933d Tactical Airlift Group

The 933d Tactical Airlift Group was a United States Air Force Reserve organization responsible for preparing reserve personnel and airlift resources for tactical transport missions. It was established during a broader restructuring of Continental Air Command's reserve troop-carrier wings after the Berlin Crisis and Cuban Missile Crisis mobilizations exposed the difficulty of deploying an entire wing whenever only part of its capability was required. The group originated as the 933d Troop Carrier Group, Medium. It was established on 15 January 1963 and organized in the Air Force Reserve on 11 February 1963. The unit was assigned to the 440th Troop Carrier Wing, later redesignated the 440th Tactical Airlift Wing, and was based at Billy Mitchell Field in Wisconsin. Its principal operational component was the 95th Troop Carrier Squadron, later redesignated the 95th Tactical Airlift Squadron. The organizational concept placed deployable groups between the wing headquarters and individual squadrons. Each group was intended to provide a more flexible mobilization package, combining an airlift squadron with material, combat-support, and medical capabilities. This arrangement allowed the Air Force to mobilize aircraft and aircrews alone, a group with essential support, or a larger wing force according to operational requirements. The 933d Group therefore served as a reserve framework for recruiting, organizing, and training personnel in the tactical airlift of airborne forces, equipment, and supplies. During its service, the group operated the Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar for Tactical Air Command airlift operations. In 1971 it transitioned to the Lockheed C-130A Hercules, a newer turboprop transport better suited to the changing requirements of tactical airlift. The group was one of two C-119-equipped groups assigned to the 440th wing in 1963; the other was the 934th Troop Carrier Group at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport. On 1 July 1967, the organization was redesignated the 933d Tactical Airlift Group, reflecting the broader terminology used for its mission. It remained at Billy Mitchell Field under the 440th Tactical Airlift Wing until it was inactivated on 1 September 1975. Its deactivation occurred during the post-Vietnam War reduction of United States military forces. The unit is therefore a historical Air Force Reserve formation rather than an active military organization or commercial brand.

The 933d Tactical Airlift Group emerged from Continental Air Command's effort to make United States Air Force Reserve formations easier to mobilize. Earlier reserve wing structures had placed several functions directly under wing headquarters after troop-carrier and maintenance-and-supply groups were discontinued in 1957. This arrangement became cumbersome because reserve squadrons were distributed among multiple bases under the Detached Squadron Concept. The large-scale mobilizations associated with the Berlin Crisis and the Cuban Missile Crisis demonstrated that activating a complete wing was not always practical or necessary. In response, Continental Air Command reorganized reserve troop-carrier wings in late 1962 and early 1963. Fully deployable groups were inserted between each wing headquarters and the squadrons located at participating bases. These groups were designed to contain an airlift squadron together with material, combat-support, and medical capabilities. The structure gave commanders several deployment options: aircraft and aircrews alone, an airlift group with minimum support, or the complete wing. It also allowed squadrons from other reserve wings to be attached when additional capacity was needed. The 933d Troop Carrier Group, Medium, was established on 15 January 1963 and organized in the reserve on 11 February of that year. It was assigned to the 440th Troop Carrier Wing at Billy Mitchell Field, Wisconsin. The group included the 95th Troop Carrier Squadron, which was later redesignated the 95th Tactical Airlift Squadron. Its stated role was to organize, recruit, and train Air Force Reserve personnel for tactical airlift missions, including the movement of airborne troops and the delivery of personnel, equipment, and supplies by airdrop, landing, or cargo extraction. The group initially flew C-119 Flying Boxcars. These aircraft supported tactical airlift operations associated with Tactical Air Command and represented the principal transport capability of the newly established organization. In 1963, the 933d was one of two C-119 groups assigned to the 440th wing, alongside the 934th Troop Carrier Group at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport. On 1 July 1967, the unit adopted the designation 933d Tactical Airlift Group. The change reflected the Air Force's evolving terminology for tactical transport missions rather than a change in its basic reserve function. In 1971, the group replaced its C-119s with Lockheed C-130A Hercules transports. The C-130 provided a more modern platform for tactical airlift and remained the group's aircraft through the end of its existence. The 933d Tactical Airlift Group was assigned throughout its organized existence to the 440th Troop Carrier Wing, later the 440th Tactical Airlift Wing. It was inactivated on 1 September 1975 at Billy Mitchell Field as part of the reduction and reorganization of United States military forces following the Vietnam War period. No active successor status is identified in the supplied reference material.

• 1975

  Inactivated

  [1]933d Tactical Airlift Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The 933d Tactical Airlift Group was inactivated on 1 September 1975 during the post-Vietnam War drawdown.

• 1971

  Transitioned to C-130A Hercules aircraft

  [1]933d Tactical Airlift Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group replaced its C-119 Flying Boxcars with Lockheed C-130A Hercules transports.

• 1967

  Redesignated as a tactical airlift group

  [1]933d Tactical Airlift Groupen.wikipedia.org

  On 1 July 1967, the 933d Troop Carrier Group was redesignated the 933d Tactical Airlift Group.

• 1963

  Group established

  [1]933d Tactical Airlift Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The 933d Troop Carrier Group, Medium, was established on 15 January 1963 and organized in the Air Force Reserve on 11 February 1963.

• 1963

  Assigned to the 440th Troop Carrier Wing

  [1]933d Tactical Airlift Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group entered the 440th Troop Carrier Wing at Billy Mitchell Field, Wisconsin, where it remained for the duration of its organized service.

Reserve tactical airlift organization focused on flexible mobilization, training, and transport of airborne forces, personnel, equipment, and supplies.

• Tactical transport aircraft · 1963

  C-119 Flying Boxcar

  The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar was the group's initial transport aircraft from its organization in 1963 until 1971. It supported tactical airlift operations, including the movement and delivery of airborne forces, equipment, and supplies.

• Tactical transport aircraft · 1971

  Lockheed C-130A Hercules

  The Lockheed C-130A Hercules replaced the group's C-119 aircraft in 1971. It provided the unit with a newer turboprop tactical transport capability for the remainder of the group's service through its inactivation in 1975.

• 1971

  Aircraft modernizationGeneration change

  Background

  The group's original C-119 Flying Boxcars were replaced as the Air Force updated its tactical airlift equipment.

  Action taken

  The group transitioned to Lockheed C-130A Hercules transports.

  Aftermath

  The C-130A became the group's aircraft for the final period of its service until inactivation in 1975.

  Source

• 1967

  Redesignation to tactical airliftStrategy

  Background

  The unit's designation was updated as Air Force terminology increasingly used tactical airlift rather than troop carrier to describe this mission.

  Action taken

  The 933d Troop Carrier Group became the 933d Tactical Airlift Group on 1 July 1967.

  Aftermath

  The unit continued its reserve tactical transport role under the 440th wing.

  Source

• 1963

  Adoption of a deployable group structureStrategy

  Background

  Continental Air Command sought a more flexible alternative to mobilizing entire reserve wings after crisis mobilizations showed that full-wing activation could be unnecessarily cumbersome.

  Action taken

  The 933d Group was organized between the 440th wing headquarters and its operational squadron, with associated support functions intended to form a deployable package.

  Aftermath

  The structure enabled the Air Force Reserve to mobilize aircraft and crews, a supported group, or a larger wing force according to operational needs.

  Source

1. 1933d Tactical Airlift Groupen.wikipedia.org