| 356th Airlift Squadron | |
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356th Airlift Squadron Patch |
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| Active | 28 January 1942 – 10 April 1944 7 July 1944 – 15 April 1946 27 June 1949 – 28 January 1950 14 June 1952 – 30 June 2006 9 January 2007 – Present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Airlift |
| Part of | Air Force Reserve Command 4th Air Force 433d Airlift Wing 433d Operations Group |
| Garrison/HQ | Kelly Field Annex |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm |
The 356th Airlift Squadron (356 AS) is part of the 433d Airlift Wing at Kelly Field Annex, Texas. It operates C-5 Galaxy aircraft providing global airlfit.
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The 356 AS operates the Air Force Reserve's only Formal Training Unit providing initial and advanced C-5 flight qualification for Air Mobility Command, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command aircrews.
Activated in early 1942 as a B-24 Liberator Operational Training Unit (OTU), later becoming a Replacement Training Unit (RTU) for deployed combat units, assigned to II Bomber Command. Inactivated in April 1944 when heavy bomber training ended.
Redgesignated as a B-29 Superfortress very heavy bombardment Squadron under Second Air Force. Deployed to the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO), assigned to Northwest Field, Guam under XXI Bomber Command. Flew very long range strategic bombardment missions over the Japanese Home Islands, attacking military, industrial and transportation targets. Switched to night incendiary raids attacking major Japanese cities in the spring of 1945, causing massive destruction of urbanized areas. Continued strategic bombing raids and incendiary attacks until Japanese Capitulation in August 1945.
Squadron remained in Western Pacific, although largely demobilized in the fall of 1945. Some aircraft scrapped on Tinian; others flown to storage depots in the United States. Inactivated in April 1946.
It trained for C-54 airlift operations from 1949–1950 and for troop carrier missions from 1952–1967. The squadron airlifted troops and their equipment during the Cuban Missile Crisis, October–November 1962. From 1970–1971 the squadron trained for special operations.
Between 1971 and 2006 it trained for and flew airlift missions, participating in exercises, supporting unit deployments, taking part in special assignment airlift missions, and rotating periodically to Panama. The 356th supported liberation of Kuwait in 1991. It converted from tactical to strategic aircraft in 1992.
Since 2007 the 356th has conducted air crew training for the C-5 Galaxy
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