309th Airlift Squadron The 309th Airlift Squadron ( 309 AS ) is part of the 86th Airlift Wing at Chièvres Air Base , Belgium . It operates C - 37 aircraft providing executive airlfit for NATO . History . Established in early 1942 as a C - 47 Skytrain transport squadron under First Air Force , later trained under I Troop Carrier Command in the eastern United States . Deployed to England in December 1942 , being assigned to VIII Air Support Command , Eighth Air Force to provide transport and resupply support to the buildup of the heavy bomber force in England . Was detached to Twelfth Air Force in Algeria in May 1943 to provide air resupply and transport during the North African Campaign in Algeria and Tunisia . Also performed combat casualty evacuation of wounded personnel to rear areas . Remained under jurisdiction of VIII ASC while in North Africa , providing transport between England and North Africa from its base in Algeria . Returned to England in early 1944 to participate in the buildup of forces prior to the Allied landings in France during D - Day in June 1944 . Engaged in combat operations by dropping paratroop s into Normandy on D - Day ( 6 June 1944 ) and releasing gliders with reinforcements on the following day . The unit received a Distinguished Unit Citation and a French citation for these missions . After the Normandy invasion the squadron ferried supplies in the United Kingdom . The squadron also hauled food , clothing , medicine , gasoline , ordnance equipment , and other supplies to the front lines and evacuated patients to rear zone hospitals . It dropped paratroops near Nijmegen and towed gliders carrying reinforcements during the airborne attack on Holland . In December , it participated in the Battle of the Bulge by releasing gliders with supplies for the 101st Airborne Division near Bastogne . Moved to Belgium in early 1945 , and participated in the Western Allied invasion of Germany , participating in the air assault across the Rhine River in March 1945 , each aircraft towed two gliders with troops of the 17th Airborne Division and released them near Wesel . In late May 1945 , after V - E Day , the squadron was moved to Waller Field , Trinidad and attached to Air Transport Command . From Trinidad , the squadron ferried returning military personnel to Morrision Field , Florida , where they were sent on to other bases or prepared for separation after the war . Inactivated at the end of July 1945 . Reactivated in 1949 as a reserve troop carrier squadron as part of Tactical Air Command . Equipped with C - 46 Commando es . activated during the Korean War and became a training unit for crews flying C - 119 Flying Boxcar assault transports in South Korea . Inactivated in 1953 after federalized activation period ended . Reactivated a year later operating variety of rotary wing helicopters . Provided helicopter support for atomic weapons tests on Bikini in the Eniwetok Atoll , February – June 1956 . Inactivated when the helicopter mission was transferred to the United States Army . Reactivated again in 1963 at Pope AFB as a C - 123 Provider combat resupply squadron , used in remote combat airfield resupply and casualty evacuation of ground forces . Deployed to South Vietnam after training and operated under 2d Air Division , Pacific Air Forces to support advisory units , primarily in Mule Train combat cargo missions in South Vietnam to support special forces ( Air Commandos ) in the early stages of US Involvement in the Vietnam War . Re - designated an Air Commando squadron in 1965 under Seventh Air Force , engaged in special operations and tactical airlift during 1965 - 1970 based at Phan Rang AB flying intratheater combat cargo and troop carrier missions . Inactivated as part of the Vietnamization withdrawal process in 1970 . Reactivated in 2002 as a support transport squadron providing executive airlift support for Supreme Allied Commander Europe ( SACEUR ) , Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe ( SHAPE ) , and Commander United States Air Forces in Europe ( COMUSAFE ) .