Lineage. Established as 62 Transport Group on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 11 Dec 1940. Redesignated as 62 Troop Carrier Group on 4 Jul 1942. Inactivated on 14 Nov 1945. Activated on 7 Sep 1946. Redesignated as: 62 Troop Carrier Group, Medium on 23 Jun 1948; 62 Troop Carrier Group, Heavy on 12 Oct 1949. Inactivated on 15 Jan 1960. Redesignated as: 62 Military Airlift Group on 31 Jul 1985; 62 Operations Group on 1 Dec 1991. Activated on 1 Dec 1991.
Assignments. Air Service Command, 11 Dec 1940; 50 Transport Wing, 14 Jan 1941; 51 Troop Carrier Wing, 1 Jun 1942; Mediterranean Air Transport Service, 4 Jun-14 Nov 1945. Third Air Force, 7 Sep 1946; Ninth Air Force, 1 Nov 1946; Twelfth Air Force, 5 Aug 1947; 62 Troop Carrier Wing, 15 Aug 1947; Fourth Air Force, 1 Jun 1950; Fourteenth Air Force, 1 Jul 1950; Continental Division, MATS, 17 Jul 1950; 1705 Air Transport Wing, 24 Aug 1950; 62 Troop Carrier Wing, 1 Oct 1951-15 Jan 1960. 62 Airlift Wing, 1 Dec 1991-.
Operational Components. Squadrons. 4 Transport (later, 4 Troop Carrier, 4 Airlift): 11 Dec 1940-14 Nov 1945; 7 Sep 1946-15 Jan 1960; 1 Dec 1991-. 7 Transport (later, 7 Troop Carrier, 7 Airlift): 11 Dec 1940-14 Nov 1945; 7 Sep 1946-15 Jan 1960; 1 Oct 1993-. 8 Transport (later, 8 Troop Carrier, 8 Airlift): 11 Dec 1940-14 Nov 1945; 7 Sep 1946-15 Jan 1960; 1 Dec 1991-. 10 Airlift, 1 Oct 2003-. 36 Airlift: 1 Dec 1991-1 Oct 1993. 51 Transport (later, 51 Troop Carrier): 1 Jun 1942-14 Nov 1945.
Stations. McClellan Field, CA, 11 Dec 1940; Kellogg Field, MI, 30 May 1942; Florence, SC, 1 Jul-14 Aug 1942; Keevil, England, 25 Sep 1942; Tafaraoui, Algeria, 15 Nov 1942; Nouvion, Algeria, 24 Dec 1942; Matemore, Algeria, 16 May 1943; Tunisia, Jul 1943; Ponte Olivo, Sicily, 6 Sep 1943; Brindisi, Italy, Feb 1944; Ponte Olivo, Sicily, 20 Mar 1944; Gaudo Airfield, Italy, 8 May 1944; Galera Airfield, Italy, 30 Jun 1944; Malignano Airfield, Italy, 30 Sep 1944; Tarquinia, Italy, 8 Jan 1945; Rosignano Airfield, Italy, 25 May 1945; Naples, Italy, c. 17 Sep-14 Nov 1945. Bergstrom Field, TX, 7 Sep 1946; McChord Field, WA, Aug 1947; Kelly AFB, TX, 9 May 1950; McChord AFB, WA, 27 Jul 1950; Larson AFB, WA, 9 May 1952-15 Jan 1960. McChord AFB (later, Joint Base, Lewis-McChord), WA, 1 Dec 1991-.
Commanders. Lt Col Bernard J. Tooher, 11 Dec 1940; Maj Donald E. Shugart, unkn; Col Samuel J. Davis, 1 Jul 1942; Lt Col Aubrey S. Hurren, 27 Mar 1943; Col Gordon L. Edris, 15 May 1944; Lt Col William M. Massengale Jr., 13 Dec 1944; Col Gordon L. Edris, 23 Feb 1945; Col Paul A. Jones, 27 May 1945; Lt Col Riley B. Whearty, 3 Jun 1945; Lt Col Oliver K. Halderson, 20 Jul 1945-unkn. Col Donald J. French, 7 Sep 1946; Col Adriel N. Williams, 1 Mar 1948; Col George S. Brown, c. Jul 1950; Col Richard Jones, c. Aug 1951; Col Lionel F. Johnson, by Jun 1956-c. Jan 1960. Col William E. Schepens, 1 Dec 1991; Col Steven A. Roser, 28 Jan 1993; Col Thomas P. Kane, 8 Jul 1994; Col Thomas R. Madson, 5 Jun 1995; Col Gregory L. Trebon, 2 Jan 1996; Col Ronald R. Ladnier, 15 Aug 1997; Col Mark D. Still, 27 Jul 1998; Col Darren W. McDew, 27 Jul 2000; Col Michael C. Strouse, 20 Sep 2001; Col Lyn D. Sherlock, 1 Oct 2002; Col Christopher E. Coley, 6 Apr 2004; Col Damon K. Booth, 15 Jul 2005; Col Ted A. Detwiler, 14 Aug 2006; Col Joseph T. Wiley, 15 Jun 2007; Col Glenn Rousseau, 19 Jun 2009; Col Paul B. Eberhart, 21 Apr 2011; Col Andrew C. Hird, 21 Mar 2013; Col Brian J. Wald, 29 Nov 2013; Col Andrew C. Hird, 7 Apr 2014; Col David Owens, 7 Jul 2015-.
Aircraft. C-39, 1941-1942; C-47, 1942-1945; C-53, 1940-1945. C-46, 1946-1947; C-82, 1947-1949; C-54, 1949-1951; C-124, 1951-1960. C-141, 1991-2002; C-17, 1999-.
Operations. The group transported military freight, supplies, and official passengers in North and South America, 1940-1942. In England, provided training for parachute and glider troops. In Algeria, the 62 Troop Carrier Group flew its first combat mission on 29 Nov 1942, dropping British paratroopers on airdromes in Tunisia. Trained with gliders for several months. Dropped paratroops behind enemy lines at Catania during the Allied invasion of Sicily in Jul 1943. Dropped paratroops in northern Italy in Jun 1944, to harass the retreating enemy and prevent them from destroying bridges. Flew two missions during the Allied invasion of Southern France in Aug 1944, releasing gliders and parachute troops in the battle area. Towed gliders to and dropped paratroops in Greece during the Allied assault in Oct 1944. Evacuated wounded personnel, and delivered ammunition, food, clothing, medical supplies, and other materials to the partisans behind enemy lines in Italy and in the Balkans; also dropped propaganda leaflets. After the war, the group flew various humanitarian missions, hauled freight and mail, and aided in the redeployment of personnel until Nov 1945. Flew mail to Japan for U.S. troops in Korea in 1952; brought medical supplies to the flooded areas of Pakistan in 1954; and transported French troops and equipment from France to Indochina, Apr-May 1954. Airlifted radar equipment and supplies for the construction of the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line in northern Alaska and Canada, 1955-1956, and thereafter periodically resupplied DEW stations. From 1991, its squadrons flew a variety of exercises and training missions and provided airlift for worldwide contingencies and humanitarian relief efforts. Flew resupply missions for Operation Deep Freeze, Antarctica, 1997-. Group elements conducted aerial delivery of rations to Afghani town and villages during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM in 2001. In 2007 supported air drop testing of ARIES I crew launch vehicle for NASA. Flew missions in support of Operation PROVIDE HOPE (Georgia). A wing aircraft executed the first C-17 airdrop of the CDS at the South Pole, delivering supplies to the personnel of the Amundsen-Scott Station. In 2009, a wing crew executed the first combat test of the FIREFLY precision airdrop system. Flew missions in response to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, as well as relief missions to Pago Pago following an October tsunami. From 2010 to 2013 supported the troop buildup in Afghanistan, delivering MRAPs and M-ATVs. In ODF, executed the first mid-winter evacuation from Antarctica, retrieving a seriously ill American contractor in June 2011. Participated in testing of the Joint Precision Airdrop System (JPADS) at Yakima Training Center, Washington. From 2014 to 2015 supported removal of equipment from Afghanistan, presidential trip to Africa; missions to Turkey and Jordan in support of strikes against ISIS. The wing's squadrons flew over 32,000 hours in support of contingencies, channel, training, and special assignment airlift missions.
Service Streamers. Global War on Terrorism: GWOT-S.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Rome-Arno; Southern France; North Apennines; Po Valley; Air Combat, EAME Theater
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Air Force Meritorious Unit Award: 11 Sep 2001-10 Sep 2003. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 19 Apr-5 May 1954; 1 Jul 1994-30 Jun 1996; 1 Jul 1996-30 Jun 1997; 1 Jul 1997-30 Jun 1999; 1 Jul 2000-30 Jun 2001; 11 Sep 2005-10 Sep 2006; 11 Sep 2008-10 Sep 2010; 11 Sep 2010-10 Sep 2011; 10 Oct 2011-30 Sep 2013; 10 Oct 2013-30 Sep 2015.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 13 Sep 2017.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 13 Sep 2017.
Supersedes statement prepared on 28 Sep 2009.
Emblem. Approved on 22 Nov 2022.
Prepared by TSgt David Dollman.
Reviewed by Carl E. Bailey.