732d Airlift Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 732d Airlift Squadron (732 AS) is a unit of the United States Air Force
. It is part of the 514th Air Mobility Wing
at McGuire Air Force Base
in New Jersey
. It operates C-17 Globemaster III
aircraft in providing global strategic airlift to US and allied forces.
(ETO) assigned to VIII Bomber Command
in England
. Engaged in long-range strategic bombardment operations over Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany
, March 1944-May 1945 attacking enemy military and industrial targets as part of the United States' air offensive against Nazi Germany
. Most personnel demobilized in Europe after the German capitulation in May 1945; squadron inactivated as a paper unit in November.
Reactivated in 1947 as a B-29 Superfortress
squadron in the reserves, however equipped with trainers until 1949 when equipped with B-26 Invader
light bomber. Squadron activated in 1951 as a result of the Korean War
; personnel and equipment assigned as replacements to units of Far East Air Forces, then inactivated as a paper unit.
The squadron trained in bombardment operations from, 1947-1951 and 1955-1957, reconnaissance
operations from, 1952-1955, and troop carrier operations 1957-1966. After 1970, it participated in strategic airlift
missions and exercises
. In 1989 took part in Operation Just Cause in Panama
by transporting U.S. troops.
Reactivated as a reserve transport squadron in 1952, being equipped with C-119 Flying Boxcars. Activated during Cuban Missile Crisis
in 1962; returned to reserve status after crisis was resolved; inactivated in 1966 with phaseout of C-119 from the inventory.
Activated in 1970 with long-range C-141 Starlifter
s, performing intercontinental airlift of personnel and materiel. The unit upgraded to Boeing C-17 Globemaster IIIs in 2004 after retirement of its C-141s. Most recently, the unit participated in relief efforets after the 2010 Haiti earthquake
s.
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...
. It is part of the 514th Air Mobility Wing
514th Air Mobility Wing
The 514th Air Mobility Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey.-History:...
at McGuire Air Force Base
McGuire Air Force Base
JB MDL McGuire is a United States Air Force base located approximately south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. McGuire is under the jurisdiction of the USAF Air Mobility Command...
in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. It operates C-17 Globemaster III
C-17 Globemaster III
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout...
aircraft in providing global strategic airlift to US and allied forces.
History
Activated as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomb squadron; trained under Second Air Force. Completed training in early 1943; deploying to European Theater of OperationsEuropean Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...
(ETO) assigned to VIII Bomber Command
VIII Bomber Command
The VIII Bomber Command is an inactive United States Army Air Forces unit that is better known as the later appellation Eighth Air Force, as was popularized in post-World War II filmsand is frequently called the First Eighth Air Force by its veterans and successors in the services.The command was...
in 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...
. Engaged in long-range strategic bombardment operations over Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, March 1944-May 1945 attacking enemy military and industrial targets as part of the United States' air offensive against Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. Most personnel demobilized in Europe after the German capitulation in May 1945; squadron inactivated as a paper unit in November.
Reactivated in 1947 as a B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
squadron in the reserves, however equipped with trainers until 1949 when equipped with B-26 Invader
A-26 Invader
The Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
light bomber. Squadron activated in 1951 as a result of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
; personnel and equipment assigned as replacements to units of Far East Air Forces, then inactivated as a paper unit.
The squadron trained in bombardment operations from, 1947-1951 and 1955-1957, reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
operations from, 1952-1955, and troop carrier operations 1957-1966. After 1970, it participated in strategic airlift
Airlift
Airlift is the act of transporting people or cargo from point to point using aircraft.Airlift may also refer to:*Airlift , a suction device for moving sand and silt underwater-See also:...
missions and exercises
Military exercise
A military exercise is the employment of military resources in training for military operations, either exploring the effects of warfare or testing strategies without actual combat...
. In 1989 took part in Operation Just Cause in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
by transporting U.S. troops.
Reactivated as a reserve transport squadron in 1952, being equipped with C-119 Flying Boxcars. Activated during Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...
in 1962; returned to reserve status after crisis was resolved; inactivated in 1966 with phaseout of C-119 from the inventory.
Activated in 1970 with long-range C-141 Starlifter
C-141 Starlifter
The Lockheed C-141 Starlifter was a military strategic airlifter in service with the Air Mobility Command of the United States Air Force...
s, performing intercontinental airlift of personnel and materiel. The unit upgraded to Boeing C-17 Globemaster IIIs in 2004 after retirement of its C-141s. Most recently, the unit participated in relief efforets after the 2010 Haiti earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
s.
Lineage
- Constituted 332 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942
- Activated on 15 Jun 1942
- Redesignated 332 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 20 Aug 1943
- Inactivated on 15 Dec 1945
- Redesignated 332 Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 13 May 1947
- Activated in the reserve on 29 May 1947
- Redesignated 332 Bombardment Squadron, Light on 26 Jun 1949
- Ordered to active service on 10 Mar 1951
- Inactivated on 20 Mar 1951
- Redesignated 332 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 26 May 1952
- Activated in the reserve on 14 Jun 1952
- Redesignated: 332 Bombardment Squadron, Tactical on 18 May 1955
- Redesignated: 732 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 1 Jul 1957
- Ordered to active service on 28 Oct 1962
- Relieved from active duty on 28 Nov 1962
- Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 Jan 1966
- Redesignated 732 Military Airlift Squadron (Associate) on 19 Mar 1970
- Activated on 1 Apr 1970
- Redesignated: 732 Airlift Squadron (Associate) on 1 Feb 1992
- Redesignated: 732 Airlift Squadron on 1 Oct 1994.
Assignments
- 94th Bombardment Group, 15 Jun 1942-29 Nov 1945; 29 May 1947-20 Mar 1951
- 94th Tactical Reconnaissance (later, 94 Bombardment; 94 Troop Carrier) Group, 14 Jun 1952
- 94th Troop Carrier Wing, 14 Apr 1959
- 902 Troop Carrier Group, 11 Feb 1963-25 Jan 1966
- 903 Military Airlift Group, 1 Apr 1970
- 514 Military Airlift (later, 514 Airlift) Wing514th Air Mobility WingThe 514th Air Mobility Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey.-History:...
, 1 Jul 1973 - 514 Operations Group514th Air Mobility WingThe 514th Air Mobility Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey.-History:...
, 1 Aug 1992–Present
Stations
- MacDill Field, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, 15 Jun 1942 - Pendleton Field, OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, 29 Jun 1942 - 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...
, 29 Aug 1942 - Biggs Field, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, 1 Nov 1942 - Pueblo Army Air BasePueblo Memorial AirportPueblo Memorial Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located five miles east of the central business district of Pueblo, a city in Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. It is mostly used for general aviation, but is also served by one commercial airline. The Pueblo Airport is a popular...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, 3 Jan-17 Apr 1943 - RAF Earls Colne (AAF-358), EnglandEnglandEngland 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...
, 11 May 1943 - RAF Bury St. Edmunds (AAF-468), England, c. 13 Jun 1943-22 Nov 1945
- Camp KilmerCamp KilmerCamp Kilmer, New Jersey is a former United States Army camp that was activated in June 1942 as a staging area and part of an installation of the New York Port of Embarkation. The camp was organized as part of the Army Service Forces Transportation Corps. Troops were quartered at Camp Kilmer in...
, New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, c. 27-29 Nov 1945 - Marietta Army Airfield (later Dobbins AFB), GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, 29 May 1947-20 Mar 1951; 14 Jun 1952 - Scott Air Force BaseScott Air Force BaseScott Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force in St. Clair County, Illinois, near Belleville.-Overview:The base is named after Corporal Frank S. Scott, the first enlisted person to be killed in an aviation crash...
, IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, 18 May 1955 - Grenier Air Force BaseGrenier Air Force BaseGrenier Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located three miles south of the central business district of Manchester, New Hampshire on the county line of Hillsborough and Rockingham counties...
, New HampshireNew HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, 16 Nov 1957-25 Jan 1966 - McGuire Air Force BaseMcGuire Air Force BaseJB MDL McGuire is a United States Air Force base located approximately south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. McGuire is under the jurisdiction of the USAF Air Mobility Command...
, New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, 1 Apr 1970-.
Aircraft Operated
- B-17 Flying Fortress (1942–1945)
- C-119 Flying BoxcarC-119 Flying BoxcarThe Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar was an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechanized equipment, and to drop cargo and troops by parachute...
(1959–1965) - C-141 StarlifterC-141 StarlifterThe Lockheed C-141 Starlifter was a military strategic airlifter in service with the Air Mobility Command of the United States Air Force...
(1970–2004) - C-17 Globemaster IIIC-17 Globemaster IIIThe Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout...
(2004 – Present)
Operations
- World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
- Operation Just Cause