356th Airlift Squadron

356th Airlift Squadron
356th Airlift Squadron
	356th Airlift Squadron Patch
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.

Mission

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.

History

The 356th trained aircrews for bombardment missions from, June 1942-April 1944 and saw combat in the Western Pacific from c. 1 July 1945 – 14 August 1945.

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

Lineage

Constituted 356 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942

Activated on 1 Jun 1942

Inactivated on 10 Apr 1944

Redesignated 356 Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 27 Jun 1944

Activated on 7 Jul 1944

Inactivated on 15 Apr 1946

Redesignated 356 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 16 May 1949

Activated in the Reserve on 27 Jun 1949

Inactivated on 28 Jan 1950

Activated in the Reserve on 14 Jun 1952

Ordered to Active Service on 28 Oct 1962

Relieved from Active Duty on 28 Nov 1962

Redesignated: 356 Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 Jul 1967

Redesignated: 356 Special Operations Squadron on 25 Jun 1970

Redesignated: 356 Tactical Airlift Squadron on 26 Jul 1971

Redesignated: 356 Airlift Squadron on 1 Feb 1992

Inactivated on 30 Jun 2006

Activated in the Reserve on 9 Jan 2007.

Assignments

302 Bombardment Group, 1 Jun 1942-10 Apr 1944
331 Bombardment Group, 7 Jul 1944-15 Apr 1946
302 Troop Carrier Group, 27 Jun 1949-28 Jan 1950; 14 Jun 1952
302 Troop Carrier Wing, 14 Apr 1959
907 Troop Carrier (later, 907 Tactical Airlift; 907 Special Operations; 907 Tactical Airlift) Group, 11 Feb 1963
302 Tactical Airlift Wing, 1 Sep 1975
907 Tactical Airlift (later, 907 Airlift) Group, 1 Apr 1981
907 Operations Group, 1 Aug 1992
445 Operations Group, 1 Oct 1994-30 Jun 2006
433 Operations Group, 9 Jan 2007-Present

Bases stationed

Geiger Field, Washington, 1 Jun 1942
Davis-Monthan Field, AZ, 23 Jun 1942
Wendover Field, UT, 30 Jul 1942
Pueblo AAB, CO, 30 Sep 1942
Davis-Monthan Field, AZ, 1 Dec 1942
Clovis, NM, 29 Jan 1943
Langley Field, VA, 17 Dec 1943
Chatham AAFld, GA, 27 Jan-10 Apr 1944

Dalhart AAFld, TX, 7 Jul 1944
McCook AAFld, NE, 22 Nov 1944-8 Apr 1945
Northwest Field, Guam, 12 May 1945-15 Apr 1946
McChord AFB, WA, 27 Jun 1949-28 Jan 1950
Clinton County AFB, OH, 14 Jun 1952
Lockbourne (later, Rickenbacker) AFB (later ANGB), OH, 26 Jul 1971
Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, 1 Apr 1993-30 Jun 2006
Kelly Field Annex, Lackland AFB, TX, 9 Jan 2007-.

Aircraft operated

B-24 Liberator (1942–1944)
B-17 Flying Fortress (1944)
B-29 Superfortress (1945–1946)
C-54 Skymaster (1949–1950)
C-46 Commando (1952–1957)
C-119 Flying Boxcar (1956–1973)
C-123 Provider (1972–1981)
C-130 Hercules (1981–1992)
C-141 Starlifter (1992–2006)
C-5 Galaxy (2007 – Present)

Operations

References

External links