66th Training Squadron

66th Training Squadron
66th Training Squadron
	Students escape from a simulated crashed aircraft during water survival training
Active	1942–1946; 1947–1951; 1971–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	survival training
Part of	Air Education and Training Command
Garrison/HQ	Fairchild Air Force Base
Motto(s)	Learn and Return
Engagements	Southwest Pacific Theater
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation; Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Insignia
66th Training Sq emblem[note 1]
66th Troop Carrier Squadron emblem[note 2][1]

The 66th Training Squadron is an active unit of the United States Air Force. Its current assignment is with the 336th Training Group at Fairchild Air Force Base where is performs the training for the SERE instructor course for the USAF.

History

World War II

During World War II, the squadron operated primarily in the Southwest Pacific Theater, conveying personnel, dropping parachutists, towing gliders, transporting cargo, munitions and evacuating casualties in numerous campaigns. The squadron earned both the United States Distinguished Unit Citation and the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for its combat operations.

Air Force reserve

As part of the Air Force Reserve during the postwar years, the squadron performed peacetime transport missions. Ordered to active service during the Korean War, the units' equipment and personnel were reassigned to Far East Air Force active duty units. It was then inactivated as a paper unit.

Survival training

The 3614th Combat Crew Training Squadron was activated at Clark Air Base, Philippines in April 1971, when Air Training Command assumed responsibility for operating th Jungle Survival School there from Pacific Air Forces.

Lineage

66th Troop Carrier Squadron

Constituted as the 66th Troop Carrier Squadron on 7 December 1942

Activated on 12 December 1942

Inactivated on 15 January 1946

Activated in the reserve on 3 August 1947

Redesignated the 66th Troop Carrier Squadron (Medium) on 27 June 1949.

Ordered to active service on 1 April 1951.

Inactivated on 17 April 1951[2]

Consolidated with the 3614th Combat Crew Training Squadron as the 66th Crew Training Squadron on 1 January 1993

66th Training Squadron

Designated as the 3614th Combat Crew Training Squadron

Organized on 1 April 1971

Consolidated with the 66th Troop Carrier Squadron as the 66th Crew Training Squadron on 1 January 1993

Redesignated 66th Training Squadron on 1 April 1994

Assignments

403d Troop Carrier Group, 12 December 1942
Fifth Air Force, 21 July 1943
54th Troop Carrier Wing, 13 August 1943
433d Troop Carrier Group, 9 November 1943
403d Troop Carrier Group, 20 February 1945 – 15 January 1946
419th Troop Carrier Group, 3 August 1947
403d Troop Carrier Group, 27 June 1949 – 17 April 1951[2]
3636th Combat Crew Training Group (later 336th Crew Training Group, 336th Training Group), 1 April 1971 – present

Stations

Bowman Field, Kentucky, 12 December 1942
Alliance Army Air Field, Nebraska, 18 December 1942
Pope Field, North Carolina, 3 May 1943
Baer Field, Indiana, 18 June – 6 July 1943
Port Moresby Airfield Complex, New Guinea, 21 July 1943
Nadzab Airfield Complex, New Guinea, 25 September 1943 (operated from Tadji Airfield, New Guinea, 12 May – June 1944)

Mokmer Airfield, Biak, Netherlands East Indies, 18 November 1944 (operated from Hill Field, Mindoro, and Dulag Airfield, Leyte, Philippines after 18 January 1945)
Wama Airfield, Morotai, Netherlands East Indies, 27 February 1945
Dulag Airfield, Leyte, Philippines, 15 August 1945 – 15 January 1946
Roanoke Municipal Airport, Virginia, 3 August 1947
Portland Municipal Airport, Oregon, 27 June 1949 – 17 April 1951[2]
Clark Air Base, Philippines, 1 April 1971
Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, 4 April 1981 – present[3]

Aircraft

References

Notes

Explanatory notes

Originally approved for the 3614th Combat Crew Training Squadron.
Approved 15 December 1944.

Cittions

Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 249-250
Lineage through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 249-250.
Mueller, p. 177

Bibliography

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. Retrieved 17 December 2016.

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[1] Originally approved for the 3614th Combat Crew Training Squadron.

[2] Approved 15 December 1944.

[Maurer66TCS-3] Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 249-250

[Maurer66TCS2-4] Lineage through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 249-250.

[5] Mueller, p. 177