[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 92 (Tuesday, June 5, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E770]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN RECOGNITION OF THE 40TH REUNION OF THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE 
                          6TH AIRLIFT SQUADRON

                                  _____
                                 

                       HON. BRIAN K. FITZPATRICK

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 5, 2018

  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, the 6th Airlift Squadron is part of the 
305th Air Mobility Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New 
Jersey. It operates the C-17 Globemaster III supporting the United 
States Air Force global reach mission worldwide. The 6th Airlift 
Squadron is the oldest airlift squadron in the Air Force, having served 
with distinction since 1 October 1933--85 years ago. It must be 
understood that any aviation squadron which boasts a proud 85 year 
history can only be considered extraordinary. The squadron was 
initially assigned to the 2nd Transport Group, at Shreveport, 
Louisiana, and later reorganized in August 1937 with Reserve personnel 
at Columbus, Ohio. The squadron was activated on 14 October 1939 into 
the Army Air Forces at Olmsted Field, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The 
squadron made airlift history during World War II when, in October 
1942, it was transferred to Port Moresby, New Guinea. Then flying C-
47s, the 6th became the first personnel transport squadron to fly in 
the Pacific. It was during this assignment that the squadron earned the 
nickname Bully Beef Express, as it carried tons of boiled beef to 
allied combat troops in Australia and New Guinea. The French called it 
``boujili boef'', and the Americanization of the term has continued to 
this day to be the squadron's emblem. The 6th performed aerial 
transportation in the Pacific Theater and Southwest Pacific Theater 
during World War II and in the Far East during the Korean War and after 
until 1968, when it was temporarily deactivated but then reactivated in 
April 1970 during the Viet Nam War as more C-141 Starlifters were 
coming into service. It has performed worldwide airlift operations 
since then. The 6th conducted resupply missions in support of 
scientific stations in the Antarctic during Operation Deep Freeze from, 
1971 to 1974. It re-supplied Israel during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. It 
evacuated Vietnamese refugees during the fall of Saigon, April through 
June 1975. It has also supported U.S. forces in Grenada, October 
through December 1983, during the invasion of Panama, December 1989 
through January 1990, and during the liberation of Kuwait, August 1990 
through March 1991, and continues to support military operations 
throughout the Middle East. In June of 1979 current and past members of 
the squadron organized the first of what would be 40 consecutive annual 
reunions spanning 4 decades--the longest continuous running reunion in 
the Air Force. On June 6, 2018, those past and present members of this 
distinguished military unit will celebrate a milestone with the 40th 
Annual Bully Beef Reunion. Today, we recognize the fine, dedicated men 
and women of the 6th who have served selflessly and honorably over 85 
years, and congratulate them on their 40th Reunion.

                          ____________________