1st Airlift Squadron

The 1st Airlift Squadron (1 AS) is part of the 89th Airlift Wing at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. It conducts transport of various high-level U.S. military and government officials.

Mission
Provides global Special Air Mission (SAM) airlift, logistics, aerial port and communications for the President, Vice President, Combat Commanders, senior leaders and the global mobility system as tasked by the White House, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and Air Mobility Command.

History
Established under Air Transport Command in 1944 to provide aerial transportation in China-Burma-India Theater from May 1944–May 1945 and in Western Pacific from c. September–December 1945. The unit was equipped first with the Curtiss C-46 Commando, and then converted to the Consolidated C-87 in 1944.

Re-established under Military Air Transport Service in November 1953, providing airlift of personnel and equipment initially flying Douglas C-47s until re-equipping with C-54 Skymasters. Converted to long range Douglas C-124 Globemaster IIs and provided long range heavy strategic transport on a global scale. In 1960 converted to the C-133A Cargomaster and provided very heavy strategic airlift until the end of the C-133's service in 1971.

Reactivated in 1977 at Andrews AFB, Maryland and assigned to the Special Air Mission supporting transportation for the President and other high-ranking dignitaries of US and foreign governments, and C–12 training for personnel from all branches of the military in 1977. At Andrews, has operated a variety of aircraft including the Beechcraft VC-6, Douglas VC-9, Beechcraft C-12, Boeing VC-135, Lockheed C-140, Gulfstream C-20 and the Boeing VC-137. These aircraft were used to transport VIPs throughout the United States and around the world.

It also transported personnel to Southwest Asia from August 1990–April 1991 during Operation Desert Shield/Storm.

Lineage

 * Constituted as 1 Air Transport Squadron (Mobile) on 13 Mar 1944
 * Activated on 23 Mar 1944
 * Inactivated on 25 Mar 1946
 * Disbanded on 8 Oct 1948


 * Reconstituted, and re-designated as 1 Air Transport Squadron, Medium, on 1 Sept 1953
 * Activated on 18 Nov 1953
 * Re-designated as: 1 Air Transport Squadron, Heavy, on 8 Sept 1954
 * Re-designated as: 1 Military Airlift Squadron on 8 Jan 1966
 * Inactivated on 30 Jun 1971


 * Activated on 12 Sept 1977
 * Re-designated as 1 Airlift Squadron on 12 Jul 1991

Assignments

 * Caribbean Wing, Air Transport Command, 23 Mar 1944
 * India-China Wing (later, India-China Division), Air Transport Command, c. 2 May 1944
 * Attached to XX Bomber Command, 17 May-20 Nov 1944


 * XX Bomber Command, 21 Nov 1944
 * Attached to 22 Air Depot Group, Nov-Dec 1944


 * United States Army Forces, Pacific Ocean Areas (later, US Army Strategic Air Forces), c. 20 Jun 1945
 * Eighth Air Force, 31 Jul 1945
 * Okinawa Air Depot, 10 Sept 1945
 * Far East Air Service Command, 9 Jan 1946
 * IV Air Service Area Command, 15 Jan-25 Mar 1946
 * 1607th Air Base Group, 18 Nov 1953
 * 1607th Air Transport Group, 1 Jan 1954
 * 1607th Air Transport Wing, 18 Jan 1963
 * 436th Military Airlift Wing, 8 Jan 1966-30 Jun 1971
 * 89th Military Airlift Wing, Special Mission (later, 89 Military Airlift Group; 89 Military Airlift Wing), 12 Sep 1977
 * 89th Operations Group, 12 Jul 1991-Present

Stations

 * Homestead Army Airfield, Florida, 23 Mar-21 Apr 1944
 * Kalaikunda Airfield, India, 3 May 1944
 * Air echelon operated from Kharagpur Airfield, India, 7 May-4 Aug 1945


 * Naha Air Base, Okinawa, 20 Jun 1945-25 Mar 1946
 * Dover AFB, Delaware, 18 Nov 1953-30 Jun 1971
 * Andrews AFB, Maryland, 12 Sept 1977-Present

Aircraft

 * C-46 Commando (1944–1946)
 * C-87 Liberator Express (1944)
 * C-47 Skytrain (1945)
 * C-54 Skymaster (1953–1955)
 * C-124 Globemaster II (1954–1960)
 * C-133 Cargomaster (1960–1971)
 * VC–6 (1977–1985)
 * VC-9 (1977–1988)


 * C-12 Huron (1977 – Present)
 * VC-135 (1977–1991)
 * VC-140 (1977–1987)
 * C-20 (1983–1988)
 * VC-137 (1987–2001)
 * C-32A (June 1998–Present)
 * C-40B Clipper (Dec 2002–Present)

Operations

 * World War II
 * Vietnam War
 * Operation Desert Storm