20th Airlift Squadron

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20th Airlift Squadron History and Lineage

The 20th Squadron was constituted as the 20th Air Corps Ferrying Squadron on 18 February 1942. Activated on 1 March 1942 at Houlton AAB, ME, and assigned to the Air Corps Ferrying Command. The unit was reassigned to the 23rd AAF Ferrying Wing (later, North Atlantic Wing, ATC), on 19 June 1942. The squadron was redesignated as the 20th Transport Squadron on 19 March 1943. Before the disbanding of the squadron on 1 September 1943, the 20th was tasked with ferrying aircraft to the United Kingdom along the North Atlantic route.

The squadron was reconstituted and redesignated as the 20th Air Transport Squadron, Medium, on 20 June 1952. It was reactivated at Westover AFB, MA, on 20 July 1952 and assigned to the 1600th Air Transport Group while flying the C-54. The mission of the squadron was to provide inter-theater and strategic airlift to Europe, North Africa, and Canada.

The squadron was redesignated as the 20th Air Transport Squadron, Heavy, on 18 April 1954. That same year, the squadron transitioned to the C-124. The 20th was reassigned to the 1607th Air Transport Group, on 15 May 1955 and moved to Dover AFB, DE.

Reassigned to the 1607th Air Transport Wing, on 18 January 1963, the squadron transitioned the following year to the C-141 Starlifter. Redesignated as the 20th Troop Carrier Squadron, Heavy, on 1 January 1965, the unit changed its designation again to the 20th Air Transport Squadron, Heavy, on 1 July 1965. Its mission changed as well to that of providing worldwide airlift, including support of operations in Southeast Asia, from 1965–1973.

Reassigned to the 436th Military Airlift Wing, on 8 January 1966, the squadron was redesignated as the 20th Military Airlift Squadron on 15 January 1966.

The next changes to the 20th would not take place until 1973, when the squadron was reassigned to the 437th Military Airlift Wing, on 1 August and moved to Charleston AFB, SC. The squadron provided support of the evacuation of South Vietnam, in April 1971.

The 20th took an active part in operations in Grenada from October–December 1983; Panama, 18–27 December 1989; and Southwest Asia, from August 1990–December 1991.

On 1 October 1991, the squadron was redesignated as the 20th Airlift Squadron and reassigned to the 437th Operations Group. As a result of this, the 20th AS relocated to Travis AFB, CA. The squadron was reassigned to the 60th Air Mobility Wing on 1 October 1993 and was inactivated on 31 December 1997. The inactivation of the 20th Airlift Squadron marked the end of the C-141 Starlifter era at Travis AFB.

Lineage: Constituted 20th Air Corps Ferrying Squadron on 18 Feb 1942. Activated on 1 Mar 1942. Redesignated 20th Transport Squadron on 19 Mar 1943. Disbanded on 1 Sep 1943. Reconstituted, and redesignated 20th Air Transport Squadron, Medium, on 20 Jun 1952. Activated on 20 Jul 1952. Redesignated: 20th Air Transport Squadron, Heavy, on 18 Apr 1954. 20th Troop Carrier Squadron, Heavy, on 1 Jan 1965; 20th Air Transport Squadron, Heavy, on 1 Jul 1965. Redesignated as the 20th Military Airlift Squadron on 15 January 1966. 1 October 1991, Redesignated as the 20th Airlift Squadron.

Assignments:  Air Corps Ferrying Command, 1 Mar 1942; 23d AAF Ferrying Wing (later, North Atlantic Wing, ATC), 19 Jun 1942–1 Sep 1943. 1600th Air Transport Group, 20 Jul 1952; 1607th Air Transport Group, 15 May 1955; 1607th Air Transport Wing, 18 Jan 1963; 436th Military Airlift Wing, 8 Jan 1966; 437th Military Airlift Wing, 1 Aug 1973; 437th Operations Group, 1 Oct 1991; 60th Operations Group, 1 Oct 1991.

Commanders:        (Help  me  to  complete  ----  send  names).          Lt Col Wesley Brashear, 1970-1971; Lt Col Lowell Barrett, 71-73; Lt Col Richard O. Robinson, 73-74; Lt Col Clyde Bennett 74-76; Lt Col Possey, 76-78; Lt Col Gordon Boozer, 82-84; Lt Col Robert Neal, 84-86; Lt Col Henry L. Hungerbeeler, 86-88; Lt Col Dean Huntington, 88-90; Lt Col Ward Beightol, 90-91; Lt Col Mark Gheri, 91-92;            N E E D   N A M E S           Col Floyd Badsky, Jun-Dec 1997.   

Stations:  Houlton AAB, ME, 1 Mar 1942–1 Sep 1943. Westover AFB, MA 20 Jul 1952; Dover AFB, DE 15 May 1955; Charleston AFB, SC, 1 Aug 1973; Travis AFB, CA, 1 Oct 1993.

Aircraft:  Unknown, 1942–1943. C–54, 1952–1954; C–124, 1954–1965; C–141, 1965-1993.

Operations:  Ferried aircraft to the United Kingdom along the North Atlantic route, 1942–1943. Inter-theater and strategic airlift to Europe, North Africa, and Canada, 1952–1965. Worldwide airlift, beginning 1965, including support of operations in Southeast Asia, 1965–1973; the evacuation of South Vietnam, Apr 1975; Grenada, Oct–Dec 1983; Panama, 18–27 Dec 1989; Southwest Asia, Aug 1990–Dec 1991.  

Honors:

Service Streamers: World War II American Theater.

Campaign Streamers: Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers: Panama, 1989–1990.

Decorations: Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 13 Nov–18 Dec 1967; 1 Jan 1968–31 Dec 1969: 1 Sep 1971–30 Jun 1972; 1 Jul 1982–30 Jun 1984; 1 Jul 1984– 30 Jun 1986; 1 Jul 1988–30 Jun 1989; 1 Jul 1989–30 Jun 1990; 21 Sep 1989–31 Oct 1989. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Apr 1966–28 Jan 1973. 

Emblem: On a disc Azure, a Roman numeral XX, Tenne, in fess, between a cloud formation, in chief, proper, and a point in base embattled or, edged of the last. MOTTO: FIRMITAS PER MOBILITATEM—Strength through Mobility. Approved on 5 Dec 1956 (156048 A.C.).