The 56th Air Refueling Squadron is an active unit of the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

. It is part of the

97th Operations Group The 97th Operations Group (97 OG) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the 97th Air Mobility Wing of Air Education and Training Command. It is stationed at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Col. Cornelius Walter "Connie" Cousland served a ...

at Altus Air Force Base,

Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...

. It operates

Boeing KC-46 Pegasus The Boeing KC-46 Pegasus is an American military aerial refueling and strategic military transport aircraft developed by Boeing from its 767 jet airliner. In February 2011, the tanker was selected by the United States Air Force (USAF) as the ...

aircraft, conducting initial and advanced

aircrew Aircrew are personnel who operate an aircraft while in flight. The composition of a flight's crew depends on the type of aircraft, plus the flight's duration and purpose. Commercial aviation Flight deck positions In commercial aviatio ...

training for

air refueling Aerial refueling (American English, en-us), or aerial refuelling (British English, en-gb), also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from ...

operations. The squadron was first activated in 1942 as the 56th Troop Carrier Squadron. After training in the United States, the squadron moved to the

Southwest Pacific Theater The South West Pacific theatre, during World War II, was a major theatre of the war between the Allies and the Axis. It included the Philippines, the Dutch East Indies (except for Sumatra), Borneo, Australia, its mandate Territory of New Guin ...

, where it conducted combat airlift operations against the Japanese until the

surrender of Japan The surrender of the Empire of Japan in World War II was Hirohito surrender broadcast, announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15 August and formally Japanese Instrument of Surrender, signed on 2 September 1945, End of World War II in Asia, ending ...

. It moved to Japan and served as part of the

occupation forces Military occupation, also called belligerent occupation or simply occupation, is temporary hostile control exerted by a ruling power's military apparatus over a sovereign territory that is outside of the legal boundaries of that ruling powe ...

until inactivating in 1946.

History

World War II

The squadron was first activated 18 November 1942 as the 56th Troop Carrier Squadron at Bowman Field, KY. After training in the United States, the squadron moved to New Guinea, where it conducted tactical

airlift An airlift is the organized delivery of Materiel, supplies or personnel primarily via military transport aircraft. Airlifting consists of two distinct types: strategic and tactical. Typically, strategic airlifting involves moving material lo ...

in the

. The unit participated in the airborne assault on Nadzab, New Guinea, on 5 September 1943 during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. After the

, the squadron moved to

Tachikawa Airfield is an airfield in the city of Tachikawa, in the western part of Tokyo, Japan. Currently under the administration of the Ministry of Defense, it has also served as a civilian airport with Japan's first scheduled air service. History Origins ...

, where it participated in the

military occupation Military occupation, also called belligerent occupation or simply occupation, is temporary hostile control exerted by a ruling power's military apparatus over a sovereign territory that is outside of the legal boundaries of that ruling pow ...

of Japan until inactivating in 1946.

Reserve operations and Korean War

In August 1947, the squadron was activated at

Greater Pittsburgh Airport Pittsburgh International Airport —originally Greater Pittsburgh Airport and later Greater Pittsburgh International Airport—is a civil-military international airport in Findlay Township and Moon Township, Pennsylvania, United States. Abou ...

as a reserve unit. It trained in the reserves until October 1950, when it was called to active duty for the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

. The squadron moved to Greenville Air Force Base and served on active duty until July 1952 when it was inactivated and its personnel and aircraft were transferred to the 18th Troop Carrier Squadron, which was simultaneously activated.Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', The same day it was inactivated at Greenville, the squadron returned to Pittsburgh and reserve service, where it assumed the mission, personnel and equipment of the 458th Troop Carrier Squadron, which was simultaneously inactivated. The squadron continued to train in the reserves until inactivating in 1957.

Airlift training

In 1966,

Military Air Transport Service The Military Air Transport Service (MATS) is an inactive United States Department of Defense, Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy's Naval Air Transport Service (NA ...

(MATS) became

Military Airlift Command The Military Airlift Command (MAC) is an inactive United States Air Force major command (MAJCOM) that was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Established on 1 January 1966, MAC was the primary strategic airlift organization of ...

and replaced its former Major Command Controlled (MAJCON or 4 digit) units with AFCON units. As part of this transformation, the 56th replaced the 1740th Air Transport Squadron at

Tinker Air Force Base Tinker Air Force Base is a major United States Air Force base, with tenant U.S. Navy and other Department of Defense missions, located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, adjacent to Del City and Midwest City. The ba ...

, Oklahoma in January 1966. The 1740th had been organized by MATS on 5 September 1951 as the 1740th Air Transport Squadron (Transition Training Unit) at McChord Air Force Base and was assigned to the 1705th Air Transport Wing. It moved to Palm Beach Air Force Base in July 1952 and to

in March 1959 when MATS moved its training wing. At Tinker, the squadron provided training for aircrews in

Douglas C-124 Globemaster II The Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, nicknamed "Old Shaky", is a retired American heavy-lift cargo aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, California. The C-124 was the primary heavy-lift transport for United States Air Forc ...

. Redesignated 56 Military Airlift Squadron, Training, and activated on 27 Dec 1965. In January 1966, the 56th Military Airlift Squadron replaced the 1740th and continued to train Globemaster crews through 1968. With the arrival of the Air Force's first C-5 Galaxy on 17 December 1969, the 56th became the first operational C-5 squadron in the Air Force. It provided training and transition-flying training for aircrews in C-5 aircraft from 1969 to 2007. It also supported U.S. forces in Southeast Asia from April 1972 to December 1974. The Squadron was re-designated as the 56th Airlift Squadron on 27 August 1991, becoming attached to the

at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operated

Lockheed C-5 Galaxy The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is a large military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed, and now maintained and upgraded by its successor, Lockheed Martin. It provides the United States Air Force (USAF) with a heavy ...

aircraft, conducting initial and advanced

training for

airdrop An airdrop is a type of airlift in which items including weapons, equipment, humanitarian aid or leaflets are delivered by military or civilian aircraft without their landing. Developed during World War II to resupply otherwise inaccessible tr ...

and

operations . The 56th Airlift Squadron was the Air Force's formal school for

airland qualification training. The squadron transferred its C-5s in 2007, although it did not inactivate until September 2008. The last C-5 Galaxy (''0462'') "flewaway" from Altus on 20 July 2007. It was transferred to 167th Airlift Wing, West Virginia Air National Guard.

Air refueling training

The Squadron was reactivated as the 56th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 August 2016 as the Air Force's Boeing KC-46A Pegasus formal training unit at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, after eight years of dormancy. The Squadron received its first Boeing KC-46A Pegasus on 8 February 2019, followed by another two days later.

Operations

Lineage

* Constituted as the 56th Troop Carrier Squadron on 12 November 1942 : Activated on 18 November 1942 : Inactivated on 25 March 1946 : Activated in the reserves on 3 August 1947 * Redesignated 56th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 27 June 1949 : Ordered to active service on 15 October 1950 : Inactivated on 14 July 1952 : Activated in the reserves on 14 July 1952 : Inactivated on 16 November 1957 * Redesignated 56th Military Airlift Squadron, Training and activated on 27 December 1965 (not organized) : Organized on 8 January 1966 * Redesignated 56th Airlift Squadron on 27 August 1991 : Inactivated on 30 September 2008 * Redesignated 56th Air Refueling Squadron on 23 June 2016 : Activated on 1 August 2016Lineage, except as indicated, including assignments, stations and aircraft in Haulman.

Assignments

* 375th Troop Carrier Group, 12 November 1942 – 25 March 1946 * 375th Troop Carrier Group, 3 August 1947 – 14 July 1952 * 375th Troop Carrier Group, 14 July 1952 – 16 November 1957 * Military Air Transport Service (later Military Airlift Command), 27 December 1965 (not organized) *

443d Military Airlift Wing The 443d Airlift Wing is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. Its last assignment was with Air Mobility Command, being stationed at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It was inactivated on October 1, 1992. History : ''For additional ...

(later 443d Airlift Wing), 8 January 1966 * 443d Operations Group, 1 October 1991 *

, 1 October 1992 – 30 September 2008 * 97th Operations Group, 1 August 2016 – present

Stations

* Bowman Field, Kentucky, 18 November 1943 * Sedalia Army Air Field, Missouri, 23 January 1943 * Laurinburg-Maxton Army Air Base, North Carolina, 5 May 1943 * Baer Field, Indiana, 2 June 1943 – 17 June 1943 *

Port Moresby Airfield Complex The Port Moresby Airfield Complex was a World War II military airfield complex, built near Port Moresby in the Territory of Papua and New Guinea. It was used during the Battle of New Guinea as a base of Allied air operations primarily in 1942 an ...

, New Guinea, c. 15 July 1943 * Dobodura Airfield Complex, New Guinea, 2 August 1943 * Port Moresby, New Guinea, 23 December 1943 * Nadzab Airfield Complex, New Guinea, 22 April 1944 *

Biak Biak is the main island of Biak Archipelago located in Cenderawasih Bay near the northern coast of Papua (province), Papua, an Indonesian province, and is just northwest of New Guinea. Biak has many atolls, reefs, and corals. The largest popula ...

, New Guinea, 19 September 1944 *

San Jose, Occidental Mindoro San Jose, officially the Municipality of San Jose (), is a municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Occidental Mindoro, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 153,267, re ...

, Occidental Mindoro, Philippines, 27 February 1945 * Porac, Pampanga, Philippines, c. 20 May 1945 *

Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...

, c. 20 August 1945 *

, Japan, c. 20 September 1945 – 25 March 1946 * Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Pennsylvania, 3 August 1947 * Greenville Air Force Base, South Carolina, 16 October 1950 – 14 July 1952 * Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Pennsylvania, 14 July 1952 – 16 November 1957 * Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, 8 January 1966 * Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma 20 January 1969 – 30 September 2008 * Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, 1 August 2016 – present

Aircraft

Douglas C-47 Skytrain The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota ( RAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II. During the war the C-47 was used for tro ...

(1942–1945) *

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is an American four-engined heavy bomber aircraft developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). A fast and high-flying bomber, the B-17 dropped more bombs than any other aircraft during ...

(1944) *

Curtiss C-46 Commando The Curtiss C-46 Commando is a low-wing, twin-engine aircraft derived from the Curtiss CW-20 pressurized high-altitude airliner design. Early press reports used the name "Condor III" but the Commando name was in use by early 1942 in company p ...

(1944–1946, 1952–1954) *

Fairchild C-82 Packet The C-82 Packet is a twin-engine, twin-boom cargo aircraft designed and built by Fairchild Aircraft. It was used briefly by the United States Army Air Forces and the successor United States Air Force following World War II. Design and developm ...

(1949–1950) *

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (Navy and Marine Corps designation R4Q) is an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, Litter (rescue basket), litte ...

(1954–1957) *

(1966–1968) *

(1969–2007) *

(2019–present)

References

Notes

Explanatory notes Footnotes

Bibliography

* * * *

External links

56th Airlift Squadron Fact Sheet
{{USAAF 5th Air Force World War II Military units and formations in Oklahoma

056 56 may refer to: * 56 (number) * One of the years 56 BC, AD 56, 1956, 2056 * 56.com, a Chinese online video platform * Fiftysix, Arkansas, an unincorporated community in the United States * Fifty-Six, Arkansas, a city in the United States * "Fifty ...