9th Airlift Squadron

9th Military Airlift Squadron  

9th Troop Carrier Squadron

9th Airlift Squadron History and Lineage

The 9th Airlift Squadron (AS) provides global reach with unique outsized and oversized airlift capability. The "Proud Pelicans" provide worldwide airlift to meet Department of Defense, Department of State and Presidential mobility requirements. The unit supports global engagement through direct delivery of time-critical theater deployment assets and ensures combat readiness of Air Mobility Command (AMC) active duty C-5 Galaxy airlift crews. The 9th AS mission capability includes clandestine delivery, extraction and airdrop of special operations forces and equipment.

The 9th conducted replacement training through 1943 and subsequently aerial transportation in the Pacific Theater during World War II. It has provided worldwide airlift since 1953. The 9th resupplied scientific camps in Antarctica from 1959 - 1961 and 1965 - 1968. It also flew missions to Southeast Asia from 1965–1968 and 1972 - 1973 and participated in the evacuation of refugees from Southeast Asia in April 1975. The squadron supported operations in Grenada, 24 October 1983 – 11 December 1983; Panama, 19 December 1989–14 January 1990; and Southwest Asia, August 1990–July 1991.

Lineage: Constituted 9th Transport Squadron on 1 Jan 1938. Activated on 1 Dec 1940. Redesignated 9th Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 Jul 1942. Inactivated on 15 Oct 1946. Redesignated 9th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium, on 10 May 1949. Activated in the Reserve on 27 Jun 1949. Ordered to active service on 1 May 1951. Inactivated on 9 May 1951. Redesignated 9th Troop Carrier Squadron, Heavy, on 19 Mar 1953. Activated on 20 Jun 1953. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 18 Jan 1963. Activated on 13 Nov 1964. Organized on 1 Jan 1965. Redesignated 9th Military Airlift Squadron on 8 Jan 1966. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 8 Sep 1968. Activated on 1 Apr 1971. Redesignated 9th Airlift Squadron on 1 Dec 1991.

Assignments: 63d Transport (later, 63d Troop Carrier) Group, 1 Dec 1940; Seventh Air Force, 3 Feb 1944; VI Air Service Area Command, 25 Jul 1945; Army Air Forces, Middle Pacific, 15 Dec 1945; Pacific Air Command, 1 Jan 1946; Far East Air Service Command, 9 Jan 1946; 54th Troop Carrier Wing, 15 Jan 1946; 374th Troop Carrier Group, c. Feb 1946; 54th Troop Carrier Wing, 15 May 1946; 403d Troop Carrier Group, 31 May-15 Oct 1946. 63d Troop Carrier Group, 27 Jun 1949-9 May 1951. 63d Troop Carrier Group, 20 Jun 1953-18 Jan 1963. Military Air Transport Service, 13 Nov 1964; 1607th Air Transport Wing, 1 Jan 1965; 436th Military Airlift Wing, 8 Jan 1966-8 Sep 1968. 436th Military Airlift Wing, 1 Apr 1971; 436th Operations Group, 1 Dec 1991.

Operations: Replacement training, 1943, and subsequently aerial transportation in Central, Western, and Southwestern Pacific, during World War II. Worldwide airlift beginning in 1953. Resupply of scientific camps in Antarctica, 1959-1961, and 1965-1968. Missions to Southeast Asia, 1965-1968, and 1972-1973. Evacuation of refugees from Southeast Asia, Apr 1975. Supported operations in Grenada, 24 Oct-11 Dec 1983; Panama, 19 Dec 1989-14 Jan 1990; and Southwest Asia, Aug 1990-Jul 1991.

Commanders: 1 Lt Herman E. Hurst, 1 Dec 1940; Capt Robert H. Monroe, 21 Aug 1941; 1 Lt James L. Evans, unkn; 1 Lt Thomas D. Hagood, 31 Jul 1942; Capt Jack M. Smith, unkn; Capt Robert I. Simkins, 1 Jan 1946; Capt Robert T. Best, unkn-15 Oct 1946. Unkn, 27 Jun 1949-9 May 1951. Lt Col Dewey R. Bridges, c. 1954-unkn; Maj Lawrence F. Uebel, 1955-c.1957; Lt Col Dewey R. Bridges, 1958; Lt Col Foy B. Frost, 1960; unkn, 1962-18 Jan 1963. Lt Col John G. Weir, 1 Jan 1965; Col Jack P. Ruff, 13 Aug 1965; Lt Col Vernon N. Luber, 14 Nov 1966; unkn, unkn-8 Sep 1968. Col Barr D. Younker, 1 Apr 1971; Col Richard G. Ohlheiser, 9 Jan 1973; Lt Col Richard E. Leal, 1 Mar 1975; Lt Col James E. Stone, 25 Feb 1977; Col John G. Stephen, 8 Jun 1977; Lt Col Frank J. VanCura, 20 Jul 1978; Lt Col Robin S. Purdie, 13 Oct 1980; Lt Col John D. Szostak Jr., 8 Oct 1981; Lt Col John A. Goyette, 17 Jun 1983; Lt Col John T. Loughran, 19 Jun 1985; Lt Col George W. Findlay, 3 Mar 1987; Lt Col Jon N. Torblaa, 7 Dec 1988; Lt Col Stephen M. Jones, 20 Jun 1990; Lt Col David S. Gray, 30 Jun 1991; Lt Col Gary L. Kirsteatter, 11 Jun 1992; Lt Col Marshall K. Sabol, 27 Jun 1994; Lt Col Robert Allardice, 12 Feb 1996; Lt Col James W. Farrar, 13 Jun 1997; Lt Col David W. Smith, 1 Sep 1998; Lt Col Christopher E. Coley, 18 Feb 2000; Lt Col Keith Tobin, Aug 2001; Lt Col Thomas J. Sharpey, 16 Jun 2003; Lt Col Thomas E. Murphy, unkn; Lt Col Darren V. James, 13 Nov 2006; Lt Col Kenneth T. Bibb, 18 Jun 2008; Lt Col Todd A. Garrett, 22 Oct 2009; Lt Col Craig M. Harmon, 26 May 2011-.

Stations: Paterson Field, OH, 1 Dec 1940; Brookley Field, AL, 18 Sep 1941; Camp Williams, WI, 24 May 1942; Dodd Field, TX, c. 18 Sep 1942; Stuttgart, AR, 11 Nov 1942; Victorville, CA, 18 Dec 1942; Ft Sumner AAFld, NM, 4 Mar 1943; Lawson Field, GA, 7 May 1943; Grenada AAFld, MS, c. 3 Jun 1943-17 Jan 1944; Hickam Field, TH, 21 Feb 1944; Abemama Island, 27 Mar 1944; Saipan, 4 Aug 1944; Guam, Jul-15 Oct 1946. Floyd Bennett NAS, NY, 27 Jun 1949-9 May 1951. Altus AFB, OK, 20 Jun 1953; Donaldson AFB, SC, 15 Oct 1953-18 Jan 1963. Dover AFB, DE, 1 Jan 1965-8 Sep 1968. Dover AFB, DE, 1 Apr 1971 -

Aircraft: C-34, 1940-1941; C-33, 1940-1941; C-39, 1940-1941; C-50, 1942; C-53, 1942-1943; C-47, 1942- 1946; C-46, 1945-1946; C-54, 1946. C-47, 1949-1951. C-124, 1953-1963. C-124, 1965-1966; C-141, 1966-1968. C-5, 1971 -.

Honors:

Service Streamers: World War II American Theater.

Campaign Streamers: World War II: Air Offensive, Japan; New Guinea; Eastern Mandates; Bismark Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Ryukyus.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers: None.

Decorations: Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 2 Mar-31 May 1955; 1 Jul 1957-10 Dec 1962; 18 Sep-15 Dec 1960; 9 Sep-13 Dec 1961; 13 Nov-18 Dec 1967; 1 Jan-8 Sep 1968; 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 Jun 1981-31 May 1982; 1 Jun 1982-31 May 1984. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Apr 1966-[8 Sep 1968]; [8 Apr 1971]-28 Jan 1973.

Emblem: On a Light Blue disc, bordered Black, a stylized White pelican, beak and feet Orange, holding a group of paratroopers in silhouette Black in the bowl of the beak. Approved on 10 Feb 1943 (K 2894).