376th Troop Carrier Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 3776h Troop Carrier Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. It was last assigned to the 60th Troop Carrier Wing. It was inactivated at Dreux-Louvilliers Air Base, France
on 25 September 1958.
medium bombardment squadron in early 1942; trained under Third Air Force
. Assigned to Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina
as first an Operational Training Unit (OTU) for newly-formed squadrons, then in 1943 becoming a Replacement Training Unit (RTU) for pilots and aircrew on the B-25 prior to the personnel being assigned overseas to combat units. Inactivated on 1 May 1944 with the phaseout of B-25 training.
Reactivated in 1949 in the Air Force Reserve as a Troop Carrier Squadron Programmed for C-46 Commando
es, never manned or equipped. Inactivated in 1950.
Reactivated in 1955 as a Tactical Air Command
C-123 Provider
Troop Carrier Squadron, being one of the first squadrons being equipped with the aircraft. Deployed to France
in 1956 to reinforce NATO and the United States Air Forces in Europe
. Flew transport and special air missions (SAM) throughout France, West Germany
, Italy
, Spain
and England
. Flew several Dispersed Operating Base supply missions and reduced the need for road convoys. However cost of operations were high and USAFE decided that the C-123s were not worth the expense. Aircraft, equipment and personnel returned to Ardmore AFB during July and August 1958 where aircraft and personnel reassigned to squadrons of the 463d Troop Carrier Wing at Sewart AFB, Tennessee
. Squadron inactivated as a paper unit in September 1958.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit. It was last assigned to the 60th Troop Carrier Wing. It was inactivated at Dreux-Louvilliers Air Base, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on 25 September 1958.
History
Established as a B-25 MitchellB-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
medium bombardment squadron in early 1942; trained under Third Air Force
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
. Assigned to Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
as first an Operational Training Unit (OTU) for newly-formed squadrons, then in 1943 becoming a Replacement Training Unit (RTU) for pilots and aircrew on the B-25 prior to the personnel being assigned overseas to combat units. Inactivated on 1 May 1944 with the phaseout of B-25 training.
Reactivated in 1949 in the Air Force Reserve as a Troop Carrier Squadron Programmed for C-46 Commando
C-46 Commando
The Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando was a transport aircraft originally derived from a commercial high-altitude airliner design. It was instead used as a military transport during World War II by the United States Army Air Forces as well as the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps under the designation R5C...
es, never manned or equipped. Inactivated in 1950.
Reactivated in 1955 as a Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
C-123 Provider
C-123 Provider
The C-123 Provider was an American military transport aircraft designed by Chase Aircraft and subsequently built by Fairchild Aircraft for the United States Air Force...
Troop Carrier Squadron, being one of the first squadrons being equipped with the aircraft. Deployed to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1956 to reinforce NATO and the United States Air Forces in Europe
United States Air Forces in Europe
The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
. Flew transport and special air missions (SAM) throughout France, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Flew several Dispersed Operating Base supply missions and reduced the need for road convoys. However cost of operations were high and USAFE decided that the C-123s were not worth the expense. Aircraft, equipment and personnel returned to Ardmore AFB during July and August 1958 where aircraft and personnel reassigned to squadrons of the 463d Troop Carrier Wing at Sewart AFB, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. Squadron inactivated as a paper unit in September 1958.
Lineage
- Constituted 376th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 28 January 1942
- Activated on 15 March 1942
- Disbanded on 1 May 1944
- Reconstituted, and redesignated 376th Troop Carrier Squadron (Medium), on 16 May 1949
- Activated in the reserve on 26 June 1949
- Inactivated on 28 January 1950
- Redesignated 376th Troop Carrier Squadron (Assault, Fixed Wing) on 14 April 1955
- Activated on 8 July 1955
- Redesignated 376th Troop Carrier Squadron (Assault) on 15 July 1958
- Inactivated on 25 September 1958
Assignments
- 309th Bombardment Group, 15 March 1942 – 1 May 1944
- 309th Troop Carrier Group309th Troop Carrier GroupThe 309th Troop Carrier Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 60th Troop Carrier Wing stationed at Dreux-Louvilliers Air Base, France...
, 26 June 1949 – 28 January 1950; 8 July 1955
- Attached to 60th Troop Carrier Wing, 15 November 1956 – 11 March 1957
- 60th Troop Carrier Wing, 12 March 1957 – 25 September 1958
Stations
- Davis-Monthan Field, ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, 15 March 1942 - Jackson Army Air Base, MississippiMississippiMississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, 15 March 1942 - Key FieldKey fieldA key field is a field or set of fields of a database table which together form a unique identifier for a database record . The aggregate of these fields is usually referred to simply as "the key". Key fields also define searches...
, MississippiMississippiMississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, 29 April 1942; - Columbia Army Air Base, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, 15 May 1942 – 1 May 1944 - Smyrna AFB, TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, 26 June 1949 – 28 January 1950 - Ardmore AFB, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, 8 July 1955 – 21 May 1956 - Dreux-Louvilliers Air Base, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 2 June 1956 – 25 September 1958