Lineage

Constituted 73 Troop Carrier Squadron on 30 Jan 1943. Activated on 9 Feb 1943. Inactivated on 31 Jul 1946. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Aug 1947. Redesignated 73 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 1 Jul 1949. Ordered to Active Service on 1 May 1951. Inactivated on 1 Feb 1953. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Feb 1953. Inactivated on 24 Mar 1954. Activated in the Reserve on 8 Jun 1957. Ordered to Active Service on 28 Oct 1962. Relieved from Active Duty on 28 Nov 1962. Redesignated: 73 Military Airlift Squadron on 1 Apr 1967; 73 Aeromedical Airlift Squadron (Associate) on 25 Jul 1969; 73 Airlift Squadron on 1 Oct 1994.

Assignments

434 Troop Carrier Group, 9 Feb 1943-31 Jul 1946. 434 Troop Carrier Group, 1 Aug 1947; 436 Troop Carrier Group, 1 Jul 1948; 434 Troop Carrier Group, 1 Jul 1949-1 Feb 1953. 434 Troop Carrier Group, 1 Feb 1953-24 Mar 1954. 434 Troop Carrier Group, 8 Jun 1957; 434 Troop Carrier Wing, 14 Apr 1959; 932 Troop Carrier (later, 932 Military Airlift; 932 Aeromedical Airlift) Group, 11 Feb 1963; 932 Operations Group, 1 Aug 1992-.

Stations

Alliance AAFld, NE, 9 Feb 1943; Baer Field, IN, 4-9 Sep 1943; Fulbeck, England, 7 Oct 1943; Welford Park, England, 10 Dec 1943; Fulbeck, England, 10 Jan 1944; Aldermaston, England, 3 Mar 1944; Mourmelon-le-Grand, France, 12 Mar-Jun 1945; Baer Field, IN, 5 Aug 1945; Alliance AAFld, NE, 15 Sep 1945; George Field, IL, 11 Oct 1945; Greenville AAB, SC, 2 Feb-31 Jul 1946. Lunken Aprt, OH, 1 Aug 1947; Atterbury AFB, IN, 1 Jul 1949; Lawson AFB, GA, 23 Jan 1952-1 Feb 1953. Atterbury AFB, IN, 1 Feb 1953-24 Mar 1954. Dress Memorial Aprt, IN, 8 Jun 1957; Scott AFB, IL, 16 Nov 1957-.

Commanders

Capt Dowling, Feb 1943; Lt Col Terry G. Hutton, c. 7 Jun 1943; Maj Kenneth E. Smith, by Sep 1945; Lt Col Hollis B. Tara, 8 Oct 1945-Jul 1946. Unkn (possibly not manned), 1 Aug 1947-Apr 1951; Maj Charles E. Dougan, by May 1951; Maj Warren L. Johnson, 28 Dec 1951; Maj Charles E. Dougan, 1 Jul 1952; Maj Richard E. Hobson, 11 Sep 1952-1953. Unkn, 1 Feb 1953-24 Mar 1954. Unkn, 8 Jun 1957-1958; Lt Col Philip G. Kuhn, 24 Jan 1959; Lt Col Leonard F. Deist, 11 Feb 1963; Lt Col Charles J. Mueth, 1 Jul 1968; Lt Col Jack D. Songer, 3 Dec 1968; Col Leonard F. Deist, by Aug 1969; Lt Col Jack D. Songer, 1 Feb 1972; Lt Col Irving D. Richardson, 1 Mar 1972; Lt Col Jackie L. VanHoorebeke, 18 Jun 1973; Lt Col Wesley W. Bass, 4 Dec 1974; Lt Col James C. Ranson, 23 May 1976; Lt Col Robert Blanchard, 23 Jul 1979 (temporary); Col James C. Ranson, 6 Sep 1979; Col Harold J. C. Gerry, 30 Jul 1981; Col Rolf A. Wehr Jr., 26 Oct 1982; Col Keith R. Elbert, 1 Dec 1986; Lt Col Thomas M. Kessler, c. May 1989; Lt Col Robert A. Seitz, 5 Apr 1990; Lt Col Charles J. Blumer, 11 Jan 1992; Lt Col James W.Whitaker, 22 Mar 1993; Lt Col Timothy R. Hoffman, 9 Mar 1996; Lt Col James H. Ruffner, 6 Apr 1997; Lt Col James R. Long Jr., 7 Mar 1998-.

Aircraft

Principally C-47, 1943-1946; GC-4A gliders, 1943-1945; C-46, 1945-1946. Unkn, 1947-1948; T-7, 1949-1952; T-11, 1949-1952; C-47, 1949; C-46, 1949-1953. T-6, 1953; T-11, 1953; C-45, 1953-1954. C-46, 1957; C-119, 1957-1967; C-124, 1967-1969; C-9, 1969-.

Operations

Airborne assaults on Normandy, Holland, and Germany; relief of Bastogne; transportation of passengers and cargo in ETO during World War II. Transported personnel, equipment and supplies and airdropped airborne troops and equipment, 1957-1967; long range movement of troops, cargo, and equipment, 1965-1969; and trained for space capsule recovery, 1961-1969. Augmented the active duty 375th Wing in operating the aeromedical airlift system, 1969-.

Service Streamers

World War II American Theater.

Campaign Streamers

World War II: Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers

None.

Decorations

Distinguished Unit Citation: France, [6]-7 Jun 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 20 Aug 1969-30 Jun 1971; 1 Jan 1972-31 Mar 1973; 24 Jul 1975-23 Jul 1977; 29 Sep 1980-30 Jun 1982; 1 Jun 1986-31 Jul 1988; 1 Jan 1993-1 Aug 1994. French Croix de Guerre with Palm: 6-7 Jun 1944; 20-28 Aug 1944. French Fourragere. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Apr 1967-24 Jul 1969.

Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 19 Dec 2001.

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 30 Sep 1998.