10th Airlift Squadron
| 10th Airlift Squadron | |
|---|---|
|
10th AS airmen prepare a C-17 Globemaster III for departure from McChord AFB in support of ongoing humanitarian relief efforts in Haiti. | |
| Active | 1 January 1938 - Present |
| Country |
 United States |
| Branch |
 United States Air Force |
| Type | Airlift |
| Part of | Air Mobility Command |
| Garrison/HQ | McChord Air Force Base, Washington |
| Engagements |
|
| Decorations |
 Distinguished Unit Citation: (MTO)  Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (2x) |
| Insignia | |
| 10th Airlift Squadron Emblem |
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The 10th Airlift Squadron (10 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
To train and equip C-17 aircrews for global air-land and airdrop operations.[1]
History
Established as part of the Army Air Corps in January 1938 at Olmsted Field, Pennsylvania but not activated until 1 December 1940. Not equipped or manned. Unit designation transferred to Westover Field, Massachusetts, but not equipped or manned until after the Pearl Harbor Attack. Equipped with C-47 Skytrain transports and trained for combat resupply and casualty evacuation mission.[1]
Was ordered deployed to England, assigned to Eighth Air Force in June 1942. Assigned fuselage code 7D. Performed intro-theater transport flights of personnel, supply and equipment within England during summer and fall of 1942, reassigned to Twelfth Air Force after Operation Torch invasion of North Africa, stationed at Tafaraoui Airfield, Algeria. In combat, performed resupply and evacuation missions across Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia during North African Campaign. During June 1943, the unit began training with gliders in preparation for Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. It towed gliders to Syracuse, Sicily and dropped paratroopers at Catania during the operation. After moving to Sicily, the squadron airdropped supplies to escaped prisoners of war in Northern Italy in October. Operated from Sicily until December until moving to Italian mainland in December.
Supported Italian Campaign during balance of 1944 supporting partisans in the Balkans. Its unarmed aircraft flew at night over uncharted territory, landing at small unprepared airfields to provide guns, ammunition, clothing, medical supplies, gasoline, and mail to the partisans. It even carried jeeps and mules as cargo. On return trips it evacuated wounded partisans, evadees and escaped prisoners. These operations earned the squadron the Distinguished Unit Citation. It also dropped paratroopers at Megava, Greece in October 1944 and propaganda leaflets in the Balkans in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations until end of combat in Europe, May, 1945.[1]
After hostilities ended, was transferred to Waller Field, Trinidad attached to the Air Transport Command Transported personnel and equipment from Brazil to South Florida along the South Atlantic Air Transport Route. Squadron picked up personnel and equipment in Brazil or bases in Northern South America with final destination being Miami, Boca Raton Army Airfield or Morrison Fields in South Florida.[1]
Was reassigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), September 1946, performing intro-theater cargo flights based at Munich-Riem Airport. Transferred to Kaufbeuren AB when Reim Airport was closed. Was re-equipped with C-54 Skymaster aircraft and deployed to RAF Fassberg during 1948 Berlin Airlift. Flew continuous missions across hostile Soviet Zone of Germany in Berlin Air Corridor, transporting supplies and equipment to airports in West Berlin, 1948-1949. Later operated from Rhein-Main AB and Wiesbaden AB in American Zone of Occupation, later West Germany until blockade ended. Remained as part of USAFE until 1961, being upgraded to C-82 and later C-119 Flying Boxcar transports as part of USAFE 322d Air Division based in West Germany and France. Inactivated as part of downsizing of USAFE bases in France, 1961.[1]
Was briefly re-activated in the late 1960s at Chanute AFB, Illinois as a VT-29A VIP transport squadron as part of Military Airlift Command. Conducted airlift tasks in connection with aircraft delivery; in 1970 re-equipped with C-131 Samaritan medical evacuation aircraft. Inactivated September 1970. Reassigned to USAFE and reactivated in 1984 with C-23 short-range transports for personnel movements within USAFE. Flew scheduled flights from Zweiburcken, Ramstein and other USAFE bases, replacing C-130 European Shuttle flights. Inactivated March 1991 as part of USAFE drawdown at the end of the Cold War.[1]
Reactivated in 2003 as C-17 aircrew training squadron at McChord AFB, Washington.[1] In December, 2014 the Air Force announced that the 10th would be inactivated by the summer of 2016.[2]
Lineage
- Constituted as 10th Transport Squadron on 1 Jan 1938
- Activated on 1 Dec 1940
- Re-designated 10th Troop Carrier Squadron on 5 Jul 1942
- Inactivated on 31 Jul 1945
- Activated on 30 Sep 1946
- Re-designated: 10th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 1 Jul 1948
- Re-designated: 10th Troop Carrier Squadron, Heavy on 5 Nov 1948
- Re-designated: 10th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 16 Nov 1949
- Discontinued, and inactivated, on 8 Jan 1961
- Re-designated 10th Air Transport Squadron on 5 Sep 1969
- Activated on 15 Oct 1969
- Inactivated on 30 Sep 1970
- Re-designated 10th Military Airlift Squadron on 1 Nov 1983
- Activated on 15 Jan 1984
- Inactivated on 31 Mar 1991
- Re-designated 10th Airlift Squadron on 17 Dec 2002
- Activated on 1 Oct 2003[3]
Assignments
- VIII Corps Area, 1 Jan 1938 (Not Activated)
- 60th Transport (later, 60th Troop Carrier) Group, 1 Dec 1940-31 Jul 1945
- 60th Troop Carrier Group, 30 Sep 1946
- Attached to: 313th Troop Carrier Group, 26 Nov 1948-16 May 1949
- Attached to: 60th Troop Carrier Wing, 15 Nov 1956-11 Mar 1957
- 60th Troop Carrier Wing, 12 Mar 1957
- 322d Air Division, 25 Sep 1958-8 Jan 1961
- 2d Aircraft Delivery Group, 15 Oct 1969-30 Sep 1970
- 322d Airlift Division, 15 Jan 1984
- 608th Military Airlift Group, 15 Mar 1984-31 Mar 1991
- 62d Operations Group, 1 Oct 2003–present[3]
Stations
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Aircraft operated
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External links
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
External links
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