311th Airlift Squadron

311th Airlift Squadron
311th Airlift Squadron Patch
Active	23 October 1943 - 15 May 1946 27 May 1949 - 2 April 1951 24 May 1963 - 5 October 1971 1 April 1997 - 1 June 2014
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Airlift
Part of	Air Mobility Command 18th Air Force 375th Airlift Wing 375th Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	Peterson Air Force Base
Engagements	Battle of Khe Sanh
Decorations	Presidential Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm

The 311th Airlift Squadron (311 AS) is part of the 375th Airlift Wing at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. It operates C-21 aircraft providing executive airlfit for Combatant Commanders.

The 311th Troop Carrier Squadron trained in the United States from 1943–1944 and later flew cargo and personnel missions. It transferred to Hawaii in February 1945 and flew cargo in the Hawaiian Islands. When Lieutenant General Millard F. Harmon crashed in the Pacific, the squadron participated in an intensive air search for survivors. In August 1945 it moved to Okinawa and continued its airlift mission until May 1946.

The 311th trained in C-46 aircraft from June 1949-April 1951.

In Vietnam, the 311th flew cargo and passengers in support of I and II Corps. In addition, the unit flew flare, communications cover, air evacuation, and search and rescue missions for downed aircraft.

On 10 May 1968, The special forces camp at Kham Duc in the central highlands near Laos came under heavy mortar fire and was ordered to be evacuated. On 12 May, during evacuation efforts, an Army Boeing CH-47 Chinook and two division C-130s were disabled by enemy fire. One C-130 burst into flames at the end of the runway, killing all aboard. The final C-130 took off thinking it had boarded the last of the men on the ground. As the Viet Cong overran the forward outpost and established gun positions on the airstrip, eight aircraft were destroyed and the C-130 on the runway reduced its usable length to only about 2,200 feet. However, the three-man combat control team, in charge of directing the evacuation, was still on the ground searching for survivors.