29th Military Airlift Squadron
| 29th Military Airlift Squadron | |
|---|---|
 C-118 Liftmaster as flown by the squadron | |
| Active |
|
| Country | .png){kind=small} United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Airlift |
| Motto | Always Best |
| Insignia | |
| 29th Military Airlift Squadron emblem | _emblem.png){kind=spacer} |
The 29th Military Airlift Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 438th Military Airlift Wing at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, where it was inactivated on 31 August 1968.
The squadron was first activated in 1942 as the 29th Ferrying Squadron. It served on the North Atlantic ferrying route until 1943, when it was disbanded as Air Transport Command reorganized into a station system. The squadron was reconstituted in 1952 as the 29th Air Transport Squadron and served as a heavy airlift unit until inactivating.
History
World War II
The squadron was first activated in July 1942 at Presque Isle Army Air Field, Maine as the 29th Ferrying Squadron. It was assigned to the 8th Ferrying Group, and its primary mission was ferrying aircraft and transporting cargo on the North Atlantic ferrying route. A little over a week after activation, the squadron moved to Goose Bay Airport, Newfoundland. In March 1943, it was designated the 29th Transport Squadron along with other Air Transport Command (ATC) units that were not involved in ferrying aircraft from factories to operational units.
The group/squadron organization did not fit well with the ATC mission. The squadrons of the 8th Transport Group were spread over bases in the United States, Newfoundland, Greenland and Iceland.[a] In September 1943, ATC reorganized its foreign stations. The 29th was disbanded and replaced at Goose by Station 4 of the North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command.
Cold War
In July 1952, Military Air Transport Service (MATS) replaced its Major Command controlled operational squadrons with units that had served with ATC during World War II. The squadron was reconstituted as the 29th Air Transport Squadron and activated at Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts, [1] where it was assigned to the 1600th Air Transport Group and absorbed the personnel and Boeing C-97 Stratofreighters of the 1253rd Air Transport Squadron, which was discontinued. In April 1955, Strategic Air Command took control of Westover from MATS.[2]
The squadron moved to McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey,[3] where it was assigned to the 1611th Air Transport Group. In January 1962, MATS adopted the dual deputy organization. The 1611th Group was discontinued and the squadron was assigned directy to the 1611th Air Transport Wing. When Military Airlift Command (MAC) replaced MATS in January 1966, the squadron became part of MAC's 438th Military Airlift Wing. The squadron ended operations on 12 August 1968 and was discontinued at the end of the month.[4]
Lineage
- Constituted as the 29th Ferrying Squadron on 9 July 1942
- Activated on 25 July 1942
- Redesignated 29th Transport Squadron on 24 March 1943
- Disbanded on 1 September 1943
- Reconstituted as the 29th Air Transport Squadron, Heavy on 20 June 1952
- Activated on 20 July 1952
- Redesignated 29th Air Transport Squadron, Medium on 11 September 1953
- Redesignated 29th Military Airlift Squadron on 8 January 1966
- Discontinued and inactivated on 31 August 1968
Assignments
- 8th Ferrying Group (later 8th Transport Group), 25 July 1942-1 September 1943
- 1600th Air Transport Group, 20 July 1952
- 1611th Air Transport Group, 13 April 1955
- 1611th Air Transport Wing, 18 January 1963
- 438th Military Airlift Wing, 8 January 1966-31 August 1968[4]
Stations
Aircraft
- Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter, 1952–1953
- Douglas C-54 Skymaster, 1953–1954
- Douglas C-118 Liftmaster, 1954–1964
- Lockheed C-130 Hercules, 1964–1968
References
Notes
- Explanatory notes
- ↑ The group's 30th Transport Squadron was at Narsaarsuk and its 31st Transport Squadron was at Rejkjavik.
- Citations
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.