Lineage
Constituted as 34 Transport Squadron on 2 Feb 1942. Activated on 14 Feb 1942. Redesignated as 34 Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 Jul 1942. Inactivated on 31 Jul 1945. Activated on 19 May 1947. Inactivated on 10 Sep 1948. Redesignated as 34 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium, on 23 May 1952. Activated on 10 Jun 1952. Inactivated on 18 Jan 1955. Redesignated as 34 Special Operations Squadron on 26 Feb 2010. Activated on 9 Apr 2010.
Assignments
315 Transport (later, 315 Troop Carrier) Group, 14 Feb 1942-31 Jul 1945. 315 Troop Carrier Group, 19 May 1947-10 Sep 1948. 315 Troop Carrier Group, 10 Jun 1952-18 Jan 1955. 1 Special Operations Group, 9 Apr 2010-.
Stations
Olmsted Field, PA, 14 Feb 1942; Bowman Field, KY, 18 Jun 1942; Florence AAB, SC, 4 Aug-11 Oct 1942; Aldermaston, England, 1 Dec 1942 (operated from Blida Airdrome, Algeria, 29 May 1943 - 7 Mar 1944); Welford, England, 6 Nov 1943; Spanhoe, England, 6 Feb 1944; Amiens, France, 6 Apr - May 1945; Waller Field, Trinidad, May - 31 Jul 1945. Langley Field, VA, 19 May 1947 - 10 Sep 1948. Brady AB, Japan, 10 Jun 1952 - 18 Jan 1955. Hurlburt Field, FL, 9 Apr 2010-.
Aircraft
Principally C-47, 1942-1945. C-46, 1952-1955. PC-12/U-28, 2010-.
Commanders
Lt Col John W. Lacy, 17 Feb 1942; Lt Col Donald G. Dekin, 17 May 1942; Maj James S. Smith, 5 Nov 1944 - unkn. None (not manned), 19 May 1947 - 10 Sep 1948. Lt Col Henry L. Wheelhouse, by Jul 1952 - unkn; Lt Col Thomas R. Cook Jr., unkn; Lt Col Charles A. Chilcote, 8 Dec 1954 - 18 Jan 1955. Lt Col Justin R. Hoffman, 9 Apr 2010-.June 2012, Lt Col Robert A. Masaitis: June 2012 – June 2014, Lt Col Andrew M. Jott: June 2014 – May 2016, Lt Col Erick A. Turasz: May 2016 – July 2017, Lt Col John M. Ross: July 2017 – July 2018, Lt Col Kevin P. Rowlette: July 2018 – Dec 2019, Lt Col Sarah J. Brehm: Dec 2019 - Apr 2022, Lt Col Bryan J. Carter: Apr 2022 - Present
Operations
World War II operations included airborne assaults on Normandy, Holland, and Germany, as well as aerial transportation of troops, supplies, and materiel in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) and Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO.) Not manned, 1947-1948. Aerial transportation between Japan and Korea during the Korean War. Activated at Hurlburt Field, FL in Apr 2010 for special operations missions.
Honors
Service Streamers
World War II American Theater.
Campaign Streamers
World War II: Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Central Europe. Korean War: Korea Summer-Fall, 1952; Third Korean Winter; Korea Summer-Fall, 1953.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers
None.
Decorations
Distinguished Unit Citation: France, [6] Jun 1944. Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: [10 Jun 1952]-27 Jul 1953.
Meritorious Unit Award
1 Oct 2011-30 Sep 2013
1 Oct 2013-30 Sep 2015