HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The 78th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive squadron of the United States Air Force Reserve Command. It was last assigned to the 514th Air Mobility Wing at
McGuire Air Force Base McGuire AFB/McGuire, the common name of the McGuire unit of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, is a United States Air Force base in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, approximately south-southeast of Trenton. McGuire is unde ...
,
New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
. It operated the KC-46A 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 as a reserve associate of the
305th Air Mobility Wing The 305th Air Mobility Wing is a United States Air Force strategic airlift and air refueling wing under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command. It generates, mobilizes and deploys C-17 Globemaster III and KC-46A Pegasus aircraft. ...
. The unit was first activated 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 435th may refer to: * 435th Air Ground Operations Wing, the first USAFE wing solely dedicated to supporting battlefield Airmen * 435th Bombardment Squadron, an inactive United States Air Force unit * 435th Fighter Training Squadron (435 FTS), part ...
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 78th was awarded a
Distinguished Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed e ...
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, but it was activated in 1954. The squadron was activated again in 1955 as part of a program to improve recruiting by spreading reserve units to smaller population centers.


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 435th may refer to: * 435th Air Ground Operations Wing, the first USAFE wing solely dedicated to supporting battlefield Airmen * 435th Bombardment Squadron, an inactive United States Air Force unit * 435th Fighter Training Squadron (435 FTS), part ...
. 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 78th left the United States in October 1943, arriving at
RAF Langar Royal Air Force Langar or more simply RAF Langar is a former Royal Air Force station located near the village of Langar, Nottinghamshire, England. The airfield is located approximately east-southeast of Radcliffe on Trent. Opened in 1942 du ...
, 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 The Airspeed AS.51 Horsa was a British troop-carrying glider used during the Second World War. It was developed and manufactured by Airspeed Limited, alongside various subcontractors; the type was named after Horsa, the legendary 5th-century ...
gliders carrying reinforcements to the same location that afternoon and on the following morning. The squadron received a
Distinguished Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed e ...
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 78th 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.


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 Imeson Field, Florida on 17 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 The Curtiss C-46 Commando is a low-wing, twin-engine aircraft derived from the Curtiss CW-20 pressurized high-altitude airliner design. Early press reports used the name "Condor III" but the Commando name was in use by early 1942 in company p ...
unit, but it is not clear to what extent it was equipped with tactical aircraft while at Imeson. In June 1949,
Continental Air Command Continental Air Command (ConAC) (1948–1968) was a Major Command of the United States Air Force (USAF) responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. During the Korean War, ConAC provided the necessary aug ...
, 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 squadrons moved to
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, ...
, where it was assigned to the newly formed 435th Troop Carrier Wing and formed its cadre from elements of the inactivating 100th Bombardment Group. Air Force flying operations at Imeson came to a temporary end. 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 troop carrier 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 Eighteenth Air Force (18 AF) is the only Numbered Air Force (NAF) in Air Mobility Command (AMC) and one of the largest NAFs in the United States Air Force. Eighteenth Air Force was activated on 28 March 1951, inactivated on 1 January 1958, and ...
. 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 78th 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 746th 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 814th Troop Carrier Squadron. In the reserve, the squadron once again flew the Curtiss Commandos.


Reserve airlift and air refueling operations

August 1962 – March 1972, during which times it often augmented
Military Airlift Command The Military Airlift Command (MAC) is an inactive United States Air Force major command (MAJCOM) that was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Established on 1 January 1966, MAC was the primary strategic airlift organization of ...
's strategic airlift operations worldwide and took part in domestic training exercises. The squadron also served in an active status from, March 1951 – December 1952 and October 1961 – August 1962. Between April 1972 and October 1973, it performed a special operations role. In November 1981, the 78th began strategic aerial refueling and airlift operations. In December 1989 it refueled aircraft on way to Panama during
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 ...
. During
Operation Desert Shield , 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 1990, its crews refueled more than a hundred aircraft on their way from the United States to the
Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a Mediterranean seas, mediterranean sea in West Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.Un ...
area and delivered passengers and cargo. On September 11, 2001 crews conducting early morning training missions responded to the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. With the Global War on Terrorism commencing, the 78th had crews deployed to US Central Command almost continuously from 2001 to 2022. 78th crews refueled thousands of allied aircraft offloading millions of pounds of fuel during Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, Operation Inherent Resolve, Operation Spartan Shield, and Operation Freedoms Sentinel. In August 2022 during the United States operational withdrawal from Afghanistan, deployed crews from the 78th were over head providing fuel during Operation Allies Refuge, which was also the last deployment of the KC-10A by the 78th. In September 2022, the 78th Air Refueling Squadron was selected and began the transition from flying the KC-10A Extender to the KC-46A Pegasus, ending the 78th's strategic air refueling mission. Shortly after the 78th Air Refueling Squadron was selected for inactivation and on 7 September 2024, the squadrons 30 year history at Joint Base McGure-Dix-Lakehurst came to an end.


Campaigns and decorations

* Campaigns. World War II: Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe. * Decorations.
Distinguished Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed e ...
: France 5–7 Jun 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 Oct 1984 – 30 Aug 1986; 1 October 1995 – 30 September 1997.
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm The Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross also known as the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross or Vietnam Cross of Gallantry () is a military decoration of the former Government of South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam). The medal was created on August 15, 1 ...
: 1 April 1966 – 31 March 1972; 26–28 Oct 1972


Awards


Lineage

* Constituted as the 78th Troop Carrier Squadron on 30 January 1943 : Activated on 25 February 1943 : Inactivated on 15 November 1945 * Activated in the reserve on 17 July 1947 : Redesignated 78th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 26 June 1949 : Ordered to active service on 1 March 1951 : Inactivated on 1 December 1952 * Activated in the reserve on 1 December 1952 : Inactivated on 24 March 1954 * Activated in the Reserve on 1 April 1955 : Inactivated on 16 November 1957 * Activated in the Reserve on 8 May 1959 : Redesignated 78th 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 78th Air Transport Squadron, Heavy on 1 December 1965 : Redesignated 78th Military Airlift Squadron on 1 January 1966 : Redesignated 78th Special Operations Squadron on 1 April 1972 : Inactivated on 1 October 1973 * Redesignated 78th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy (Associate) on 25 March 1981 : Activated in the Reserve on 1 November 1981 : Redesignated 78th Air Refueling Squadron (Associate) on 1 February 1992 : Redesignated 78th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 October 1994


Assignments

*
435th Troop Carrier Group 435th may refer to: * 435th Air Ground Operations Wing, the first USAFE wing solely dedicated to supporting battlefield Airmen * 435th Bombardment Squadron, an inactive United States Air Force unit * 435th Fighter Training Squadron (435 FTS), part ...
, 25 February 1943 – 15 November 1945 * 435th Troop Carrier Group, 17 July 1947 – 1 December 1952 * 435th Troop Carrier Group, 1 December 1952 – 24 March 1954 * 435th Troop Carrier Group, 1 April 1955 – 16 November 1957 * 435th Troop Carrier Wing, 8 May 1959 * 917th Troop Carrier Group (later 917th Air Transport Group, 917th Military Airlift Group, 917th Special Operations Group), 17 January 1963 – 1 October 1973 * 452d Air Refueling Wing, 1 November 1981 *
98th Air Refueling Group The 98th Operations Group is a component unit of the Nevada Test and Training Range (military unit), Nevada Test and Training Range, assigned to the United States Air Force Air Combat Command. The group is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, N ...
, 1 October 1987 * 98th Operations Group, 1 August 1992 * 514th Operations Group, 1 October 1994 – 7 September 2024


Stations

* Bowman Field, Kentucky, 25 February 1943 *
Sedalia Army Air Field Sedalia is the name of several places: Canada *Sedalia, Alberta, a hamlet in Alberta, Canada United States *Sedalia, Colorado *Sedalia, Indiana *Sedalia, Kentucky *Sedalia, Missouri, the largest US city named Sedalia *Sedalia, North Carolina * Sed ...
, Missouri, 4 May 1943 *
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, 2 July 1943 *
Baer Field Baer (or Bär, from ) or Van Baer is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: Baer * Alan Baer, American tuba player * Arthur "Bugs" Baer (1886–1969), American journalist and humorist * Buddy Baer (1915–1986), American boxer * ...
, Indiana, 9–13 October 1943 * RAF Langar (AAF-490),Station number in Anderson. England, 4 November 1943 *
RAF Welford Royal Air Force Welford or more simply RAF Welford is an active Royal Air Force List of Royal Air Force stations, station in Berkshire, England. The station is located approximately northwest of Newbury, Berkshire, Newbury, and about west of ...
(AAF-474), England, January 1944 : Detachment operated from Tarquinia Airfield, Italy, 20 July – 23 August 1944 * Bretigny Airfield (A-48),Station number in Johnson France, 19 February – June 1945 * Baer Field, Indiana, 5 August 1945 *
Kellogg Field Kellogg may refer to: Education * Kellogg College, Oxford, one of the constituent colleges of Oxford University * Kellogg Community College, a public community college in Battle Creek, Michigan * Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern U ...
, Michigan, 23 August – 15 November 1945 * Imeson Field, Jacksonville, Florida, 17 July 1947 *
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, 26 June 1949 – 1 December 1952 * Miami International Airport, Florida, 1 December 1952 – 24 March 1954 *
Orlando Air Force Base Orlando Executive Airport is a public airport three miles (6 km) east of downtown Orlando, in Orange County, Florida. It is owned and operated by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) and serves general aviation. Overview Orlan ...
, Florida, 1 April 1955 – 16 November 1957 * Bates Field, Alabama, 8 May 1959 : Deployed at
Donaldson Air Force Base Donaldson Air Force Base is a former facility of the United States Air Force located south of Greenville, South Carolina. It was founded in 1942 as Greenville Army Air Base; it was deactivated in 1963 and converted into a civilian airport. It ...
, South Carolina, 14–28 August 1960 *
Barksdale Air Force Base Barksdale Air Force Base (Barksdale AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, in northwest Louisiana. Much of the base is within the city limits of Bossier City, Louisiana, along the base's western and northwest ...
, Louisiana, 8 May 1961 – 1 October 1973 * Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, 1 November 1981 *
McGuire Air Force Base McGuire AFB/McGuire, the common name of the McGuire unit of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, is a United States Air Force base in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, approximately south-southeast of Trenton. McGuire is unde ...
, New Jersey, 1 October 1994 – 7 September 2024


Aircraft

* Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (1943–1945) * Douglas C-47 Skytrain (1943–1945) * Waco CG-4 (1943–1945) * Airspeed Horsa (1943–1945) *
Curtiss C-46 Commando The Curtiss C-46 Commando is a low-wing, twin-engine aircraft derived from the Curtiss CW-20 pressurized high-altitude airliner design. Early press reports used the name "Condor III" but the Commando name was in use by early 1942 in company p ...
(1944–1945, 1947–1951, 1952–1954, 1955–1957) *
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 ...
(1951–1952, 1959–1961) *
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) *
Cessna A-37 Dragonfly The Cessna A-37 Dragonfly, or Super Tweet, is a jet-powered, light attack aircraft designed and produced by the American aircraft manufacturer Cessna. It was developed during the Vietnam War in response to military interest in new counter-i ...
(1972–1973) *
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 ...
(1981–2021) * Boeing KC-46A Pegasus (2021-2024)


References


Notes


Bibliography

* * * * * * * {{USAAF 9th Air Force UK Military units and formations in New Jersey 078