15th Airlift Squadron

The 15th Airlift Squadron (15 AS) is part of the 437th Airlift Wing at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina. It operates C-17 Globemaster III aircraft supporting the United States Air Force global reach mission world wide.

History
Activated in December 1940 flying converted Douglas DC-2 transport aircraft as a GHQ Air Force transport squadron. Converted to C-47 Skytrains in early 1942, trained under I Troop Carrier Command for combat operations. Assigned to Twelfth Air Force and deployed North Africa during May 1943. The squadron's aircraft flew supplies to front-line units in Algeria and Tunisia during the North African Campaign as soon as suitable landing strips were available and evacuated casualties back to rear area field hospitals.

Squadron engaged in combat operations, dropping airborne units into Sicily during the Operation Husky invasion and later into areas around Anzio, Italy as part of Operation Shingle, the invasion of mainland Italy and the initiation of the Italian Campaign, January 1944. Moved north though Italy, in 1943 in support of Allied ground forces, evacuated wounded personnel and flew missions behind enemy lines in Italy and the Balkans to haul guns, ammunition, food, clothing, medical supplies, and other materials to the partisans and to drop propaganda leaflets.

Was moved to England in February 1944, assigned to IX Troop Carrier Command, Ninth Air Force. Prepared for the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. In June 1944, subordinate units dropped paratroops in Normandy, subsequently flying numerous missions to bring in reinforcements and needed supplies. During the airborne attack on The Netherlands (Operation Market Garden, September 1944), the squadron dropped paratroops, towed gliders, and flew resupply missions. Several of its subordinate units also participated in the invasion of southern France in August 1944. The 50th supported the 101st Airborne Division in the Battle of the Bulge by towing gliders full of supplies near Bastogne on 27 December 1944.

When the Allies made the air assault across the Rhine River in March 1945, each aircraft towed two gliders with troops of the 17th Airborne Division and released them near Wesel. The squadron also hauled food, clothing, medicine, gasoline, ordnance equipment, and other supplies to the front lines and evacuated patients to rear zone hospitals.

In late May 1945, after V-E Day, the squadron was moved to Waller Field, Trinidad and attached to Air Transport Command. From Trinidad, the squadron ferried returning military personnel to Morrision Field, Florida, where they were sent on to other bases or prepared for separation after the war.

During the Cold War the 4th was involved in the Berlin Airlift from 1948–1949; aerial transport from the U.S. to Japan, August–December 1950; and between Japan and Korea, 13 December 1950–November 1952. It has carried out worldwide airlift since 1953, including to Southeast Asia from 1966–1973 and supporting military operations in Grenada, October–November 1983; Panama, 18 December 1989–8 January 1990 and to Southwest Asia, August 1990–January 1991.

Operations and Decorations

 * Combat Operations. World War II: Included airborne assaults on Sicily, Normandy, Holland, and Germany; aerial transportation in MTO and ETO. Berlin Airlift, 1948-1949. Korea: Aerial transportation from US to Japan, Aug-Dec 1950, and between Japan and Korea, 13 Dec 1950-Nov 1952. Worldwide airlift, 1953-1993, including to Southeast Asia, 1966-1973; Operation Urgent Fury (The invasion of Grenada), Oct-Nov 1983; Operation Just Cause (The invasion of Panama), 18 Dec 1989-8 Jan 1990; and Operation Desert Storm (The Persian Gulf War), Aug 1990-Jan 1991. Operation Desert Storm (The Persian Gulf War); Operation Iraqi Freedom (The war in Iraq)


 * Campaigns. World War II: Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Central Europe. Korea: CCF Intervention; First UN Counteroffensive; CCF Spring Offensive; UN Summer-Fall Offensive; Second Korean Winter; Korean Summer-Fall, 1952.


 * Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Sicily, 11 Jul 1943; France, [6-7] Jun 1944; Korea, 13 Dec 1950-21 Apr 1951. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1957-10 Dec 1962; 1 Jul 1968-30 Jun 1969; 1 Jul 1970-30 Jun 1971; 1 Jun 1978-31 May 1980; 1 Jan-31 Dec 1983; 1 Jan-31 Dec 1987; 1 Jan 1990-30 Apr 1991. Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: 1 Jul 1951-[18 Nov 1952]. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Apr 1966-8 Jan 1973.

Lineage

 * Constituted 15th Transport Squadron on 20 Nov 1940
 * Activated on 4 Dec 1940
 * Re-designated: 15th Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 Jul 1942
 * Inactivated on 31 Jul 1945


 * Activated on 30 Sep 1946
 * Re-designated: 15th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium, on 1 Jul 1948
 * Re-designated: 15th Troop Carrier Squadron, Heavy, on 15 Aug 1948
 * Re-designated: 15th Military Airlift Squadron on 8 Jan 1966
 * Re-designated: 15th Airlift Squadron on 1 Jan 1992
 * Inactivated on 26 Jul 1993


 * Activated on 1 Oct 1993.

Assignments

 * 61st Transport (later, 61st Troop Carrier) Group, 4 Dec 1940-31 Jul 1945
 * 61st Troop Carrier Group, 30 Sep 1946
 * 63d Troop Carrier Group, 8 Oct 1959
 * 63d Troop Carrier (later, 63d Military Airlift) Wing, 18 Jan 1963
 * 63d Military Airlift Group, 1 Oct 1978
 * 63d Military Airlift Wing, 1 Jul 1980
 * 63d Operations Group, 1 Jan 1992-26 Jul 1993
 * 437th Operations Group, 1 Oct 1993–Present

Stations

 * Duncan Field, Texas, 4 Dec 1940
 * Augusta Airport, Georgia, 12 Jul 1941
 * Pope Field, North Carolina, 24 May 1942
 * Lubbock Army Airfield, Texsd, 15 Nov 1942
 * Pope Field, North Carolina, 26 Feb-30 Apr 1943
 * Lourmel Airfield, Algeria, 15 May 1943
 * Kairouan Airfield, Tunisia, 21 Jun 1943
 * Licata Airfield, Sicily, 3 Sep 1943
 * Sciacca Airfield, Sicily, 6 Oct 1943-12 Feb 1944
 * RAF Barkston Heath (AAF-483), England, 18 Feb 1944
 * Abbeville/Drucat Airfield (B-92), France, 13 Mar-19 May 1945


 * Waller Field, Trinidad, 19 May-31 Jul 1945
 * AAF Station Eschborn, Germany, 30 Sep 1946
 * AAF Station Frankfurt, Germany (later West Germany), 9 Feb 1947-21 Jul 1950
 * McChord AFB, Washington, 26 Jul-4 Dec 1950
 * Ashiya AB, Japan, 13 Dec 1950
 * Tachikawa AB, Japan, 26 Mar-18 Nov 1952
 * Larson AFB, Washington, 21 Nov 1952
 * Donaldson AFB, South Carolina, 25 Aug 1954
 * Hunter AFB, Georgia, 1 Apr 1963
 * Norton AFB, California, 1 Apr 1967-26 Jul 1993
 * Charleston AFB, South Carolina, 1 Oct 1993–Present

Aircraft

 * C-33 (1941)
 * C-39 (1941–1942)
 * C-47 Skytrain (1942–1945, 1946–1948)
 * C-54 Skymaster (1948–1952)


 * C-124 Globemaster II (1952–1967)
 * C-141 Starlifter (1967–1993)
 * C-17 Globemaster III (1993 – Present)