745th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron information

745th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron
Members of the squadron change a T56 engine on a C-130 Hercules in Iraq in 2003
Active	1942–1945; 1947–1949; 1952–1956; after 2002
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Airlift
Part of	Air Combat Command
Nickname(s)	Lardasaurus Rex (World War II)[1]
Engagements	Mediterranean Theater of Operations Iraqi War
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Meritorious Unit Award Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
745th Bombardment Squadron emblem (World War II)[1]

The 745th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate as needed. Most recently, it operated Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft in theater airlift missions as part of the Global War on Terrorism.

The squadron was first activated as the 745th Bombardment Squadron in June 1943. After training in the United States, it deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. It earned two Distinguished Unit Citations for its combat operations. Following V-E Day, the squadron returned to the United States and began reorganizing as a very heavy bomber unit, but after the Japanese surrender, was inactivated in October 1945.

The squadron was reactivated in the reserve in 1947, but does not appear to have been fully equipped or manned. It was activated again in 1952 as the 745th Troop Carrier Squadron, when the 456th Troop Carrier Group, replaced the 435th Troop Carrier Group, a reserve group that had been mobilized for the Korean War. It operated from Japan with elements of United States Air Force Security Service, until returning to the United States for inactivation in 1958.

It was converted to provisional status in 2002.