65th Military Airlift Support Group
The 65th Military Airlift Support Group was an inactive United States Air Force support unit that coordinated airlift-support functions across Japan, Korea, Okinawa, and Guam before its inactivation in 1972.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
The 65th Military Airlift Support Group was a United States Air Force organization whose lineage extended from an observation group formed shortly before the United States entered the Second World War. Although it is described in the supplied reference as a group rather than a commercial brand, its successive designations reflect several major changes in American military aviation: wartime observation and reconnaissance, postwar Air Force Reserve training, troop-carrier preparation, and finally strategic airlift support in the Pacific. The organization was constituted as the 65th Observation Group in August 1941 and activated on 1 September at Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina. Its initial components included the federalized National Guard's 105th, 112th, and 121st Observation Squadrons. During the Carolina Maneuvers, the group supported ground-force exercises. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, elements moved to Langley Field, Virginia, where they conducted antisubmarine patrols along the East Coast. The 112th Observation Squadron operated separately from Lantana Airport, Florida. The wartime group was inactivated in October 1942. It was reactivated at Columbia in March 1943 and redesignated the 65th Reconnaissance Group the following month. Its principal function changed from operational observation to training aircrews transitioning to North American B-25 Mitchell aircraft. The group moved to Florence Army Air Field in South Carolina and continued B-25 training until August 1943, when it was disbanded and its personnel were transferred to the 411th Bombardment Group. The lineage returned in the Air Force Reserve in December 1946, when the group was activated at Rome Army Air Field, New York, under Air Defense Command. Its reserve squadrons were based at locations including Rome, Chemung County Airport, and Binghamton. The group began training but apparently did not receive operational aircraft before being inactivated on 27 June 1949. Its disappearance was part of broader postwar reductions associated with the reduced defense budget of 1949. A second reserve activation began in June 1952 under the designation 65th Troop Carrier Group, Medium. Based at Mitchel Air Force Base, New York, it was intended to conduct proficiency training with Curtiss C-46 Commando aircraft. The group was never fully manned or equipped and was inactivated on 1 April 1953 as reserve organizational arrangements changed during the Korean War period. The organization entered its final phase in the Pacific. It was redesignated the 65th Military Airlift Group in December 1965 and activated on 8 January 1966 at Tachikawa Air Base, Japan, under Military Airlift Command. The group replaced the 1503d Air Transport Group, and the 22d Military Airlift Squadron, equipped with Douglas C-124 Globemaster II aircraft, was reassigned to it. This change reflected Military Airlift Command's effort to substitute permanent units for major-command-controlled organizations that could not preserve a permanent lineage. In 1969, after losing its flying squadron, the group was redesignated the 65th Military Airlift Support Group. It then controlled support organizations serving airlift operations in Japan, Korea, Okinawa, and Guam. Its support components included squadrons at Kadena, Andersen, Tachikawa, Yokota, and Kimpo. The group was last active at Yokota Air Base and was inactivated on 1 June 1972. It has no known commercial products, consumer market, public-company status, or independently operated website.
History
The unit's lineage began on 21 August 1941, when it was constituted as the 65th Observation Group. Activation followed on 1 September at Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina. The group initially comprised the 105th, 112th, and 121st Observation Squadrons, all associated with federalized National Guard formations. It supported the Carolina Maneuvers during the fall and winter of 1941, providing observation capabilities for ground units. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the group shifted to coastal defense duties. The 105th and 121st Observation Squadrons moved with the group to Langley Field, Virginia, and conducted antisubmarine patrols along the East Coast. The 112th operated from Lantana Airport, Florida. The original wartime organization was inactivated on 18 October 1942. The group was activated again at Columbia on 1 March 1943 and redesignated the 65th Reconnaissance Group on 2 April. It became a training organization for crews converting from observation aircraft to North American B-25 Mitchell bombers. After moving to Florence Army Air Field, it continued B-25 training until 15 August 1943, when the group was disbanded and its personnel were reassigned to the 411th Bombardment Group. On 27 December 1946, the 65th was reconstituted as an Air Force Reserve organization at Rome Army Air Field, New York. It operated under Air Defense Command and later Continental Air Command, with reserve squadrons activated at Rome, Chemung County Airport, and Binghamton. The group trained during the early postwar reserve period but apparently did not obtain operational aircraft. It was inactivated on 27 June 1949 as reductions in the Air Force structure followed the lower defense budget adopted that year. The organization returned to service on 14 June 1952 as the 65th Troop Carrier Group, Medium, at Mitchel Air Force Base, New York. Its mission was reserve proficiency training with Curtiss C-46 Commandos. The group was not fully manned or equipped, and changing reserve arrangements led to its inactivation on 1 April 1953. The final lineage phase began when the organization was redesignated the 65th Military Airlift Group in December 1965 and activated at Tachikawa Air Base on 8 January 1966. It served under Military Airlift Command and replaced the 1503d Air Transport Group. The 22d Military Airlift Squadron, operating Douglas C-124 Globemaster II aircraft, became part of the new group. The restructuring was intended to place Pacific airlift activities under a unit with a permanent lineage rather than under a major-command-controlled organization. Support responsibilities expanded as the group added military airlift support squadrons at bases across the western Pacific. These included units at Tachikawa, Yokota, Kadena, Andersen, and Kimpo. On 8 June 1969, after its flying squadron was reassigned, the organization was redesignated the 65th Military Airlift Support Group. In this form it coordinated and controlled support units serving airlift operations in Japan, Korea, Okinawa, and Guam. It remained associated with the 61st Military Airlift Support Wing and was last active at Yokota Air Base. The group was inactivated on 1 June 1972 and has remained inactive.
- 1972
Final inactivation
[1]The group was inactivated at Yokota Air Base, Japan, on 1 June.
- 1969
Conversion to a support group
[1]After losing its flying squadron, the group was redesignated the 65th Military Airlift Support Group on 8 June.
- 1966
Pacific military-airlift activation
[1]Redesignated the 65th Military Airlift Group, it was activated at Tachikawa Air Base under Military Airlift Command on 8 January.
- 1952
Troop-carrier reserve reactivation
[1]The unit returned as the 65th Troop Carrier Group, Medium, at Mitchel Air Force Base, training with Curtiss C-46 Commandos.
- 1946
Air Force Reserve activation
[1]The group was reconstituted and activated as a reserve unit at Rome Army Air Field, New York, on 27 December.
- 1943
Reconnaissance and B-25 training role
[1]Reactivated in March and redesignated the 65th Reconnaissance Group in April, it trained aircrews transitioning to B-25 aircraft before disbandment in August.
- 1942
First wartime inactivation
[1]After conducting observation and antisubmarine patrol duties, the group was inactivated on 18 October.
- 1941
Constitution as the 65th Observation Group
[1]The organization was constituted on 21 August and activated on 1 September at Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina.
Products and positioning
A military aviation support and airlift-coordination organization within the United States Air Force, rather than a commercial brand.
Sources1 sources
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