| Unit Name: | 332d Airlift Flight |
| Dates: | 1944–1947; 1948–1949; 1955–1958; 1993–2004 |
| Role: | Airlift |
| Battles: | China-Burma-India Theater |
| Decorations: | Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
| Identification Symbol Label: | 332d Airlift Flight emblem (approved 26 March 1957)[1] |
The 332d Airlift Flight is an inactive United States Air Force unit. it was first organized in India in 1944 as the 11th Combat Cargo Squadron. As the 332d Troop Carrier Squadron it remained in China through 1947. The squadron was activated again for the Berlin Airlift from 1948 to 1949.
The squadron was active again from 1955 to 1958 as an assault airlift unit, operating the Fairchild C-123 Provider. Its last period of active service was from 1993 to 2004 providing operational support airlift with C-21 Learjets.
The squadron was first activated in India in June 1944 as the 11th Combat Cargo Squadron, one of the original squadrons of the 3d Combat Cargo Group. The squadron equipped with Douglas C-47 Skytrains and was attached to the 443d Troop Carrier Group shortly after the squadron was organized. The squadron provided airlift support for the Allies in their efforts to control northern Burma, then in their drive southward.[1] [2]
In May 1945, the squadron moved its operations from India to China. It was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation following V-J Day for its actions in China, Mongolia and Vietnam in September 1945. From October through December 1945, it airlifted Chinese troops to eastern China for the disarmament of Japanese troops locate there.[1] [2]
Beginning in January 1946, the squadron provided transportation for General George C. Marshall, who was attempting to resolve the civil war between the Nationalist and Communist forces seeking to control China. These efforts proved unsuccessful and were terminated in early 1947 and the squadron was inactivated in April of that year.[1]
The squadron was activated a second time as the Air Force replaced its provisional 1422d Air Transport Group in November 1948 with the 513d Troop Carrier Group to operate its Douglas C-54 Skymasters flying from Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany to support the Berlin Airlift.[3] The squadron flew food and supplies to West Berlin. The Soviets ended their blockade of Berlin in May 1949, but airlift operations continued through September in order to create a stockpile should the Soviets resume the blockade.[4] With the end of the airlift, air transport forces in Germany were drawn down and the squadron was inactivated in October of that year.[1] [2]
The squadron was activated again at Sewart Air Force Base, Tennessee as an assault airlift unit. Although initially equipped with Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars, it soon transitioned to the Fairchild C-123 Provider. The squadron participated in numerous exercises to maintain proficiency in assault airlift operations. In October 1957, Tactical Air Command converted its tactical units to the dual deputy organization and the squadron was reassigned from the 513th Group to the 513th Troop Carrier Wing. The squadron was inactivated in 1958 as Sewart became a Lockheed C-130 Hercules base.[1] [5] [6]
The squadron was redesignated the 322d Airlift Flight and activated with C-21 Learjets at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas in April 1993. It was initially assigned to the 12th Operations Group at Randolph, but in 1997, operational support flights were transferred to Air Mobility Command (AMC) and the flight came under the 458th Airlift Squadron, located at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. The squadron provided airlift support, primarily to senior members of Air Education and Training Command. Most of the flight's pilots were new pilots, who were also able to gain experience on an aircraft whose operating costs were lower than tactical airplanes.[7]
The squadron's mission included aeromedical evacuation. The use of the small C-21, rather than larger Douglas HC-9 Nightingales resulted in savings when missions called for transportation of single patients or small medical teams. The flight kept a plane on alert on a rotating basis with its parent 458th Squadron.[8] The squadron was inactivated in September 2004, when AMC consolidated the operations of its eight operational airlift flights into four squadrons.[7]
Activated on 5 June 1944
Redesignated 332d Troop Carrier Squadron on 29 September 1945
Inactivated on 10 April 1947
Activated on 19 November 1948
Inactivated on 16 October 1949
Activated on 8 November 1955
Redesignated 332d Troop Carrier Squadron, Assault on 1 July 1958
Inactivated on 1 December 1958[9]
Activated 15 April 1993
Inactivated on 15 September 2004