Lineage. Constituted as 39 Transport Squadron on 2 Feb 1942. Activated on 22 Feb 1942. Redesignated as: 39 Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 Jul 1942; 39 Troop Carrier Squadron, Heavy, on 21 May 1948. Inactivated on 14 Sep 1949. Redesignated as 39 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium, on 3 Jul 1952. Activated on 14 Jul 1952. Redesignated as: 39 Troop Carrier Squadron on 1 Mar 1966; 39 Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 May 1967. Inactivated on 31 Jul 1971. Activated on 31 Aug 1971. Redesignated as 39 Airlift Squadron on 1 Jan 1992. Inactivated on 1 Jun 1992. Activated on 1 Oct 1993.
Assignments. 317 Transport (later, 317 Troop Carrier) Group, 22 Feb 1942–14 Sep 1949. 317 Troop Carrier Group, 14 Jul 1952; 465 Troop Carrier Wing, 12 Mar 1957; 317 Troop Carrier Wing, 8 Jul 1957; 322 Air Division, 25 Sep 1958; 317 Troop Carrier (later, 317 Tactical Airlift) Wing, 15 Apr 1963–31 Jul 1971 (attached to Detachment 1, 322 Air Division, Feb–May 1965; 513 Tactical Airlift Wing, 13 May–18 Jul 1968; 7310 Tactical Airlift Wing, 15 Apr–22 Jul 1969). 317 Tactical Airlift Wing, 31 Aug 1971 (attached to 322 Tactical Airlift Wing, 12 Dec 1973–17 Feb 1974; 513 Tactical Airlift Wing, 9 Jul–15 Sep 1974 and 12 Jul–14 Sep 1975; 435 Tactical Airlift Wing, 12 Apr–14 Jun 1976 and 1 Oct–15 Dec 1977; 435 Tactical Airlift Group, 4 Jan–4 Mar 1977); 317 Tactical Airlift Group, 1 Oct 1978 (attached to 313 Tactical Airlift Group, 5 Jun–14 Aug 1979); 317 Tactical Airlift Wing, 1 Apr 1980 (attached to 313 Tactical Airlift Group, 8 Oct–13 Dec 1980, 3 Feb–14 Apr 1982, 4 Jun–13 Aug 1983, 1 Oct–12 Dec 1984, 2 Feb–15 Apr 1986, 3 Mar–15 May 1987, 3 Jun–10 Aug 1988, May–11 Jul 1991); 317 Operations Group, 1 Jan–1 Jun 1992 (attached to 313 Tactical Airlift Group, 3 Apr–31 May 1992). 7 Operations Group, 1 Oct 1993; 317 Airlift Group, 1 Apr 1997–.
Stations. Duncan Field, TX, 22 Feb 1942; Bowman Field, KY, 9 Oct 1942; Lawson Field, GA, Oct 1942; Maxton, NC, 2–12 Dec 1942; Garbutt, Australia, 22 Jan 1942; Archerfield, Australia, 22 Feb 1942; Port Moresby, New Guinea, 28 Sep 1943; Finschhafen, New Guinea, 23 Apr 1944; Hollandia, New Guinea, Jul 1944; Leyte, 19 Nov 1944; Clark Field, Luzon, 28 Mar 1945; Okinawa, Japan, 19 Aug 1945; Fukuoka, Japan, 11 Nov 1945; Tachikawa AB, Japan, 15 Jan 1946; Yamoto, Japan, 17 Jul 1946; Carelus AAFld, Japan, 6 Sep 1946; Tachikawa AB, Japan, 16 Oct 1946–21 Sep 1948; Wiesbaden, Germany, 30 Sep 1948; Celle RAF Station, Germany, 23 Dec 1948–14 Sep 1949. Rhein-Main AB, Germany, 14 Jul 1952; Neubiberg AB, Germany, 23 Mar 1953; Evreux-Fauville AB, France, 24 Jun 1956–20 Jun 1964; Lockbourne AFB, OH, 20 Jun 1964–31 Jul 1971 (deployed at Evreux-Fauville AB, France, Feb–May 1965; RAF Mildenhall, England, 13 May–18 Jul 1968; Rhein-Main AB, Germany, 15 Apr–22 Jul 1969). Pope AFB, NC, 31 Aug 1971–1 Jun 1992 (deployed at Rhein-Main AB, Germany, 12 Dec 1973-17 Feb 1974, 12 Apr-14 Jun 1976, 1 Oct-15 Dec 1977; and RAF Mildenhall, England, 12 Jul–14 Sep 1975, 4 Jan–Mar 1977, 5 Jun–14 Aug 1979, 8 Oct–Dec 1980, 3 Feb–14 Apr 1982, 4 Jun–13 Aug 1983, 1 Oct–12 Dec 1984, 2 Feb–15 Apr 1986, 3 Mar–15 May 1987, 3 Jun–10 Aug 1988, May–11 Jul 1991, 3 Apr–31 May 1992). Dyess AFB, TX, 1 Oct 1993–.
Commanders. Unkn, 22 Feb-23 Jun 1942; Capt William A. Williams, 24 Jun 1942; Maj Joseph C. Ford III, 26 Jun 1942; Maj Frank S. Monk Jr., 8 May 1944; Maj James G. Tuley, 27 Nov 1944; Capt Donald T. Baker, 3 Jul 1945; 1 Lt Earl G. Yarbrough, 2 Nov 1945-unkn; 1 Lt Leslie Good, unkn; Capt Fred C. Simpson, Feb 1946; Maj Elmon R. Cobb, 16 Oct 1946; Lt Col Hudson M. Schieber, 1 May 1947; Capt Jack C. Bickford, 29 May 1947; Maj Joseph F. Nesmith, 20 Jun 1947; Lt Col James M. Johnson, 14 Jul 1947; Lt Col Walter E. Chambers, 15 Jun 1948; Lt Col Robert J. DuVal, 11 Mar 1949; Maj John D. Garlington, Apr 1949; Maj Wilbert E. St John, Jun 1949-unkn. Lt Col Robert H. Murray, 14 Jul 1952; Lt Col John W. Blalock, c. 23 Mar 1953; Maj Walter H. Lamb, 22 Feb 1954; Maj Floyd K. Shofner, 1 Oct 1954; Lt Col Elmer H. Cryer, 8 Jul 1956; Lt Col Jess R. Nickols, Mar 1958; Lt Col Harry J. Thompson, 12 Feb 1959; Lt Col John P. Jones Jr., 4 Jan 1960; Col Eban D. Smith, 5 Jul 1963; Lt Col Guy E. Ridgeway Jr., 14 Oct 1966; Col John R. Delmore, 1 Nov 1968; Lt Col Robert E. Parry, 10 Feb 1969; Lt Col Robert C. Vrastil, 11 Jan 1970; Lt Col Leo C. Wurschmidt, 18 Jan-c. 1 Jun 1971. Lt Col Frederick R. Jacobs, 31 Aug 1971; Lt Col Derwent Langley Jr., 10 Aug 1972; Lt Col Robert L. Biggs, 1 Jun 1973; Lt Col Frank J. Kelley Jr., 28 Jan 1976; Lt Col Donald L. Koch, 27 Mar 1978; Lt Col John T. Payne, 1 Apr 1980; Lt Col Bryon R. Hooten, 27 Jul 1981; Lt Col George A. Gray III, 19 Aug 1983; Lt Col Gerald G. Iverson, 23 Jan 1985; Lt Col Ross P. Van Lerberghe, 30 Jun 1986; Lt Col Jack P. Holbein Jr., 5 May 1988; Lt Col Jon M. Swanson, 29 Dec 1989; Lt Col Randy E. Honnet, 15 Jul 1991-1 Jun 1992. Lt Col Thomas L. Bowlin, 1 Oct 1993; Lt Col Bryon Mills, 25 May 1995; Lt Col James P. Sturch, 7 Feb 1997; Lt Col Robert L. Reneau, 18 Jun 1998; Lt Col Derek P. Dickey, 12 Jul 1999; Lt Col Jeff Newell, by Dec 2001; Lt Col Charles K. Hyde, by Dec 2002; Lt Col Patrick Mordente, 9 Jan 2004; Lt Col Lee Flint, Jun 2005; Lt Col Andrew McIntyre, Jun 2007; Lt Col Charles M. Howard, 8 Jun 2009-.
Aircraft. Principally C–47, 1942–1946; C–46, 1946–1948; C–54, 1946–1949. C–119, 1952–1958; C–130, 1958–1971. C–130, 1971–1992. C-130, 1993-.
Operations. Paratroop drops on Noemfoor, Tagaytay (Luzon), as well as aerial transportation in South, Southwest, and Western Pacific in World War II. Berlin Airlift, 1948. Airlift missions to Grenada, in Oct 1983; to Panama, Dec 1989–17 Jan 1990; and to Southwest Asia, Aug 1990–Mar 1991. Deployed aircraft, crews, support equipment with personnel to sustain airlift operations, including Southwest Asia, 1993-.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Japan; Papua; New Guinea; Northern Solomons; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern
Philippines. Berlin: Berlin Airlift. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait; Southwest Asia Ceasefire. Global War on Terrorism: GWOT-E.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. Panama, 1989–1990.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Papua, [Jan 1943]; New Guinea, 30 Jan–1 Feb 1943; Philippine Islands, 16–17 Feb 1945. Meritorious Unit Awards: 1 Jul 2008-30 Jun 2009; 1 Jul 2009-30 Jun 2010; 1 Jul 2011-30 Jun 2012; 1 Jul 2012-30 Jun 2013; 1 Jul 2013-30 Jun 2014; 1 Jul 2014-30 Jun 2015. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 8 Jul–10 Aug 1960; 1 Sep 1962–15 Apr 1963; 1 Apr 1964–30 Jun 1965; 1 May 1972–30 Apr 1973; 1 May 1973–30 Apr 1975; 1 May 1975–30 Apr 1977; 1 Jun 1979–31 May 1981; 1 Jun 1982–31 May 1984; 1 Mar 1987–31 Mar 1988; 6 Oct 1989–13 Jan 1990; 1 Jun 1996-31 May 1998; 1 Jun 1998-30 Jun 1999; 1 Jul 1999-30 Jun 2000; 1 Jul 2000-30 Jun 2001; 1 Jul 2001-30 Jun 2002; 1 Jul 2002-30 Jun 2003; 1 Jul 2003-30 Jun 2004; 1 Jul 2004-30 Jun 2005; 1 Jul 2005-30 Jun 2006; 1 Jul 2006-30 Jun 2007; 1 Jul 2007-30 Jun 2008. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (WWII). Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, 10 Mar–28 Nov 1972.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 12 Aug 2016.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 22 Nov 2010.
Supersedes statement prepared on 22 Nov 2010.
Emblem. Approved on 27 Oct 1942; modified on 10 Aug 2007.
Prepared by TSgt David Dollman.