779th Tactical Airlift Squadron

779th Tactical Airlift Squadron
Emblem of the 779th Troop Carrier Squadron (1960s)
Active	1943-1945; 1953-1971
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Tactical Airlift

The 779th Tactical Airlift Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 464th Tactical Airlift Wing, stationed at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina. It was inactivated on 31 August 1971. During World War II, the 779th Bombardment Squadron was a B-24 Liberator heavy bomb squadron which saw combat with Fifteenth Air Force stationed in Italy, assigned to the 464th Bombardment Group.

Established as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber squadron in mid-1943, trained under Second Air Force. Deployed to Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO), October 1943, becoming a Fifteenth Air Force heavy bomb squadron, attacking enemy targets both in the MTO and European Theater of Operations (ETO). After end of war in Europe, used B-24s for transport of personnel from various points in Europe to Waller Field, Trinidad, being attached to Air Transport Command. Inactivated 31 July 1945.

Reactivated as a Tactical Air Command troop carrier squadron, 1953. Performed Troop Carrier missions using tactical transport aircraft until 1971 when inactivated. In 1965 the squadron received twelve modified C-130E-(I)s for special operations use and began training with the new airplanes in early 1966. The C-130E-(I)s were assigned to Detachment One, 779th Troop Carrier Squadron. The 779th tactical airlift squadron was placed on alert shortly after the USS Pueblo was captured by North Koreain January 1968.They were deployed to Tachikawa, Japan shortly thereafter. After a few days at Tachikawa they were deployed to Cam Ranh Bay Viet Nam where they flew supply and troop transport during the TET offensive. While at Cam Ranh enemy rockets were fired at the base from the overlooking hills striking fuel drums and a fuel bladder but no damage was don to the C-130s parked nearby. In Early April 1968 they returned to Pope AFB, NC and were replaced in Cam Ranh Bay by the 778th tactical Airlift Squadron also from Pope AFB, NC. The detachment was re-designated as the 318th Special Operations Squadron in the late 1960s.