The 1502d Air Transport Wing is a discontinued

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, last assigned to

Western Transport Air Force Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US * Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that i ...

in January 1966. The 1502d ATW was a heavy cargo transport wing 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), formed at Hickam AFB on 1 July 1955.

History

The wing was organized in mid-1955 with five C-97 squadrons established; squadrons again redesignated as part of the Wing realignment. In 1955 two squadrons were upgraded to very heavy lift

C-124 Globemaster II The Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, nicknamed "Old Shaky", is an American heavy-lift cargo aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, California. The C-124 was the primary heavy-lift transport for United States Air Force (USAF ...

which gave the wing a worldwide airlift capability. Also beginning in 1955, the wing operated VC-97s for VIP/Special Air Mission flights supporting HQ Far East Air Force (Rear). later HQ

Pacific Air Forces Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam (fo ...

, 1957–1966. The 1502nd Air Transport Wing Rodeo team under the command of Major Joe Lodrige win the 1962 Military Air Transport Service Rodeo at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. The C-124 team from Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, devised a new airdrop system to use in that first active-duty Rodeo, which helped them claim the title of the "best of the best. Several members of the 1502nd including Major Lodrige, went on to very distinguished service flying in the elite 89th Airlift Wing stationed at Andrews Air Force Base flying our nation's most senior civilian and military leaders to locations around the globe. The wing assumed responsibility for aircraft and personnel of 1503d Air Transport Group at

Tachikawa Air Base is an airfield in the city of Tachikawa, the western part of Tokyo, Japan. Currently under the administration of the Ministry of Defense, it has also served as the civil aviation with Japan's first scheduled air service. History Origins Tach ...

, Japan in 1964 when 1503d reduced from Wing to Group level. The 1503d was a support organization and had no flying units assigned despite its name. The wing remained flying worldwide transport missions with the Globemasters until 1966 when MATS was inactivated and the wing assets were transferred to the

Military Airlift Command The Military Airlift Command (MAC) is an inactive United States Air Force major command (MAJCOM) that was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Established on 1 January 1966, MAC was the primary strategic airlift organization of the ...

61st Military Airlift Wing.

Major airlifts

* During the Taiwan Strait crisis of 1958, MATS flew 144 airlift trips to the Far East when the crisis arose in the

Formosa Straits The Taiwan Strait is a -wide strait separating the island of Taiwan and continental Asia. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to the East China Sea to the north. The narrowest part is wide. The Taiwan Strait is itself a s ...

, supporting the move of a

Tactical Air Command Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 J ...

Composite Air Strike Force, and airlifting a squadron of

F-104 Starfighter The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is an American single-engine, supersonic air superiority fighter which was extensively deployed as a fighter-bomber during the Cold War. Created as a day fighter by Lockheed as one of the "Century Series" of fi ...

s to Taiwan. * MATS supported nuclear weapons testing at the

Eniwetok Proving Ground Enewetak Atoll (; also spelled Eniwetok Atoll or sometimes Eniewetok; mh, Ānewetak, , or , ; known to the Japanese as Brown Atoll or Brown Island; ja, ブラウン環礁) is a large coral atoll of 40 islands in the Pacific Ocean and with it ...

by airlifting more than 14,000 tons of cargo and 13,000 personnel, as well as providing 1,100 of its own technical personnel. * In February 1961, MATS participated in Long Pass, the first strategic deployment airlift exercise of its size to the Pacific. It used 132 aircraft to move a battle group of the Strategic Army Corps (STRAC) and equipment for a Tactical Air Command Composite Strike Force (CASF) to

Clark Air Base Clark Air Base is a Philippine Air Force base on Luzon Island in the Philippines, located west of Angeles City, about northwest of Metro Manila. Clark Air Base was previously a United States military facility, operated by the U.S. Air Forc ...

, the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

, and back again. * In February 1962, MATS used 120 airlift aircraft of all types in a similar exercise, Great Shelf, to Clark Air Base. This time it moved 2,300 Army paratroops of STRAC and 1,100 tons of their equipment over the route. * In 1962, Devastating winds of Typhoon Karen had barely subsided when the first of 50 MATS jet and prop-driven aircraft began landing on the rain-soaked runways of

Anderson Air Force Base Andersen Air Force Base (Andersen AFB, AAFB) is a United States Air Force base located primarily within the village of Yigo in the United States territory of Guam. The host unit at Andersen AFB is the 36th Wing (36 WG), assigned to the Pacific ...

, Guam, with relief supplies and equipment. MATS airlifted more than 970 tons of material – from huge electric generators to blankets and clothing. Returning aircraft evacuated more than 760 dependents and servicemen whose homes had been shattered by the island's most severe storm in recorded history.

Lineage

1502d Air Transport Group

* Designated as the 531st Air Transport Group, 14 May 1948 : Organized 1 June 1948 : Redesignated as 1500th Air Transport Group, 1 October 1948 : Redesignated as 1502d Air Transport Group, 1 July 1955 : Discontinued 15 May 1958

1502d Air Transport Wing

* Designated and organized as the 1502d Air Transport Wing, 1 July 1955 : Discontinued on 8 January 1966, personnel and equipment assigned to 61st Military Airlift Wing

Assignments

* Pacific Division, MATS, 1 July 1955 *

, (WESTAF), 1 July 1958 * Headquarters,

, 1–8 Jan 1966

Components

Groups * 1502d Air Transport Group, 1 July 1955 – 15 May 1958 :: 1st Air Transport Squadron (later 1263d Air Transport Squadron), 1 June 1948 – 17 June 1949 :: 2d Air Transport Squadron (later 1264th Air Transport Squadron), 1 June 1948 – 1 June 1949 :: 4th Air Transport Squadron (later 1265th Air Transport Squadron), 1 June 1948 – 23 April 1949 :: 47th Air Transport Squadron, Medium, 20 Jul 1952 – 15 May 1958 :: 48th Air Transport Squadron, Heavy, 20 July 1952 – 15 May 1958 :: 49th Air Transport Squadron, Heavy, 20 July 1952 – 1 July 1955 :: 50th Air Transport Squadron, Heavy, 20 July 1952 – 15 May 1958 :: 51st Air Transport Squadron, 20 July 1952 – 1 July 1955 :: 1263d Air Transport Squadron, 30 June 1949 – 20 July 1952 ::: Elements deployed to

Tachikawa Airfield is an airfield in the city of Tachikawa, the western part of Tokyo, Japan. Currently under the administration of the Ministry of Defense, it has also served as the civil aviation with Japan's first scheduled air service. History Origins Tach ...

, Japan during 1951–1952 flying combat resupply missions during

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 ...

:: 1264th Air Transport Squadron, 13 October 1949 – 20 July 1952 :: 1266th Air Transport Squadron, 30 June 1949 – 20 July 1952 :: 1267th Air Transport Squadron, 13 October 1949 – 24 May 1950 :: 1268th Air Transport Squadron, 30 June 1949 – 20 July 1952 :: 1283d Air Transport Squadron, 24 Oct 1951 – 1 Jun 1952 :: 1284th Air Transport Squadron, 24 Oct 1951 – 1 Jun 1952 * 1503d Air Transport Group, 22 June 1964 – 8 January 1966 :: 1503d Support Squadron (Transport), 22 June 1964 – 8 January 1966 :: At Tachikawa Air Base, Japan Squadrons * 6th Troop Carrier Squadron, 23 Jun 1965 – 8 Jan 1966 * 48th Air Transport Squadron, 15 May 1958 – 25 June 1965 * 50th Air Transport Squadron, 15 May 1958 – 8 January 1966 * 1453d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Sep 1956 – 1 November 1965 * 1505th Support Squadron (Transport), 22 June 1964 – 8 January 1966 :: at

Kadena AB (IATA: DNA, ICAO: RODN) is a highly strategic United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is often referred to as the "Keystone of the Pacific" because of its high ...

, Okinawa * 1506th Support Squadron (Transport), 22 June 1964 – 8 January 1966 :: at

Clark AB Clark Air Base is a Philippine Air Force base on Luzon Island in the Philippines, located west of Angeles City, about northwest of Metro Manila. Clark Air Base was previously a United States military facility, operated by the U.S. Air Forc ...

, Philippines * 1507th Support Squadron (Transport), 22 June 1964 – 8 January 1966 :: at Andersen AFB, Guam * 1508th Support Squadron (Transport), 21 December 1965 – 8 January 1966 :: at

Cam Rahn Bay Cam Ranh Bay ( vi, Vịnh Cam Ranh) is a deep-water bay in Vietnam in Khánh Hòa Province. It is located at an inlet of the South China Sea situated on the southeastern coast of Vietnam, between Phan Rang and Nha Trang, approximately 290 kilo ...

, Viet Nam * Naval Air Transport Squadron 8 (VR-8), attached 1 July 1955 – 5 September 1957 * Naval Air Transport Squadron 7 (VR-7), attached 1 Jul 1955 – 15 Aug 1957

Stations

* Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, 1 July 1955 – 8 January 1966

Aircraft

C-97 Stratofreighter The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter was a long-range heavy military cargo aircraft developed from the B-29 and B-50 bombers. Design work began in 1942, the first of three prototype XC-97s flew on 9 November 1944 (none saw combat), and the first of s ...

: 47th, 48th, 49th, 50th, 51st Air Transport Squadrons, 1955 :: Note: 50th ATS operated a VC-97 version of Stratofreighter, 1951–1966 for VIP/Special Air Missions. *

C-118 Liftmaster The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and cargo aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with ...

: 48th Air Transport Squadron, 195? -1965 *

: 50th Air Transport Squadron, 1955–1966 : 6th Troop Carrier Squadron, 1965–1966 *

C-131 Samaritan The Convair C-131 Samaritan is an American twin-engined military transport produced from 1954 to 1956 by Convair. It is the military version of the Convair CV-240 family of airliners.Gradidge 1997, p. 20–21. Design and development The design ...

: 1453d Medical (later Aeromedical) Air Evacuation Squadron, 1956–1965

References

* *
Air Force History Index.org, Individual squadron lookups in AFHRA archives
*
Air Force Print News Today
{{reflist Four Digit Wings of the United States Air Force Military units and formations established in 1955 Military units and formations disestablished in 1966 Air transport wings of the United States Air Force 1955 establishments in Hawaii 1966 disestablishments in Hawaii