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58th Airlift Squadron [58th AS]

Under the Air Education and Training Command, the 58th Airlift Squadron is responsible for the formal school training of all C-17 Globemaster III aircrew members, as well as maintaining worldwide readiness in case of contingencies requiring high experience level aircrews.

The 58th Airlift Squadron traces its origins to the 58th Troop Carrier Squadron was activated on November 18, 1942, at Bowman Field, KY, and assigned to the 375th Troop Carrier Group.

During World War II, the squadron flew Douglas C-47 Sky Trains during the aerial transportation missions in the Southwest and Western Pacific theater. It participated in the airborne assault on Nadzab, New Guinea, on September 1943. Toward the end of the war the 58th began flying the Curtis C-46 Commando, and briefly flew Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses.

Between 1942 and 1946, the squadron called many places home, including: Sedalia Army Air Field, MO; Laurinburg-Maxton Airmy Air Field, NC; Port Moresby, New Guinea; Nadzab, New Guinea; Luzon, Philippines; and Tachikawa, Japan. The squadron was inactivated on March 25, 1946.

The squadron was activated under the 375th Troop Carrier Group at Youngstown Municipal Airport, OH, in the reserve, on June 28, 1947. It moved to the Greater Pittsburgh Airport, PA, redesignated the 58th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium, on June 27, 1949, flying the North American AT-6 Texan, the Beech AT-11 Kansan, and the Curtis C-46 Commando. Until the squadron's second inactivation on October 3, 1950, it performed training and airlift for the Army Air Corps and, from September 18, 1947, the newly established United States Air Force.

During the next 15 years, while the 58th was inactive, the Air Force went through changes with airlift falling under the Military Transport Service and later the Military Airlift Command. It was under the 63rd Military Airlift Wing that was redesignated 58th Military Airlift Squadron, Special, was activated at Robins AFB, GA, on December 27, 1965. The squadron flew the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II. Upon organization, the squadron absorbed the personnel and resources of the 7th Air Transport Squadron and began performing airlift of passengers and cargo for the increasing mobilization of troops in Southest Asia. The 63d MAW moved to California the following year, but the 58th remained at Robins AFB. Redesignated the 58th Military Airlift Squadron on January 8, 1967, it reported to the 436th MAW and began flying the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter. While assigned to the 436th MAW the squadron participated in a wide variety of airlift operations including numerous humanitarian relief missions to Guatemala City in 1969 and transporting National War College students on annual international tours. The squadron established such an outstanding departure reliability rate and mission completion rate that Military Airlift Command named it the Outstanding Military Airlift Squadron for 1970. The Air Force placed the 58th on the inactive list on August 15, 1971.

The 58th Military Airlift Squadron remained inactive for six years. Then the Air Force activated it at Ramstein AB, Germany, on September 1, 1977, under the 435th Tactical Airlift Wing. The 58th flew many aircraft types in its cargo and VIP transport mission: Lockheed VC-140 Jet Star, Boeing VC-135 Sratoliner, North American Aviation CT-39 Sabreliner, Beech C-12 (military version of the Beechcraft Super King Air B200C), Gates Learjet C-21 (Learjet 35A), C-20, and Boeing T-43. It was subsequently redesignated the 58th Airlift Squadron on June 1, 1992, and inactivated on October 1, 1993.

On January 30, 1996, the 58th Airlift Squadron was activated as part of the 97th Air Mobility Wing at Altus AFB, OK.