31st Airlift Squadron

The 31st Airlift Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 436th Operations Group, Air Mobility Command, stationed at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. It was inactivated on 14 January 1994.

31st Airlift Squadron
C-5 Galaxy aircraft unloading during Operation Desert Storm
Active	1942–1943; 1952–1969; 1989–1994
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Airlift
Motto(s)	Temporem Ubique Latin Anytime, Anywhere
Insignia
Patch with 31st Airlift Squadron emblem
Patch with 31st Air Transport Squadron emblem

"31st Transport Squadron" redirects here. For the 31st Transport Squadron (later 31st Troop Carrier Squadron), see 31st Troop Carrier Squadron.

History

First activated as a ferrying unit during World War II. Served on the North Atlantic Ferrying Route until disbanded in 1943 and replaced by Station 19, North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command in a general reorganization of Air Transport Command.

Reactivated in 1952 as a C-124 Globemaster II heavy airlift squadron. Flew worldwide very long range strategic airlift missions for Military Air Transport Service (Later Military Airlift Command) on a global scale, inactivated in 1969 with the retirement of the C-124. Reactivated in 1989 as a C-5 Galaxy strategic airlift squadron when the C-5B began production. Flew global transport missions of equipment and personnel until being inactivated after the end of the Cold War.

Lineage

• Constituted as the 31st Ferrying Squadron c. 9 July 1942

Activated on 25 July 1942

Redesignated 31st Transport Squadron c. 24 March 1943

• Disbanded on 1 September 1943
• Reconstituted as the 31st Air Transport Squadron, Heavy on 20 June 1952

Activated on 20 July 1952

Redesignated 31st Troop Carrier Squadron, Heavy on 1 June 1965

Redesignated 31st Military Airlift Squadron on 8 January 1966

Inactivated on 8 April 1969

Reactivated on 1 October 1989

Redesignated as: 31st Airlift Squadron on 1 December 1991

Inactivated on 14 January 1994

Assignments

• 8th Ferrying Group (later 8th Transport Group), 25 July 1942 – 1 September 1943
• 1600th Air Transport Group, 20 July 1952
• 1607th Air Transport Wing, 1 July 1955
• 436th Military Airlift Wing, 8 January 1966 – 1 April 1969
• 436th Military Airlift Wing, 1 October 1989
• 436th Operations Group, 1 December 1991 – 14 January 1994

Stations

• Presque Isle Army Air Field, Maine, 25 July 1942
• Meeks Field, Iceland, August 1942 – 1 September 1943
• Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts, 20 July 1952
• Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, 19 June 1955 – 1 April 1969
• Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, 1 October 1989 – 14 January 1994

Aircraft

• C-124 Globemaster II, 1952–1966, 1966–1969
• C-5 Galaxy, 1989–1994

References

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
• Ulanoff, Stanley M. (1964). MATS: The Story of the Military Air Transport Service. New York, NY: Franklin Watts, Inc. ISBN 978-1-19908-768-3.