Military
Air Transport Service (MATS)
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From: Encyclopedia
of American Military History.
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The
Military Air Transport Service came into being in June 1948 through a merger of
the Air Transport Command (ATC) and the Naval Air Transport Service. These
military airlifters are charged with the transportation of almost anything
anywhere at any time and in all kinds of weather. MATS has played an important
role in both war and peace, despite substantial cutbacks in peacetime.
The
first challenge MATS faced came with the Berlin blockade of
1948–49 and the need to supply the western zones of the city by air. MATS met
the challenge, learning important lessons in the experience, including the fact
that fewer large transports were more effective than more numerous smaller
ones. MATS had originally been flying Douglas C-47 and Douglas C-54 Skymaster
aircraft.
The next
major challenge for MATS came in 1950 with the Korean War.
Major General William H. Tunner, who had directed the Berlin Airlift, organized
the Combat Cargo Command for the Far East Air Force, which was responsible for
Korea. MATS even provided direct military support. During two days in November
1950 it dropped 140 tons of ammunition to marines engaged in desperate fighting
at the Changjin/Chosin Reservoir. During the marines' withdrawal, Combat Cargo
Command brought in 273 tons of supplies and evacuated 4,600 wounded. MATS grew
substantially in size, and during the entirety of the war it transported
391,763 tons of cargo, 2.6 million passengers, and 310,000 medevac patients.
The new Douglas C-124 Globemaster aircraft played a key role.
Following
the war, budget cutbacks threatened to do away with MATS all together, and some
in Congress wanted civilian airlines to transport passengers and goods.
However, the 1960 crisis in the Formosa (Taiwan) Straits showed this to be
impractical, and the idea was dropped. In February 1960 Secretary of Defense
Neil McElroy created a military airlift policy, giving MATS responsibility for
the nation's air transport in times of peace and war. This remained in effect
until President Ronald Reagan's national airlift policy of June 1987.
The
expansion of MATS coincided with President John F. Kennedy's
policy of flexible
response, which sought highly mobile conventional forces able to move at a
moment's notice. New aircraft included the C-130 Hercules and the Boeing C-135.
The Lockheed C-141 StarLifter began development. By the time America entered
theVietnam War,
the C-130 was the standard MATS workhorse. Suited for a variety of missions, it
lifted personnel and cargo, and also served as a gunship, tanker, and medevac
aircraft. It continues in use today as the C-130J. General Howell M. Estes,
Jr., commander of MATS from 1964 to 1969, developed rapid turn-around
procedures known as "quick stop" and "quick change." Howell
also established a command post that connected MATS headquarters to the lowest
field commanders to monitor airlift operations.
In
January 1966 MATS was redesignated the Military Airlift Command (MAC). By 1967
and the height of the Vietnam War, MAC was moving 65,350 passengers and 42,296
tons of cargo per month in South Vietnam. MAC was also involved in combat
operations. Operation Blue Light involved landing 2,952 troops and 4,749 tons
of equipment of the 3d Infantry Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division from
Hawaii directly to Pleiku, South Vietnam. During the 1968 Tet Offensive,
MAC rendered particularly important service, transporting additional resources
to South Vietnam. Concurrently, in Operation Combat Fox, MAC transferred troops
to South Korea from the United States, Japan, and Southeast Asia as a
consequence of the Pueblo incident.
Other notable operations included delivery of supplies during the 1967 siege of Khe Sanh, the
airlift of supplies to South Vietnamese forces during the 1972 Easter
offensive, and the evacuation of U.S. personnel after the 1973 Paris
cease-fire. MAC also carried out Operation Homecoming, the repatriation of U.S.
POWs. In Operation Frequent Wind, MAC evacuated American and foreign nationals
when the Republic of Vietnam collapsed in April 1975.
Today
MAC continues its mission of serving as the U.S. military's air transport
service. Recent successful operations include Operation Desert
Shield, the military buildup before the 1991 Gulf War, and
operations in Bosnia in 1996.
Boyne,
Walter J. Beyond the Wild Blue: A History of the United States Air Force,
1947–1997. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997
Clayton,
Knight. Lifeline in the Sky: The Story of the United States Military Air
Transport Service. New York: William Morrow, 1957
Ulanoff,
Stanley M. MATS: The Story of the Military Air Transport Service. New
York: F. Watts, 1964
Williams,
Nicholas M. Aircraft of the United States Military Air Transport Service,
1948 to 1966. Leicester, U.K.: Midland, 1999.
Text
Citation (Chicago Manual of Style format):
Halin,
Jason M. "Military Air Transport Service (MATS)." In Tucker, Spencer
C., gen. ed. Encyclopedia of American Military History. New York: Facts On
File, Inc., 2003. American History Online. Facts On File,
Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
ItemID=WE52&iPin=EMHII0274&SingleRecord=True (accessed
July 9, 2014).
MATS
The
Military Air Transport Service was activated 1 June 1948. It was created by
consolidating the Air Transport Command and the Naval Air Transport Service
under the control of the newly created United States Air Force (USAF). The
first test of the newly created MATS was the Berlin Airlift--"OPERATION
VITTLES". The Soviets had blocked all surface transportation in the
western part of Berlin. Railroads tracks were destroyed, barges were stopped on
the rivers, and highways and roads blocked. The only avenue left was through
the air. On June 26, 1948, the airlift began. MATS transports from around the
globe began making their way to Germany, including 2 of the U.S. Navy's air
transport squadrons assigned to MATS. This operation would continue for some 15
months until the Soviets lifted the blockade. MATS would provide numerous
humanitarian airlifts of global proportions.
Within
MATS there were other technical services such as Air Weather Service (AWS), Air
Rescue Service (ARS), Special Airlift Mission (SAM), Air Photographic and
Charting Service (APCS), and the Aeromedical Transport Wing (AMTW). The U.S.
Navy was an integral part of MATS, providing 5 transport squadrons to the joint
service effort.
In the
early days of MATS, there were 3 divisions, Atlantic, Pacific, and Continental.
A later reoganization called for just 2 divisions -- Eastern Transport Air
Force (EASTAF) and the Western Transport Air Force (WESTAF). To accomplish the
global mission required, MATS has used many different aircraft. The C-47
"Gooney Bird", C-46 Curtis Commado, C-135 Stratolifter, C-141
Starlifter, C-130 Hercules, C-133 Cargomaster, C-124 Globemaster, C-118
Liftmaster, C-121 Super Constellation, C-74 Globemaster I, C-97
Stratofreighter, and the C-131 Samaritan just to name a few. Each of the
individual technical MATS services had their own specific aircraft to carry out
their mission.
On
January 1, 1966 MATS was deactivated and the Military Airlift Command was
created to continue the traditions MATS had began.
source:
some infomation adapted from the book, "MATS: The Story of the Military
Air Transport Service." by Stanley M. Ulanoff.
1964: The Moffa Press, Inc.
The History of the Military Air Transportation Service
military
The
Military Air Transportation Service, commonly referred to as MATS, is an
inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Although it is no longer
active, the Military Air Transportation Service played a crucial role in the
Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War. Upon its
disestablishment, the Air Force components were reassigned to the Military
Airlift Command, and the Navy components were reassigned to the U.S. Navy.
Why Was
the Military Air Transportation Service Created?
During
World War II, the United States Army Air Forces Air Transport Command was used
to meet the urgent demand for reinforcements at U.S. military bases across the
globe. An air supply system was utilized instead of traditional, land based
transportation. The end of World War II brought the end to this command,
however, as it was deemed to be only a necessity during a time of war.
When the United States Air Force was separated from the army and became its own
entity in 1947, the Air Transport Command was scrapped. However, the newly
created Department of Defense believed that the Air Force needed this troop
deployment method, and the Military Air Transportation Service was born.
How Was
the Military Air Transportation Service Different From the Air Transport
Command?
Although
not formally listed as a military mission, the Military Air Transportation
Service was controlled primarily by the U.S. Air Force. To further the mission
and directive of the Military Air Transportation Service, the Naval Air
Transport Service was consolidated into this service as well. This
consolidation put the sanctioning power of the Military Air Transportation
Service in the hands of the Department of Defense, instead of the U.S. Navy and
the U.S. Air Force sanctioning two identical services separately.
What
Roles Did the Military Air Transportation Service Play in Conflicts?
During
the Korean War, the Military Air Transportation Service played a vital role in
offering support to the United Nations troops. They operated from the United
States to Japan, supplying routes into Japan and providing troop carrier
services throughout the war.
With the Cuban Missile Crisis in full swing, the Military Air Transportation
Service air lifted thousands of troops for rapid deployment. Additionally, they
transported thousands of tons of military gear and other necessities from
around the United States to Florida and Guantanamo Bay.
The Vietnam War was also heavily aided by the Military Air Transportation
Service. Not only did they provide needed supplies and equipment for the war,
but they also helped more than 14,000 troops receive proper medical attention
and treatment by transporting them to medical facilities.
Why Did
the Military Air Transportation Service Cease Operations?
In 1965,
the U.S. Navy withdrew its components to reallocate its resources to different
programs. This led to the Military Airlift Command being activated, which took
over all responsibilities of the once commissioned Military Air Transportation
Service. The method of deployment and functionality of the program stayed the
same, but fell under specific U.S. Air Force command and assumed a new name.
Created
as a result of consolidating two different programs, the Military Air
Transportation Service played a crucial part in all military action taken by
the United States from 1948 to 1966. Although the program has changed names and
branch delegations a number of times, the basic functionality of air lifting
troops and providing equipment and resources is still carried out by the U.S.
military today.
