Lineage

Constituted 96 Troop Carrier Squadron on 25 May 1943. Activated on 1 Jul 1943. Inactivated on 18 Oct 1945. Activated in the Reserve on 6 Mar 1947. Redesignated 96 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 27 Jun 1949. Ordered to Active Service on 1 May 1951. Inactivated on 4 May 1951. Redesignated 96 Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 26 May 1952. Activated in the Reserve on 15 Jun 1952. Redesignated 96 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 8 Sep 1957. Ordered to Active Service on 28 Oct 1962. Relieved from Active Duty on 28 Nov 1962. Redesignated: 96 Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 Jul 1967; 96 Airlift Squadron on 1 Feb 1992.

Assignments

440 Troop Carrier Group, 1 Jul 1943-18 Oct 1945. Second Air Force, 6 Mar 1947; 440 Troop Carrier Group, 3 Sep 1947-4 May 1951. 440 Fighter-Bomber (later, 440 Troop Carrier) Group, 15 Jun 1952; 440 Troop Carrier Wing, 14 Apr 1959; 934 Troop Carrier (later, 934 Tactical Airlift; 934 Airlift) Group, 11 Feb 1963; 934 Operations Group, 1 Aug 1992-.

Stations

Baer Field, IN, 1 Jul 1943; Sedalia AAFld, MO, 9 Jul 1943; Alliance AAFld, NE, 7 Sep 1943; Pope Field, NC, 4 Jan 1944; Baer Field, IN, 14-21 Feb 1944; Bottesford, England, 10 Mar 1944; Exeter, England, 26 Apr 1944 (operated from Ombrone Airfield, Italy, 18 Jul-24 Aug 1944); Reims, France, 9 Sep 1944; Le Mans, France, 28 Sep 1944; Bricy/Orleans, France, 4 Nov 1944-18 Oct 1945. Scott Field, IL, 6 Mar 1947; Wold-Chamberlain Muni Aprt, MN, 27 Jun 1949-4 May 1951. Ft Snelling, MN, 15 Jun 1952; Minneapolis-St Paul IAP (later, Minneapolis-St Paul IAP-ARS), MN, 8 Jan 1953-.

Commanders

Capt Glenn E. W. Mann Jr., 1 Jul 1943; Maj William R. Cooper, 11 Sep 1943; Maj George M. Johnson Jr., 23 Aug 1944-unkn. Unkn, 6 Mar 1947-1950; Maj Perry W. Kempster, by Nov 1950-unkn. Unkn, 15 Jun 1952-1953; Lt Col William J. Stuart, by Aug 1953-unkn; Maj Richard C. Bushee, 19 Dec 1958; Lt Col Dodson B. Graybeal, 24 May 1959; Lt Col James R. Bradford, by Jan 1964; Lt Col Harry E. Anderson, 11 Jul 1967; Lt Col Donald E. Haugen, by Sep 1969; Lt Col Harold E. Gifford, by Sep 1970; Lt Col Philip A. Larson, by Mar 1972; Col Jon M Robb, c. 18 Mar 1974; Lt Col Russell T. Roe Jr., c. Jul 1977; Lt Col Donald W. Hillman, by Dec 1980; Lt Col Richard R. Severson, 28 Oct 1981; Col James E. Thomas, by Jul 1984; Lt Col William G. Ferguson, 20 May 1985; Lt Col Dennis C. Kernes, by Dec 1987; Lt Col Dermod F. Norton, by Dec 1988; Maj Gerald C. Vonberge, by Jan 1990; Lt Col Timothy L. Anderson, 1 Sep 1990; Lt Col Ronald L. Weight, 1 Jul 1993; Lt Col Curtis N. Breeding, 2 Apr 1995; Lt Col Jeff W. Hamiel, 13 Jul 1997; Lt Col John C. Rudin, 5 Apr 1998-.

Aircraft

Principly C-47, 1943-1945. C-46, 1947-1951. F-51, 1952-1955; F-80, 1955-1957; C-119, 1957-1970; C-130, 1970-.

Operations

During World War II, airborne assaults on Normandy, Southern France, Holland, and Germany; relief of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge in Dec 1944; transportation of cargo and personnel in ETO and MTO. Trained in troop carrier operations, 1947-1951, fighter-bomber operations, 1952-1957, and troop carrier operations and worldwide airlift after 1957.

Service Streamers

None.

Campaign Streamers

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

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers

Panama, 1989-1990.

Decorations

Distinguished Unit Citation: France, [6-7] Jun 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Oct 1988-30 Sep 1990; 1 Jul 1994-30 Jun 1996; 30 Sep 1998-1 Oct 2000. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 14 Feb-11 Mar 1968.

Emblem

Approved on 18 Jun 1997.

Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 14 Sep 2001.

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through Sep 1999.