37th Airlift Squadron

Last updated

37th Airlift Squadron
United States Air Forces in Europe.svg
U.S. Airmen with the 86th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron tow a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft attached to the 37th Airlift Squadron into position during Steadfast Javelin II at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Sept 140903-F-YC884-119.jpg
Airmen tow a squadron Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules aircraft into position during Steadfast Javelin II
Active1942–1952; 1952–1957; 1966–present
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
BranchFlag of the United States Air Force.svg  United States Air Force
Role Airlift
Part of United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa
Garrison/HQ Ramstein Air Base, Germany
Nickname(s)Blue Tail Flies [1]
Engagements Operation Overlord
Operation Market Garden
Korean War
Battle of Pakchon
Operation Tomahawk
Persian Gulf War
Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Promise
Operation Joint Endeavor
Kosovo War
Operation Joint Guard
Operation Joint Forge
Operation Iraqi Freedom [1]
Decorations Distinguished Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm [1]
Insignia
37th Airlift Squadron emblem (Approved, 14 Jun 2007) [1] 37 AS.jpg
37th Airlift Squadron emblem (Ramstein AB 1994) 37-airlift-squadron.jpg
37th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium emblem (Approved, 6 Jul 1951) [1] 37th Troop Carrier Squadron emblem Ashiya AB Japan 1954.jpg
37th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium emblem (Ashiya AB 1950) 37th Troop Carrier Squadron emblem Ashiya AB Japan 1950.jpg
37th Troop Carrier Squadron emblem (D-Day WWII) IX Troop Carrier Cd-Emblem.jpg

The 37th Airlift Squadron is part of the 86th Airlift Wing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It operates Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules aircraft providing theater airlift.

Contents

Mission

Conducts C-130J Super Hercules tactical airlift, airdrop and aeromedical evacuation operations primarily in Europe and Africa.

History

World War II

A C-47 from the 37th TCS in June 1944. C-47s-316tcg-37tcs-d-day.png
A C-47 from the 37th TCS in June 1944.

Activated in June 1942 under I Troop Carrier Command at Patterson Field, Ohio. Trained at various stationed in the southeast and Texas with Douglas C-47 Skytrain transports. Deployed to Egypt in November 1942 as part of President Roosevelt's decision to aid the Royal Air Force Western Desert Air Force, assigned to the newly established Ninth Air Force, headquartered in Cairo.

Transported supplies and evacuated casualties in support of the British Eighth Army, operating from desert airfields in Egypt and Libya. Reassigned in May 1943 to the USAAF Twelfth Air Force in Algeria, supporting Fifth Army forces in the Tunisian Campaign. Began training for the invasion of Sicily; dropped paratroops over the assault area on the night of 9 July. Carried reinforcements to Sicily on 11 July and received a DUC for carrying out that mission although severely attacked by ground and naval forces; dropped paratroops over the beachhead south of the Sele River on the night of 14 September 1943. Remained in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations until February 1944 until being reassigned back to Ninth Air Force in England, IX Troop Carrier Command to participate in the buildup of forces prior to the Allied landings in France during D-Day in June 1944.

Engaged in combat operations by dropping paratroops into Normandy near Sainte-Mère-Église on D-Day (6 June 1944) and releasing gliders with reinforcements on the following day. 37th TCS assigned C-47's during the D-Day operations utilized the W7 fuselage code. [2] The unit received a third Distinguished Unit Citation and a French citation for these missions.

After the Normandy invasion the squadron ferried supplies in the United Kingdom. The squadron also hauled food, clothing, medicine, gasoline, ordnance equipment, and other supplies to the front lines and evacuated patients to rear zone hospitals. It dropped paratroops near Nijmegen and towed gliders carrying reinforcements during the airborne attack on the Netherlands.

Korean War

Returned to the United States in May 1945, becoming a domestic troop carrier squadron for Continental Air Forces flying the C-46 Commando and C-82 Packet.

During and after the Korean War, the unit was based at Ashiya Air Base, Japan and equipped with the C-119 Flying Boxcar providing aerial transportation between Japan and Korea. During the height of the Korean War, the 37th TCS flew airborne assaults at Sukchon and Munsan-ni. The squadron was later inactivated in 1957.

Reactivation

The squadron was reactivated in October 1966 at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia and equipped with Lockheed C-130 Hercules tactical transports.

While deployed in Taiwan, crews of the 37th flew to Hanoi on 17 February 1973 in support of Operation Homecoming, the repatriation of American prisoners of war to Clark Air Base, Philippines, on 5 March 1973. It conducted airlift operations during Operation Desert Shield in Southwest Asia, 14 August 1990 – 29 March 1991. It airdropped humanitarian supplies in Operation Provide Comfort for the relief of fleeing Kurdish refugees in northern Iraq, April–May 1991. The 37th flew airlift and airdrop missions to Bosnia and Herzegovina for Operation Provide Promise from July 1992 – January 1996 Continued support with Operations Joint Endeavor/Guard/Forge, 1996–2000. Airlifted troops and equipment to Kosovo, Mar–Jun 1999. Airlifted troops and equipment throughout ETO, 2000 – present; Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In November 2009, the 37th retired its last legacy C-130E and now soley operates the Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules model. [3]

Campaigns and decorations

Lineage

Activated on 14 February 1942
Redesignated 37th Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 July 1942
Redesignated 37th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 23 June 1948
Redesignated 37th Troop Carrier Squadron, Heavy on 8 October 1949
Redesignated 37th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 28 January 1950
Inactivated on 8 May 1952
Inactivated on 18 June 1957
Organized on 1 October 1966
Redesignated 37th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 May 1967
Redesignated 37th Airlift Squadron on 1 April 1992 [1]

Assignments

Stations

Aircraft

References


Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Robertson, Patsy (16 March 2015). "Factsheet 37 Airlift Squadron". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 30 June 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  2. "USAAF squadron codes". World War Photos. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
  3. Svan, Jennifer H. (3 November 2009). "Ramstein sends off last C-130E". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  4. Station number in Anderson.

Bibliography

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency