No. 436 Squadron RCAF
Encyclopedia
| 436 Transport Squadron | ||
|---|---|---|
| Information | ||
| Role | Transport | |
| Aircraft Operated | CC-130 Hercules E, H models C-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport... , CC-130J Super Hercules |
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| Home Station | CFB Trenton CFB Trenton Canadian Forces Base Trenton , is a Canadian Forces base located northeast of Trenton, Ontario. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force and is the hub for air transport operations in Canada and abroad... |
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| Motto | "Onus Portamus" ("We Carry The Load") | |
| History | ||
| Date Founded | 1944 | |
| Badge | Elephant head with a log | |
| Notable Battle Honours | Burma, 1944-45. | |
436 Transport Squadron is a unit of the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
under the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
. It currently operates the CC-130J Super Hercules from CFB Trenton
CFB Trenton
Canadian Forces Base Trenton , is a Canadian Forces base located northeast of Trenton, Ontario. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force and is the hub for air transport operations in Canada and abroad...
in Trenton
Trenton, Ontario
Trenton is a community in Southern Ontario in the municipality of Quinte West, Ontario, Canada. Located on the Bay of Quinte, it is the main population centre in Quinte West....
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
History
436 Transport Squadron was originally a squadron of the Royal Canadian Air ForceRoyal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
(RCAF). The unit was assembled in Gujrat
Gujrat
Gujrat is a city in Pakistan. It is the capital of Gujrat District and the Gujrat Tehsil subdivision in the Punjab Province. People living in Gujrat refer to themselves as Gujratis, which sometimes leads to confusion with people from the Indian state of Gujarat which adjoins Pakistan...
, (then) India on 9 October 1944. Equipped with the C-47 Dakota, 436 Squadron flew its first official mission on 15 January 1945 from Kanglatongbi, Assam, India, when seven Dakotas airlifted 59 tons of supplies for 33 Corps of the Allied 14th Army in Burma
Battle of Imphal
The Battle of Imphal took place in the region around the city of Imphal, the capital of the state of Manipur in North-East India from March until July 1944. Japanese armies attempted to destroy the Allied forces at Imphal and invade India, but were driven back into Burma with heavy losses...
. Soon the adopted emblem of the squadron, "Canucks Unlimited," would be seen far and wide in the China-Burma-India (CBI) theatre of operations.
According to news reports of the day, “in the first 18 days after W/C Ralph Gordon’s RCAF Dakota transport squadron reached its present aircraft complement, it led all Dakota squadrons in tonnage carried to the Mandalay and Irrawaddy front. …To save time the aircrew on the squadron voted to eat dry rations between sorties instead of using time over a cooked meal….The time for an engine change has been cut from three to two days without a loss of efficiency under the direction of F/L H. Webb, Caledonia, Ont., the engineering officer. “
In April, 1945, 436 Squadron was ordered to move its operations from Akyab Island in the Bay of Bengal down the coast to Ramree Island. C-47 KN210 piloted by F.L. Denison was carrying a load of bricks to build ovens to serve the squadron's new home. The weight had been miscalculated and, during the flight, the aircraft could barely maintain altitude. At this point, L.A.C. Art Adams spotted a beached Japanese seaplane. Someone shouted, "Let's get rid of some bricks!".....The door was opened and a couple of low passes were made, during which Art proceeded to throw bricks at the seaplane. No signs of life were seen down below, and it is doubtful whether any damage was actually inflicted. It must, however, be the only case in which bricks were used to bomb the enemy during the war.
Belonging to 229 Group, 436 Squadron was part of a RAF-USAF-RCAF force known as "the Combat Cargo Task Force". On 31 August 1945, following cessation of hostilities, the squadron was relocated to RAF Down Ampney
RAF Down Ampney
RAF Down Ampney was a Royal Air Force station near Cricklade, Gloucestershire during World War II from February 1944 to February 1947.Down Ampney was part of a group of 3 airfields with RAF Broadwell and RAF Blakehill Farm dedicated to air transportation....
, Glouchestershire in the U.K. after having logged over 36,000 flight hours and airlifting over 29,000 tons of supplies and 15,000 troops, casualties, and passengers. Although the first Far East Canadian transport squadron to be formed, 436 Squadron was the last to leave for England.
According to a Canadian Press Cable story reporting from London on September 20, 1945, W/C Dick Dennison of Winnipeg, "the squadron in the east flew more than 6,000,000 miles and was known as 'Canucks Unlimited'."
Following ten months of transport work in post-war Europe, the squadron flew home to Canada and was subsequently disbanded on 22 June 1946.
They reformed at RCAF Station Dorval on 1 April 1949, moved to RCAF Station Downsview on 1 July 1956, RCAF Station Uplands
RCAF Station Uplands
Canadian Forces Base Uplands was a Canadian Forces Base located in Ottawa, Ontario.-History:The Royal Canadian Air Force established RCAF Station Uplands as a wartime training station of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan in 1942. The "No...
in August 1964, and finally to CFB Trenton on 11 August 1971.
Operations
436 Transport Squadron provides tactical and strategic airlift capabilities for the Canadian ForcesCanadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
. All 17 CC-130J Super Hercules aircraft will be operated by 436 Squadron by April 2012 as Canada retires its fleet of 19 E model Hercules. Twelve of the new aircraft have already entered service.
The unit has operated aircraft from Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, and sent aircraft and personnel to support Operation MOBILE
Operation Mobile
Operation Mobile was the name given to Canadian Forces activities in the 2011 military intervention in Libya. The United States' counterpart to this was Operation Odyssey Dawn, the French counterpart was Opération Harmattan and the British counterpart was Operation Ellamy...
during the 2011 military intervention in Libya
2011 military intervention in Libya
On 19 March 2011, a multi-state coalition began a military intervention in Libya to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, which was taken in response to events during the 2011 Libyan civil war...
.