The squadron was activated again in 1953, when it replaced a reserve squadron that had been mobilized for the Korean War. It moved to France, where it provided theater airlift until inactivating in 1958. The squadron was converted to provisional status in 2002 and was activated in 2014.
The squadron arrived in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, where it was stationed at Pantanella Airfield, Italy in March 1944. The air echelon halted in Tunisia for additional training before completing its move to Italy, where it became part of Fifteenth Air Force. It flew strategic bombardment combat missions over France, Germany, Italy, Austria and the Balkans, attacking targets such as marshalling yards, docks, aircraft factories and oil production facilities. On 8 July 1944 the squadron attacked an oil refinery and marshalling yards near Vienna, Austria despite heavy flak and fighter opposition, earning the unit a Distinguished Unit Citation. It was awarded a second citation for an attack on 3 August 1944 against a steel plant in Friedrichshafen, Germany.[4]
The squadron was occasionally diverted from the strategic campaign. It attacked troop concentrations in May 1944 to assist partisan forces in Yugoslavia and performed interdiction missions to support the advance on Rome. Prior to Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France, it attacked bridges, railroads and gun emplacements near the landing area. It supported Red Army and Romanian Army forces advancing in the Balkans in October 1944 and Allied forces in Northern Italy in April 1945.[4]
The squadron moved to Waller Field, Trinidad and became part of Air Transport Command in June 1945. It used its Liberators as transports, flying personnel from Trinidad to Florida. The unit was inactivated in Trinidad during July 1945. The squadron was redesignated as very heavy bomber squadron in 1945, but remained inactive.[3][4]
The squadron's intended base at Évreux-Fauville Air Base, France was still under construction, so in December, the 465th Group and the squadron moved to Toul-Rosières Air Base, France. In November the squadron's ground echelon sailed on the USS General Alexander M. Patch, while the air echelon departed Donaldson with their C-119s at the beginning of December. Although construction at Toul had progressed, it could only accommodate a single flying squadron, and the group's other squadrons moved to bases in Germany.[6] By April 1954, construction at Toul was advanced enough that its parent 465th Troop Carrier Wing and the other flying squadrons could join it.[c] The squadron participated in airlift operations, tests and exercises in Europe.[7] Although the squadron mission was troop carrier, there were few American airborne troops in Europe, and it focused on theater airlift flights, particularly supporting fighter units deploying to Wheelus Air Base for training at the ranges there.[6]
In March 1957, the 465th Wing reorganized under the dual deputy model. The 465th Group was inactivated and the 780th was reassigned directly to the 465th Wing. Four months later, the 465th Wing inactivated and transferred its operational squadrons to the 317th Troop Carrier Wing, which had moved to Évreux-Fauville Air Base from its former station at Neubiberg Air Base, Germany.[7][8] The squadron continued airlift operations in France until inactivating in March 1958.[3]
Expeditionary operations
The 780th was converted to provisional status in June 2002 as the 780th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron.[3] It was reactivated in 2014 to facilitate the U.S. and NATO withdrawal in Afghanistan. During its activity from January 2014 until the end of the mission in December 2014, the 780th EAS transported more than 83,000 US and coalition personnel and more than 5,800 tons of cargo through the Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base transportation hub.[9]
^Approved 17 June 1955. Description: Over and through a disc partitioned per pile, red and medium blue, a border of eight gold chain links over all the base area of the red segment of the disc, a white, arched impact point of seven points, radiating upward, surmounted by an Air Force yellow parachute, in perspective, the lining gray, all detail and lines black; suspended from the parachute an artillery piece of the last color, highlighted white, all surmounting an annulet in base of the last color.
^Aircraft is Consolidated B-24H-15-CF Liberator, serial 41-29347, Alley Oop. This plane was lost on 28 July 1944, on a mission over Yugoslavia. Baugher, Joe (18 April 2023). "1941 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 18 July 2023., Missing Air Crew Report 7106. The red markings on the engine cowlings identify the plane as assigned to the 780th Squadron. Watkins, pp. 114–115.
^The 465th Wing and Group had been operating separately since their activation in February 1953. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 340-341; Ravenstein, pp. 260-261.
Watkins, Robert A. (2013). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II. Vol. V, Pacific Theater of Operations. Atglen,PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN978-0-7643-4346-9.
Strategi Solo vs Squad di Free Fire: Cara Menang Mudah!
