| 457th Airlift Squadron | |
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Emblem of the 457th Airlift Squadron |
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| Active | 1 July 1942 - 27 December 1945 27 June 1949 - 16 June 1951 12 October 1966 - 30 April 1972 1 April 1975 - Present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Airlift |
| Part of | Air Mobility Command 18th Air Force 375th Airlift Wing 375th Operations Group |
| Garrison/HQ | Andrews Air Force Base |
| Motto | The Wings of Command |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Presidential Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm |
The 457th Airlift Squadron (457 AS) is part of the 375th Airlift Wing at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. It operates C-21 aircraft providing executive airlift.
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Established in mid-1942 under II Bomber Command as a B-17 Flying Fortress Replacement Training Unit (RTU). Operated until March 1944 with the end of Heavy Bomber training.
Redgesignated as a B-29 Superfortress very heavy bombardment Squadron under Second Air Force. Deployed to the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO), assigned to North Field, Guam under XXI Bomber Command with the 330th Bombardment Group. 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 December 1945.
Reactivated as a reserve B-29 squadron at March AFB, California in 1949. Squadron personnel were activated for Korean War service on 1 May 1951 and reassigned to active duty units and deployed to Far East Air Forces. Inactivated as a paper unit in June 1951. Reactivated as a C-46 Commando Troop Carrier Squadron in June 1952, but unclear whether manned or equipped. Inactivated in July 1952.
Reactivated during the Vietnam War at Cam Rahn Air Base, South Vietnam in 1966. Provided intratheater airlift in Vietnam, including airland and airdrop assault missions from, 1966–1972, being inactivated as part of the drawdown of United States forces and the closure of Cam Rahn AB.
The squadron conducted pilot readiness training from, 1975–1984 and administrative airlift from, 1975–1993. It supported intratheater airlift in Southwest Asia, August 1990–April 1991. It has provided airlift support for high-ranking dignitaries of the US and foreign governments since 1993.
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