Country United States | Role Airlift | |
 | ||
Active 1943-1945; 1953-1971; 1972-1993; 1994-2014 Branch United States Air Force Part of Air Force Reserve Command
910th Airlift Wing
910th Operations Group Garrison/HQ Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio | ||
The 773d Airlift Squadron historically calls itself the "Fleagles" and was assigned to the 910th Airlift Wing (Air Force Reserve Command), Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Vienna Township, Trumbull County, Ohio. The unit flew the C-130 H2.5 aircraft.
Contents
During World War II, the 773d Bombardment Squadron was a B-17 Flying Fortress squadron, assigned to the 463d Bombardment Group, Fifteenth Air Force. It earned Two Distinguished Unit Citations. The unit later served as a C-130 Hercules tactical airlift squadron during the Vietnam War.
Mission
On 1 April 1995, with the Reserve Forces building, the Department of Defense reactivated the 773d at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport, joining the 910th Airlift Wing and the 757th Airlift Squadron. Since that time the 773d has flown numerous humanitarian missions from Europe to the former Yugoslavia. Delivering peacekeeping forces, food, and medicines to aid the people of the region. The 773d also continues the rotational airlift requirement for Central and South America, Southeast Asia and the Far East.
History
Established in mid-1943 as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombardment squadron; assigned to Second Air Force for training. Attached in late 1943 and early 1944 to Air University Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics. Deployed to Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) in February 1944, squadron taking the South Atlantic Transport Route though the Caribbean and South America; transiting the Atlantic Ocean via Brazil and Dakar, French West Africa, being assigned to Fifteenth Air Force in March 1944 at several airfields in Southern Italy.
Engaged in long-range strategic bombardment of enemy military, industrial and transport targets, including oil refineries and production oilfields in Italy; France; Southern Germany; Austria and the Balkans. Continued strategic bombardment until German capitulation in May 1945. Demobilized in place in Italy during the summer of 1945; inactivated in September 1945.
Reactivated as a Tactical Air Command Troop Carrier squadron in June 1953, assigned C-119 Flying Boxcars. Engaged in transport of equipment and supplies; including support of Army Airborne parachute units throughout the 1950s and early 1960s. Equipped with new C-130A Hercules in 1956.
Deployed to Pacific Air Forces in 1966, being stationed in the Philippines. Engaged in airlift missions between the Philippines and South Vietnam, airlifting supplies and equipment to airfields in the combat areas; evacuating wounded personnel to hospitals at Clark Air Base. Remained in the Western Pacific until 1971 when inactivated as part of the drawdown of United States forces in the region.
Reactivated at Dyess AFB, Texas as a theater airlift squadron in June 1972, initially under Tactical Air Command, later Military Airlift Command and lastly Air Mobility Command. Deployed frequently to Europe or the Pacific, performing intra-theater airlift missions with C-130s. Inactivated in October 1993 as part of the drawdown of the USAF after the end of the Cold War.
Reactivated in 1995 in the Air Force Reserve. Nicknamed "The Quiet Professionals", members of the 773rd have deployed worldwide supporting contingency and humanitarian operations. Since 2001, members of the squadron have mobilized numerous times in support of the Global War on Terrorism. The Citizen Airmen operated out of bases in Southwest Asia including isolated airfields in Iraq and Afghanistan to provide airlift and airdrop capability of equipment and personnel.
Inactivated on 6 April 2014.