737th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron
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The 737th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command (ACC) to activate or inactivate as needed. It operates Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft in theater airlift missions as part of the Global War on Terrorism. Its current status and duty location is undetermined.
737th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron | |
---|---|
Active | 1943-1945; 1947-1949; 1952-1953; 2000s |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Air Force |
Role | Airlift |
Engagements | Mediterranean Theater of Operations iraq War Global War on Terror |
Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Meritorious Unit Award |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Lt. Col. Gary Dodge[citation needed] |
Insignia | |
737 Expeditionary Airlift Squadron emblem | |
Squadron morale patch[lower-alpha 1] |
The squadron was first activated as the 737th Bombardment Squadron in June 1943. After training in the United States with the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, it deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, participating in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. It earned two Distinguished Unit Citations for its combat operations. Following V-E Day, it returned to the United States for conversion as a very heavy bomber unit, but was inactivated instead.
The squadron was activated in the reserves in 1947, but was not fully manned or equipped before inactivating in 1949. In 1952 it was redesignated the 737th Troop Carrier Squadron and again activated in the reserve, but was inactivated the following year and its personnel and equipment transferred to another unit. It was converted to provisional status in 2002 and assigned to Air Mobility Command. It was reassigned to ACC in 2003.