779th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron information

779th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron
C-130 Hercules in 1960s camouflage
Active	1943-1945; 1953-1957; 1963–1971; 2006; 2008; c. 2018-2021
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Airlift
Engagements	Mediterranean Theater of Operations Vietnam War
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Insignia
Patch with 779th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron emblem
Patch with 779th Troop Carrier Squadron emblem
779th Bombardment Squadron emblem[1]
Tail Code after 1968[citation needed]	PR

The 779th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron was a provisional United States Air Force unit. Its most recent activation was in 2018 for Operation Inherent Resolve. The squadron was based at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, and was filled by rotating Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command C-130 wings. The last two units that made up the 779th were the Delaware Air National Guard's 166th Airlift Wing and Air Force Reserve Command's 908th Airlift Wing. The squadron was redesignated as the 61st Expeditionary Airlift Squadron on 2 November 2021. It has also been activated for contingency operations at Ramstein Air Base.

The squadron was first active during World War II as the 779th Bombardment Squadron. After training in the United States, the squadron flew Consolidated B-24 Liberators in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. It earned two Distinguished Unit Citations for its actions during this campaign. Following the war, the squadron served in Air Transport Command to transport troops back to the United States from a base in South America before inactivating.

In June 1955, the squadron was reactivated as the 779th Troop Carrier Squadron at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, when the 464th Troop Carrier Group expanded from three to four operational squadrons. It was inactivated in 1957, but activated again in 1965 as the 464th Troop Carrier Wing was converting from the Fairchild C-123 Provider to the Lockheed C-130 Hercules. It was inactivated on 31 August 1971, when the 41st Tactical Airlift Squadron replaced it at Pope.