World War II The
321st Transport Squadron was one of five squadrons activated in November 1943 and assigned to the
27th Air Transport Group. It was located Northern Ireland and operated a courier service in the British Isles. In 1944 it moved to France and conducted the same duties on the European continent until it was disbanded in November 1945.
Cold War Strategic Air Command (SAC) activated the
321st Air Refueling Squadron at
Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas in late 1953 as a
Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter squadron. At Sheppard, the squadron was a tenant of
Air Training Command's 3750th Air Base Group, the host organization at Sheppard, but was attached to the
96th Bombardment Wing at
Biggs Air Force Base after July 1954. Four months later, it was assigned to the
321st Bombardment Wing at
Pinecastle Air Force Base, Florida, but remained a tenant organization, moving to
Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama as a tenant of the 3800th Air Base Wing of
Air University. It was not until August 1956, when the squadron moved to
Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio, that it was stationed with its parent wing. The squadron flew the KC-97 Stratofreighter, providing air refueling to USAF units, from 1953 until 1963. The squadron converted to
Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers that year and was inactivated in 1965 and its mission, personnel and equipment were transferred to the
32d Air Refueling Squadron. The
321st Transport Squadron and the
321st Air Refueling Squadron were consolidated into a single unit on 19 September 1985 ==Lineage==