301st Airlift Squadron

301st Airlift Squadron History and Lineage  

Constituted as 301 Troop Carrier Squadron on 25 May 1943. Activated on 1 Aug 1943. Inactivated on 27 May 1946. Redesignated as 301 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 10 May 1949. Activated in the Reserve on 27 Jun 1949. Ordered to active service on 10 Mar 1951. Inactivated on 14 Mar 1951. Redesignated as 301 Military Airlift Squadron (Associate) on 18 Mar 1969. Activated on 25 Jul 1969. Redesignated as: 301 Airlift Squadron (Associate), on 1 Feb 1992; 301 Airlift Squadron on 1 Oct 1994.

Assignments: 441 Troop Carrier Group, 1 Aug 1943 (attached to 442 Troop Carrier Group, 18 May-16 Jul 1945); 442 Troop Carrier Group, 16 Jul 1945; 302 Transport Wing, 8 Aug 1945; 441 Troop Carrier Group, 8 Aug 1945 (attached to 473 Air Service Group, 18 Sep 1945-15 Feb 1946); Continental Air Forces (later, Strategic Air Command), 15 Feb 1946; Bolling Field (command), DC, 21 Mar-27 May 1946. 441 Troop Carrier Group, 27 Jun 1949-14 Mar 1951. 938 Military Airlift Group, 25 Jul 1969; 349 Military Airlift (later, 349 Airlift) Wing, 1 Jul 1973; 349 Operations Group, 1 Aug 1992-.

Stations: Sedalia AAFld, MO, 1 Aug 1943; Camp Mackall, NC, 18 Jan 1944; Baer Field, IN, 22-29 Feb 1944; Langar, England, 17 Mar 1944; Merryfield, England, 25 Apr 1944 (operated from Ramsbury, England, 7-24 Aug 1944); Villeneuve/Vetrus, France, 8 Sep 1944; St Marceau, France, 1 Oct 1944; Dreux, France, 3 Nov 1944; St-Andre-de-l'Eure, France, 20 May 1945; Halle, Germany, 28 Jun 1945; Tempelhof Airdrome (later, Templehof US Air Force Station), Germany, 4 Jul 1945-15 Feb 1946; Bolling Field, DC, 15 Feb-27 May 1946. Chicago-Orchard (later, O'Hare International) Aprt, IL, 27 Jun 1949-14 Mar 1951. Travis AFB, CA, 25 Jul 1969-.

Commanders: Maj Ernest W. Pate, 1 Aug 1943; Lt Col Lloyd G. Neblett, 15 Apr 1944; Capt Robert G. Dean, 13 Apr 1945; Capt LeRoy King, c. Dec 1945-15 Feb 1946; not manned, 15 Feb-27 May 1946. Lt Col Robert L. Behling, 27 Jun 1949-c. 14 Mar 1951. Lt Col Donald R. Rutledge, 25 Jul 1969; Lt Col William J. Hopkins, by Jun 1970; Lt Col Irving G. Williams, by Sep 1970; Lt Col Edward C. Black Jr., by Jun 1971; Lt Col Alfred H. Bekebrede Jr., 1 Sep 1972; Lt Col Neal T. McCloskey, 10 Aug 1975; Col William O. White Jr., 15 Jan 1978; Lt Col Lee R. Janover, 25 Jul 1980; Lt Col James A. Gault, by Jun 1982; Lt Col Richard W. Shriber, by Jan 1985; Lt Col Robert E. Whitehouse, 23 Mar 1986; Col Lee H. Gidney, 9 Dec 1989; Lt Col Jerry D. Willoughby, 17 Nov 1991; Lt Col Conrad D. Waggener, 1 Jul 1993; Lt Col Wayne E. Morotz, 12 Jun 1994; Lt Col James M. Eitel, 19 Oct 1996; Lt Col Peter C. Marcuzzo, 26 Jul 1998; Lt Col Kerry Keithcart, 15 Jun 2001; Lt Col Dale Andrews, 6 Nov 2003; Lt Col Stephen R. Rickert, 23 Jul 2006-.

Aircraft: L-3 and C-53, 1943-1944; C-47, 1943-1946; CG-4 (glider), 1944-1945. T-6, T-7, T-11, and C-46, 1949-1951. C-141, 1969-1973; C-5, 1973-2006; C-17, 2006-.

Operations: Dropped paratroopers in preparation for Normandy invasion, 6 Jun 1944. Transported cargo and mail in France and England, and evacuated wounded troops from the continent. Took part in airborne attacks in Netherlands in Sep 1944. Dropped supplies to 101 Airborne Division surrounded at Bastogne, Belgium, during the "Battle of the Bulge". Participated in airborne crossings of Rhine River into Germany, 24 Mar 1945. First American air unit to occupy Tempelhof Airdrome in Berlin, 1945. Since 1969, trained in the Reserve to fly global strategic airlift missions, performing routine channel flights, contingency and humanitarian relief operations, and joint training exercises. Supported Operations Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle after the 11 Sep 2001 terrorist attack on the U. S.

Service Streamers: None.

Campaign Streamers: World War II: Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers: Panama, 1989-1990.

Decorations: 

Distinguished Unit Citation: France, 6-7 Jun 1944. 

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device: 1 Aug 2002-15 Aug 2003. 

Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1974-30 Jun 1975; 1 Jul 1975-30 Jun 1977; 1 Jul 1992-30 Jun 1994; 1 Jul 1994-15 Aug 1995; 1 Jul 1996-30 Jun 1998; 1 Aug 2000-31 Jul 2002; 16 Aug 2003-17 Aug 2004; 18 Aug 2004-17 Aug 2005; 18 Aug 2005-17 Aug 2006; 18 Aug 2006-17 Aug 2007; 18 Aug 2007-17 Aug 2008; 18 Aug 2008-17 Aug 2009. 

Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 25 Jul 1969-28 Jan 1973.