Military Air Transport Service, Air Transport Command in Washington DC, United States
The Military Air Transport Service was a joint organization that unified Air Force and Navy transport operations from 1948 to 1966 for worldwide military logistics. The service maintained fleets of large cargo aircraft to move personnel, equipment, and supplies to military bases across continents and oceans.
The organization was established in 1948 by merging the Air Force's Air Transport Command with the Navy's air transport operations into a unified structure. It became instrumental during the Berlin Airlift in 1948-1949, when its aircraft delivered supplies and equipment to sustain operations in West Berlin.
The organization established new standards for joint military operations by merging Naval Air Transport Service and Air Transport Command into one unified structure.
Understanding its role requires learning about different aircraft types and their cargo capacity during the Cold War era. Those interested in military aviation history can find related information in aviation museums and military archives across the country.
Through its eighteen-year operation period, MATS transported over 10 million passengers and 7 million tons of cargo across international military routes.
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