326th Airlift Squadron

326th Airlift Squadron History and Lineage  

Constituted 1 Combat Cargo Squadron on 11 Apr 1944. Activated on 15 Apr 1944. Redesignated 326 Troop Carrier Squadron on 29 Sep 1945. Inactivated on 26 Dec 1945. Activated in the Reserve on 15 Jul 1947. Redesignated 326 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 2 Sep 1949. Ordered to active service on 15 Mar 1951. Inactivated on 1 Apr 1951. Activated in the Reserve on 14 Jun 1952. Ordered to active service on 28 Oct 1962. Relieved from active duty on 28 Nov 1962. Redesignated: 326 Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 Jul 1967; 326 Military Airlift Squadron (Associate) on 25 Sep 1968; 326 Airlift Squadron (Associate) on 1 Feb 1992; 326 Airlift Squadron on 1 Oct 1994.

Assignments: 1 Combat Cargo Group, 15 Apr 1944; Fourteenth Air Force, 16 Jun-26 Dec 1945 (attached to 69 Composite Wing, 16 Aug-10 Nov 1945). 435 Troop Carrier Group, 15 Jul 1947; 512 Troop Carrier Group, 2 Sep 1949-1 Apr 1951. 512 Troop Carrier Group, 14 Jun 1952; 512 Troop Carrier Wing, 14 Apr 1959; 912 Troop Carrier (later, 912 Tactical Airlift; 912 Military Airlift) Group, 11 Feb 1963; 512 Military Airlift (later, 512 Airlift) Wing, 1 Jul 1973; 512 Operations Group, 1 Aug 1992-.

Stations: Bowman Field, KY, 15 Apr-1 Aug 1944; Sylhet, India, 21 Aug 1944 (detachment operated from Yunnan, China, 15 Sep-2 Oct 1944, and Hathazari, India, 19 Oct-c. Dec 1944); Tulihal, India, 29 Nov 1944; Tsuyung, China, 12 Dec 1944; Hsing Ching, China, 29 Jan 1945 (detachment operated from Liangshan, 11 Mar-9 Jul 1945); Cheng Kung, China, 16 Aug 1945; Piardoba, India, 15 Nov-26 Dec 1945. Morrison Field, FL, 15 Jul 1947; Reading Muni Aprt, PA, 2 Sep 1949; New Castle County Aprt, DE, 1 May 1950-1 Apr 1951. New Castle County Aprt, DE, 14 Jun 1952; Willow Grove NAS (later, US NAS Willow Grove), PA, 20 Jul 1958; Dover AFB, DE, 25 Sep 1968-. 

Operations: Trained for overseas troop carrier operations, Apr-Aug 1944. Moved to Asia, and transported troops and supplies to forward areas in China and India, Sep 1944-Sep 1945. Trained in the Reserve for troop carrier operations, 1947-1951. Resumed training in the Reserve for airlift missions, 1952. Beginning in 1992, took part in various contingency and humanitarian airlift operations worldwide; flew global and training missions; provided presidential support. Supported Operations Allied Force and Southern Watch, 1998-1999; Global War on Terrorism after 11 Sep 2001. 

Commanders: Unkn, 15-26 Apr 1944; Maj Frank S. Aitken, 27 Apr 1944; Capt Wilson Gillis, c. Dec 1944; Maj Timothy R. Johnson, 27 Jan 1945; Maj Joseph G. Manyo, 21 Jul 1945; Lt Col William F. Duncan, 19 Aug 1945; Maj John W. Chapman, 29 Aug 1945; Capt John R. Boyle, c. Nov-c. 26 Dec 1945. Unkn, 15 Jul 1947-Oct 1948; Capt George P. Lescanec, c. Oct 1948; Lt Col Ignatius Sargent, 4 Oct 1949; unkn, c. Jan 1951-1 Apr 1951. Unkn, 14 Jun 1952-c. Mar 1959; Lt Col Alfred J. Wood, c. Apr 1959-unkn; Lt Col James R. Morrow, c. Dec 1962; unkn, Dec 1966-Sep 1968; Lt Col Arthur J. Kiefer Jr. 25 Sep 1968; Lt Col Theodore J. Killian, c. Apr 1973; Lt Col Edward R. Graves, c. Jul 1973; Lt Col William J. Cox, 17 Jun 1974; Col Robert E. Kosikowski, 23 Jul 1976; Col Robert A. Fean, 1 Jun 1979; Lt Col David M. H. Sibbald, 23 May 1982; Col Leland H. Hoffer, 18 Nov 1985; Lt Col John M. Danahy, 24 Oct 1987; Lt Col Patrick J. Gallagher, 1 Aug 1991; Lt Col Jeffrey M. Bricker, 4 Nov 1992; Lt Col Richard W. Johnstone, 1 May 1993; Lt Col James E. Randby, 1 May 1996; Lt Col Edward M. Poling, 15 Jan 1998-unkn; Lt Col David Arthur, c. Mar 2007-unkn; Lt Col Robert P. Graham, 3 Mar 2012-

Aircraft. C-47, 1944-1945. Unkn, 1947-1949; C-46, 1949-1951; AT-7, 1949-1951; AT-11, 1949-1951. C-46, 1952-1957; C-119, 1957-1968; C-141, 1968-1973; C-5, 1973-2007; C-17, 2007-

Honors:

Service Streamers: None.

Campaign Streamers: World War II: India-Burma; China Defensive; China Offensive.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers: Panama, 1989-1990.

Decorations: 

Distinguished Unit Citation: French Indochina, China, and Manchuria, 1-30 Sep 1945. 

Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Sep 1971-30 Jun 1972; 13 Oct-14 Nov 1973; 1 Jan 1974-30 Apr 1975; 1 May 1975-31 May 1976; 1 Jun 1976-31 May 1978; 1 Jun 1978-31 May 1979; 1 Jan 1988-30 Jun 1989; 1 Jul 1993-30 Jun 1995; 1 Sep 1996-31 Aug 1998. 

Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Crosses with Palm: 14 Feb-11 Mar 1968; 25 Sep 1968-28 Jan 1973

Emblem:

Description - On a disc Celeste, a propeller aircraft descending bendwise pendent with two sets of saddlebags Vert, garnished Khaki, highlighted Argent, mounted by a rabbit caricature Brown, detailed White, grasping in its dexter paw a riding crop Proper, all within a narrow border Black. Attached below the disc, a White scroll edged with a narrow Black border and inscribed "326TH AIRLIFT SQ” in Black letters.

Symbolism - Ultramarine blue and Air Force yellow are the Air Force colors. Blue alludes to the sky, the primary theater of Air Force operations. Yellow refers to the sun and the excellence required of Air Force personnel. The aircraft equipped with saddlebags signifies the Squadron’s transportation of cargo and supplies and its airlift functions. The rabbit denotes the speed with which the unit performs its mission.