Active 1943-1945; 1948-1949 Role Airlift | Country United States | |
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Branch United States Air Force Engagements China Burma India Theater Decorations Distinguished Unit Citation | ||
The 315th Troop Carrier Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last active with Tenth Air Force, based at Kent County Airport, Michigan, where it was inactivated on 27 June 1949.
Contents
History
The squadron was activated in January 1944 in the China Burma India Theater. It was equipped with Douglas C-47 Skytrain transports, and engaged in combat airlift operations in India and Burma. In 1945 it also flew Curtiss C-46 Commandos. It flew combat cargo resupply missions, troop carrier missions, parachute drops and other missions as necessary. The unit participated in the airborne assault of Myitkyina, Burma on 17 May 1944. As part of the 443d Troop Carrier Group, it also performed airlift of an entire Chinese army from Chihkiang to Nanking between 5 and 20 September 1945. During its year and one half in combat, the squadron was twice awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation.
The squadron returned to the United States in December 1945, and was inactivated at the Port of Embarkation.
The 315th Troop Carrier Squadron was reactivated as a reserve unit under Air Defense Command (ADC) at Kent County Airport, Michigan in June 1948 and assigned to Second Air Force. In 1948 Continental Air Command assumed responsibility for managing reserve and Air National Guard units from ADC. The unit does not appear to have been fully manned or equipped while in the reserves. President Truman’s reduced 1949 defense budget required reductions in the number of units in the Air Force. and the 315th was inactivated and not replaced as reserve flying operations at Kent County ceased in 1949.