, which is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force. In 2009, Andrews Air Force Base merged with Naval Air Facility Washington to form Joint B ...

Mueller, p. 12 from National Airport and Bolling. Lyndon B

VC-137C 62-6000 was used for Presidential transport during the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon Administrations. It was the first aircraft popularly known as

Air Force One Air Force One is the official air traffic control designated call sign for a United States Air Force aircraft carrying the president of the United States. In common parlance, the term is used to denote U.S. Air Force aircraft modified and used ...

. It was famously flown to

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

, Texas, 22 November 1963. it was on this aircraft that Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn into office as the

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...

, following the assassination of President

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination i ...

and returned the body of President Kennedy to Washington, D.C. that evening. With the inactivation of Military Air Transport Service, the 1254th Air Transport Wing was discontinued on 8 January 1966 and its personnel and equipment were reassigned to 89th Military Airlift Wing (MAW) of Military Airlift Command. Its 1298th Air Transport Squadron was replaced by the 98th Military Airlift Squadron and its 1299th Air Transport Squadron by the 99th Military Airlift Squadron. Because this was a MAJCON to AFCON unit conversion, the 89th wing and 98th and 99th squadrons were entitled to retain the honors (but not the history or lineage) of their predecessors. Following this provision 89th adopted the 1254th's emblem as its own on 28 April 1966.

Lineage

* Designated as the 16th Air Transport Squadron : Organized on 1 June 1948 : Redesignated 1254th Air Transport Squadron (Special Missions) on 1 October 1948 : Redesignated as: 1254th Air Transport Group (Special Missions) on 1 August 1952 : Redesignated as: 1254th Air Transport Group (Heavy) (Special Missions) on 1 July 1954 : Redesignated as: 1254th Air Transport Wing on 1 December 1960 : Discontinued on 8 January 1966

Assignments

* 520th Air Transport Group, 1 June 1948 *

Atlantic Division, Military Air Transport Service The 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force (21 EMTF) was one of two EMTFs assigned to the Air Force's Air Mobility Command. It was headquartered at McGuire Air Force Base, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. The 21 EMTF was a redesignat ...

, 1 July 1948 * Continental Division, Military Air Transport Service, 1 September 1948 *

, 1 January 1951 – 8 January 1966

Components

Operational Squadrons * 1298th Air Transport Squadron (Special Missions), 1 February 1953 – 8 January 1966 * 1299th Air Transport Squadron (Special Missions), 1 August 1952 – 8 January 1966 :: Stationed at Bolling Air Force Base until 10 July 1961 * 8522d Air Transport Squadron (Corollary), (attached 14 July 1949 - 23 June 1951) Support Squadrons * 1254th USAF Dispensary, ''ca''. 1 February 1954 - ''ca''. 1 November 1957 * 1254th Air Police Squadron, 1 June 1962 – 8 January 1966 * 1254th Air Terminal Squadron, 1 June 1962 – 8 January 1966 * 1254th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 1 June 1962 – 8 January 1966 * 1255th Air Base Squadron (later 1255th Support Squadron), 1 August 1952 – 1 April 1964

Stations

* Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts, 1 June 1948 * Washington National Airport, Virginia, 1 September 1948 * Andrews AFB, Maryland, 10 July 1961 – 8 January 1966

Aircraft

Presidential Aircraft

* Douglas VC-54C 42-107451 "Sacred Cow" : Used by Presidents Roosevelt and Truman. The airplane is now on display at

National Museum of the USAF The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the ...

* Douglas VC-118 46-505 "Independence" : Used by President Truman. The

Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

ordered the 29th production DC-6 as a replacement for the "Sacred Cow". The aft fuselage was converted into a stateroom. Also, the main cabin seated 24 passengers or could be made up into 12 "sleeper" berths. The airplane is now on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. * Lockheed VC-121 Super Constellation, "Independence" : Replaced the previous airplane * Lockheed VC-121 Super Constellation, "Colombine II" : Dedicated by Mamie Eisenhower on 24 November 1954 Lockheed VC-121A Constellation

* Lockheed VC-121E Super Constellation, 53-7885 "Colombine III" : Ordered by US Navy as R7V-1 Bu. No. 131650 and diverted during construction as Presidential aircraft. Operated until 1966. The plane was replaced in October 1962 by Boeing VC-137C. The airplane is now on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. * Boeing VC-137A-BN 58-6970; 58-6971, 58-6972 : Three commercial 707-153 bought by USAF as VIP transports. All later converted to VC-137B with JT3D-3 turbofans. :: 6970 to The Museum of Flight, Seattle, WA in June 1996. :: 6971 to AMARC as CZ0193 8 Oct 1998. On display at Pima Air and Space Museum, Tucson, AZ :: 6972 scrapped in 1996 due to severe corrosion. * Boeing VC-137C. 62-6000; 62-7000 : Special 707-353B for

Office of the President Office of the President can refer to: * Office of the President of Brazil * Office of the President of the People's Republic of China (entity in the Office of the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party) * Office of the President (Republi ...

. The airplane was retired from service in 1998. 62-6000 is now in the Presidential Gallery collection of the National Museum of the United States Air Force. The aircraft is currently not on public display due to budget cutbacks at the museum.

Other Aircraft

* Douglas VC-47 Skytrain * Douglas VC-54 Skymaster * Douglas VC-118 Liftmaster * Convair VC-131 Samaritan * Fairchild C-123 Provider, 1958-unknown * Bell H-13J, 1957-unknown * Aero Commander L-26B (later U-4A), 1956-unknownAbstract, History 1254th Air Transport Group Jul-Dec 1956
(retrieved 10 October 2013)

Award

References

Notes

Bibliography

* *
AF Pamphlet 900-2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits
Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC, 15 Jun 1971 Further reading * {{cite book, last=Ulanoff, first=Stanley M., title=MATS: The Story of the Military Air Transport Service, year=1964, publisher=Franklin Watts, Inc., location=New York, NY, isbn=978-1-19908-768-3

External links

C 121 Constellation "Columbine III"

President Kennedy and Mrs Kennedy land at Love Field
Four Digit Wings of the United States Air Force Military units and formations disestablished in 1966 1948 establishments in Massachusetts 1966 disestablishments in Maryland Air transport wings of the United States Air Force