This article's lead sectionmay be too short to adequately summarize the key points. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article.(August 2017)
The 311th Troop Carrier Squadron trained in the United States from 1943 to 1944 and later flew cargo and personnel missions. It transferred to Hawaii in February 1945 and flew cargo in the Hawaiian Islands. When Lieutenant GeneralMillard Harmon crashed in the Pacific, the squadron participated in an intensive air search for survivors. In August 1945 it moved to Okinawa and continued its airlift mission until May 1946.
Air Force reserveedit
The 311th trained in C-46 aircraft from June 1949 – April 1951.
Vietnam Waredit
In Vietnam, the 311th flew cargo and passengers in support of I and II Corps. In addition, the unit flew flare, communications cover, air evacuation, and search and rescue missions for downed aircraft.
On 10 May 1968, The special forces camp at Kham Duc in the central highlands near Laos came under heavy mortar fire and was ordered to be evacuated. On 12 May, during evacuation efforts, an ArmyBoeing CH-47 Chinook and two division C-130s were disabled by enemy fire. One C-130 burst into flames at the end of the runway, killing all aboard. The final C-130 took off thinking it had boarded the last of the men on the ground. As the Viet Cong overran the forward outpost and established gun positions on the airstrip, eight aircraft were destroyed and the C-130 on the runway reduced its usable length to only about 2,200 feet. However, the three-man combat control team, in charge of directing the evacuation, was still on the ground searching for survivors.[2]
Informed that three men remained behind, Lt Col Joe M. Jackson of the 311th Air Commando Squadron (834th Air Division) dove his Fairchild C-123K Provider from 9,000 to land at the field. Unable to slow by reversing his propellers (Reversing the propellers on the C-123K shut off the two jet engines. They would have to be restarted before the aircraft could begin to take off again.) he jammed on the brakes and skidded halfway down the runway. The three combat controllers jumped from a culvert next to the runway and leaped into the open rear cargo door. A 122 mm rocket, fired from just outside the perimeter stopped only 10 meters from the plane. It did not explode. Jackson taxied around the shell and took off under heavy fire from the hills on either side of the camp. For this rescue, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.[2]
^ abcdefghiBailey, Carl E. (10 December 2007). "Factsheet 311 Airlift Squadron (AMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
^ ab. United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 19 February 2007. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
^ abcdefGolembesky, Michael (6 May 2014). "311th Airlift Squadron makes final departure from Peterson, Air Force". 21st Space Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
^Research Division, Air Force Historical Research Agency, Air Force Organization Change Status Report, June 2005, Maxwell AFB, AL
Bibliographyedit
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II(PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II(PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
External linksedit
April 13, 2024
311th, airlift, squadron, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, . This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations December 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article s lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article August 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message The 311th Airlift Squadron is part of the 375th Airlift Wing at Peterson Air Force Base Colorado It operated Learjet C 21 aircraft providing executive airlift for Combatant Commanders 311th Airlift Squadron375th Operations Group C 21 LearjetActive1943 1946 1949 1951 1963 1971 1997 2014Country United StatesBranch United States Air ForceRoleAirliftPart ofAir Mobility CommandEngagementsVietnam War 1 DecorationsPresidential Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm 1 Insignia311th Airlift Squadron emblem approved 13 June 2005 1 Patch with 311th Air Commando Squadron emblem approved 29 September 1965 1 Contents 1 History 1 1 World War II 1 2 Air Force reserve 1 3 Vietnam War 1 4 Operational support airlift 2 Lineage 2 1 Assignments 2 2 Stations 2 3 Aircraft 3 References 3 1 Bibliography 4 External linksHistory editWorld War II edit The 311th Troop Carrier Squadron trained in the United States from 1943 to 1944 and later flew cargo and personnel missions It transferred to Hawaii in February 1945 and flew cargo in the Hawaiian Islands When Lieutenant General Millard Harmon crashed in the Pacific the squadron participated in an intensive air search for survivors In August 1945 it moved to Okinawa and continued its airlift mission until May 1946 Air Force reserve edit The 311th trained in C 46 aircraft from June 1949 April 1951 Vietnam War edit In Vietnam the 311th flew cargo and passengers in support of I and II Corps In addition the unit flew flare communications cover air evacuation and search and rescue missions for downed aircraft On 10 May 1968 The special forces camp at Kham Duc in the central highlands near Laos came under heavy mortar fire and was ordered to be evacuated On 12 May during evacuation efforts an Army Boeing CH 47 Chinook and two division C 130s were disabled by enemy fire One C 130 burst into flames at the end of the runway killing all aboard The final C 130 took off thinking it had boarded the last of the men on the ground As the Viet Cong overran the forward outpost and established gun positions on the airstrip eight aircraft were destroyed and the C 130 on the runway reduced its usable length to only about 2 200 feet However the three man combat control team in charge of directing the evacuation was still on the ground searching for survivors 2 Informed that three men remained behind Lt Col Joe M Jackson of the 311th Air Commando Squadron 834th Air Division dove his Fairchild C 123K Provider from 9 000 to land at the field Unable to slow by reversing his propellers Reversing the propellers on the C 123K shut off the two jet engines They would have to be restarted before the aircraft could begin to take off again he jammed on the brakes and skidded halfway down the runway The three combat controllers jumped from a culvert next to the runway and leaped into the open rear cargo door A 122 mm rocket fired from just outside the perimeter stopped only 10 meters from the plane It did not explode Jackson taxied around the shell and took off under heavy fire from the hills on either side of the camp For this rescue he was awarded the Medal of Honor 2 Operational support airlift edit The squadron was redesignated the 311th Airlift Flight and activated at Offutt Air Force Base Nebraska in April 1997 assuming the mission personnel and Learjet C 21 aircraft of the inactivating 11th Airlift Flight 1 3 when Air Force operational support airlift in the United States was centralized under the 375th Air Mobility Wing citation needed It supported the Commander United States Strategic Command providing passenger airlift for Department of Defense officials throughout the US In June 2005 the flight became the 311th Airlift Squadron and moved to Peterson Air Force Base Colorado absorbing the resources of the 84th Airlift Flight which was inactivated 4 It was inactivated in June 2014 leaving the 200th Airlift Squadron of the Colorado Air National Guard to continue its mission at Peterson 3 Lineage editConstituted as the 311th Troop Carrier Squadron on 23 October 1943Activated on 1 November 1943 Inactivated on 15 May 1946Redesignated 311th Troop Carrier Squadron Medium on 10 May 1949Activated in the reserve on 27 June 1949 Ordered to active service on 1 April 1951 Inactivated on 2 April 1951Redesignated 311th Troop Carrier Squadron Assault and activated on 24 May 1963 not organized Organized on 8 July 1963 Redesignated 311th Air Commando Squadron Troop Carrier on 8 March 1965 Redesignated 311th Air Commando Squadron Tactical Airlift on 1 August 1967 Redesignated 311th Special Operations Squadron on 1 August 1968 Redesignated 311th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 January 1970 Inactivated on 5 October 1971Redesignated 311th Airlift Flight on 27 March 1997Activated on 1 April 1997 Redesignated 311th Airlift Squadron on 15 June 2005 1 Inavtivated on 1 June 2014 3 Assignments edit 349th Troop Carrier Group 1 November 1943 I Troop Carrier Command 1 December 1944 VI Air Service Area Command 9 February 1945 Seventh Air Force 22 July 1945 U S Army Forces Middle Pacific 31 July 1945 VIII Air Force Service Command 1 September 1945 54th Troop Carrier Wing 15 February 15 May 1946 349th Troop Carrier Group 27 June 1949 2 April 1951 315th Troop Carrier Group later 315 Air Commando Group 8 July 1963 315th Air Commando Wing later 315 Special Operations Wing 315 Tactical Airlift Wing 8 March 1966 5 October 1971 458th Airlift Squadron 1 April 1997 375th Operations Group 15 June 2005 1 June 2014 1 3 Stations edit Sedalia Army Air Field Missouri 1 November 1943 Alliance Army Air Field Nebraska 19 January 1944 Pope Field North Carolina 8 March 1944 Baer Field Indiana 8 January 1945 Fort Lawton Washington 24 January 1 February 1945 Kahuku Army Air Base Hawaii 9 February 1945 Bellows Field Hawaii 15 February 22 July 1945 Okinawa Ryuku Islands 22 August 1945 15 May 1946 Hamilton Air Force Base California 27 June 1949 2 April 1951 Da Nang Air Base South Vietnam 8 July 1963 Phan Rang Air Base South Vietnam 21 July 1967 5 October 1971 Offutt Air Force Base Nebraska 1 April 1997 Peterson Air Force Base Colorado 15 June 2005 1 June 2014 1 3 Aircraft edit Douglas C 47 Skytrain 1943 1945 Douglas C 53 Skytrooper 1943 1944 Curtiss C 46 Commando 1945 1946 1949 1951 Fairchild C 123 Provider 1963 1971 Learjet C 21 1997 2014 1 3 References edit a b c d e f g h i Bailey Carl E 10 December 2007 Factsheet 311 Airlift Squadron AMC Air Force Historical Research Agency Retrieved 4 August 2017 a b Air Force Link People Colonel Joe M Jackson United States Air Force Archived from the original on 19 February 2007 Retrieved 10 July 2015 a b c d e f Golembesky Michael 6 May 2014 311th Airlift Squadron makes final departure from Peterson Air Force 21st Space Wing Public Affairs Retrieved 4 August 2017 Research Division Air Force Historical Research Agency Air Force Organization Change Status Report June 2005 Maxwell AFB AL Bibliography edit nbsp This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency 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 Retrieved 17 December 2016 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 Retrieved 17 December 2016 Ravenstein Charles A 1984 Air Force Combat Wings Lineage amp Honors Histories 1947 1977 Washington DC Office of Air Force History ISBN 0 912799 12 9 Retrieved 17 December 2016 External links edit375th Operations Group Fact Sheet Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 311th Airlift Squadron amp oldid 1071202713, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
