Eighteenth Air Force. It participated in tactical exercises and worldwide airlift. The exercises included a cold weather exercise (Snowfall) and a desert exercise (Longhorn). It converted from Curtiss C-46 Commando to Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar aircraft in 1952. The 346th was inactivated and replaced by the 773d Troop Carrier Squadron in January 1953. Helicopter assault operations The squadron was reactivated in 1955 and assigned to the 516th Troop Carrier Group at Sewart Air Force Base, Tennessee as the 346th Troop Carrier Squadron, Assault, Rotary Wing in part to test the United States Air Force's ability to provide helicopter airlift to the Army. The 346th was initially equipped with Sikorsky H-19 helicopters, but soon replaced them with Piasecki H-21s. Its operations included participation in Operation Backlash II, which was a survey mission to fix the location of radar sites and support the construction of the Mid-Canada Line. The group also tested the evacuation of key high ranking personnel from Washington DC in the event of a nuclear attack. The conflict between the Army and the Air Force concerning the use of Air Force helicopters to support Army assault operations was tested in Operation Sage Brush. The 346th operated as part of the aggressor force. The squadron's H-21s were dismantled and transported in Douglas C-124 Globemaster II aircraft in a test of air mobility. Following this test, the 346th was inactivated in July 1956. The helicopters of the squadron were transferred to the 23d Helicopter Squadron. C-123 operations Three months later, the squadron was reactivated at Sewart as a Fairchild C-123 Provider unit. The squadron trained to airlift troops, equipment and supplies into combat zones, to resupply forces, and evacuate casualties. In 1958, the squadron and most of the C-123s at Sewart were transferred to Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina and the squadron's parent 513th Troop Carrier Wing was inactivated. While at Pope the squadron was attached to the 464th Troop Carrier Wing. The C-123 was programmed to be removed from service in 1961, but events overtook this decision. On 22 November 1961 the United States offered to provide increased airlift support to the government of the Republic of Viet Nam (South Vietnam). By January 1962, sixteen of the squadron's aircraft had deployed to the Pacific area. Initially, four aircraft were stationed "in country" at Tan Son Nhut Airport outside Saigon. Four more were at Clark Air Base in the Philippines