On 1 July 1960, Belgium granted the Congo its independence. Within a week, the country had descended into anarchy. The locals began slaughtering Europeans, and looting and burning all European built buildings, businesses and facilities. When Belgium sent in its Dragon Rouge Paratroopers, they responded with similar ferocity against the local population. The United Nations quickly moved to stop the carnage and restore order to the area. On 8 July, the 40th, as part of the 322d Air Division, went on alert for action in Operation New Tape, the Congo airlift. From July, and well into the next year, the squadron flew across most of Africa carrying troops and hundreds of tons of cargo into the Congo. From the very beginning, all 40th aircrews were involved in the airlift. The first UN aircraft to land in the Congo was a 40th C-130 carrying Lt Col Francis E. Merritt, commander of the 40th. He was tasked as the combat Airlift Support Unit commander. Most of the airport facilities had been destroyed and the one forklift which Lt Col Merritt's crew brought with them soon broke. Despite the many problems and continuing unrest, including heavy gun battles around the airport, the ground crews under Lt Col Merritt continued to unload each arriving C-130, frequently by hand. As the airlift developed, missions spread to include landings at dirt strips and runways throughout the region. Crews from the 40th found themselves eating C-rations cooked at tiny jungle airstrips. They carried thousands of refugees and troops from nations as far away as Algeria, South Africa, Morocco, and Somalia. The massive operation in support of the United Nations continued until the summer of 1961.