The '436th Airlift Wing' ('436 AW') is a
wing of the
United States Air Force based out of
Dover Air Force Base,
Delaware.
Mission
The 436 AW mission is to safely fix and fly aircraft, prepare and deploy people, move cargo and return America's fallen heroes with dignity, honor and respect.
History
The 436th trained for duty in
Europe with the
Ninth Air Force during
1943. It continued training in
England from January-May
1944. The group began
combat operations in June 1944 and participated in four major
airborne operations by May
1945. The 436th received a
Distinguished Unit Citation for its first missions, which were flown during the
Normandy invasion; dropping
paratroops of
82d Airborne Division over the
beachhead early on
6 June; releasing
gliders with
reinforcement of troops and supplies on the afternoon of
D-Day and on the following morning; later picking up undamaged gliders on the coast. In July 1944, the group deployed 49
aircraft and crews to
Italy to take part in the
invasion of Southern France, again releasing gliders carrying , and dropping paratroops in the assault area on
15 August. It flew several resupply missions to
France and then dropped supplies to
Allied forces in Italy. The deployed element returned to England late in August, and in September the group carried out airborne operations over
Holland, dropping paratroops of
101st Airborne Division and releasing gliders with reinforcements of troops and equipment during
Operation Market Garden. It towed gliders to
Wesel on
24 March 1945 to provide troops for the airborne assault across the
Rhine. Further, it carried
gasoline to the front lines and evacuated patients, 30-
31 March. The 436th also flew transport missions almost daily when not engaged in airborne operations, hauling such things as gasoline,
ammunition, medical supplies, rations, clothing, and evacuated the wounded to
hospitals in England and France. After
V-E Day, the group continued to evacuate patients and
prisoners of war, and flew practice missions with French paratroops before being redeployed to the U.S. and deactivated.
The group was reactivated in the
Reserves in
1947 and the wing was established in
1949. During this time, until the 346th’s deactivation in
1951, it trained under supervision of the 2236th Air Force Reserve Training Center. The wing was again activated in
1955 and trained under supervision of the 2230th Air Reserve Flying Center until
1958. During this period trained personnel from the 436th served as fillers for other USAF units.
In January
1966 the 436th was called to
active duty and replace the 1607th Air Transport Wing in as the host wing at
Dover Air Force Base,
Delaware. The wing initially flew C-124, C-133, and C-141 aircraft, but gradually replaced C-124 and C-133 types with C-5s. By mid-
1973, the 436th exclusively flew the C-5. During the late 1960s and early 1970s the wing flew numerous missions to
Southeast Asia, although primary wing routes served Europe, the
Middle East, and
Africa. It participated in joint training with
U.S. Army, tooking part in numerous
tactical exercises in the United States and overseas, particularly in support of
NATO. Additionally, it flew worldwide airlift missions, including hauling
mail and other high priority cargo, conducting aeromedical evacuation, serving as personnel transport, participating in
humanitarian relief, and
diplomatic missions. Wing aircrews were also augmented by attached Reserve aircrews from the
512th Airlift Wing. It airlifted personnel and equipment for operations in
Grenada,
24 October-
18 December 1983; and
Panama,
19 December 1989-
14 January 1990. The 436th deployed an Airlift Control Element (ALCE) at
Tocumen International Airport, Panama on 19 December 1989. It also provided airlift of personnel and equipment, and logistical support for operations in
Southwest Asia, August 1990-May
1991. It has since served as the only combat ready C-5 unit capable of airdrop and
special operations procedures in support of tactical forces and national objectives. It has flown special
mortuary airlift missions from
Iraq and
Afghanistan and operated the only joint services mortuary on the East coast since 1991.
Operations
★
World War II
★
Operation Urgent Fury
★
Operation Just Cause
★
Operation Desert Shield
★
Operation Desert Storm
★
Operation Enduring Freedom
★
Operation Iraqi Freedom

436th Troop Carrier Group
Previous designations
★ 436th Troop Carrier Group (1943 – 1949)
★ 436th Troop Carrier Wing (1949 – 1965)
★ 436th Military Airlift Wing (1965 – 1991)
★ 436th Airlift Wing (1991 – Present)
Assignments
Major Command
★ Continental Air Forces (1945)
★
Military Air Transport Service (1947 – 1966)
★
Military Airlift Command (1966 – 1992)
★
Air Mobility Command (1992 – Present)
Numbered Air Force
★
11th Air Force (1947 – 1949)
★
9th Air Force (1949 – 1950)
★
1st Air Force (1950 – 1951, 1955 – 1958)
★
14th Air Force (1958)
★
21st Air Force (1966 – 2003)
★
18th Air Force (2003 – Present)
Subordinate Organizations
'436th Operations Group (436 OG)'
★
3d Airlift Squadron (3 AS)
★ 9th Airlift Squadron (9 AS)
★ 436th Operations Support Squadron (436 OSS)
'436th Maintenance Group (436 MXG)'
★ 436th Maintenance Squadron (436 MXS)
★ 436th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (436 AMXS)
★ 436th Maintenance Operations Squadron (436 MOS)
'436th Mission Support Group (436 MSG)'
★ 436th Contracting Squadron (436 CONS)
★ 436th Security Forces Squadron (436 SFS)
★ 436th Services Squadron (436 SVS)
★ 436th Aerial Port Squadron (436 APS)
★ 436th Logistics Readiness Squadron (436 LRS)
★ 436th Mission Support Squadron (436 MSS)
★ 436th Communications Squadron (436 CS)
★ 436th Civil Engineering Squadron (436 CES)
'436th Medical Group (436 MDG)'
★ 436th Medical Operations Squadron (436 MDOS)
★ 436th Aeromedical-Dental Squadron (436 ADS)
★ 436th Medical Support Squadron (436 MDSS)
Additionally, the '436th Comptroller Squadron (436 CPTS)' reports directly to the wing staff.
Bases stationed
★
Baer Field,
Indiana (1943)
★
Alliance Army Airfield,
Nebraska (1943)
★
Laurinburg-Maxton Army Airfield,
North Carolina (1943)
★
RAF Bottesford,
England (1944)
★
RAF Membury, England (1944 – 1945)
★ Villaroche,
France (1945)
★ Baer Field, Indiana (1945)
★
Malden Army Airfield,
Missouri (1945)
★
Godman Air Force Base,
Kentucky (1947 – 1950)
★
Standiford Field, Kentucky (1950 – 1951)
★ U.S. Naval Air Station, New York,
New York (1955 – 1958)
★
Dover Air Force Base,
Delaware (1966 – Present)
Aircraft Operated

C-5 illuminated at night
★
C-47 Skytrain (1943 – 1945, 1949 – 1951)
★
C-45 Expeditor (1949, 1955 – 1957)
★ T-7 (1949 – 1951)
★ T-11 (1949 – 1951)
★
T-28 Trojan (1955)
★
T-33 Shooting Star (1955)
★
C-46 Commando (1955 – 1957)
★
C-119 Flying Boxcar (1957)
★
C-124 Globemaster II (1966 – 1969)
★
C-133 Cargomaster (1966 – 1971)
★
C-141 Starlifter (1966 – 1973)
★
C-5 Galaxy (1971 – Present)
★
C-17 Globemaster III (2007 – Present)
Unit Shields
External links
★
Dover AFB Home Page