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57th Airlift Squadron [57th AS]

The 57th Airlift Squadron inactivated on July 28, 2001, ending 32 years of C-141 training at Altus AFB, OK, thus simultaneously ending the C-141 mission at Altus AFB.

The 57th Airlift Squadron traces its lineage to the 57th Troop Carrier Squadron which was activated on November 18, 1942 at Bowman Field, KY. It was originally equipped with C-47 aircraft. Additional training followed in 1943 at Sedalia Army Air Field, MO, and Laurinburg-Maxton Army Air Base, NC.

The squadron experienced its first accident on March 10 when a glider, practicing night landings, cut loose too soon, hit a tree and crashed. The pilot and co-pilot were seriously injured and the mechanic was killed. The squadron received its final training at Baer Field, IN.

On June 14, the air echelon flew to Port Moresby, New Guinea, arriving there June 29, 1943. The ground echelon left Baer Field on June 17 and arrived at Port Moresby on July 31. The 57th TCS moved on Aug. 2 to Dobodura, New Guinea and two days later flew the first mission to Salamaua. On September 2, nine of the 57th's planes dropped 90,000 pounds of ammunition, food and equipment to allied troops in the area. Until December 23, 1943, the unit made flights to several locations in New Guinea, as well as Port Moresby and Australia. After October 16, the air echelon operated from Port Moresby, with the rest of the squadron moving there on December 20, 1943.

In addition to C-47s, the squadron flew a B-17F from February to May 1944 on long-range missions. On April 8, 1944, the 57th flew personnel and equipment from Guadalcanal to forward bases at Munda and Dobodura. The unit supported the invasion of Noemfoor Island on July 2 and on September 23, moved to Biak Island. They made the first trip to Morotai Island on October 5, carrying supplies forward and returning with litter patients.

An additional mission took them to Leyte, Philippine Islands on October 31 to haul supplies to the beachhead and return wounded to hospitals. In January 1945 the unit began the transition to C-46 aircraft. It also moved to San Jose, Mindoro, Philippine Islands, on Feb. 18; then to Porac, Luzon on May 19. C-46s flew from Clark Field, 15 miles from the squadron's camp. On June 16, 1945, the 57th TCS made its first flight to Okinawa, the destination of most missions for the next two months.

The war ended shortly after the move to Clark Field in August and the 57th was used to help transport the 11th Airborne Division to Okinawa. September 20 brought another move, this time to Tachikawa AB near Tokyo. Operations continued in Japan until January 21, 1946 when the last of the personnel and equipment transferred to other organizations. The 57th Troop Carrier Squadron inactivated on March 25, 1946.

The 57th activated in the Reserve at Greater Pittsburgh Airport, PA, as part of the 375th Carrier Group. The Reservists trained in the C-46 operations until the unit was reactivated on October 15, 1950. Immediately, the unit moved to Greenville (later, Donaldson) AFB, SC, and began flying C-82 aircraft on operational troop carrier missions in November 1950.

Between February 20 and April 11, 1952, the unit operated on temporary duty from Brownswood Municipal Airport, TX, in support of Army maneuvers. On July 14, 1952, the 57th TCS inactivated at Donaldson AFB and activated in the Reserve at Pittsburgh, PA, with new personnel and equipment. The squadron did little training and inactivated on April 1, 1954.

The first C-141 Starlifter was delivered October 1964. By the end of 1965, 20 Starlifters had been added to the squadron.

Redesignated 57th Military Airlift Squadron, Training, the squadron activated at Tinker AFB OK, on January 8, 1966. The 57th MAS trained aircrew members to fly the C-141 turbo-jet transport. They frequently carried cargo and passengers to destinations within the United States on the training flights. The unit also transported cargo and passengers overseas to Japan, Germany, Guam, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and Alaska, usually on weekend missions. In later years, additional destinations included Egypt, Korea, Italy, the Philippines, Spain and Africa.

On April 21, 1969, the squadron relocated to Altus AFB OK. From there, the squadron took part in numerous humanitarian and operational missions. The squadron regularly flew to Southwest Asia in support of U.S. forces there. Crews and aircraft flew in the Israeli airlift, October-November 1973. In 1975, the 57th flew its first mission to South America.

It occasionally supported the U.S. Army with airdrop missions of paratroopers and supplies. In December 1979, the unit received the Air Force's first C-141B, "the City of Altus," and the stretched aircraft with refueling capabilities. The squadron also operated a C-141 for transport of the commander in chief, Military Airlift Command and his staff in the late 1970s/early 80s.

Airlift missions to Beirut, Lebanon began in August 1983, in support of peacekeeping forces there. During Desert Shield, Desert Storm, 32 aircrews from the squadron flew more than 4,300 hours on 640 sorties. Additionally, the squadron flew more than 200 sorties and transported more than 3,100 tons of food and supplies in support of the Somalia relief efforts during Operation Restore Hope.

The unit was redesignated the 57th Airlift Squadron on Oct. 1, 1991. In April 1993, with the transfer of 285 flightline maintenance personnel to the 57th AS, the squadron combined aircrew operations with maintenance operations to form the largest combined maintenance and aircrew operational C-141B squadron in the Air Force. On July 1, 1993 the squadron came under the Air Education and Training Command.

The squadron was the sole source for initial qualifications and advanced training in C-141 strategic airlift aircraft. It was selectively manned to train C-141 aircrew members in airland, aerial delivery and aerial refueling. The 57th flew approximately 2,000 sorties and 8,500 hours annually to provide specialized flight training to over 900 students.

The squadron maintaied world-wide qualification and participates in most national, USTRANSCOM directed airlift operations. As of January 1997, the unit consisted of 22 highly qualified instructor crews, a C-141 Air Maintenance Unit, 12 assigned aircraft and a total of 150 personnel.