94th Flying Training Squadron

History

Activated in June 1943 under I Troop Carrier Command and equipped with C-47 Skytrains. Trained in various parts of the eastern United States until the end of 1943. Deployed to England and assigned to IX Troop Carrier Command, Ninth Air Force.

Prepared for the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. Began operations by dropping paratroops of the 101st Airborne Division in Normandy on D-Day (6 June 1944) and releasing gliders with reinforcements on the following day. The unit received a Distinguished Unit Citation and a French citation for these missions. After the Normandy invasion the squadron ferried supplies in the United Kingdom.

After moving to France in September, the unit dropped paratroops of the 82nd Airborne Division near Nijmegen and towed gliders carrying reinforcements during the airborne attack on the Netherlands. In December, it participated in the Battle of the Bulge by releasing gliders with supplies for the 101st Airborne Division near Bastogne.

When the Allies made the air assault across the Rhine River in March 1945, each aircraft towed two gliders with troops of the 17th Airborne Division and released them near Wesel. The squadron also hauled food, clothing, medicine, gasoline, ordnance equipment, and other supplies to the front lines and evacuated patients to rear zone hospitals. It converted from C-47s to C-46s and the new aircraft to transport displaced persons from Germany to France and Belgium after V-E Day.

Returned to the U.S. during the period July–September 1945, and trained with C-46 aircraft until inactivated.

The squadron has taught soaring and parachuting to cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy since October 1983.

Operations and Decorations

Combat Operations: Airborne assaults on Normandy, Southern France, the Netherlands, and Germany; relief of Bastogne, transportation of personnel and cargo in ETO and MTO during World War II.

Campaigns: Rome-Arno, Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.

Decorations: Distinguished Unit Citation. France, [6-7] Jun 1944. French Croix de Guerre with Palm. [6-7] Jun 1944; 15 Aug 1944. French Fourragere.

Lineage

Constituted as 94th Troop Carrier Squadron on 14 May 1943

Activated on 1 Jun 1943 Inactivated on 31 Jul 1946

Re-designated as 94th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium, on 19 May 1949

Activated in the Reserve on 27 Jun 1949 Ordered to active service on 1 Apr 1951 Inactivated on 3 Apr 1951

Re-designated as 94th Airmanship Training Squadron on 30 Sep 1983

Activated on 1 Oct 1983 Re-designated as 94th Flying Training Squadron on 31 Oct 1994.

Assignments

439th Troop Carrier Group, 1 Jun 1943

Third Air Force, 10 Jun-31 Jul 1946

439th Troop Carrier Group, 27 Jun 1949-3 Apr 1951

United States Air Force Academy, 1 Oct 1983

34th Operations Group, 31 Oct 1994

306th Flying Training Group, 4 Oct 2004–Present