709th Airlift Squadron

709th Airlift Squadron
709th Airlift Squadron Patch
Active	1 May 1943 - 7 November 1945 10 November 1947 - 27 June 1949 1 October 1973 - present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Airlift
Part of	Air Force Reserve Command 22d Air Force 512th Airlift Wing 512th Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	Dover Air Force Base
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award

Emblem of the World War II 709th Bombardment Squadron

The 709th Airlift Squadron (709 AS) is part of the 512th Airlift Wing at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware.

Mission

It operates C-5 Galaxy aircraft providing global airlfit.

History

Activated in mid 1943 as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomb squadron, trained under Second Air Force. Deployed to England in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) during November 1943, assigned to VIII Bomber Command as a strategic bombardment squadron. Participated in the air offensive over Nazi Germany and Occupied Europe until German capitulation in May 1945. Personnel demobilized in England and returned to the United States; squadron reassigned to Third Air Force for possible re-equipping with B-29 Superfortresses and deployment to Pacific Theater. Japanese capitulation led to inactivation in November 1945.

Activated in the postwar reserve as a B-29 squadron. Trained for proficiency as part of Strategic Air Command reserve forces. Activated as a result of Korean War in 1951, squadron's aircraft and personnel reassigned to Far East Air Force Bomber Command, inactivated as a paper unit.

Reactivated as Military Airlift Command reserve C-5 Galaxy squadron in 1973 and became associate squadron of 436th Military Airlift Wing. Since 1973 the 709th has trained for and flown airlift missions, participating in exercises and global humanitarian and contingency operations.

Lineage

• Constituted 709th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 6 April 1943

Activated on 1 May 1943

Inactivated on 7 November 1945

Redesignated 709th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 24 October 1947

Activated in the reserve on 10 November 1947

Inactivated on 27 June 1949

• Redesignated 709 Military Airlift Squadron (Associate) on 19 June 1973

Activated in the Reserve on 1 October 1973

Redesignated: 709th Airlift Squadron (Associate) on 1 February 1992

Redesignated: 709th Airlift Squadron on 1 October 1994.

Assignments

• 447th Bombardment Group, 1 May 1943 – 7 November 1945; 10 November 1947 – 27 June 1949

ETO Fuselage Code: IE

• 512th Military Airlift (later, 512 Airlift) Wing, 1 October 1973
• 512th Operations Group, 1 August 1992–present

Stations

• Ephrata Army Air Base, Washington, 1 May 1943
• Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota, 13 June 1943
• Harvard Army Airfield, Nebraska, 1 August-11 November 1943
• RAF Rattlesden (AAF-126), England, 1 December 1943-c. 3 August 1945

• Drew Field, Florida, 18 August-7 November 1945
• Bergstrom Field (later, AFB), Texas, 10 November 1947 – 27 June 1949
• Dover AFB, Delaware, 1 October 1973–present

Aircraft

• B-17 Flying Fortress, 1943–1945
• B-29 Superfortress, 1947-1949.
• C-5 Galaxy, 1973–Present

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

• Mauer, Mauer (1969), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II, Air Force Historical Studies Office, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBN 0-89201-097-5
• USAF 709th Airlift Squadron History