746th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron

Emblem of the World War II 746th Bombardment Squadron

The 746th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit. It is under the control of Air Mobility Command and operates C-130 Hercules aircraft in theater airlift missions as part of the Global War on Terrorism. Its current status and duty location is undetermined.

In regular USAF service as the 746th Troop Carrier Squadron (Medium), it was last assigned to the 456th Troop Carrier Group, being stationed at Ardmore Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It was inactivated on 9 July 1956.

History

Established in mid-1943 as a B-24 Liberator heavy bombardment group; trained under Second Air Force. Deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO), being assigned to Southern Italy at Stornara Airfield under Fifteenth Air Force.

Engaged in very long range strategic bombardment of enemy military, industrial and transportation targets. Operations included attacks against such objectives as marshalling yards, aircraft factories, railroad bridges, and airdromes in Italy, Austria, and Romania. Helped to prepare the way for and supported the invasion of Southern France during Jul and August 1944. At the same time, expanded previous operations to include attacks on oil refineries and storage facilities, locomotive works, and viaducts in France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Austria, and the Balkans.

Returned to the United States after the German Capitulation in May 1945; re-manned and re-equipped as a B-29 Superfortress heavy bombardment squadron. Began training under Second Air Force in August 1945, however was inactivated in October after the Japanese Capitulation.

Activated in the reserves in 1947 as a B-29 Superfortress squadron, but neither manned or equipped. Inactivated in 1949 due to budget constraints. Reactivated in 1952 as a Tactical Air Command Eighteenth Air Force C-119 Flying Boxcar troop carrier squadron; flew theater airlift and participated in Army airborne forces maneuvers until inactivated in 1956 due to budget cutbacks.

Reactivated as a C-130 Hercules airlift squadron as part of the Global War on Terrorism.

Lineage

• Constituted 746th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 14 May 1943

Activated on 1 Jun 1943

Redesignated 746th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 5 Aug 1945

Inactivated on 17 Oct 1945

• Activated in the reserve on 1 Aug 1947

Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949

• Redesignated 746th Troop Carrier Squadron (Medium) on 15 Oct 1952

Activated on 1 Dec 1952

Inactivated on 9 Ju1 1956.

• Redesignated: 746th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron and placed in provisional status on undetermined date (after 9/11/01)

Assignments

• 456th Bombardment Group, 1 Jun 1943-17 Oct 194; 1 Aug 1947-27 Jun 1949
• 456th Troop Carrier Group, 1 Dec 1952
• 456th Troop Carrier Wing, 1 Mar 1955-9 Jul 1956
• Air Mobility Command to activate or inactivate as required.

Stations

• Wendover Field, Utah, 1 June 1943
• Gowen Field, Idaho, 14 July 1943;
• Bruning Army Airfield, Nebraska, c. 30 July 1943
• Kearns Army Airfield, Utah, c. 11 September 1943
• Muroc Army Air Field, California, October–December 1943
• Cerignola Airfield, Italy, January 1944
• Stornara Airfield, Italy, January 1944-July 1945
• Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, 1 August 1945
• Smoky Hill Army Air Field, Kansas, 17 August-17 October 1945
• McChord Field, Washington, 1 Aug 1947-27 June 1949
• Miami International Airport, Florida, 1 Dec 1952
• Charleston AFB, South Carolina, 15 Aug 1953
• Shiroi AB, Japan, 10 Nov 1955
• Ardmore AFB, Oklahoma, 17 May-9 Jul 1956
• Undetermined Locations when activated as part of Air Mobility Command

Aircraft

• B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945
• B-29 Superfortress, 1945
• C-119 Flying Boxcar, 1952-1956
• C-130 Hercules 2000s

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.