923rd Troop Carrier Group

The 923rd Troop Carrier Group was a United States Air Force Reserve organization created during a major restructuring of the reserve troop-carrier force. It was organized at Hensley Field, Texas, on 17 January 1963 and later moved to nearby Carswell Air Force Base, where it remained until its inactivation on 25 November 1965. The group was assigned to the 433rd Troop Carrier Wing and served as the headquarters organization for the 69th Troop Carrier Squadron. The group emerged from the Air Force Reserve's response to weaknesses exposed by the detached-squadron system. Beginning in the late 1950s, reserve troop-carrier squadrons were distributed among numerous Air Force, Navy, and civilian airfields rather than being concentrated with their parent wings. This arrangement could improve recruiting and community acceptance, but it placed support personnel and organizations at wing headquarters. The resulting separation made it difficult to mobilize an individual flying squadron together with the maintenance, medical, and administrative resources required for operations. The partial mobilization associated with the 1961 Berlin Crisis highlighted the problem. Continental Air Command addressed the issue in early 1962 by creating troop-carrier groups with their own support elements. The 923rd was one of the groups organized under this approach. Its headquarters was accompanied by a Combat Support Squadron, a Materiel Squadron, and a Tactical Infirmary, all intended to provide the enabling functions needed by the associated flying unit. The 69th Troop Carrier Squadron was the group's principal operational component and had already been based at Hensley Field since 1957. If mobilized, the group would have come under Tactical Air Command for operational control and training responsibility. Its mission was to recruit, organize, and train reservists for tactical airlift, including the movement of airborne personnel, equipment, and supplies. These forces could be delivered by airdrop, landing, or cargo-extraction methods. The unit operated Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars during its active reserve service. The 923rd was one of three troop-carrier groups assigned to the 433rd Troop Carrier Wing in 1963, alongside the 921st and 922nd Troop Carrier Groups. It was inactivated as part of a Continental Air Command reorganization of C-119-equipped reserve units. Its personnel were eventually transferred to the incoming 512th Troop Carrier Wing. Although the lineage record identifies an earlier designation as the 922nd Troop Carrier Group, Medium, the organization described by the cited historical record is the 923rd Troop Carrier Group that served at Hensley Field and Carswell Air Force Base.

The 923rd Troop Carrier Group was established during the United States Air Force Reserve's effort to improve the mobilization and support of dispersed troop-carrier squadrons. After May 1959, the reserve flying force included 45 troop-carrier squadrons assigned to 15 wings. These squadrons were distributed across 35 Air Force, Navy, and civilian airfields under the detached-squadron concept. Dispersal supported local recruiting and made smaller reserve units more acceptable to host communities, but most support organizations remained at wing headquarters. That structure worked reasonably well when an entire wing was activated, yet it complicated the mobilization of a single squadron and its associated support resources. The limitations of the system became apparent during the partial reserve mobilization connected with the Berlin Crisis of 1961. In response, Continental Air Command decided at the beginning of 1962 to create groups that would provide support elements for individual troop-carrier squadrons. The new arrangement was intended to make it possible to mobilize wings or their components in different combinations while preserving the administrative, maintenance, medical, and logistical support necessary for independent operations. The group was formally organized in the Reserve at Hensley Field, Texas, on 17 January 1963. Its principal flying component was the 69th Troop Carrier Squadron, which had been stationed at Hensley Field since November 1957. The group also included a Combat Support Squadron, a Materiel Squadron, and a Tactical Infirmary. Shortly after activation, the group and its associated elements moved to Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, on 2 February 1963. The 923rd was assigned to the 433rd Troop Carrier Wing and was one of three groups associated with that wing in 1963. The other two were the 921st Troop Carrier Group and the 922nd Troop Carrier Group, both located at Kelly Air Force Base, Texas. If called to active service, the 923rd would have been gained by Tactical Air Command, which also had responsibility for its training. Its operational purpose was tactical airlift: training reservists to transport airborne troops, equipment, and supplies and to deliver them through airdrop, landing, or cargo-extraction techniques. The group flew the Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar from 1963 through 1965. The C-119 was a transport aircraft suited to the movement and delivery of personnel and cargo, matching the group's reserve tactical-airlift role. The 923rd remained at Carswell until 25 November 1965, when it was inactivated during a Continental Air Command reorganization of reserve C-119 units. Personnel were eventually transferred to the incoming 512th Troop Carrier Wing. The unit's lineage documentation records an earlier establishment as the 922nd Troop Carrier Group, Medium, on 28 December 1962, although that organization was not initially organized. It was subsequently organized in the Reserve on 17 January 1963 and inactivated on 25 November 1965. The lineage record also notes a redesignation as the 922nd Military Airlift Group on 31 July 1985, but that later designation does not change the historical identity of the 923rd Troop Carrier Group covered by the referenced article.

• 1985

  Later lineage redesignation recorded

  [1]923rd Troop Carrier Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The lineage record notes redesignation as the 922nd Military Airlift Group on 31 July 1985.

• 1965

  Inactivated

  [1]923rd Troop Carrier Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was inactivated at Carswell Air Force Base on 25 November 1965 during a reorganization of reserve C-119 units.

• 1963

  Reserve organization activated at Hensley Field

  [1]923rd Troop Carrier Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was organized in the Air Force Reserve at Hensley Field, Texas, on 17 January 1963, with the 69th Troop Carrier Squadron and supporting organizations.

• 1963

  Moved to Carswell Air Force Base

  [1]923rd Troop Carrier Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group and its elements moved from Hensley Field to Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, on 2 February 1963.

• 1963

  Assigned to the 433rd Troop Carrier Wing

  [1]923rd Troop Carrier Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group served as one of three troop-carrier groups assigned to the 433rd Troop Carrier Wing.

• 1962

  Lineage established

  [1]923rd Troop Carrier Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The organization was established as the 922nd Troop Carrier Group, Medium, on 28 December 1962, although it was not organized at that time.

A reserve tactical-airlift group designed to give a geographically dispersed troop-carrier squadron an integrated headquarters and support structure.

• Military transport aircraft · 1963

  Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

  The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar was the group's recorded aircraft type from 1963 through 1965. Its transport configuration supported the unit's tactical-airlift mission, including the movement of airborne personnel, equipment, and supplies and their delivery by landing, airdrop, or cargo-extraction methods.

1. 1923rd Troop Carrier Groupen.wikipedia.org