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47th Airlift Flight
Learjet C-21 as flown by the 47th
Active	1942–1945; 1946–1949; 1953–1955; 1964–1973; 1993–2004
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Airlift
Part of	Air Force Materiel Command
Engagements	Mediterranean Theater of Operations European Theater of Operations
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
47th Airlift Flight emblem (approved 28 July 1970)
47th Troop Carrier Squadron emblem (approved 27 February 1943)
Squadron fuselage code with IX Troop Carrier Command	N3

The 47th Airlift Flight is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 375th Airlift Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, where it served as an operational support airlift flight, operating Learjet C-21s from 1997 until 2004.

The flight was first activated as the 47th Transport Squadron in June 1942. As the 47th Troop Carrier Squadron, it flew Douglas C-47 Skytrains in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations during World War II, earning Distinguished Unit Citations for carrying reinforcements to Sicily despite fire from ground and naval forces in July 1943, and for participation in Operation Overlord in June 1944. It converted to Curtiss C-46 Commandos, with which it took part in Operation Varsity. After V-E Day, the squadron returned to the United States, where it was inactivated.

The squadron was activated in Italy in 1946, but in 1947 was transferred to the United States on paper and began to train with Fairchild C-82 Packets. The following year, the 47th returned to Europe to participate in the Berlin Airlift with Douglas C-54 Skymasters. After the successful completion of the airlift, the squadron was again inactivated in 1949. The squadron was briefly active from 1953 to 1955 at Mitchel Air Force Base, New York and Sewart Air Force Base, Tennessee as a Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar unit.

The squadron was again active from 1964 to 1973, when it conducted airlift missions with Lockheed C-130 Hercules transports under Tactical Air Command, frequently deploying aircraft and crews to overseas locations.

History

World War II

The flight as activated at Daniel Field, Georgia in June 1942 as the 47th Transport Squadron, when the 313th Transport Group expanded from a headquarters and a single squadron, the 29th Troop Carrier Squadron, to a four squadron group. The squadron trained under Air Transport Command as a Douglas C-47 Skytrain squadron. A few weeks after the squadron's activation, the Army Air Forces gave the "transport" designation to its strategic airlift units, and the squadron became the 47th Troop Carrier Squadron under I Troop Carrier Command. The 47th trained in the southeastern United States until April 1943, when it deployed to North Africa.

Mediterranean operations

The squadron began flying combat missions from Oujda Airfield in French Morocco. It performed troop carrier and transport airlift of supplies to ground forces advancing through Algeria into Tunisia as part Twelfth Air Force. it also evacuated wounded from the battle area.

The 47th, along with the 29th and 48th Squadrons of the 313th Group, took part in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. Although blown far off course on the first airdrops on the island by strong winds, managed to drop their paratroops near Avola, where they were able to assist British forces in seizing that town. Two days later, 11 July 1943, the squadron was part of a formation of troop carrier units of the 52d Troop Carrier Wing bringing reinforcements, planning to drop paratroops near Gela. Planes of the 313th Group led the stream of troop carriers. However, attacks in the Gela area by enemy aircraft had sunk two ships and forced other ships in the invasion force to disperse. The heaviest enemy attack came at 2150 hours. Fifty minutes later, the first 313th Group aircraft approached the drop zone. The 47th was able to successfully make its drop on Farello Airfield. Mistaking the troop carriers for another enemy attack, ships of the assault force and antiaircraft units ashore began a heavy fire on squadron's C-47s as they departed. Of the 144 planes of the 52d Wing that participated in the mission, 23 were shot down and an additional 37 were heavily damaged. For its completion of this mission the squadron earned its first Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC).

In September, the squadron moved to Sicily to prepare for Operation Avalanche, the invasion of Italy. It dropped troopers of the 82d Airborne Division near Salerno on 13 September and brought reinforcements to the area in the following days. It then resumed theater airlift missions for the remainder of 1943.

European operations

In February 1944, the squadron moved to RAF Folkingham, England, where it became part of IX Troop Carrier Command and began training for the assault on the continent of Europe. On D-Day the squadron dropped paratroopers near Picauville, Normandy and dropped reinforcements the following day. The squadron's efforts during Operation Overlord earned it a second DUC.

On 17 September, the squadron participated in Operation Market Garden, the airborne assault on the Netherlands, when it dropped troopers near Arnhem and Nijmegen. In February 1945, the squadron moved to Achiet Airfield in France, where it began converting to Curtiss C-46 Commandos in preparation for Operation Varsity, the airborne assault across the Rhine. On 24 March 1945 it dropped elements of the 17th Airborne Division near Wesel.

The squadron continued to operate from Achiet during 1945, performing transportation of personnel and supplies within Europe. It evacuated wounded and former prisoners of war and brought gasoline, ammunition to forward areas. After V-E Day, it continued to transport medical equipment and other supplies. In September, the squadron's personnel returned to the United States and it was inactivated on arrival at the port of embarkation.

Berlin Airlift

The squadron was reactivated at Capodichino Airport near Naples, Italy where it served as part of the European Air Transport Service, returning to operating the C-47. In June 1947, the squadron was moved (less its personnel and equipment) back to the United States. In July, it moved to Bergstrom Field, Texas, where it was manned and began to train with Fairchild C-82 Packet aircraft and gliders.

In October 1948, the squadron left its Packets behind and moved to RAF Fassberg, Germany to reinforce United States Air Forces in Europe in the Berlin Airlift as winter approached and the demand for supplies increased. At Fassberg, the squadron was equipped with Douglas C-54 Skymasters, with which it flew food, medicine and coal into Berlin. Berlin Airlift operations continued until the end of September 1949, when with the Soviet blockade of Berlin ended, and faced with President Truman's smaller 1949 defense budget, the Air Force was required to reduce the number of its groups to 48. The 313th Group and its squadrons, including the 47th, were inactivated on 30 September 1949.

Tactical Air Command

The squadron was activated at Mitchel Air Force Base, New York on 1 April 1953, when it assumed the mission, personnel, and Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars of the 336th Troop Carrier Squadron, a reserve unit that had been called to active duty for the Korean War. That October, the 47th moved to Sewart Air Force Base, where it performed airlift missions under the control of Eighteenth Air Force until inactivating in June 1955.

In October 1964 the squadron was reactivated at Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas as a Lockheed C-130 Hercules squadron when Tactical Air Command replaced Strategic Air Command as the base operator and the squadron's parent 313th Troop Carrier Wing became the host wing. The squadron frequently deployed crews and aircraft to support the requirements of overseas commanders. With the forthcoming closure of Forbes in 1973, the squadron moved to Dyess Air Force Base, Texas in July 1973, where the 463d Tactical Airlift Wing was adding a third Hercules squadron. However, on 1 August, the squadron was inactivated and its personnel and equipment were transferred to the 774th Tactical Airlift Squadron, which moved to Dyess on paper from Mactan Air Base in the Philippines as the United States withdrew forces from Southeast Asia.

Operational support airlift

The squadron was redesignated the 47th Airlift Flight and activated on 31 May 1993 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. It transported personnel, primarily for the Aeronautical Systems Center and Air Force Materiel Command, using Learjet C-21s. In April 1997, Air Mobility Command assumed control of operational support airlift within the United States and the squadron became part of the 375th Airlift Wing, while retaining the same mission. The squadron was awarded three Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards for performing this mission. It was inactivated on 30 September 2004, and its mission, personnel and aircraft were transferred to the 54th Airlift Squadron, which moved without personnel or equipment from Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama to Wright-Patterson.

Lineage

• Constituted as the 47th Transport Squadron on 30 May 1942

Activated on 15 June 1942

Redesignated 47th Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 July 1942

Inactivated on 22 September 1945

• Activated on 30 September 1946

Redesignated 47th Troop Carrier Squadron, Heavy on 30 July 1948

Redesignated 47th Troop Carrier Squadron, Special on 1 February 1949

Inactivated on 18 September 1949

• Redesignated 47th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 26 November 1952

Activated on 1 February 1953

Inactivated on 8 June 1955

• Activated on 15 June 1964 (not organized)

Organized on 1 October 1964

Redesignated 47th Troop Carrier Squadron on 1 March 1966

Redesignated 47th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 May 1967

Inactivated on 1 August 1973

• Redesignated 47 Airlift Flight on 1 May 1993

Activated on 31 May 1993

Inactivated on 30 September 2004

Assignments

• 313th Transport Group (later 313th Troop Carrier Group), 15 June 1942 – 22 September 1945
• 313th Troop Carrier Group, 30 September 1946 – 18 September 1949
• 313th Troop Carrier Group, 1 February 1953 – 8 June 1955
• Tactical Air Command, 15 June 1964 (not organized)
• 313th Troop Carrier Wing (later 313th Tactical Airlift Wing), 1 October 1964
• 463d Tactical Airlift Wing, 6 July – 1 August 1973
• 645th Logistics and Operations Group, 31 May 1993
• 88th Air Base Wing, 1 October 1994
• 88th Operations Support Squadron, 1 July 1995
• 457th Airlift Squadron, 1 April 1997 – 30 September 2004

Stations

• Daniel Field, Georgia, 15 June 1942
• Bowman Field, Kentucky, 21 June 1942
• Florence Army Air Field, South Carolina, 4 August 1942
• Laurinburg-Maxton Army Air Base, North Carolina, 13 December 1942 – 25 April 1943
• Oujda Airfield, French Morocco, 11 May 1943
• Kairouan Airfield, Tunisia, 16 June 1943
• Sciacca Airport, Sicily, Italy, 4 September 1943
• Trapani-Milo Airport Sicily, Italy, 3 October 1943 – 15 February 1944
• RAF Folkingham (AAF-484), England, 24 February 1944
• Achiet Airfield (B-40), France, 28 March – 5 August 1945
• Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts, 21–22 September 1945
• Capodichino Airport, Italy, 30 September 1946
• Pisa Airfield, Italy, 5 March 1947
• Tulln Air Base, Austria, 5 May – 25 June 1947
• Langley Field, Virginia, 25 June 1947
• Bergstrom Field (later Bergstrom Air Force Base), Texas, 15 July 1947 – 22 October 1948
• RAF Fassberg, Germany, 9 November 1948 – 18 September 1949
• Mitchel Air Force Base, New York, 1 February 1953
• Sewart Air Force Base, Tennessee, 2 October 1953 – 8 June 1955
• Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas, 1 October 1964
• Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, 6 July – 1 August 1973
• Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, 31 May 1993 – 30 September 2004

Aircraft

• Douglas C-47 Skytrain, 1942–1945, 1946–1948
• Curtiss C-46 Commando, 1945; 1953
• Fairchild C-82 Packet, 1947–1948
• Douglas C-54 Skymaster 1948–1949
• Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar, 1953–1955
• Lockheed C-130 Hercules, 1964–1973
• Learjet C-21, 1997–2004

See also

• List of United States Air Force airlift squadrons
• List of Douglas C-47 Skytrain operators
• List of C-130 Hercules operators
• List of North African airfields during World War II
• Advanced Landing Ground

References

Notes

Explanatory notes

1. Aircraft is Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando serial 44-77541 at Achiet Airfield in April 1945. Shortly after this picture was taken the plane was damaged and written off.

Citations

1. ^ Haulman, Daniel L. (18 December 2007). "Factsheet 47 Airlift Flight (AFMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
2. ^ "Air Force Personnel Services: Unit Awards". Air Force Personnel Center. Retrieved 14 January 2018. (search)
3. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 207-208
4. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 147, 207–208, 210, 214
5. ^ Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 188–190
6. Warren , p. 35
7. Garland & Smyth, pp. 177–181
8. Warren , p. 39
9. Knaack, p. 25
10. Robertson, Patsy (26 November 2012). "Factsheet 336 Air Refueling Squadron (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
11. Ravenstein, pp. 160-161
12. Ravenstein, p. 257
13. ^ Research Division, Air Force Historical Research Agency, Maxell AFB, AL, Air Force Organization Change Status Report, September 2004.
14. ^ Lineage, including assignments and stations, through January 1997 in Haulman.
15. Station number in Anderson.
16. Station number in Johnson.

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL yes: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
• Garland, Lt Col Albert N.; Smyth, Howard McGaw (1993) . Sicily and the Surrender of Italy (PDF). United States Army in World War II: The Mediterranean Theater of Operations (50th Anniversary Commemorative ed.). Washington DC: Center of Military History. ISBN 978-1508422389. LCCN 64-60002. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
• Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2017.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
• Knaack, Marcelle Size (1978). Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems (PDF). Vol. 2, Post-World War II Bombers 1945-1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-59-5. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) . Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) . Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Warren, John C. (September 1955). "Airborne Missions in the Mediterranean, 1942-1945, USAF Historical Study No. 74" (PDF). Research Studies Institute, USAF Historical Division, Air University. Retrieved 15 January 2018.

v t e Air Mobility Command (AMC)
Numbered Air Forces	Eighteenth (Transportation)
Command Organizations	618th Air and Space Operations Center (Tanker Airlift Control Center) USAF Expeditionary Center Special Air Mission
Bases	Andrews Charleston Dover Dyess Fairchild Hickam Little Rock MacDill McChord McConnell McGuire Pope Ramstein Scott Travis
Group	43d Air Mobility Operations 317th Airlift Group
Wings	Air Base 87th 628th Air Mobility 60th 305th 375th Air Refueling (Tanker) 6th 22d 92d Airlift 19th 62d 89th 436th 437th Air Mobility Operations 515th 521st Contingency Response 621st

v t e Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC)
Air bases	Arnold Edwards Eglin Hanscom Hill Robins Tinker Wright-Patterson (Headquarters)
Centers	Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center Air Force Civil Engineer Center Air Force Security Forces Center Air Force Life Cycle Management Center 66th Air Base Group 88th Air Base Wing Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center Air Force Research Laboratory 711th Human Performance Wing Air Force Sustainment Center 72nd Air Base Wing 75th Air Base Wing 78th Air Base Wing 448th Supply Chain Management Wing 635th Supply Chain Operations Wing Ogden Air Logistics Complex Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex Air Force Test Center 96th Test Wing 412th Test Wing Arnold Engineering Development Complex
Other	National Museum of the United States Air Force

v t e Tactical Air Command (TAC)
Air Forces	First Ninth Twelfth Eighteenth Nineteenth
Air Divisions	20th (ADTAC) 21st (ADTAC) 23d (ADTAC) 24th (ADTAC) 25th (ADTAC) 26th (ADTAC) 28th (ADTAC) 831st 832d 833d 834th 835th 836th 837th 838th 839th 840th
Named units	Air Forces Panama Air Forces Iceland Air Defense, Tactical Air Command
Wings	TFW 1st 4th 12th 15th 20th 23d 27th 32d 33d 37th 50th 56th 312th 323d 347th 354th 355th Other 1st SOW 57th FWW 63d TAW 64th TAW 67th TRW 75th TRW 85th TFTW 317th TAW 363d TRW 405th TFTW 461st TBW 4505th ARW
Former bases	Active (MAJCOM) Altus (AETC) Brooks (AFMC) Cannon (AFSOC) Charleston (AMC) Creech (ACC) Davis–Monthan (ACC) Dover (AMC) Dyess (ACC) Eglin (AFMC) Hill (AMFC) Holloman (ACC) Hurlburt Field (AFSOC) Langley (ACC) Little Rock (AETC) Luke (AETC) MacDill (AMC) McChord (AMC) McConnell (AMC) Moody (ACC) Mountain Home (ACC) Nellis (ACC) Pope (AMC) Seymour Johnson (ACC) Shaw (ACC) Tonopah (ACC) Tyndall (AETC) Whiteman (ACC) Inactive Bergstrom Blythville Donaldson England Forbes George Howard Grenier Myrtle Beach Orlando Sewart Turner Williams Inactive, but with a military presence Bunker Hill Biggs Dow Godman Homestead Lockbourne March Otis
Aircraft	A-1 A-7 A-10 A-37 AC-47 AC-119 AC-130 B-26 B-57 B-66 C-7 C-47 C-82 C-119 C-123 C-130 E-3 E-8 EF-111 EC-135 F-4 F-5 F-15 F-16 F-47 F-51 F-80 F-82 F-84 F-86 F-89 F-100 F-101 F-102 F-104 F-105 F-106 F-111 F-117 H-1 H-5 H-6 H-19 H-43 H-60 H-53 KB-29 KB-50 KC-97 O-1 O-2 OH-23 OV-10 P-40 P-38 R-4 S-62 T-6 T-28 T-29 T-33 T-38

v t e United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA)
Air Forces	Third (Europe)
Bases	Aviano Air Base Incirlik Air Base RAF Lakenheath RAF Mildenhall Ramstein Air Base Spangdahlem Air Base
Support facilities	Ämari Air Base Büchel Air Base Camp Lemonnier Câmpia Turzii Air Base Chabelley Airport Chièvres Air Base Ghedi Air Base Izmir Air Station Kleine Brogel Air Base Lajes Field Łask Air Base Morón Air Base RAF Akrotiri RAF Alconbury RAF Fairford RAF Menwith Hill RAF Molesworth RAF Welford Stuttgart Airport Volkel Air Base
Major units	31st Fighter Wing 39th Air Base Wing 48th Fighter Wing 52nd Fighter Wing 86th Airlift Wing 100th Air Refueling Wing 406th Air Expeditionary Wing 435th Air Ground Operations Wing 501st Combat Support Wing

v t e USAAF Twelfth Air Force in World War II
Stations Morocco Berguent Casablanca Guercif Louis Gentil Marnia Médiouna Nouasser Port Lyautey Oujda Rabat Sale Ras el Ma Algeria Ain M'lila Berteaux Biskra Canrobert Chateau-dun-du-Rhumel Constantine Es Sénia (Oran) Maison Blanche (Algiers) Matemore Montesquieu Nouvion Orleansville Philippeville Relizane Rerhaia Saint-Donat Saint-Leu Sedrata Sainte-Barbe du Tlélat Tafaraoui (Oran) Tébessa Telergma Thiersville Youks-les-Bains Tunisia Bizerte Dar el Koudia Depienne Djedeida Djilma Ebba Ksour El Djem El Bathan Enfidaville Goubrine Grombalia Hergla Kairouan Korba La Marsa La Sebala Le Sers Massicault Mateur Menzel Temime Monastir Oudna Pont du Fahs Protville Sainte Marie du Zit Souk-el-Arba Souk-el-Khemis Soliman Sousse Thelepte Italy Agrigento (Sicily) Bagnoli Barcelona LG (Sicily) Bari Boccadifalco (Sicily) Borizzo (Sicily) Capodichino (Naples) Castel Volturno Castelvetrano (Sicily) Cassibile (Sicily) Cattolica Catania (Sicily) Cercola Comiso (Sicily) Ciampino (Rome) Cesenatico Decimomannu (Sardinia) Elmas (Sardinia) Falconara Fano Florence Foggia Follonica Gaudo Gerbini (Sicily) Gioia Grosseto Grottaglie Iesi Le Banca Lecce Licata (Sicily) Manduria Marcianise Malignano Mazzara (Sicily) Milazzo (Sicily) Messina (Sicily) Montalto Di Castro Nettuno Montecorvino Ombrene Orbetello Paestum Pisa Pantelleria Pignataro Maggiore Piombino Pomigliano Ponte Galeria Pontedera Pompeii Ponte Olivo (Sicily) Reggio Calabria Rocca Bernardo Rosia San Pancrazio Santa Maria Scordia (Sicily) Sele Serretella Tarquinia Termini (Sicily) Tortorella Torrente Comunelli Tre Cancello Voltone Vesuvius France Aghione (Corsica) Amberieu (Y-5) Amiens (B-48) Clastres (A-71) Dijon (Y-9) Dôle-Tavaux (Y-7) Ghisonaccia (Corsica) Gisonochia (Corsica) Istres (Y-17) La Vallon (Y-18) Le Luc Luneville (Y-2) Loyettes (Y-25) Poretta (Corsica) Saint-Dizier (A-64) Salon de Provence (Y-16) Serragia (Corsica) Solonzara (Corsica) Tantonville (Y-1) Toul-Ochey (A-96)
Units Commands XII Bomber XII Tactical Air XXII Tactical Air XII Troop Carrier (Provisional) Wings 5th Bombardment 42d Bombardment 47th Bombardment (7th Fighter) 51st Troop Carrier 52d Troop Carrier 57th Bombardment 62d Fighter 63d Fighter 64th Fighter 87th Fighter 90th Photographic Groups Bombardment 2d Bombardment 12th Bombardment 17th Bombardment 47th Bombardment 97th Bombardment 98th Bombardment 99th Bombardment 301st Bombardment 310th Bombardment 319th Bombardment 320th Bombardment 321st Bombardment 340th Bombardment 376th Bombardment Fighter 1st Fighter 14th Fighter 27th Fighter 31st Fighter 33d Fighter 52d Fighter 57th Fighter 79th Fighter 81st Fighter 82d Fighter 86th Fighter 324th Fighter 325th Fighter 332d Fighter 350th Fighter Reconnaissance 3d Reconnaissance 5th Reconnaissance 68th Reconnaissance Troop carrier 60th Troop Carrier 61st Troop Carrier 62d Troop Carrier 64th Troop Carrier 313th Troop Carrier 314th Troop Carrier 316th Troop Carrier Squadrons 15th Bombardment 414th Night Fighter 415th Night Fighter 416th Night Fighter 417th Night Fighter 427th Night Fighter
United States Army Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Fourteenth Fifteenth Twentieth

• Airlift units and formations of the United States Air Force
• Military units and formations established in 1993