The headquarters and squadrons of the 61st were initially scattered at various depot bases, with the 13th at Patterson Field,[1] site of the Fairfield Air Depot.[4] The 61st was finally united with its component squadrons at Pope Field, North Carolina in May 1942. Shortly after this the group and squadrons were renamed Troop Carrier organizations.[1][2] The squadron trained with the group in the southeast, using Douglas C-47 Skytrain and Douglas C-53 Skytrooper aircraft,[2] but in the fall of 1942 the 13th deployed by itself to the Pacific.[1]
C-47s flying supplies to a forward airfield in New Guinea escorted by P-40s
In October 1946 the 403d Troop Carrier Group was replaced by the 374th Troop Carrier Group. As a result, the 13th was inactivated and its mission, personnel and equipment were transferred to the 22d Troop Carrier Squadron.[1][7]
Cold War
The 913th Air Refueling Squadron was activated in June 1958 by Strategic Air Command (SAC) at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The squadron was equipped with Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers and assigned to the 4238th Strategic Wing as part of SAC's plan to disperse its Boeing B-52 Stratofortress units to make it more difficult for the Soviet Union to destroy the entire fleet with a first strike.[8] The squadron mission was to provide air refueling to the B-52s of its parent wing and other USAF units as directed. Starting in 1960, one third of the squadron's aircraft were maintained on fifteen-minute alert, fully fueled and ready for combat to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet missile strike. This was increased to half the squadron's aircraft in 1962.[9] The squadron trained for this mission until inactivation except for periods when its aircraft and crews were deployed with other SAC organizations conducting combat operations.[10]
From October through November 1962 the squadron's training was interrupted as it assumed an increased alert posture during the Cuban Missile Crisis. After tensions eased, the unit resumed normal operations.[11] The 913th transferred to the 2d Bombardment Wing in 1963 when SAC replaced its parent wing[10] with an organization that had a more distinguished history and could continue its lineage.[a]
In 1962, SAC established an airborne command post at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, nicknamed Looking Glass, to ensure continuity of command and control of SAC forces in the event of a nuclear attack. Looking Glass was soon augmented by auxiliary aircraft stationed with the headquarters of SAC's three Numbered Air Forces. The 913th received Boeing EC-135C aircraft to operate SAC's Central Auxiliary Command Post's airborne element. The 913th continued to operate PACCS aircraft until 1 April 1970, when SAC reorganized its airborne command post aircraft and withdrew them from vulnerable bases near the coasts like Barksdale and assigned them to the 2d, 3d, and 4th Airborne Command and Control Squadrons, stationed at bases closer to the heartland of North America.[12]
The 913th began supporting SAC operations in Southeast Asia in 1965, and increased its support of these operations over the following two years. From May to November 1972 all but four of the squadron's KC-135s and a handful of crews were on loan to other SAC units. Following the return of its assets, the squadron continued to support operations in Southeast Asia until 1975.[10] The 913th resumed its training and alert mission until it was inactivated in 1981 and replaced by the 32d Air Refueling Squadron when the 2d Bombardment Wing began to operate McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extenders.[13]
The 13th Troop Carrier Squadron was consolidated with the 913th Air Refueling Squadron in September 1985 but the consolidated squadron has not been active since.[14]
Lineage
13th Troop Carrier Squadron
Constituted as the 13th Transport Squadron on 20 November 1940
Activated on 1 December 1940
Redesignated the 13th Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 July 1942
^Armstrong, William. (2017). Marine Air Group 25 and SCAT (Images of Aviation). Arcadia. ISBN1467127434; Washburne, Seth. (2011). The Thirsty 13th: The U.S. Army Air Forces 13th Troop Carrier Squadron, 1940 – 1945. Thirsty 13th LLC. ISBN0615396755
^ abcDepartment of the Air Force/MPM Letter 662q, 19 September 85, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Tactical Squadrons
^ abcdLineage, including assignments, stations and aircraft in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 75
Washburne, Seth (2011). The Thirsty 13th: The U.S. Army Air Forces 13th Troop Carrier Squadron, 1940 – 1945. Chelsea, MI: Thirsty 13th LLC. ISBN978-0615396750.
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