335th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium

  May 1949 to July 1967

  United States of America

TYPE: USAF unit

IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil

HEADQUARTERS: Birmingham Municipal, AL (1949), Mitchel AFB, NY (1949-1961), McGuire AFB, NJ (1961-1967)

ASSIGNMENTS: 514^th Troop Carrier Group (1949-1959), 514^th Troop Carrier Wing (1959-1963), 903^rd Troop Carrier Group (1963-1967)

FORMER NAME: Nil

SUBSEQUENT NAME: 335^th Tactical Airlift Squadron (redesignated 1967)

The squadron was first activated at Birmingham Municipal in June 1949, as part of the 514^th Troop Carrier Group, 514^th Troop Carrier Wing. There, it began training under the supervision of the 2587^th Air Force Reserve Training Center. However, as Continental Air Command decided that Birmingham would be home to a light bomber unit, the 335^th moved with its parent wing to Mitchel AFB, NY in October. There, it was partially manned by reservists of the 84^th Fighter Wing which had departed Mitchel the same day.

At Mitchel, the squadron equipped with Commandos and began training with the 2233^rd Air Force Reserve Training Center. The squadron was called to active duty for the Korean War on 1 May 1951 and participated in airlift operations and exercises. It transported troops and cargo and dropped paratroopers until 1 February 1953, when it was relieved from active duty and turned its personnel and equipment over to the 29^th Troop Carrier Squadron, which replaced it as the active duty troop carrier wing at Mitchel. Shortly before inactivation, the squadron began to convert to the C-119 Flying Boxcar.

Two months later, the squadron was activated again in the reserves, taking over the resources of the partially manned 2^nd Troop Carrier Squadron, part of the 65^th Troop Carrier Wing, which had been activated at Mitchel to train reservists who had completed their Korean War tours of active duty. Its return to the reserves was accompanied by a return to flying the Commando, but by August 1954 it was once again replaced by the C-119 for good, becoming part of the first reserve wings to operate the Flying Boxcar.

1951 to 1954

• Curtiss C-46A-20-CU Commando: 41-24665
• Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando: 44-77552, 44-77562, 44-77563, 44-77574