World War II Constituted as the
15th Transport Squadron on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 4 Dec 1940 at
Duncan Field, Texas, and was assigned to the
61st Transport Group (later 61st Troop Carrier Group). The squadron flew the
Douglas C-33 and then Douglas C-39 between 1941 and 1942. Converted to
Douglas C-47 Skytrains in early 1942, trained under
I Troop Carrier Command for combat operations. Redesignated
15th Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 Jul 1942.
Post World War II Reactivated on 30 Sep 1946 at
Eschborn Air Base, Germany. Then, relocated to
Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany, on 9 February 1947, it was redesignated as the
15th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium, on 1 July 1948. The 15th moved to
McChord Air Force Base, Washington, on 26 July 1950, before relocating to
Ashiya Air Base, Japan on 13 December 1950. During the
Korean War it provided aerial transportation from the US to Japan, from August–December 1950, and between Japan and Korea, from 13 December 1950-November 1952. The squadron relocated from
Tachikawa Air Base, Japan, relocating there on 26 March 1952, to
Larson Air Force Base, Washington on 21 November 1952. During 1952 also saw the 15th transition to the
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II aircraft, and the following year, the squadron was tasked was tasked with providing worldwide airlift. The squadron moved to
Donaldson Air Force Base, South Carolina on 25 August 1954, before being reassigned to the
63d Troop Carrier Group on 8 October 1959, and to the
63d Troop Carrier Wing (later, 63rd Military Airlift) Wing, on 18 January 1963. The unit relocated to
Hunter Air Force Base, Gergia, on 1 April 1963. The squadron was redesignated as the
15th Military Airlift Squadron on 8 January 1966.
Global airlift The 15th relocated to
Norton Air Force Base, California, on 1 April 1967. That same year, it transitioned to the
Lockheed C-141 Starlifter. The squadron was reassigned to the
63d Military Airlift Group on 1 October 1978; and to the 63rd Military Airlift Wing on 1 July 1980. The squadron provided airlift to Southeast Asia, 1966–1973; and to Grenada,
Operation Urgent Fury, from October–November 1983; to Panama,
Operation Just Cause, from 18 December 1989 – 8 January 1990; and to Southwest Asia, from August 1990-January 1991. Redesignated the
15th Airlift Squadron on 1 January 1992 under the 63rd Operations Group, the 15th inactivated on 26 July 1993. The squadron reactivated on 1 October 1993 at
Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina, and was assigned to the
437th Operations Group. The 15th received its first
McDonnell Douglas C-17 Globemaster III in June 1993. ==Lineage==