535th Airlift Squadron

The 535th Airlift Squadron (535 AS) is part of the 15th Wing at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. It operates C-17 Globemaster III aircraft providing airlift in the Pacific theater.

Mission
The 535th operate eight C-17A Globemaster III aircraft. The squadron executes airlift and airdrop missions in support of Pacific Command and Transportation Command.

History
The 535th provided replacement crew, advanced flying, and basic flying training, December 1943-April 1944. It conducted reserve flying training from June 1949-April 1951 and again from June 1952-February 1953.

On activation in 1967, the squadron took over C-7A aircraft of 57th Aviation Company (U.S. Army) and tactical airlift mission in South Vietnam. It operated from several locations in addition to its primary base. The 535th airlifted routine cargo and passengers, provided support for Army special forces and radio relay for ground units, airdropped troops and cargo, performed emergency resupply and medical evacuations, and flew other combat airlift missions. It earned a Navy Presidential Unit Citation, as well as a Presidential Unit Citation combat device for airlift support of Khe Sanh and other forward bases from January to May 1968. It earned a second Presidential Unit Citation for action between April and June 1970 for participation in aerial resupply of Dak Seang Special Forces Camp, evacuation of over 2000 refugees from Cambodia, and transportation of the Presidential Southeast Asia Investigation Team to various remote locations in South Vietnam.

It was reactivated in 2005 to provide theater airlift in the Pacific.

Operations

 * Vietnam War
 * Operation Tomodachi
 * Operation Enduring Freedom
 * Operation Iraqi Freedom

Lineage

 * 535th Fighter Squadron (1943–1944)
 * 535th Fighter Squadron, Two-Engine (1949–1950)
 * 535th Fighter-Escort Squadron (1950–1952)
 * 535th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium (1952–1966)
 * 535th Troop Carrier Squadron (1966–1967)
 * 535th Tactical Airlift Squadron (1967–2005)
 * 535th Airlift Squadron (2005–Present)

Commanders
Capt George G. Dewey, 6 Oct 1943; Maj George V. Williams, 3-10 Apr 1944. Unkn, 27 Jun 1949-25 Jun 1951. Unkn, 15 Jun 1952-1 Feb 1953. Lt Col Leo J. Ehmann, 1 Jan 1967; Lt Col Edwin B. Owens, 4 Jan 1967; Lt Col Joseph Faulkner, 15 Dec 1967; Lt Col Harry F. Hunter, 21 Jun 1968; Lt Col Richard D. Kimball, 12 Apr 1969; Lt Col Clem B. Myers, 1 Nov 1969; Lt Col John J. Hanley, 13 Nov 1969; Lt Col John D. Pennekamp, 18 Jul 1970; Lt Col Thomas D. Moyle, 3 Oct 1970; Lt Col Rupert S. Richardson, 31 Dec 1970; Lt Col Dean S. Downing, 12 Sep 1971; Lt Col James S. Knox, 8 Dec 1971-24 Jan 1972; Lt Col Chris Davis 2005-2006; Lt Col Scott Shapiro 2006-2008; Lt Col Casey Eaton 2008-2009; Lt Col Andy Leshikar 2009-2011; Lt Col Pat Winstead 2011-2013; Lt Col Gregg Johnson 2013-present.

Assignments

 * 87th Fighter Group (1943–1944)
 * 87th Fighter-Escort Group (1949–1951)
 * 87th Troop Carrier Group (1951–1953)
 * 403d Troop Carrier Group (1945–1946)
 * Pacific Air Forces (1966–1967)
 * 483d Tactical Airlift Wing (1967–1972)
 * 15th Wing (2005–Present)

Bases stationed

 * Richmond Army Air Base, Virginia (1943–1944)
 * Camp Springs Army Air Base, Maryland (1944)
 * Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas (1949–1951)
 * Atterbury Air Force Base Indiana (1952–1953)
 * Vung Tau Airfield, South Vietnam (1967–1970)
 * Cam Ranh Air Base, South Vietnam (1970–1972)
 * Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii (2005–2010)
 * Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii (2010–Present)

Aircraft operated

 * P-47 Thunderbolt (1943–1944)
 * A-24 Banshee (1943–1944)
 * F-82 Twin Mustang (1949–1950)
 * T-6 Texan (1950)
 * T-33 Shooting Star (1950)
 * F-84 Thunderjet (1950–1951)
 * C-46 Commando (1952–1953)
 * C-7 Caribou (1967–1972)
 * C-17 Globemaster III (2005–Present)