Youngstown Air Reserve Station has a proud heritage Published March 19, 2008 By Master Sgt. Kenneth E. Sloat 910th Airlift Wing Historian YOUNGSTOWN AIR RESERVE STATION, Ohio -- The proud heritage of the today's 910th Airlift Wing traces back to the 757th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), activated for the first time at Alamogordo, New Mexico in July 1943. Within its first year of existence, the 757th was deployed to the European Theater of Operations to fly combat missions in the B-24 "Liberator." After 18 months, and 242 combat missions against strategic targets in Italy, Southern France, Austria, the Balkans and Germany, the 910th returned to the United States and was deactivated. Youngstown Municipal Airport became the 757th Troop Carrier Squadron's home on November 16, 1957 when the unit, which was assigned to Byrd Field, Sandston, Va., was relocated to Youngstown. The initial aircraft inventory consisted of 16 C-119 "Flying Boxcars". The 910th was officially born on January 17, 1963, when a reorganization of the Air Force Reserve troop carrier missions created a Troop Carrier Group at Youngstown Municipal Airport. The 757th was assigned to the new carrier group. The 757th had been assigned to the 459th Troop Carrier Group based at Andrews AFB, Md. At its birth, just five squadrons made up the 910th: the 757th TCS, the 910th Combat Support Squadron, the 910th Material Squadron, the 910th Headquarters Squadron and the 910th Tactical Dispensary. In July 1967, the 910th was redesignated as the 910th Tactical Airlift Group and assigned to the Continental Air Command. By this time, the 910th had grown to include seven squadrons; the 757th Tactical Airlift Squadron, 910th Aerial Port Flight, 910th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 910th Supply Squadron, 910th Combat Support Squadron, 910th Communications Flight, and the 910th Tactical Dispensary. The unit's motto was "Ready Now - Second to None." The 910th aircraft inventory consisted of 16 C-119s, one C-47, and one U-3. The C-47 and U-3 aircraft were used to provide Combat Readiness Training for regular Air Force officers assigned to recruiting and ROTC duty in Northeastern Ohio and Pennsylvania. The total value of the aircraft resources was approximately $10.5 million. After months of heavy recruiting to meet the larger personnel authorizations of a Tactical Airlift Group, the 910th obtained about 90 percent of its authorized personnel levels and reported its first "C-1 rating, indicating it was combat ready with no deficiencies. In January 1970, the 910th Tactical Airlift Group became the 910th Tactical Air Support Group. This change was much more pervasive than just in name. The unit was to convert from an airlift mission to a forward air support role. The C-119 aircraft were transferred out and 15 U-3A aircraft were brought in. Although the new mission called for O-2 aircraft, none were available at the time so the U-3 was given as an "interim" aircraft. Less than 12 months later rumors began to circulate that yet another conversion was pending. The announcement came in February of 1971. Although it was already well into training for its new FAC mission, the 910th would be converting to the A-37 "Dragonfly." The A-37 was, at the time, being used in Southeast Asia as a very effective air-to-ground operations and counter-insurgency aircraft. Its armament included sidewinder missiles, rocket launchers, 50 caliber gun pods and an internal 7.62 "minigun." After training to observe ground situations, the pilots of the 910th would now be on the aerial-response end of the operation. Switching to a close air support mission meant staffing levels were to increase by nearly 26 percent to 775 Airmen. A little more than a decade later, the now renamed 910th Tactical Fighter Group would release the A-37s to the Michigan Air National Guard to make room for the first C-130. The first C-130 arrived at Youngstown Municipal Airport on March 27, 1981. This final conversion meant the 910 TFG would return to its former name, the 910th Tactical Airlift Group and be reassigned from Tactical Air Command to the Military Airlift Command. By the end of the year, the aircraft inventory was up to eight. On November 8, 1982, the 757th Tactical Airlift Squadron accomplished its first night drop at the Ravenna Drop Zone. In January 1992, the 910th assumed responsibility for the only full-time, fixed wing aerial spray in the Department of Defense. Within their first year as part of the 910th, the Aerial Spray team would be called into action by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to Spray in the devastation behind Hurricane Andrew's visit to Southeast United States in September 1992. In just four missions, the aerial spray team covered more than 288,000 acres; it was a record that they would far exceed in the years to come. On October 1, 1994 the 910th Airlift Group was officially changed to the 910th Airlift Wing. Just six months later the 773rd Airlift Squadron was re-activated and assigned to the 910th Airlift Wing. After the terrorist attacks in September 2001, members of the 910th were called to, and volunteered for, active duty. Personnel of the 910th Security Forces Squadron were some of the first Wing members called to duty, but by December 2003 they would be joined by both flying squadrons, most of the assigned aircraft maintenance personnel, and a host of other groups and individuals. By the time they were deactivated in November 2005, the flying squadrons of the 910th AW would be credited with 4,424 sorties totaling more than 8,000 flying hours encompassing the safe transport of 81,183 passengers, among them the sitting Secretary of State, Colon Powell and his staff. As the winged sword in the 910th emblem symbolizes, the 910th continues to maintain its readiness to secure and defend the peace, which will again be validated through the wing's Air Mobility Command Operational Readiness Inspection this year.