315th Airlift Wing History: Korea

After a nearly three-year period of inactivation, the 3-1-5 is reestablished as the 315th TCW, on May 23, 1952.  Less than two weeks later, on June 10, 1952, the Wing was activated along with the 34th TCS, and the 43rd TCS.  From the time of its activation, up until it was deactivated on January 18, 1955, the 315th TCW, and its units were assigned to the 315th Air Division (Combat Cargo), Pacific Air Forces.  Brady Field, on the Japanese Island of Kyushu, served as the home of the 315th TCW, M during the this time period. 

The 315th TCW was involved in a wide range of missions during the Korean War.  These missions included cargo airlift, ferrying troops, air and leaflet drops, air evacuation, and search and rescue between Japan and Korea.


During September of 1952, the 34th TCS conducted Operation Campsite, an exercise designed to set up and maintain a base from the ground up.  This three-day field maneuver successfully demonstrated the Squadron’s capability to tactically airlift personnel and equipment to an abandoned airstrip at Bofu Air Base, located on the southern portion of Japan’s Honshu Island, and then to sustain operations at the base.

After the cessation of hostilities on July 27, 1953, the 315th TCW continued with airlift operations in Japan, Korea, French Indo-China*, and other points in the Far East until December 14, 1954.  As previously mentioned, the 315th TCW and its two flying Squadrons were deactivated on January 18, 1955. 

* Up until March 1954, French Indo-China consisted of Cochin China, Tonkin, Annam, Laos, and Cambodia.

Current as of 2021

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