| Unit Name: | 6th Airlift Squadron |
| Dates: | 1939–1968; 1970–present |
| Role: | Strategic Airlift |
| Command Structure: | 305th Operations Group |
| Nickname: | Bully Beef Express |
| Battles: | Southwest Pacific Theater Korean War Southwest Asia Service
|
| Decorations: | Distinguished Unit Citation (4x) Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (14x) Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm |
| Identification Symbol Label: | 6th Airlift Squadron emblem (approved 1 December 1952) |
| Identification Symbol 2 Label: | 6th Troop Carrier Squadron emblem (approved 4 April 1942) |
The 6th Airlift Squadron is part of the 305th Air Mobility Wing at the McGuire AFB section of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. It operates the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III supporting the United States Air Force global reach mission worldwide. The main base and the flying squadron are located near the borough of Wrightstown, New Jersey.
Train and equip Boeing C-17 Globemaster III aircrews for global airland operations.
The squadron was constituted in a major Army reorganization of October 1933. Still, it was not activated until 1939, shortly after World War II had begun in Europe and the Air Corps began to expand.[1] The squadron was allotted to the Fourth Corps Area and partly organized by July 1934 with reserve personnel at Shreveport, Louisiana, and assigned to the 2d Transport Group. On 5 June 1936, the unit was allotted to the Fifth Corps Area and again organized with reserve personnel at Columbus, Ohio by August 1937. All reserve personnel were withdrawn from the squadron in October 1939.[2]
The squadron was activated on 14 October 1939 at Olmsted Field, Pennsylvania, and assigned to the 10th Transport Group. Relieved from the 10th Transport Group on 1 December 1940 and assigned to the 60th Transport Group. Relieved from the 60th Transport Group on 19 May 1941 and assigned to the 61st Transport Group.[2]
The squadron made airlift history during World War II when, in October 1942, it moved to Port Moresby, New Guinea. Then flying Douglas C-47 Skytrains, the 6th became the first personnel transport squadron to fly in the Pacific. During this assignment, the squadron earned the nickname Bully Beef Express, as it carried tons of boiled beef to allied combat troops in Australia and New Guinea. The French called it "bouilli boeuf, " The term's Americanized version has continued to be the squadron's emblem.
The 6th performed aerial transportation in the Pacific Theater and Southwest Pacific Theater during World War II and in the Far East during the Korean War and after until 1968.
It has performed worldwide airlift operations since April 1970. The 6th conducted resupply missions in support of scientific stations in the Antarctic during Operation Deep Freeze from 1971 to 1974. It resupplied Israel during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. It evacuated Vietnamese refugees during the fall of Saigon in April through June 1975. It also supported U.S. forces in Grenada from October to December 1983, the invasion of Panama from December 1989 to January 1990, and the liberation of Kuwait from August 1990 to March 1991.
Organized with reserve personnel by July 1934 (remained inactive)[2]
Activated on 14 October 1939
Redesignated 6th Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 July 1942
Redesignated 6th Troop Carrier Squadron, Heavy on 21 May 1948
Redesignated 6th Military Airlift Squadron on 8 January 1966
Discontinued and inactivated on 8 June 1968
Redesignated 6th Airlift Squadron on 1 November 1991[3]