Military Airlift Command
| Military Airlift Command | |
|---|---|
 C-141A Starlifter (AF Ser. No. 64-0622), 438th Military Airlift Wing, MAC, 1966  C-5A Galaxy assigned to the 75th Military Airlift Squadron, 60th Military Airlift Wing  Pope AFB C-130E (AF Ser. No. 63-7890) of the 317th Tactical Airlift Wing, about 1976, still painted in Southeast Asia scheme. |
|
| Active | 1966–1992 |
| Country |
 United States
|
| Branch |
 United States Air Force
|
| Type | Major Command |
| Role | Airlift |
| Decorations |
 Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
| Insignia | |
| Emblem of the Military Airlift Command |  |
The Military Airlift Command (MAC) is an inactive United States Air Force major command (MAJCOM) that was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Established on 1 January 1966, MAC was the primary strategic airlift organization of the Air Force until 1974, when Air Force tactical airlift units were merged into MAC to create a unified airlift organization.
In 1982, the heritage of the World War II Air Transport Command (ATC) (1942-1948) and the postwar Military Air Transport Service (MATS) (1948-1966) were consolidated with MAC, providing a continuous history of long range airlift. Inactivated on 1 June 1992, most of MAC's personnel and equipment were reassigned to the new Air Mobility Command, with a smaller portion divided between U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) and the newly created Air Education and Training Command (AETC).
MAC was the USAF successor organization to the Department of Defense's Military Air Transport Service (MATS), which was disestablished on 8 January 1966. MAC's emblem reflected its predecessor's history by incorporating the emblem of MATS into its shield.
Although MATS was under the operational control of the United States Air Force, the 4-digit USAF Military Air Transport Service units at all levels were considered major command (MAJCOM) provisional units by USAF due to MATS being a Department of Defense Unified Command. Under the USAF lineage system, they did not possess a permanent lineage or history and were discontinued upon inactivation. AFCON (HQ Air Force-controlled) units were activated under MAC, to which USAF personnel and equipment formerly assigned to MATS MAJCOM units were reassigned effective 8 January 1966. No formal lineage or history between former MATS MAJCOM units and MAC AFCON units was ever made.
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