312th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium

  October 1943 to November 1962

  United States of America

TYPE: USAF unit

IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil

HEADQUARTERS: Sedalia AAF, MO (1943-1944), Alliance AAF, NE (1944), Pope Field, NC (1944-1945), Baer Field, IN (1945), RAF Barkston Heath, UK (1945), Roye-Amy, France (1945), Bergstrom AAF, TX (1945-1946), Hamilton AFB, CA (1949-1962)

FORMER NAME: Nil

SUBSEQUENT NAME: 312^th Military Airlift Squadron (when reactivated 1966)

The 312^th Troop Carrier Squadron was established on 23 October 1943, and activated on 1 November 1943 at Sedalia AAF, MO. It was assigned through 1951 to the 349^th Troop Carrier Group. It started off with a fleet of C-47 Skytrains, which were replaced from 1944 by C-46 Commandos. The squadron spend over a year in the USA, training for troop carrier operations, participating in maneuvers and practicing paratroop drops, glider towing, and flying training, mainly from Pope Field, NC. It was finally deployed to Europe in March 1945, where its mission was the transportation of vehicles, gasoline, and supplies. At the end of the war, the squadron evacuated patients and former allied POWs before returning to America in July and August 1945. The 312^th was inactivated on 7 September 1946, after a period training Chinese crews to operate the Commando.

In the wake of the Korean War, the squadron was reactivated with its group, as the 312^th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 10 May 1949 at Hamilton AFB, CA. It remained in the reserve, training crews in troop carrier operations, until it was inactivated on 2 April 1951.

Between May 1952 and September 1957, the Squadron became a fighter bomber unit, before coming back to its troop carrier duties. From 1957 to 1962, it operated C-46's and C-119's in the reserve, and was deactivated again on 28 November 1962.

1944 to April 1951 & 1957 to 1958

• Curtiss C-46A-5-CK Commando: 43-46981
• Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando: 44-77605, 44-77722, 44-77726