776th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron
Military unit / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 776th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force squadron activated after 11 September 2001, being engaged in the Global War on Terrorism. Its current status is not publicly known.
776th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron | |
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Active | 1943–1945; 1953–1975 |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Air Force |
Role | Airlift |
Motto(s) | King of them All |
Engagements | Mediterranean Theater of Operations[1] |
Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm[1] |
Insignia | |
776th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron emblem[lower-alpha 1][1] |
The squadron was first active during World War II as the 776th Bombardment Squadron. The squadron flew Consolidated B-24 Liberators in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations for its actions. Following the war, the squadron helped transport troops back to the United States.
The squadron was reactivated in 1953 as the 776th Troop Carrier Squadron, when it replaced the 71st Troop Carrier Squadron, a reserve unit that had been called to active duty for the Korean War at Lawson Air Force Base, Georgia. It moved to Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, where it successively flew Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars and Fairchild C-123 Providers. It deployed to Vietnam as part of Project Mule Train, until transferring its deployed crews and planes to the 310th Troop Carrier Squadron in 1963. Upon its return to Pope, it converted to Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft. It moved to the Pacific and again provided airlift support in Southeast Asia until inactivating in October 1975.