The 95th Airlift Squadron is an inactive

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. It was last active at

Pope Army Airfield Pope Field is a U.S. military facility located 12 miles (19 km) northwest of the central business district of Fayetteville, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States.. Federal Aviation Administration. effective 15 November 2012 ...

, North Carolina, where it was assigned to the

440th Operations Group The 440th Operations Group is an active United States Air Force Reserve unit. It is the flying component of the Twenty-Second Air Force 440th Airlift Wing, stationed at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina. The unit's World War II predecessor ...

and operated

Lockheed C-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally design ...

aircraft supporting the global reach mission worldwide.

History

World War II

Activated in July 1943 as an

I Troop Carrier Command The I Troop Carrier Command is a disbanded United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Continental Air Forces, at Stout Field, Indiana, where it was disbanded in November 1945, and its resources transferred to IX Troop Carrier Com ...

Douglas C-47 Skytrain The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota (RAF, RAAF, RCAF, RNZAF, and SAAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in ...

Squadron. After training in the United States, at various bases, sent to

Baer Field Baer (or Bär, from german: bear, links=no) or Van Baer is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: Baer * Alan Baer, American tuba player * Arthur "Bugs" Baer (1886–1969), American journalist and humorist * Buddy Baer (1915–1986) ...

, Indiana for final equipping with aircraft, personnel and other equipment. Deployed to

IX Troop Carrier Command The IX Troop Carrier Command was a United States Army Air Forces unit. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Greenville Army Air Base, South Carolina. It was inactivated on 31 March 1946. As a component command of the Ninth ...

in February 1944 during the build-up prior to the Invasion of France. During the

D-Day The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D ...

invasion, the squadron dropped paratroops of the

101st Airborne Division The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) ("Screaming Eagles") is a light infantry division of the United States Army that specializes in air assault operations. It can plan, coordinate, and execute multiple battalion-size air assault operati ...

in Normandy, subsequently flying numerous missions to bring in reinforcements and needed supplies. During the airborne attack on The Netherlands (

Operation Market Garden Operation Market Garden was an Allies of World War II, Allied military operation during the World War II, Second World War fought in the Netherlands from 17 to 27 September 1944. Its objective was to create a Salient (military), salient into G ...

, September 1944), the squadron deployed paratroops, towed gliders, and flew resupply missions. Later participated in the invasion of southern France in August 1944. The squadron supported the 101st Airborne Division in the

Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive (military), offensive military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted fr ...

by towing gliders full of supplies near Bastogne on 27 December 1944. In addition, its units participated in the air assault across the Rhine River in early 1945 (

Operation Varsity Operation Varsity (24 March 1945) was a successful airborne forces operation launched by Allied troops that took place toward the end of World War II. Involving more than 16,000 paratroopers and several thousand aircraft, it was the largest air ...

) and later flew numerous freight missions to carry gasoline, food, medicine, and other supplies to allied ground forces during the

Western Allied invasion of Germany The Western Allied invasion of Germany was coordinated by the Allies of World War II, Western Allies during the final months of hostilities in the European theatre of World War II, European theatre of World War II. In preparation for the Allied ...

in April 1945 near Wesel. The squadron also hauled food, clothing, medicine, gasoline, ordnance equipment, and other supplies to the front lines and evacuated patients to rear zone hospitals. It transported displaced persons from Germany to France and Belgium after

V-E Day Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945, marking the official end of World War II in Europe in the Easter ...

. Remained in Europe during the summer of 1945, inactivating as part of the United States Air Forces in Europe, October 1945.

Air Force reserve and Korean mobilization

Reactivated in the reserve as a

Curtiss C-46 Commando The Curtiss C-46 Commando is a twin-engine transport aircraft derived from the Curtiss CW-20 pressurised high-altitude airliner design. Early press reports used the name "Condor III" but the Commando name was in use by early 1942 in company pub ...

troop carrier squadron in

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

, Minnesota during 1947. Was federalized as a result 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 ...

in 1951, squadron personnel and aircraft being sent to active-duty units as fillers, inactivated as an administrative unit a few days later.

Reserve fighter-bomber operations

Reactivated after the Korean War as a reserve fighter-bomber squadron in 1952 initially equipped with

North American F-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James H ...

s, later upgraded to

Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. Designed and built by Lockheed in 1943 and delivered just 143 days from the start of design, prod ...

jet aircraft.

Return to airlift mission

Redesignated back to a troop carrier squadron in 1957 and moved to Milwaukee's

Billy Mitchell Field Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport is a civil–military airport south of downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States., effective May 21, 2020. It is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Ai ...

. Carried out theater transport operations and supported Air Force and Army units with troop carrier missions. Was activated during the 1962

Cuban Missile Crisis The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis (of 1962) ( es, Crisis de Octubre) in Cuba, the Caribbean Crisis () in Russia, or the Missile Scare, was a 35-day (16 October – 20 November 1962) confrontation between the United S ...

, carried Army units to South Florida in preparation of a possible invasion of Cuba. Returned Army personnel to home stations after situation was normalized and returned to reserve service. The squadron flew airlift missions worldwide, including to Southeast Asia during the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

and to Southwest Asia during the

Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...

. It has also participated in training

exercises Exercise is a body activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is performed for various reasons, to aid growth and improve strength, develop muscles and the cardiovascular system, hone athletic s ...

, some involving the dropping or landing of airborne troops, and flew numerous

humanitarian Humanitarianism is an active belief in the value of human life, whereby humans practice benevolent treatment and provide assistance to other humans to reduce suffering and improve the conditions of humanity for moral, altruistic, and emotional ...

airlift missions.

Campaigns and decorations

* Campaigns: World War II: Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia. * Decorations:

Distinguished Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enem ...

: France, –7Jun 1944.

Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards The Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award (ASOUA) is one of the unit awards of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It was established in 1954 as the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and was the first independent Air Force d ...

: 1 Oct 1985 – 30 Sep 1987; 1 Oct 1990 – 30 Sep 1992; 2 Oct 1992 – 2 Oct 1993; 1 Jun 1997 – 30 Sep 1998; 1 Aug 2003 – 31 Jul 2005. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 14 Feb 1968 – 6 Nov 1972.

Lineage

* Constituted as the 95th Troop Carrier Squadron on 25 May 1943 : Activated on 1 July 1943 : Inactivated on 18 October 1945 * Activated in the reserve on 9 April 1947 : Redesignated 95th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 27 June 1949 : Ordered to active service on 1 May 1951 : Inactivated on 4 May 1951 * Redesignated 95th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 26 May 1952 : Activated in the Reserve on 15 June 1952 : Redesignated 95th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 8 September 1957 : Ordered to active service on 28 October 1962 : Relieved from active service on 28 November 1962 : Redesignated 95th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 July 1967 : Redesignated 95th Airlift Squadron on 1 February 1992 : Inactivated on 30 September 2016

Assignments

440th Troop Carrier Group 44 may refer to: * 44 (number) * one of the years 44 BC, AD 44, 1944, 2044 Military *44M Tas, a Hungarian medium/heavy tank design of World War II *44M Tas Rohamlöveg, a Hungarian tank destroyer design of World War II, derived from the 44M Tas t ...

, 1 July 1943 – 18 October 1945 *

Second Air Force The Second Air Force (2 AF; ''2d Air Force'' in 1942) is a USAF numbered air force responsible for conducting basic military and technical training for Air Force enlisted members and non-flying officers. In World War II the CONUS unit defended ...

, 9 April 1947 * 440th Troop Carrier Group, 3 September 1947 – 4 May 1951 * 440th Fighter-Bomber Group (later 440th Troop Carrier Group), 15 June 1952 *

440th Troop Carrier Wing 44 may refer to: * 44 (number) * one of the years 44 BC, AD 44, 1944, 2044 Military *44M Tas, a Hungarian medium/heavy tank design of World War II *44M Tas Rohamlöveg, a Hungarian tank destroyer design of World War II, derived from the 44M Tas t ...

, 14 April 1959 * 933d Troop Carrier Group (later 933d Tactical Airlift Group), 11 February 1963 * 440th Tactical Airlift Wing (later 440th Airlift Wing), 1 September 1975 * 440th Operations Group, 1 Aug 1992 – 30 September 2016

Stations

, Indiana, 1 July 1943 *

Sedalia Army Air Field Sedalia is the name of several places: Canada *Sedalia, Alberta, a hamlet in Alberta, Canada United States *Sedalia, Colorado *Sedalia, Indiana *Sedalia, Kentucky *Sedalia, Missouri, the largest US city named Sedalia *Sedalia, North Carolina *Midw ...

, Missouri, 9 July 1943 *

Alliance Army Air Field An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

, Nebraska, 7 September 1943 *

Pope Field Pope Field is a U.S. military facility located 12 miles (19 km) northwest of the central business district of Fayetteville, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States.. Federal Aviation Administration. effective 15 November 2012 ...

, North Carolina, 4 January 1944 * Baer Field, Indiana, 14–21 February 1944 *

RAF Bottesford Royal Air Force Bottesford or more simply RAF Bottesford is a former Royal Air Force station located on the Leicestershire-Lincolnshire county border, north west of Grantham, Lincolnshire and south of Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire and about ...

(AAF-481),Station number in Anderson. England, 8 March 1944 *

RAF Exeter Exeter () is a city in Devon, South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol. In Roman Britain, Exeter was established as the base of Legio II Augusta under the personal comm ...

(AAF-463), England, 26 April 1944 (operated from Ombrone Airfield, Italy, 18 July–24 August 1944) * Reims/Champagne Airfield (A-62),Station number in Johnson. France, 13 September 1944 *

Le Mans Airfield Le Mans Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the City of Le Mans in the Pays de la Loire region of northern France. History Le Mans was an industrial target for the Allies due to the Renault manufacturi ...

(A-35), France, 28 September 1944 * Orleans/Bricy Airfield (A-50), France, 4 November 1944 – 18 October 1945 * Wold-Chamberlain Field, Minnesota, 9 April 1947 – 4 May 1951 * Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Minnesota, 15 June 1952 * General Mitchell Field (later General Billy Mitchell Field, General Mitchell International Airport General Mitchell International Airpor Air Reserve Station), Wisconsin, 16 November 1957 * Pope Air Force Base (later Pope Army Air Field), North Carolina, 10 June 2007 – 30 September 2016Station information in Robertson, except as noted.

Aircraft

* Douglas C-47 Skytrain (1943–1945, 1955–1957) * Curtiss C-46 Commando (1947–1951, 1952–1957) *

North American T-6 Texan The North American Aviation T-6 Texan is an American single-engined advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), United States Navy, Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force and other air forces ...

(1949–1950, 1952–1955) *

Beechcraft T-11 Kansan The Beechcraft Model 18 (or "Twin Beech", as it is also known) is a 6- to 11-seat, twin-engined, low-wing, tailwheel light aircraft manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. Continuously produced from 1937 to November ...

(1949–1951) * Beechcraft T-7 Navigator (1950) * North American P-51 Mustang (1953–1954) *

Lockheed T-33 T-Bird The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star (or T-Bird) is an American subsonic jet trainer. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948. The T-33 was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80 starting as TP-80C/TF-80C in development, then d ...

(1954–1957) * Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star (1954–1957) *

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (Navy and Marine Corps designation R4Q) was an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechani ...

(1957–1971) *

(1971–2016)

References

; Notes

Bibliography

* * *

External links

95th Airlift Squadron Fact SheetThe SNAFU Special – Official website of the C-47A #43-15073, WW 2 95th TCS aircraft recovered and restored
{{USAAF 9th Air Force UK

095 95 or 95th may refer to: * 95 (number) * one of the years 95 BC, AD 95, 1995, 2095, etc. * 95th Division (disambiguation) * 95th Regiment ** 95th Regiment of Foot (disambiguation) * 95th Squadron (disambiguation) * Atomic number 95: americium *M ...