19th Airlift Squadron

19th Troop Carrier Squadron

19th Troop Carrier Squadron  

19th Airlift Squadron "Orient Express" 

19th Airlift Squadron   

19th Airlift Squadron History and Lineage

  

Constituted 19th Transport Squadron on 22 Nov 1940. Activated on 1 Jan 1941. Redesignated 19th Troop Carrier Squadron on 5 Jul 1942. Inactivated on 26 Aug 1948. Redesignated 19th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium, on 23 May 1952. Activated on 10 Jun 1952. Inactivated on 18 Jan 1955. Consolidated (1 Apr 1992) with the 1403d Military Airlift Squadron, which was designated, and activated, on 1 Aug 1984. Redesignated 19th Airlift Squadron on 1 Apr 1992.

Assignments;  Hawaiian (later, Seventh) Air Force, 1 Jan 1941; VI Air Service Area Command, 15 Aug 1944; AAF, Middle Pacific, 15 Dec 1945; Pacific Air Command, 1 Jan 1946; 403d Troop Carrier Group, 31 May 1946; 374th Troop Carrier Group, 15 Oct 1946; Seventh Air Force (later, Pacific Air Command), 1 Jan 1947; Ninth Air Force, 17-26 Aug 1948 (attached to Airlift Task Force [Prov], Jul-26 Aug 1948). 315th Troop Carrier Group, 10 Jun 1952-18 Jan 1955. 316th Tactical Airlift Group, 1 Aug 1984; 374th Tactical Airlift Wing, 1 Oct 1989; 316th Airlift Support Group, 1 Apr 1992; 374th Operations Group, 1 Jun 1992; 60th Operations Group, 1 Oct 1993-19 July 1996.

 

Commanders:  Lt Col Mark D Still (1994), Lt Col Michael Maffei (1995), Lt Col Mark Mamula (1996).

Stations:  Hickam Field, TH, 1 Jan 1941; John Rogers Aprt, TH, 29 May 1942; Hickam Field, TH, 1946; Bergstrom AFB, TX, 17-26 Aug 1948 (detachment operated from Rhein-Main AB, Germany, 2 Jul-26 Aug 1948). Brady AB, Japan, 10 Jun 1952-18 Jan 1955. Yokota AB, Japan, 1 Aug 1984-1 Oct 1993; Travis AFB, CA, 1 Oct 1993-19 July 1996.

Aircraft: C-33, 1941-1942; C-53, 1942-1945; C-57, 1943-1946; C-47, 1943-1946; C-45, 1944-1946; C-54, 1946-1948; C-46, 1946-1948. C-46, 1952-1954. C-12, 1984-; C-21, 1985-1993; C-141B, 1993-1996.

Operations: The 19th Airlift Squadron was constituted as the 19th Transport Squadron on 22 November 1940. Activated on 1 January 1941 at Hickam Field, Hawaii, the squadron was assigned to Hawaiian (later, Seventh) Air Force, flying the C-33. During the course of World War II, the squadron would conduct aerial transportation within the Hawaiian Islands and to forward bases in the Pacific.

The squadron was redesignated the 19th Troop Carrier Squadron on 5 July 1942. That same year, the unit transitioned to the C-53 aircraft. The following year, it converted to the C-57 and C-47. In 1944, it added to its inventory the C-45.

On August 15, the 19th became assigned to VI Air Service Area Command and the following year, on 15 December 1945, to AAF, Middle Pacific.

1946 saw the squadron transition to the C-54 and C-46 aircraft as well as assigned to Pacific Air Command, on 1 January 1946; the 403d Troop Carrier Group, on 31 May 1946; the 374th Troop Carrier Group, on 15 October 1946. The squadron was again reassigned on January 1, 1947, to Seventh Air Force (later, Pacific Air Command).

Reassigned to Ninth Air Force (though attached to Airlift Task Force [Prov], July–26 August 1948 as a detachment was operating from Rhein-Main AB, Germany, providing aerial transportation during the Berlin Airlift) on 17 August 1948, the squadron was inactivated a few days later, on the 26 at Bergstrom AFB, TX.

Redesignated as the 19th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium, on 23 May 1952, the squadron was reactivated on 10 June 1952 at Brady AB, Japan. The squadron flew with the familiar C-46 aircraft under the 315th Troop Carrier Group. From 10 June 1952 to 27 July 1953, the squadron provided aerial transportation between Japan and Korea. The squadron inactivated on 18 January 1955.

The 19th consolidated on April 1, 1992 with the 1403d Military Airlift Squadron, which was designated, and activated, on 1 August 1984. The squadron had been attached to 316th Tactical Airlift Group, and then the 374th Tactical Airlift Wing, starting 1 October 1989. Based at Yokota AB, Japan, the squadron provided intratheater airlift for high-ranking PACAF and civilian officials and small mission–essential equipment, from 1984–1993 while flying the C-12 before converting to the C-21 in 1985.

The consolidated squadron was designated the 19th Airlift Squadron on 1 April 1992 and assigned to the 316th Airlift Support Group, before being reassigned on 1 June 1992 to the 374th Operations Groups. The 19th AS was reassigned to the 60th AMW on 1 October 1993, at which point it moved to Travis AFB, CA.

The last flight of the 19th AS (for the inactivation ceremony) was 2 Aug 1996.

Honors:

Campaign Streamers:  World War II: Central Pacific; Eastern Mandates; Western Pacific. Korea: Korea Summer-Fall, 1952; Third Korean Winter; Korea, Summer 1953.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers: None.

Decorations:  Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Aug 1984-30 Jun 1985; 1 Jul 1987-30 Jun 1989. Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: [10 Jun 1952]-27 Jul 1953.

Emblem:  On a disc per fess debased, border Black, a stylized White cargo aircraft, edged Black, flying into sky portion of Ultramarine Blue, charged with the Southern Cross constellation White, all over the Golden Yellow moon rising, flecked with clouds of Grey and Yellow, behind Black silhouette outline of islands and palm trees resting on Dark Blue water segment in base, marked with Golden Yellow moon rays. Approved on 5 Jun 1953 (K 7070) as modification of emblem approved on 30 May 1944 (28653 A.C.); reinstated on 4 Oct 1993 to replace emblem approved on 26 Jun 1986.