313th Tactical Airlift Wing

Emblem of the 313th Tactical Airlift Wing
Active	1942–1973
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Airlift
Part of	Tactical Air Command
Garrison/HQ	Forbes AFB, Kansas

The 313th Tactical Airlift Wing (313th TAW) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command, assigned to the 834th Air Division, being stationed at Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas. It was inactivated on September 2, 1966.

History

For additional history and lineage, see 313th Troop Carrier Group

Lineage

• Established as 313th Troop Carrier Wing on July 28, 1947

Organized on August 15, 1947

Discontinued on August 26, 1948

• Redesignated 313th Troop Carrier Wing, Heavy and activated on August 23, 1948

Inactivated on January 20, 1949

• Redesignated 313th Troop Carrier Wing, Medium on November 26, 1952

Activated on February 1, 1953

Inactivated on August 25, 1953

• Activated on June 15, 1964

Organized on October 1, 1964

Redesignated 313th Tactical Airlift Wing on May 1, 1967

Inactivated on September 30, 1973

Assignments

• Ninth Air Force, 15 August 1947 – 26 August 1948; 23 August 1948
• Tactical Air Command, 25 October 1948
• United States Air Forces in Europe, 5 November 1948

Attached to 1st Air Lift Task Force, 9–17 November 1948

• 1st Air Lift Task Force, 18 November 1948 – 20 January 1949
• Eighteenth Air Force, 1 February-25 August 1953

• Tactical Air Command, 15 June 1964
• 839th Air Division, 1 October 1964
• 838th Air Division, 9 November 1964
• Twelfth Air Force, 24 December 1969
• 834th Air Division, 15 March 1972 – 30 September 1973.

Stations

• Bergstrom Field (later, AFB), Texas, August 15, 1947 – October 22, 1948
• RAF Fassberg, Germany, November 9, 1948 – January 20, 1949
• Mitchel AFB, New York, February 1 – August 25, 1953
• Forbes AFB, Kansas, October 1, 1964 – September 30, 1973.

Components

Group

• 313th Tactical Airlift Group: 15 August 1947 – 26 August 1948; 23 August 1948 – 20 January 1949; 1 February-25 August 1953

Squadrons

• 29th Tactical Airlift Squadron: 1 October 1964 – 1 February 1966
• 38th Tactical Airlift Squadron: 1 July 1969 – 15 November 1971 (not operational, 1 July-31 December 1969; detached 4 November 1970-12 January 1971 and 9 September-15 November 1971)
• 47th Tactical Airlift Squadron: 1 October 1964 – 6 July 1973 (detached 26 July-19 November 1965, 25 January—c. 23 June 1966, 2 September— c. November 1966, c. January-25 March 1967, 27 September-4 December 1969, 16 February-19 March 1970, 5 June-11 August 1970, 3 May-12 July 1971, 6 December 1971 – 14 February 1972, 3 August-20 October 1972, 31 December 1972-11 February 1973)
• 48th Tactical Airlift Squadron: 1 January 1965 – 25 June 1967 (detached c. 17 November 1965—c. 28 January 1966, 23 June— September 1966, c. November 1966—c. January 1967); 15 November 1971 – 6 August 1973 (detached 3 April-28 June 1972 and 3 October-30 December 1972).

Aircraft

• C-47 Skytrain 1947-1948
• C-54 Skymaster, 1948–1949
• C-82 Packet, 1947–1949
• C-46 Commando, 1953
• C-119 Flying Boxcar, 1953
• C-130 Hercules, 1964–1973

Operational history

Activated in Austria on September 30, 1946. Assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe and equipped with C-47 and C-54 aircraft.

Transferred, without personnel and equipment, to the US on June 25, 1947 and assigned to Tactical Air Command. Trained with gliders and C-82’s. Redesignated 313th Troop Carrier Group, (Heavy) in July 1948.

Moved to Germany, October–November 1948, and joined United States Air Forces in Europe for participation in the Berlin airlift. Transported cargo such as coal, food, and medicine into West Berlin from November 1948 to September 1949. Redesignated 313th Troop Carrier Group (Special) in February 1949. Inactivated in Germany on September 18, 1949.

Trained in troop carrier operations, 1953. Trained to become proficient and to maintain combat readiness in tactical airlift operations, 1964–1973. Frequently deployed tactical squadrons or segments thereof on a global basis to support airlift requirements of overseas commands. Participated in tactical exercises and disaster relief on a regular basis. Last C-130 transferred on August 6, 1973. Thereafter, until inactivation, the wing assisted in the closure of Forbes AFB.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.