95th Airlift Squadron

95th Airlift Squadron C-130 over Biltmore House, Asheville, North Carolina

The 95th Airlift Squadron (95 AS) is part of the 440th Operations Group at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina. It operates C-130 Hercules aircraft supporting the United States Air Force global reach mission world wide.

History

Activated in July 1943 as an I Troop Carrier Command C-47 Skytrain Squadron. After training in the United States, at various bases, sent to Baer Field, Indiana for final equipping with aircraft, personnel and other equipment. Deployed to Ninth Air Force in England, assigned to IX Troop Carrier Command in February 1944 during the build-up prior to the Invasion of France.

During the D-Day invasion, the squadron dropped paratroops of the 101st Airborne Division in Normandy, subsequently flying numerous missions to bring in reinforcements and needed supplies. During the airborne attack on The Netherlands (Operation Market Garden, September 1944), the squadron dropped 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 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) 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 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. Remained in Europe during the summer of 1945, inactivating as part of the United States Air Forces in Europe, October 1945.

Reactivated in the reserve as a C-46 Commando troop carrier squadron in Minneapolis, Minnesota during 1947. Was federalized as a result of the Korean War in 1951, squadron personnel and aircraft being sent to active-duty units as fillers, inactivated as an administrative unit a few days later.

Reactivated after the Korean War as a reserve fighter-bomber squadron for Tactical Air Command in 1952 initially equipped with F-51 Mustangs, later upgraded to F-80 Shooting Star jet aircraft. Re-designated back to a troop carrier squadron in 1957 and moved to Milwaukee's Billy Mitchell Field under TAC's Eighteenth Air Force. Carried out theater transport operations and supported Air Force and Army units with troop carrier missions. Was activated during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, 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 and to Southwest Asia during the Gulf War. It has also participated in training exercises, some involving the dropping or landing of airborne troops, and flew numerous humanitarian airlift missions.

Operations and decorations

• Combat operations: Airborne assaults on Normandy, Southern France, Holland, and Germany; relief of Bastogne; transportation of cargo and personnel in European and Mediterranean theaters of operation (ETO and MTO) during World War II. Flew airlift missions worldwide, including to Southeast Asia during the Vietnam conflict and Operation Desert Shield during the Gulf War. Participated in training exercises, some involving the dropping or landing of airborne troops, and flew numerous humanitarian airlift missions. Supported Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, 2003-2005. Provided Hurricanes Katrina and Rita relief (Joint Task Force Katrina), 2005.
• 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: France, [6-7] Jun 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 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 95th Troop Carrier Squadron on 25 May 1943

Activated on 1 Jul 1943

Inactivated on 18 Oct 1945

• Activated in the Reserve on 9 Apr 1947

Re-designated as 95th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 27 Jun 1949

Ordered to active service on 1 May 1951

Inactivated on 4 May 1951

• Re-designated as 95th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 26 May 1952

Activated in the Reserve on 15 Jun 1952

Re-designated as 95th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 8 Sep 1957

Ordered to Active Service on 28 Oct 1962

Relieved from Active Duty on 28 Nov 1962

Re-designated as: 95th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 Jul 1967

Re-designated as: 95th Airlift Squadron on 1 Feb 1992.

Assignments

• 440th Troop Carrier Group, 1 Jul 1943-18 Oct 1945
• Second Air Force, 9 Apr 1947
• 440th Troop Carrier Group, 3 Sep 1947-4 May 1951
• 440th Fighter-Bomber (later, 440th Troop Carrier) Group, 15 Jun 1952
• 440th Troop Carrier Wing, 14 Apr 1959
• 933d Troop Carrier (later, 933d Tactical Airlift) Group, 11 Feb 1963
• 440th Tactical Airlift (later, 440th Airlift) Wing, 1 Sep 1975
• 440th Operations Group, 1 Aug 1992–Present

Stations

Aircraft

References

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

• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. 
• Official USAF 95th Airlift Squadron History
• 95th Airlift Squadron Fact Sheet

External links

• The SNAFU Special - Official website of the C-47A #43-15073, WW 2 95th TCS aircraft recovered and restored

United States Air Force
Leadership	Secretary of the Air Force Under Secretary of the Air Force Chief of Staff Vice Chief of Staff Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force 4-star generals House Armed Services Committee House Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces Senate Committee on Armed Services Senate Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces
Structure	Commands Reserve Air National Guard Field Operating Agencies Installations Direct Reporting Units District of Washington Operational Test and Evaluation Center USAF Academy Major Commands Air Combat Air Education and Training Air Mobility Global Strike Materiel Reserve Space Special Operations Europe & Africa Pacific Numbered Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Fourteenth Seventeenth Eighteenth Nineteenth Twentieth Twenty-Second Twenty-Third Twenty-Fourth Twenty-Fifth Wings ANG Groups ANG Squadrons ANG Security forces Civilian auxiliary: Civil Air Patrol
Personnel and training	Airmen Rank Officers Enlisted Specialty Code Aeronautical ratings Judge Advocate General's Corps RED HORSE Medical Service Chief of Chaplains Chief Scientist Training: USAF Academy Officer Training School Reserve Officer Training Corps Basic Training Airman Leadership School SERE Fitness Assessment
Uniforms and equipment	Awards and decorations Badges Equipment Uniforms
History and traditions	History Army Air Service / Corps / Forces "The U.S. Air Force" Air Force Band The Airmen of Note Tops In Blue Airman's Creed Core Values Flag Symbol Memorial National Museum Air Force One Honor Guard Thunderbirds Service numbers
Category Portal

Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC)
Air Forces	Fourth Tenth Twenty-Second
Bases	Dobbins Duke Field General Mitchell Grissom Homestead March Minneapolis-Saint Paul Niagara Falls Pittsburgh Westover Youngstown
Command	Air Reserve Personnel Center
Wings/Groups	Air Refueling 434th 459th 507th 916th 939th 940th Airlift 94th 302d 315th 433d 439th 440th 445th 446th 512th 908th 910th 911th 914th 927th 932d 934th Fighter 301st 414th 419th 442d 476th 477th 482d 944th other 310th Space 349th Air Mobility 403d 452d Air Mobility 514th Air Mobility 307th Bomb 919th Special Operations 920th Rescue

USAAF Ninth Air Force in World War II
Stations	Palestine (Mand) Lydda Muqueibile Ramat David St Jean Egypt Abu Sueir Ismailia El Amiriya Daba Deversoir Fayid Kabrit * Landing Ground 174 Payne Sidi Haneish Libya Baheira Belandah Benina Castel Benito Berca Darragh El Adem El Assa Gambut Hamraiet Lete Martuba Tmed El Chel Tobruk Tripoli Sidi Azeiz Tunisia Ben Gardane Bou Grara Chekira Hani Hazbub Hergla El Djem El Haouaria Kairouan Medenine Menzel Heurr Sfax Soltane United Kingdom Aldermaston Andover Andrews Field Ashford Balderton Barkston Heath Beaulieu Birch Bisterne Boreham Bottesford Boxted Charmy Down Chalgrove Chilbolton Chipping Ongar Christchurch Cottesmore Earls Colne Exeter Folkingham Fulbeck Gosfield Great Dunmow Greenham Common Grove High Halden Headcorn Holmsley South Hurn Ibsley Kingsnorth Langar Lashenden Little Walden Lymington Matching Membury Merryfield Middle Wallop North Witham Ramsbury Raydon Rivenhall Saltby Scorton Staplehurst Spanhoe Stansted Stoney Cross Thruxton Upottery Warmwell Welford Weston Zoyland Wethersfield Winkton Woodchurch Wormingford Europe Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) in France, Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany too numerous.
Units	Commands 9th Air Division (was IX Bomber Command) IX Air Defense IX Fighter IX Tactical Air IX Troop Carrier XIX Tactical Air XXIX Tactical Air Wings Bombardment 97th Bombardment 98th Bombardment 99th Bombardment Fighter 8th Fighter 9th Fighter 70th Fighter 71st Fighter 84th Fighter 100th Fighter 303d Fighter Troop carrier 50th Troop Carrier 52d Troop Carrier 53d Troop Carrier Groups Bombardment 12th Bombardment 98th Bombardment 322d Bombardment 323d Bombardment 340th Bombardment 344th Bombardment 376th Bombardment 386th Bombardment 387th Bombardment 391st Bombardment 394th Bombardment 397th Bombardment 409th Bombardment 410th Bombardment 416th Bombardment Fighter 36th Fighter 48th Fighter 50th Fighter 57th Fighter 79th Fighter 324th Fighter 354th Fighter 358th Fighter 365th Fighter 362d Fighter 363d Fighter 366th Fighter 367th Fighter 368th Fighter 370th Fighter 371st Fighter 373d Fighter 404th Fighter 405th Fighter 406th Fighter 474th Fighter Troop carrier 61st Troop Carrier 64th Troop Carrier 313th Troop Carrier 314th Troop Carrier 315th Troop Carrier 316th Troop Carrier 349th Troop Carrier 434th Troop Carrier 435th Troop Carrier 436th Troop Carrier 437th Troop Carrier 438th Troop Carrier 439th Troop Carrier 440th Troop Carrier 441st Troop Carrier 442d Troop Carrier IX Troop Carrier Pathfinder (Provisional) Reconnaissance 10th Reconnaissance 67th Reconnaissance 69th Reconnaissance Squadrons Liaison 14th Liaison 47th Liaison Night fighter 422d Night Fighter 425th Night Fighter
United States Army Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Fourteenth Fifteenth Twentieth