Active 1943–1957 | Country United States | |
 | ||
Branch United States Air Force Type Bombardment
Troop Carrier Engagements World War II - EAME Theater Decorations Distinguished Unit Citation (2x) | ||
The 775th Troop Carrier Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 463d Troop Carrier Group. It was inactivated at Ardmore Air Force Base, Oklahoma on 1 August 1957.
Contents
During World War II, the 775th Bombardment Squadron was a B-17 Flying Fortress squadron, assigned to the 463d Bombardment Group, Fifteenth Air Force. It earned Two Distinguished Unit Citations.
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 1955, assigned C-119 Flying Boxcars. Engaged in transport of equipment and supplies; including support of Army Airborne parachute units until inactivated in 1957 due to budget restrictions.
Lineage
Note: A 775th Troop Carrier Squadron was briefly activated as part of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida in April 1964, being redesignated in June. In addition, the 775th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron was activated as a provisional Air Combat Command transport squadron as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, consisting of deployed Air Force Reserve personnel from the 910th Airlift Wing in 2005. It is unclear if these units share a lineage with the 775th Troop Carrier Squadron.