The 77th Air Refueling Squadron is a
United States Air Force Reserve squadron, assigned to the
916th Operations Group, stationed at
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina.
The unit was first activated during as a
Douglas C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota ( RAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II. During the war the C-47 was used for tro ...
transport unit that saw combat with the
435th Troop Carrier Group in Western Europe. The
squadron flew
paratrooper
A paratrooper or military parachutist is a soldier trained to conduct military operations by parachuting directly into an area of operations, usually as part of a large airborne forces unit. Traditionally paratroopers fight only as light infa ...
s on airborne assaults on Normandy (
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allies of World War II, Allied operation that launched the successful liberation of German-occupied Western Front (World War II), Western Europe during World War II. The ope ...
); Southern France (
Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon (initially Operation Anvil), known as Débarquement de Provence in French ("Provence Landing"), was the code name for the landing operation of the Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of Provence (Southern France) on 15Augu ...
); the Netherlands (
Operation Market Garden), and Germany (
Operation Varsity). It also flew combat resupply missions in the relief of Bastogne in 1945. The 77th was awarded a
Distinguished Unit Citation for its actions during the Normandy invasion.
The squadron was activated in the reserve in 1947. It was called to active duty in March 1951 for the
Korean War
The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
, serving at its home station,
Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically as Wilcox Field, is the primary international airport serving Miami and its Miami metropolitan area, surrounding metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of Florida. It hosts over 1, ...
. It returned to reserve duty in December 1952. In November 1959 it was assigned directly to the
435th Troop Carrier Wing in a reorganization of
Continental Air Command reserve units.
Overview
The squadron currently operates the
KC-46 Pegasus aircraft conducting
aerial refueling
Aerial refueling ( en-us), or aerial refuelling ( en-gb), also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one aircraft (the tanker) to an ...
missions.
History
World War II

The
squadron was first activated at
Bowman Field, Kentucky in February 1943, as one of the original squadrons of the
435th Troop Carrier Group. The group used
Douglas C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota ( RAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II. During the war the C-47 was used for tro ...
s and Douglas C-53 Skytrooopers in preparing for duty overseas with
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint D ...
.
[Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 306–307]
The 77th left the United States in October 1943, arriving at RAF Langar, England, in early November. On arrival, it began training for participation in the airborne operation over Normandy
Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy.
Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...
. The squadron flew its first combat missions on D-Day
The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during the Second World War. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as ...
by dropping paratroopers of 101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) ("Screaming Eagles") is a light infantry division (military), division of the United States Army that specializes in air assault military operation, operations. The 101st is designed to plan, coordinat ...
near Cherbourg Naval Base
Cherbourg Naval Base is a naval base in Cherbourg Harbour, Cherbourg, Manche Departments of France, department, Normandy. The town has been a base of the French Navy since the opening of the military port in 1813.
History Early works
Cherbourg ha ...
. The unit towed Waco CG-4A and Airspeed Horsa gliders carrying reinforcements to the same location that afternoon and on the following morning. The squadron received a Distinguished Unit Citation for its part in Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allies of World War II, Allied operation that launched the successful liberation of German-occupied Western Front (World War II), Western Europe during World War II. The ope ...
, the Normandy invasion.[
The squadron began transport services following the landings in France and intermittently engaged in missions of this type until ]V-E Day
Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945; it marked the official surrender of all German military operations ...
In these operations the 77th hauled supplies such as serum, blood plasma
Blood plasma is a light Amber (color), amber-colored liquid component of blood in which blood cells are absent, but which contains Blood protein, proteins and other constituents of whole blood in Suspension (chemistry), suspension. It makes up ...
, radar
Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...
sets, clothing, rations, and ammunition. It also evacuated wounded personnel to Allied hospitals.[
The squadron interrupted these supply and evacuation missions to train for and participate in three major airborne assaults. It was part of a detachment of three squadrons from the 435th Group that moved to Tarquinia Airfield, Italy in July 1944 for ]Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon (initially Operation Anvil), known as Débarquement de Provence in French ("Provence Landing"), was the code name for the landing operation of the Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of Provence (Southern France) on 15Augu ...
, the invasion of Southern France. The detachment dropped paratroopers over the assault area on 15 August and also released gliders carrying troops and equipment such as jeep
Jeep is an American automobile brand, now owned by multi-national corporation Stellantis. Jeep has been part of Chrysler since 1987, when Chrysler acquired the Jeep brand, along with other assets, from its previous owner, American Motors Co ...
s, guns, and ammunition. The following day it flew a resupply mission over France, then transported supplies to bases in Italy before returning to England at the end of the month.[
In September 1944 the squadron participated in Operation Market Garden the unsuccessful airborne operation intended to seize bridges across the ]Meuse River
The Meuse or Maas is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a total length of .
History
From 1301, the upp ...
in the Netherlands, dropping paratroops of the 82d and 101st Airborne Divisions and releasing gliders carrying reinforcements.[ During the ]Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive or Unternehmen Die Wacht am Rhein, Wacht am Rhein, was the last major German Offensive (military), offensive Military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western ...
, the unit delivered supplies to isolated combat positions of the 101st Airborne and 7th Armored Divisions in Bastogne
Bastogne (; ; ; ) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Luxembourg in the Ardennes, Belgium.
The municipality consists of the following districts: Bastogne, Longvilly, Noville, Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, and Wardi ...
and Marcouray, Belgium.[''Citus et Certus'', p. 26]
The unit moved to Bretigny Airfield, France in February 1945 to prepare for Operation Varsity, the airborne assault across the Rhine River
The Rhine ( ) is one of the major rivers in Europe. The river begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps. It forms part of the Swiss-Liechtenstein border, then part of the Swiss-Austrian border. From Lake Cons ...
. Each squadron aircraft participating in this operation towed two gliders transporting troops and equipment to the east bank of the Rhine near Wesel
Wesel () is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, in western Germany. It is the capital of the Wesel (district), Wesel district.
Geography
Wesel is situated at the confluence of the Lippe River and the Rhine.
Division of the city
Suburbs of Wesel i ...
on 24 March. The unit then flew resupply missions to Germany in support of ground forces.[
The squadron transported supplies to occupation forces in Germany and evacuated Allied prisoners of war after V-E Day. The squadron and the 435th Group returned to the United States in August and the group was inactivated on 15 November 1945.][
]
Post war troop carrier operations
Shortly before the 435th Troop Carrier Group was inactivated, the squadron was moved to Pope Field
Pope Field is a U.S. military facility located northwest of the central business district of Fayetteville, North Carolina, Fayetteville, in Spring Lake, North Carolina, Spring Lake, Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States.. Federal A ...
, North Carolina, where it became part of the 316th Troop Carrier Group.[ The squadron initially operated Curtiss C-46 Commandos with the 316th but began converting to Fairchild C-82 Packet transports. With the Army Air Forces shrinking in size, the squadron was inactivated in June 1946 when the 316th reduced in size to three operational squadrons.][
]
Air Force Reserve
Troop carrier operations
The squadron was once again activated as a reserve unit under Air Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for air defense of the continental United States. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air De ...
at Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically as Wilcox Field, is the primary international airport serving Miami and its Miami metropolitan area, surrounding metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of Florida. It hosts over 1, ...
, Florida on 15 July 1947. It was again assigned to the 435th Troop Carrier Group, located at Morrison Field, Florida. The squadron was nominally a Curtiss C-46 Commando unit, but it is not clear to what extent it was equipped with tactical aircraft while at Orlando.[
In June 1949, Continental Air Command, which had assumed the responsibility for training reserve units from Air Defense Command in 1948, reorganized its reserve units under the wing base organization system. As part of this reorganization and unit reductions required by President Truman's reduced 1949 defense budget, the 435th Group and its remaining squadrons joined the 77th at Miami International Airport, where it was assigned to the newly formed 435th Troop Carrier Wing. The squadron was manned at only 25% of the strength of a regular unit.][
At Miami, the squadron trained with C-46s under the supervision of the active duty 2585th Air Force Reserve Training Center. The squadron was ordered into active service in March 1951 as a result of the ]Korean War
The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
. Along with other reserve units called to active duty, it formed Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Lang ...
's Eighteenth Air Force. The squadron's initial function was to train C-46 aircrew
Aircrew are personnel who operate an aircraft while in flight. The composition of a flight's crew depends on the type of aircraft, plus the flight's duration and purpose.
Commercial aviation
Flight deck positions
In commercial aviatio ...
s for service in Korea. The 77th also trained with Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (Navy and Marine Corps designation R4Q) is an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, Litter (rescue basket), litte ...
s. Although it remained at Miami, the unit deployed twice while on active duty: to Laurinburg-Maxton Airport, North Carolina from 21 July until 1 September 1951 and to Grenier Air Force Base, New Hampshire from 2 January to 3 March 1952.[''Citus et Certus'', p. 28] It was relieved from active duty and inactivated on 1 December 1952 and its mission, personnel and equipment were transferred to the regular 745th Troop Carrier Squadron, which was activated the same day.
The squadron was activated as a reserve unit the same day at the same station, but with the personnel and equipment of the inactivating 813th Troop Carrier Squadron. In the reserve, the squadron once again flew the Curtiss Commandos.[ By 1956, the unit was flying overseas missions, particularly in the Caribbean area and in Central America. In addition, for the first time as a reserve unit, its flying was performed in unit tactical aircraft, rather than in trainers.
In 1957, the squadron once again received C-119s.][
]
Airlift and air refueling operations
The squadron trained for and flew airlift
An airlift is the organized delivery of Materiel, supplies or personnel primarily via military transport aircraft.
Airlifting consists of two distinct types: strategic and tactical. Typically, strategic airlifting involves moving material lo ...
missions in the reserve for most of the period of 1947–1972, including airlift to Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...
during the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
. Since October 1985 it has flown air refueling and air transport missions as needed worldwide, taking part in many contingency and humanitarian
Humanitarianism is an ideology centered on the value of human life, whereby humans practice benevolent treatment and provide assistance to other humans to reduce suffering and improve the conditions of humanity for moral, altruistic, and emotiona ...
operations, including air refueling support during the U.S. invasion of Panama, December 1989 – January 1990 and the Persian Gulf War
, combatant2 =
, commander1 =
, commander2 =
, strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems
, page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...
in 1991.[
February 8, 2020, the wing retired its last KC-135R tanker and converted to KC-46 Pegasus tankers in the summer of 2020.
]
Operations and decorations
* Combat Operations. Airlift to Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
. Air refueling support during the U.S. incursion into Panama, Dec 1989 – Jan 1990 and the Persian Gulf War in 1991.
* Campaigns. World War II: Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Operation Just Cause
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
; Operation Desert Storm
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
; Operation Joint Forge; Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used by the U.S. government for both the first stage (2001–2014) of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response ...
; Operation Iraqi Freedom
The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition, which resulted in the overthrow of the Ba'athist governm ...
; Operation Odyssey Dawn
Operation Odyssey Dawn was the U.S. code name for the American role in the international military operation in Libya to enforce United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 during the initial period of 19–31 March 2011, which continued aft ...
* Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: France, –7Jun 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
The Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award (ASOUA) is one of the unit awards of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It was established in 1954 as the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and was the first independent Air Force ...
s: 1 August 1967 – 25 October 1968; 1 August 1990 – 31 July 1992; 2 August 1992 – 1 August 1994. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 April 1966 – 19 May 1972.
Lineage
* Constituted as the 77th Troop Carrier Squadron on 30 January 1943
: Activated on 25 February 1943
: Inactivated on 10 June 1946
* Activated in the reserve on 15 July 1947
: Redesignated 77th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 26 June 1949[Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 278. Robertson gives date as 26 July, which seems unlikely as the 435th Group and its other squadrons were redesignated in June.]
: Ordered to Active Service on 1 March 1951
: Inactivated on 1 December 1952
* Activated in the reserve on 1 December 1952
: Redesignated 77th Troop Carrier Squadron, Heavy on 8 May 1961
: Ordered to active service on 1 October 1961
: Relieved from active duty on 27 August 1962
* Redesignated 77th Air Transport Squadron, Heavy on 1 December 1965
: Redesignated 77th Military Airlift Squadron on 1 January 1966
: Inactivated on 8 July 1972
* Redesignated 77th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy (Associate) on 14 August 1985
: Activated in the reserve on 1 October 1985
: Redesignated 77th Air Refueling Squadron (Associate) on 1 February 1992
: Redesignated 77th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 October 1994[
]
Assignments
* 435th Troop Carrier Group, 25 February 1943
* IX Troop Carrier Command, 15 November 1945
* 316th Troop Carrier Group, 11 December 1945 – 10 June 1946
* 435th Troop Carrier Group, 15 July 1947 – 1 December 1952
* 435th Troop Carrier Group, 1 December 1952
* 435th Troop Carrier Wing, 14 April 1959
* 916th Troop Carrier Group (later 916 Air Transport Group, 916 Military Airlift Group), 17 January 1963 – 8 July 1972
* 452d Air Refueling Wing, 1 October 1985
* 916th Air Refueling Group, 1 October 1986
* 916th Operations Group, 1 August 1992 – present[
]
Stations
* Bowman Field, Kentucky, 25 February 1943
* Sedalia Army Air Field, Missouri, 4 May 1943
* Pope Field, North Carolina, 2 July 1943
* Baer Field, Indiana, 9–13 October 1943
* RAF Langar (AAF-490), England, 4 November 1943
* RAF Welford (AAF-474), England, January 1944
* Bretigny Airfield (A-48), France, 19 February – June 1945
* Baer Field, Indiana, 5 August 1945
* Kellogg Field, Michigan, 23 August 1945
* Pope Field, North Carolina, 29 October 1945 – 10 June 1946
* Miami International Airport, Florida, 15 July 1947 – 1 December 1952
* Miami International Airport, Florida, 1 December 1952
* Pinellas County International Airport, Florida, 18 August 1956
* Alvin Callender Field, Louisiana, 16 November 1957
* Donaldson Air Force Base, South Carolina, 25 March 1958
* Carswell Air Force Base
Carswell Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force (USAF) base, located northwest of Fort Worth, Texas. For most of its operational lifetime, the base's mission was to train and support heavy strategic bombing groups and wings.
Carswe ...
, Texas, 1 April 1963 – 8 July 1972
* Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, 1 October 1985 – present[
]
Aircraft
* Douglas C-47 Skytrain (1943–1946)
* Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (1943–1945)
* Airspeed Horsa (1943–1944)
* Waco CG-4 (1943–1946)
* Curtiss C-46 Commando (1945–1946, 1951, 1952–1957)
* Fairchild C-82 Packet (1946)
* North American T-6 Texan
The North American Aviation T-6 Texan is an American single-engined advanced trainer aircraft, which was used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), United States Air Force (USAF), United States Navy, Royal Air Force, Ro ...
(1947–1951)
* Beechcraft T-7 Navigator (1947–1951)
* Beechcraft T-11 Kansan (1947–1951)
* Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (Navy and Marine Corps designation R4Q) is an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, Litter (rescue basket), litte ...
(1957–1961)
* Douglas C-124 Globemaster II
The Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, nicknamed "Old Shaky", is a retired American heavy-lift cargo aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, California.
The C-124 was the primary heavy-lift transport for United States Air Forc ...
(1961–1972)
* McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender
The McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender is an American tanker and cargo aircraft that was operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1981 to 2024. A military version of the three-engine DC-10 airliner, the KC-10 was developed from the A ...
(1985–1994)
* Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling tanker aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It has a narrower fuselage and is shorter than the 707. Boeing gave ...
(1995 – 2020)[
* Boeing KC-46 Pegasus (2020 - Present)
]
References
Notes
Bibliography
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{{USAF Air Force Reserve Command
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