The 6th Airlift Squadron is part of the 305th Air Mobility Wing at the McGuire AFB section of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. It operates the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III supporting the United States Air Force global reach mission worldwide. The main base and the flying squadron are located near the borough of Wrightstown, New Jersey.
| 6th Airlift Squadron | |
|---|---|
 6th Airlift Squadron C-17A Globemaster III landing at an airfield in Iraq[note 1] | |
| Active | 1939–1968; 1970–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Strategic Airlift |
| Part of | 305th Operations Group |
| Nickname(s) | Bully Beef Express |
| Engagements |  Southwest Pacific Theater Korean War Southwest Asia Service
|
| Decorations |  Distinguished Unit Citation (4x)  Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (14x)  Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation  Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm[1] |
| Insignia | |
| 6th Airlift Squadron emblem (approved 1 December 1952)[1] |  |
| 6th Troop Carrier Squadron emblem (approved 4 April 1942) |  |
Mission
editTrain and equip Boeing C-17 Globemaster III aircrews for global airland operations.
History
editWorld War II
editThe squadron was constituted in a major Army reorganization of October 1933. Still, it was not activated until 1939, shortly after World War II had begun in Europe and the Air Corps began to expand.[1] The squadron was allotted to the Fourth Corps Area and partly organized by July 1934 with reserve personnel at Shreveport, Louisiana, and assigned to the 2d Transport Group. On 5 June 1936, the unit was allotted to the Fifth Corps Area and again organized with reserve personnel at Columbus, Ohio by August 1937. All reserve personnel were withdrawn from the squadron in October 1939.[2]
The squadron was activated on 14 October 1939 at Olmsted Field, Pennsylvania, and assigned to the 10th Transport Group. Relieved from the 10th Transport Group on 1 December 1940 and assigned to the 60th Transport Group. Relieved from the 60th Transport Group on 19 May 1941 and assigned to the 61st Transport Group.[2]
The squadron made airlift history during World War II when, in October 1942, it moved to Port Moresby, New Guinea. Then flying Douglas C-47 Skytrains, the 6th became the first personnel transport squadron to fly in the Pacific. During this assignment, the squadron earned the nickname Bully Beef Express, as it carried tons of boiled beef to allied combat troops in Australia and New Guinea. The French called it "bouilli boeuf, " The term's Americanized version has continued to be the squadron's emblem.
The 6th performed aerial transportation in the Pacific Theater and Southwest Pacific Theater during World War II and in the Far East during the Korean War and after until 1968.
Strategic airlift
editIt has performed worldwide airlift operations since April 1970. The 6th conducted resupply missions in support of scientific stations in the Antarctic during Operation Deep Freeze from 1971 to 1974. It resupplied Israel during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. It evacuated Vietnamese refugees during the fall of Saigon in April through June 1975. It also supported U.S. forces in Grenada from October to December 1983, the invasion of Panama from December 1989 to January 1990, and the liberation of Kuwait from August 1990 to March 1991.
Lineage
edit- Constituted as the 6th Transport Squadron on 1 October 1933
- Organized with reserve personnel by July 1934 (remained inactive)[2]
- Activated on 14 October 1939
- Redesignated 6th Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 July 1942
- Redesignated 6th Troop Carrier Squadron, Heavy on 21 May 1948
- Redesignated 6th Military Airlift Squadron on 8 January 1966
- Discontinued and inactivated on 8 June 1968
- Activated on 8 April 1970
- Redesignated 6th Airlift Squadron on 1 November 1991[3]
Assignments
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Stations
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Aircraft
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References
editNotes
edit- Explanatory notes
- ^ Aircraft is Boeing C-17A Globemaster III Lot XV, serial 03-3126
- Citations
- ^ a b c d e Kane, Robert B. (17 March 2015). "Factsheet 6 Airlift Squadron (AMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f Clay, p. 1374
- ^ a b c Lineage information, including assignments and stations, in Kane, except as noted.
Bibliography
edit
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Clay, Steven E. (2011). US Army Order of Battle 1919–1941 (PDF). Vol. 3 The Services: Air Service, Engineers, and Special Troops 1919–1941. Fort Leavenworth, KS: Combat Studies Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-98419-014-0. LCCN 2010022326. OCLC 637712205. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2012.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- 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. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
External links
edit- Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (Official Web site)
- Air Mobility Command (Official Web site)