90th Troop Carrier Squadron

90th Troop Carrier Squadron
C-47 of the 438th Troop Carrier Group at RAF Greenham Common
Active	1943-1945; 1949-1951
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Airlift
Part of	Continental Air Command
Engagements	European Theater of Operations
Decorations	Presidential Unit Citation
Insignia
World War II Fuselage Code	Q7 [1]

The 90th Troop Carrier Squadron (Medium) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 438th Troop Carrier Group, based at Offut Air Force Base, Nebraska. It was inactivated on 16 Nov 1957

The squadron was first activated in June 1943. After training in the United States, it served in the European Theater of Operations, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation for its action on D-Day during Operation Overlord. After VE Day. the unit returned to the United States, where it was inactivated.

The squadron was activated in the Air Force Reserve in June 1949. It trained in troop carrier operations at Offutt Air Force Base until March 1951, when it was called to active duty and its personnel used as fillers for other units.

History

World War II

Activated in June 1943 under I Troop Carrier Command and equipped with C-47 Skytrains. Trained in various parts of the eastern United States until the end of 1943. Deployed to England and assigned to IX Troop Carrier Command, Ninth Air Force.

Prepared for the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. On 5 June 1944, the squadron took off for assigned drop zones in Occupied France, commencing at 23:48 hours. Despite radio black-out, overloaded aircraft, low cloud cover and lack of marked drop zones, they carried parachute infantry of the 101st Airborne Division's 502d Parachute Infantry Regiment, who were dropped soon after midnight in the area northwest of Carentan. Glider-borne reinforcement missions followed, carrying weapons, ammunition, rations, and other supplies

On 20 July departed for Canino airbase in Italy in preparation for the August invasion of Southern France, Operation Dragoon. In the invasion, dropped paratroops and towed gliders that carried reinforcements.

During Operation Market Garden in September 1944, the group released gliders carrying troops and equipment for the airborne attack in the occupied Netherlands. Re-supply missions were flown on 20 September and on the 21st to Overasselt and on the 21st to Son.

During the Battle of the Bulge (December 1944 – January 1945), flew air supply missions to battle areas, including the first two flights into beleaguered Bastogne, re-supplying the 101st Airborne Division

After moving to France in February 1945, flying combat operations from rough Resupply and Evacuation airfields carrying supplies and ammunition to front line forces, evacuating wounded personnel to rear-zone hospitals. The unit released gliders in support of an American crossing of the Rhine River called Operation Varsity in March 1945.

After V-E Day, the unit evacuated prisoners of war and displaced persons to relocation centers. Returned to the United States in August 1945, until demobilizing. Inactivated as an administrative unit in September 1945.

Air Force Reserve

C-46D of the AF Reserve

In 1949 Continental Air Command reorganized its reserve units under the wing base organization, which placed support units under the same headquarters as the combat group they supported. As part of this reorganization, the 438th Troop Carrier Wing was activated at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. ^[2] The 90th Squadron was activated along with the wing. ^{[3] [4]} The squadron's manning, however, was limited to 25% of active duty organization authorizations. ^[5] The squadron trained under the 2473d Air Force Reserve Training Center for troop carrier operations with the C-46, but also flew the North American T-6 Texan trainer. ^{[2] [6]}

All combat units of the Air Force Reserve were ordered to active service for the Korean War. ^[7] The 90th was called up in the second wave of mobilizations on 10 March 1951. Its personnel were used to man other organizations, primarily those of Strategic Air Command, and it was inactivated on 14 March 1951. ^{[3] [8]} Its aircraft were distributed to other organizations as well. ^[9]

Lineage

• Constituted as the 90th Troop Carrier Squadron on 14 May 1943

Activated on 1 June 1943

Inactivated on 22 September 1945

• Redesignated 90th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 10 May 1949

Activated in the reserve on 27 June 1949

Ordered to active service on 10 March 1951

Inactivated on 14 March 1951 ^[3]

Assignments

• 438th Troop Carrier Group, 1 June 1943 - 22 September 1945
• 438th Troop Carrier Group, 27 June 1949 - 14 March 1951 ^[3]

Stations

Baer Field, Indiana, 1 June 1943 Sedalia Army Air Field, Missouri, 11 June 1943 Laurinburg-Maxton Army Air Base, North Carolina, 30 October 1943 Baer Field, Indiana, c. 15 - c. 28 January 1944 RAF Langar (AAF-490), [10] England, February 1944 RAF Greenham Common (AAF-486), [10] England, March 1944 Operated from Montalto Di Castro Airfield, Italy, 20 July - 23 August 1944

Prosnes Airfield (A-79), [11] France, February 1945 Amiens Glisy Airfield (B-48), [11] France, May - August 1945 Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts, 21–22 September 1945 Offutt AFB, Nebraska, 27 June 1949 - 14 March 1951 [3]

Aircraft

• Douglas C-47 Skytrain, 1943-1945
• Curtiss C-46 Commando, 1945, 1949–1951 ^[3]

Awards and campaigns

Award streamer	Award	Dates	Notes
	Distinguished Unit Citation	5 June 1944-7 June 1944	Normandy 87th Troop Carrier Squadron [3]

Campaign Streamer	Campaign	Dates	Notes
	Normandy	6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944	87th Troop Carrier Squadron [3]
	Northern France	25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944	87th Troop Carrier Squadron [3]
	Rome-Arno	20 July 1944 – 9 September 1944	87th Troop Carrier Squadron [3]
	Southern France	15 August 1944 – 14 September 1944	87th Troop Carrier Squadron [3]
	Rhineland	15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945	87th Troop Carrier Squadron [3]
	Ardennes-Alsace	16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945	87th Troop Carrier Squadron [3]
	Central Europe	22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945	87th Troop Carrier Squadron [3]

References

Notes

1. Watkins, pp. 84-85
2. Ravenstein, pp. 234-236
3. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 306
4. Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 268-269
5. Cantwell, p. 74
6. See Mueller, p. 457. 2473d Center at Offutt from 1946-1951.
7. Cantwell, p. 87
8. Cantwell, pp. 96-97
9. Cantwell, p. 137
10. Station number in Anderson
11. Station number in Johnson

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-01-23. Retrieved July 7, 2012.* Freeman, Roger A. (1994) UK Airfields of the Ninth: Then and Now 1994. After the Battle ISBN   0-900913-80-0
• Cantwell, Gerald T. (1997). Citizen Airmen: a History of the Air Force Reserve, 1946-1994 . Washington, D.C.: Air Force History and Museums Program. ISBN   0-16049-269-6 . Retrieved October 1, 2014.
• Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-29.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN   0-912799-02-1. LCCN   61060979.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN   0-405-12194-6. LCCN   70605402. OCLC   72556.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 . Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN   0-912799-12-9.
• Watkins, Robert (2008). Battle Colors. Vol. III Insignia and Markings of the Ninth Air Force In World War II. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN   978-0-7643-2938-8.