314th AW excellence mirrors founding unit
LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- Imagine being packed shoulder to shoulder in a C-47 Skytrain. As silence filled the cargo deck, paratroopers from the 62nd Troop Carrier Squadron mentally prepared for their unforeseen future. Little did they know June 6, 1944, would mark a moment in history, and shape a legacy worth honoring.

Leo Rigard, a former engineer for the 62nd TCS, recalled empowering stories of the resilience and determination the air crew and paratroopers obtained during World War II and D-Day. These stories directly reflect the strength of Little Rock Air Force Base’s 314th Airlift Wing Airmen.

The 314th AW’s origins date back to the 62nd TCS with the establishment of the 314th Troop Carrier Group in the Army Air Corps. Their priorities of: mission, Airmen, families and partnerships not only keep the legacy of their predecessors alive but also expounds on the character Rigard and former service members demonstrated.

Rigard served during a time when soldiers were drafted. He said growing up in the country, he had little knowledge of the Army and no idea of what to expect once enlisted. However, because of his love for his nation, his mindset was, ‘When you get called, you go.’

Today, the 314th trains with the mindset that at a moment’s notice Airmen here may have to answer the call and go. Forging the world’s most expertly trained, professionally competent and combat effective tactical airlifters is their mission, and executing that mission effectively and efficiently is what they strive to do every day.