535th Airlift Squadron fact sheet

Lineage: Constituted 535 Fighter Squadron on 24 Sep 1943. Activated on 1 Oct 1943. Disbanded on 10 Apr 1944. Reconstituted, and redesignated 535 Fighter Squadron, Two- Engine, on 16 May 1949. Activated in the Reserve on 27 Jun 1949. Redesignated 535 Fighter-Escort Squadron on 16 Mar 1950. Ordered to active service on 1 May 1951. Inactivated on 25 Jun 1951. Redesignated 535 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium, on 26 May 1952. Activated in the Reserve on 15 Jun 1952. Inactivated on 1 Feb 1953. Redesignated 535 Troop Carrier Squadron, and activated, on 12 Oct 1966. Organized on 1 Jan 1967. Redesignated 535 Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 Aug 1967. Inactivated on 24 Jan 1972. Redesignated 535 Airlift Squadron on 1 Apr 2005. Activated on 18 Apr 2005.

Assignments: 87 Fighter Group, 1 Oct 1943-10 Apr 1944. 87 Fighter (later, 87 Fighter-Escort) Group, 27 Jun 1949-25 Jun 1951. 87 Troop Carrier Group, 15 Jun 1952-1 Feb 1953. Pacific Air Forces, 12 Oct 1966; 483 Troop Carrier (later, 483 Tactical Airlift) Wing, 1 Jan 1967-24 Jan 1972. 15 Operations Group, 18 Apr 2005-.

Stations: Richmond AAB, VA, 1 Oct 1943; Camp Springs AAFld, MD, 21 Jan-10 Apr 1944. Bergstrom AFB, TX, 27 Jun 1949-25 Jun 1951. Atterbury AFB, IN, 15 Jun 1952- 1 Feb 1953. Vung Tau Airfield, South Vietnam, 1 Jan 1967; Cam Ranh Bay AB, South Vietnam, 21 Jun 1970-24 Jan 1972. Hickam AFB, HI, 18 Apr 2005-30 Sep 2010. Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, 1 Oct 2010- present.

Commanders: Capt George G. Dewey, 6 Oct 1943; Maj George V. Williams, 3-10 Apr 1944. Unkn, 27 Jun 1949-25 Jun 1951. Unkn, 15 Jun 1952-1 Feb 1953. Lt Col Leo J. Ehmann, 1 Jan 1967; Lt Col Edwin B. Owens, 4 Jan 1967; Lt Col Joseph Faulkner, 15 Dec 1967; Lt Col Harry F. Hunter, 21 Jun 1968; Lt Col Richard D. Kimball, 12 Apr 1969; Lt Col Clem B. Myers, 1 Nov 1969; Lt Col John J. Hanley, 13 Nov 1969; Lt Col John D. Pennekamp, 18 Jul 1970; Lt Col Thomas D. Moyle, 3 Oct 1970; Lt Col Rupert S. Richardson, 31 Dec 1970; Lt Col Dean S. Downing, 12 Sep 1971; Lt Col James S. Knox, 8 Dec 1971-24 Jan 1972; Lt Col Christopher O. Davis, 18 Apr 2005 - 6 Apr 2006; Lt Col Scott D. Shapiro, 6 Apr 2006- 4 Apr 2008; Lt Col Casey D. Eaton, 4 Apr 2008 - 26 Oct 2009; Lt Col Andrew J. Leshikar, 26 Oct 2009 - present

Aircraft: P-47, 1943-1944; A-24, 1943-1944. Flew F-82, 1949-1950; T-6, 1950; T-33, 1950; F-84, 1950-1951. C-46, 1952-1953. C-7A, 1967-1972. C-17A, 2005-present

Operations: Replacement crew, advanced flying, and basic flying training, Dec 1943-Apr 1944. Reserve flying training, Jun 1949-Apr 1951. Reserve flying training, Jun 1952-Feb 1953. On activation in 1967, took over C-7A aircraft of 57 Aviation Company (USA) and tactical airlift mission in South Vietnam. Operated from several locations in addition to its primary base. Airlifted routine cargo and passengers, provided support for Army special forces and radio relay for ground units, airdropped troops and cargo, performed emergency resupply and medical evacuations, and flew other combat airlift missions. Earned a Navy PUC, as well as PUC for airlift support of Khe Sanh and other forward bases from Jan to May 1968. Earned a second PUC between Apr and Jun 1970 for participation in aerial resupply of Dak Seang Special Forces Camp, evacuation of over 2000 refugees from Cambodia, and transportation of the Presidential Southeast Asia Investigation Team to various remote locations in South Vietnam. Last mission flown the day of inactivation. On reactivation on 18 Apr 2005, the 535th Airlift Squadron became the first O'Conus location to fly the C-17 conducting strategic and tactical airlift. The 535AS operates the technologically advanced $202M C-17A aircraft in support of national security and DoD directives. It conducts NVG, low-level, air refueling & austere-airfieled operations supporting full-spectrum global contingencies from the world's largest AOR. The 535AS has provided support for and operated in OEF, OIF, and OND. Additionally, the 535AS has provided emergency humanitarian relief to Haiti, Pakistan, Samoa, Kwajalein and Indonesia.

Service Streamers: None.

Campaign Streamers: Vietnam: Vietnam Air Offensive; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air/Ground; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; TET 69/Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer/Fall 1969; Vietnam Winter/Spring; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V; Commando Hunt VI; Commando Hunt VII.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers: None.

Decorations: Presidential Unit Citations (Vietnam): 21 Jan-12 May 1968; 1 Apr-30 Jun 1970. Navy Presidential Unit Citation: Vietnam, 20 Jan-31 Mar 1968. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat "V" Device: 1 Jan-30 Apr 1967; 1 May 1967-30 Apr 1968; 1 Jul 1970-31 Dec 1971. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Jan 1967-24 Jan 1972.

Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 20 Jan 2010
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 20 Jan 2010
Supersedes statement prepared on 12 Apr 2005

Emblem: Approved on 11 Jun 1968. Unit should design a new emblem to meet the standards of AFI 84-105, Chapter 3.

Prepared by Jackie Hites, 15 AW/PA