The 76 Airlift Division was a division of the

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 ...

, activated on 1 March 1976, inactivated on 30 September 1977, reactivated on 15 December 1980, and then inactivated again on 1 October 1985. Its principal components were the 89th Military Airlift Wing and the 1776th Air Base Wing.

Operations

The division was formed as a restructuring of Headquarters Command, U.S. Air Force. From 1976 through 1977, "and after 1980, the 76th provided airlift support for the President, Vice President, cabinet members, and other high ranking civilian and military dignitaries of the United States and other governments. Subordinate units also operated, administered and maintained

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 ...

, Maryland, and provided logistical support for the

National Emergency Airborne Command Post The Boeing E-4 Advanced Airborne Command Post (AACP), the current "Nightwatch" aircraft, is a strategic command and control military aircraft operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). The E-4 series are specially modified from the Boeing ...

(NEACP), and other flying units. One subordinate component, the 1st Helicopter Squadron, provided support for the

United States Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government directly related to national secu ...

, and the Defense Preparedness Agency plan for

emergency evacuation Emergency evacuation is the urgent immediate egress or escape of people away from an area that contains an imminent threat, an ongoing threat or a hazard to lives or property. Examples range from the small-scale evacuation of a building due t ...

of key government officials and to support the national search and rescue plan."

Lineage

* Established as the 76 Airlift Division on 17 February 1976 : Activated on 1 March 1976 : Inactivated on 30 September 1977 : Activated on 15 December 1980 : Inactivated on 1 October 1985

Assignments

Twenty-First Air Force 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 Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. The 21 EMTF was a redesignation of Twenty-First Air ...

, 1 March 1976–30 September 1977. * Twenty-First Air Force, 15 December 1980–1 October 1985

Stations

* Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, 1 March 1976–30 September 1977 * Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, 15 December 1980–1 October 1985

Aircraft

Beechcraft C-12 Huron The Beechcraft C-12 Huron is the military designation for a series of twin-engine turboprop aircraft based on the Beechcraft Super King Air and Beechcraft 1900. C-12 variants are used by the United States Air Force, United States Army, United S ...

, 1976–1977, 1980–1985 *

Boeing C-135 Stratolifter The Boeing C-135 Stratolifter is a transport aircraft derived from the prototype Boeing 367-80 jet airliner (also the basis for the 707) in the early 1950s. It has a narrower fuselage and is shorter than the 707. Boeing gave the aircraft the i ...

, 1976–1977, 1980–1985 *

Sikorsky CH-3 The Sikorsky S-61R is a twin-engine helicopter used in transport or search and rescue roles. A developed version of the S-61/SH-3 Sea King, the S-61R was also built under license by Agusta as the AS-61R. The S-61R served in the United States ...

, 1976–1977, 1980–1985 *

North American T-39 Sabreliner The North American Sabreliner, later sold as the Rockwell Sabreliner, is an American mid-sized business jet developed by North American Aviation. It was offered to the United States Air Force (USAF) in response to its Utility Trainer Experimen ...

, 1976–1977 *

Bell UH-1 Iroquois The Bell UH-1 Iroquois (nicknamed "Huey") is a utility military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace company Bell Helicopter. It is the first member of the prolific Huey family, as well as the first turbine-powered helic ...

, 1976–1977, 1980–1985 *

Beechcraft VC-6 King Air The Beechcraft King Air is a line of American utility aircraft produced by Beechcraft. The King Air line comprises a number of twin-turboprop models that have been divided into two families. The Model 90 and 100 series developed in the 1960s ...

, 1976–1977The "V" prefix of these aircraft designate VIP transport and/or substitute/replacement/back-up

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 ...

presidential transport aircraft. *

McDonnell Douglas VC-9 Skytrain II The McDonnell Douglas C-9 was a military version of the McDonnell Douglas DC-9 airliner. It was produced as the C-9A Nightingale for the United States Air Force, and the C-9B Skytrain II for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The final flight of th ...

, 1976–1977, 1980–1985 *

Convair VC-131 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 ...

, 1976–1977 *

Boeing VC-135 Stratolifter The Boeing C-135 Stratolifter is a transport aircraft derived from the prototype Boeing 367-80 jet airliner (also the basis for the 707) in the early 1950s. It has a narrower fuselage and is shorter than the 707. Boeing gave the aircraft the i ...

, 1976–1977, 1980–1985 *

Boeing VC-137 Stratoliner The Boeing C-137 Stratoliner is a retired VIP transport aircraft derived from the Boeing 707 jet airliner used by the United States Air Force. Other nations also bought both new and used 707s for military service, primarily as VIP or tanker tr ...

, 1976–1977, 1980–1985 *

Lockheed VC-140 JetStar The Lockheed JetStar (company designations L-329 and L-1329; designated C-140 in US military service) is a business jet produced from the early 1960s to the 1970s. The JetStar was the first dedicated business jet to enter service, as well as t ...

, 1976–1977, 1980–1985 * Beechcraft VC-6 Ute, 1980–1985 * C-20 Gulfstream III, 1983–1985

Commanders

* None (not manned), 1 March 1976–30 June 1976 * Major General William C. Norris, 1 July 1976 * Major General Benjamin F. Starr Jr., 26 July 1977–30 September 1977 * Brigadier General Archer L. Durham, c.15 December 1980 * Brigadier General Albert C. Guidotti, 1 February 1982 * Brigadier General Paul A. Harvey, 22 August 1984–c.1 October 1985

Emblem

Azure, a globe with axis bendwise celeste gridlined light green, surmounted in pale by a silhouetted aircraft ascending silver gray, overall coinciding with the edge of the globe in base, the US Capitol argent garnished of the first, all within a diminished bordure or. (approved c. July 1976)

References

Notes

Bibliography

* {{cite book, last=Ravenstein, first=Charles A., title=Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977, url=https://archive.org/details/airforcecombatwi0000rave, year=1984, publisher=Office of Air Force History, location=Washington, DC, isbn=0-912799-12-9, url-access=registration Airlift 0076 Military units and formations disestablished in 1985

Operations

Lineage

Assignments

Stations

Aircraft

Commanders

Emblem

See also

References

Notes

Bibliography