4th Airlift Squadron

The 4th Airlift Squadron (4 AS) is part of the 62d Airlift Wing at McChord Air Force Base, Washington. It operates C-17 Globemaster III aircraft supporting the United States Air Force global reach mission world wide.

Mission
Provide services and support, which promote quality of life and project global power through combat-proven airlift and airdrop.

History
During World War II the 4th actions included airborne assaults on Sicily, Myitkyina, Burma, and on Southern France. It support of partisans in Northern Italy and the Balkans. It also conducted aerial transportation in Mediterranean Theater of Operations and, briefly, in China-Burma-India Theater. In all the 4th earned nine campaign ribbons during operations in both the European and China-Burma-India theaters in the Second World War.

When the Korean War broke out the 4th conducted aerial transportation from the U.S. to Japan, and subsequently between Japan and Korea in the period 1 December 1950-16 November 1951.

As did all the other Air Force airlift squadrons, the 4th flew constant C-141 missions into Vietnam during the years of conflict, staging from Clark AB, Philippines, and Yokota AB, Japan. However, some of the 4th's earliest missions to Indo-China were unpublicized, and involved using C-124s to bring supplies to the French forces at Dien Bien Phu in 1954.

The 4th also airdropped heavy equipment and personnel during the invasion of Panama on 20 December 1989. It assisted in the evacuation of U.S. personnel from the Philippines following the June 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. Subsequently the 4th has conducted aerial delivery of rations to towns and villages in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom and conducted airlift operations worldwide in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

Operations

 * World War II
 * Korean War
 * Operation Just Cause
 * Operation Desert Storm
 * Operation Deep Freeze
 * Operation Enduring Freedom
 * Operation Iraqi Freedom

Previous designations

 * 4th Provisional Transport Squadron (1935)
 * 4th Transport Squadron (1935–1942)
 * 4th Troop Carrier Squadron (1942–1948)
 * 4th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium (1948–1949)
 * 4th Troop Carrier Squadron, Heavy (1949–1962)
 * 4th Air Transport Squadron, Heavy (1962–1966)
 * 4th Military Airlift Squadron (1966–1991)
 * 4th Airlift Squadron (1991 – Present)

Assignments

 * Rockwell Air Depot (1935–1937)
 * 10th Transport Group (1937–1941)
 * 62d Troop Carrier Group (1941–1945, 1946–1947)
 * Attached: 64th Troop Carrier Group (April - June 1944)


 * 62d Airlift Wing (1947–Present)
 * Attached: 374th Troop Carrier Wing (December 1950)
 * Attached: 6122d Air Base Group (December 1950 - January 1951)
 * Attached: 315th Air Division (January - October 1951)
 * Attached: Far East Air Force (October - November 1951)

Bases stationed

 * Rockwell Field, California (1935–1938)
 * Sacramento, California (1938–1942)
 * Kellogg Field, Michigan (1942)
 * Florence, South Carolina (1942)
 * RAF Keevil, England (1942)
 * Algeria (1942, 1943)
 * Casablanca, French Morocco (1942–1943)
 * Goubrine Airfield, Tunisia (1943)
 * Ponte Olivo Airfield, Sicily (1943–1944)


 * India (1944)
 * Italy (1944–1945)
 * Bergstrom Field, Texas (1946–1947)
 * McChord Air Force Base, Washington (1947–1950)
 * Ashiya, Japan (1950–1951)
 * Tachikawa, Japan (1951)
 * McChord Air Force Base, Washington (1951–1952)
 * Larson Air Force Base, Washington (1952–1960)
 * McChord Air Force Base, Washington (1960 – Present)

Aircraft operated

 * C-27 Airbus (1935–1937)
 * C-33 (1936–1941)
 * C-39 (1938–1942)
 * C-47 Skytrain (1942–1945)
 * C-46 Commando (1946–1947)


 * C-82 Packet (1947–1949)
 * C-54 Skymaster (1949–1951)
 * C-124 Globemaster II (1951–1969)
 * C-141 Starlifter (1966–2000)
 * C-17 Globemaster III (2000 – Present)