56th Airlift Squadron

The 56th Airlift Squadron (56 AS) was most recently part of the 97th Air Mobility Wing at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operated C-5 Galaxy aircraft training pilots for airlift and airdrop operations.

Mission
The 56 AS is the Air Force's formal school for C-5 initial and advanced airland and aerial refueling qualification training. The 56th AS ceased operations and inactivated in July 2007.

History
The 56th conducted aerial transportation in Pacific Theater, and participated in the airborne assault on Nadzab, New Guinea, on 5 September 1943 during World War II.

The squadron provided training for aircrews in C-124 aircraft from 1966-1968. With the arrival of the Air Force's first C-5 Galaxy on 17 December 1969, the 56th became the first operational C-5 squadron in the Air Force. It has provided training and transition flying training for aircrews in C-5 aircraft since 1969. It also supported U.S. forces in Southeast Asia, April 1972-December 1974.

Operations

 * World War II

Lineage

 * 56th Troop Carrier Squadron (1942–1949)
 * 56th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium (1949–1965)
 * 56th Military Airlift Squadron, Training (1965–1991)
 * 56th Airlift Squadron (1991–2007)

Assignments

 * 375th Troop Carrier Group (1942–1946, 1947–1957)
 * Military Airlift Command (1965–1966)
 * 443d Airlift Wing (1966–1992)
 * 97th Air Mobility Wing (1992–2007)

Bases stationed

 * Bowman Field, Kentucky (1942–1943)
 * Sedalia Army Air Field, Missouri (1943)
 * Laurinburg-Maxton Army Air Field, North Carolina (1943)
 * Baer Field, Indiana (1943)
 * New Guinea (1943–1944)
 * Biak (1944–1945)
 * San Jose, Occidental Mindoro (1945)
 * Porac, Pampanga (1945)


 * Okinawa (1945)
 * Tachikawa, Japan (1945–1946)
 * Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Pennsylvania (1947–1950)
 * Greenville Air Force Base, South Carolina (1950–1952)
 * Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Pennsylvania (1952–1957)
 * Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma (1966–1969)
 * Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma (1969–2007)

Aircraft operated

 * C-47 Skytrain (1942–1945)
 * B-17 Flying Fortress (1944)
 * C-46 Commando (1944–1946, 1952–1954)
 * C-82 Packet (1949–1950)
 * C-119 Flying Boxcar (1954–1957)
 * C-124 Globemaster II (1966–1968)
 * C-5 Galaxy (1969–2007)