shot down with the loss of all crewmen between 2 and 6 April, the operation switched to low-level night drops. On 15 May 1970 the 459th Tactical Airlift Squadron (TAS) ceased operations in preparation for inactivation 1 June as part of the U.S. forces drawdown in Vietnam, and on 31 August 1971 its sister unit at Phù Cát Air Base, the 537th TAS, inactivated in place, followed shortly thereafter by the 536th TAS at Vung Tau. During their five years' flying for the 483rd TAW, the C-7A Caribous carried more than 4.7 million passengers, averaging more than one million a year during 1967–1969. At the same time the wing averaged more than 100,000 tons of cargo each year. On 31 August 1971, three electronic warfare squadrons from the inactivating 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, stationed at various bases in Viet Nam, were assigned to the 483rd TAW. The following day, two special operations squadrons were transferred from the inactivating 14th Special Operations Wing. The electronic warfare squadrons were inactivated or assigned to other wings within six months. The three remaining C-7 squadrons inactivated in early 1972 (535th TAS on 24 January, 458th on 1 March, and 457th on 30 April). Most of the C-7 Caribous were transferred to the VNAF. No. 35 Squadron RAAF at Vung Tau flew its last mission on 13 February 1972 and departed South Vietnam for RAAF Base Richmond in Australia on 19 February 1972; it was the last RAAF unit to leave following the decision to withdraw. The mixture of reassigned squadrons from other wings were all inactivated or reassigned by the end of May. The 483rd Tactical Airlift Wing was inactivated on 31 May 1972. For its service in Vietnam, the 483rd TAW was awarded two Presidential Unit Citations, three Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with combat "V" (Valor) device and three Republic of Viet Nam Gallantry Crosses. Lineage 483rd Tactical Airlift Wing Constituted as 483rd Troop Carrier Wing, Medium, on 15 November 1952 Activated on 1 January 1953, Discontinued and inactivated, on 25 June 1960 Redesignated 483rd Troop Carrier Wing on 12 October 1966 and activated (not organized) Organized on 15 October 1966 Redesignated 483rd Tactical Airlift Wing on 1 August 1967 Inactivated on 31 May 1972. Assignments Tactical Air Command (Attached to 315th Air Division (Combat Cargo)), 1 January 1953 – 30 June 1954 315th Air Division (Combat Cargo), 1 July 1954 –