Country United States | ||
 | ||
Active 1943; 1944–1946; 1953–1959 Branch United States Air Force Engagements China Burma India Theater Pacific Ocean Theater Decorations Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | ||
The 302d Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron was formed in September 1985 by the consolidation of three units which had served in the Army Air Forces or United States Air Force during World War II and the Cold War.
Contents
- Flying the Hump
- Nuclear weapons transport
- Cold War reconnaissance
- Lineage
- Assignments
- Stations
- Aircraft
- References
The 302d Transport Squadron was assigned to the 30th Transport Group and flew missions over the Hump in 1943, until Air Transport Command reorganized its foreign units on a station basis in late 1943.
The 320th Troop Carrier Squadron was assigned to the 509th Composite Group and was tasked with supporting the group's strike squadron, the 393d Bombardment Squadron through the transport of materials, including weapons components, in preparation for the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It was inactivated in 1946 after supporting Operation Crossroads.
The 302d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was assigned to the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, After equipping at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina it served with United States Air Forces Europe at Sembach Air Base, Germany and at Laon-Couvron Air Base, France. It was inactivated in 1959 and replaced by a unit flying more advanced aircraft.
Flying the Hump
The first squadron that was to form the 302d was the 302d Transport Squadron, which was activated in the summer of 1943 at Mohanbari Airport, India as one of the three squadrons of the 30th Transport Group when the India-China Wing, Air Transport Command expanded by adding three groups. The squadron drew its cadre from the 6th Transport Squadron, which had been stationed at Mohanbari since March 1942. For the next five months the squadron flew personnel, equipment and supplies from its base in India over the Hump to advanced bases in China.
On 1 December 1943, the India-China Wing, Air Transport Command reorganized, disbanding its table of organization groups and squadrons and replacing them with "Stations" manned under exact manning tables. The squadron, along with the remainder of the 30th group, was replaced by Station 9, India-China Wing, Air Transport Command.
Nuclear weapons transport
See: 320th Troop Carrier Squadron for an expanded history of the squadronThe second squadron consolidated to form the 302 Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron was the 320th Troop Carrier Squadron, which was activated in late 1944 at Wendover Field, Utah as part of the 509th Composite Group, the first unit to be organized, equipped and trained for atomic warfare. The squadron was initially equipped with both Douglas C-47 Skytrain and Douglas C-54 Skymaster aircraft, but the C-47s were only used in operations in the United States, and when the squadron moved overseas, it was an all C-54 unit. For several months prior to the formal activation of the squadron, its planes had been transporting personnel and equipment for the nuclear weapons project. Squadron aircrew made several flights to Tinian prior to deployment to familiarize themselves with the route prior to supporting the group's move there.
In May 1945 the squadron moved to North Field, Tinian, transporting men and materiel of the 509th group as the group moved to its operational base. Squadron ground personnel deployed by ship, departing from the Seattle Port of Embarkation. In the Pacific, the unit continued to support the 509th as it prepared for the atomic strikes on Japan.
The squadron moved to Roswell Army Air Field, New Mexico in the fall of 1945. Although it remained active, demobilization resulted in the loss of almost all squadron personnel. The unit was, however, manned and equipped to enable it to participate in atomic testing until it was inactivated in August 1946 and replaced by the 1st Air Transport Unit (later the 1st Strategic Support Squadron). During Operation Crossroads the squadron operated as Air Transport Unit 1.54 (Provisional). Prior to the weapons drop, it transported personnel and material (including radiological test samples) to support the testing. When special observation aircraft failed to arrive in the Kwajalein Atoll test area seven days before the test, the squadron substituted for them. On the first and second day after testing, the 320th flew scientists and high ranking personnel on low level observation flights over the test area.
Cold War reconnaissance
The third squadron was the 302d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, which was activated on 1 January 1953, taking over the mission, personnel and North American RF-51 Mustangs of the 155th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, a Tennessee Air National Guard squadron that was returned to state control after having been called to active duty for the Korean War. This reorganization was part of the replacement of the 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing by the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. The squadron was re-equipped with Lockheed RF-80A Shooting Star Jet aircraft returned from use in the Korean War in mid-1953. The first RF-80s received had small underwing wing fuel tanks. These planes were replaced by planes with 230 gallon capacity tip tanks for longer range.
The squadron deployed to Sembach Air Base, West Germany in mid-1953. The air echelon flew the squadron's aircraft to Europe via the Northern Route, and except for a weather delay at Keflavik Air Base, the movement was successful. The ground echelon sailed on the USS General LeRoy Eltinge (AP-154). In Germany the 302d became part of Twelfth Air Force of United States Air Forces in Europe.
Just three days after arriving at Sembach the 302d was operationally ready and performed photographic mapping missions of the Rhine valley and of Munich. The 302d trained with North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces in Europe during the summer months, however, due to poor weather conditions in central Europe during the winter months, it deployed frequently to Wheelus Air Base, Libya and Nouasseur Air Base (after 1958), Morocco for training. In 1954 the squadron formed an aerobatic team, named the "Bald Iggles" that performed on Armed Forces Day, 21 May 1954. Throughout 1954, however, exercises flown by the 302d indicated that the RF-80 had shortcomings that limited its ability to perform the reconnaissance mission in Europe. Fortunately, the squadron upgraded to the Republic RF-84F Thunderflash in the second half of 1955.
In the summer of 1957, the runway at Sembach began to buckle because of the record heat. This forced the squadron to deploy to Cazeaux in France. At the end of 1957, the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Group was inactivated in the "Combat Wing" reorganization and the squadron was assigned directly to the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing.
The squadron moved to Laon-Couvron Air Base, France in mid-1958 due to the problems with the Sembach AB runway, which would not be capable of handling the McDonnell RF-101C Voodoos that were expected to replace the RF-84Fs, but operated from Phalsbourg Air Base, where two other squadrons of the 66th wing were located, while improvements were made to the Laon runway. In early 1959 it was announced that the two RF-84F equipped squadrons assigned to the 66th wing were to be inactivated and their places taken by the 17th and 18th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadrons, which flew Voodoos and were deployed from Shaw Air Force Base. These new squadrons arrived at Laon in May 1959 and the 302d was inactivated in late June.
Lineage
302d Transport Squadron
320th Troop Carrier Squadron
302d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron