8th Airlift Squadron [8th AS]

The 8th Airlift Squadron was constituted as the 8th Transport Squadron on 1 October 1933 and activated on 1 February 1940 at Brooks Field, TX, as part of the 10th Transport Group. The squadron was later reassigned to the 62nd Transport (later, 62nd Troop Carrier) Group, on 11 December 1940.

The squadron was redesignated as the 8th Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 July 1942. That same year, the squadron transitioned to the C-47 aircraft. The 8th deployed overseas, during World War II, to England, Algeria, Tunisia, Sicily, and Italy. The squadron conducted airborne assaults on Sicily and Southern France, operations supporting partisans in Northern Italy and the Balkans, as well as transportation of personnel and supplies in the MTO. The squadron was inactivated on 11 November 1945.

The squadron was reactivated on 7 September 1946 as part of the 62nd Troop Carrier Group, at Bergstrom Field, TX, though the squadron became attached to Alaskan Air Command, from 2 September-1 December 1948 and the 62nd Troop Carrier Wing, from 8-14 January 1960. The 8th relocated to McChord Field (later, AFB), WA, 14 Jul 1947, although it effectively was deployed at Elmendorf Field, AK, from 2 September-1 December 1948. The C-46 was replaced by the C-82 in 1947. The unit was redesignated as the 8th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium, on 23 June 1948 and as the 8th Troop Carrier Squadron, Heavy, on 12 October 1949. 1949 also saw the squadron transition to the C-54.

The squadron relocated to Kelly AFB, TX, on 9 May 1950 and to McChord AFB, WA, on 27 July 1950. Transitioning to the C-124 (which it used until 1969), the 8th relocated to Larson AFB, WA, on 9 May 1952. The squadron provided airlift from the US to Japan during the Korean War.

The 8th was reassigned to the 62nd Troop Carrier (later, 62nd Military Airlift) Wing, on 15 January 1960, relocating a few months later, on 13 June, to McChord AFB, WA.

The squadron was redesignated as 8th Air Transport Squadron, Heavy, on 1 January 1965 and as the 8th Military Airlift Squadron on 8 Jan 1966. That same year, the squadron added the C-141 to its aircraft inventory.

The 8th airdropped equipment and personnel during the invasion of Panama on 20 December 1989.

The squadron was redesignated as the 8th Airlift Squadron on 1 December 1991 and assigned to the 62nd Airlift Wing.