World War II The first predecessor of the squadron is the
536th Bombardment Squadron, which was activated at
Salt Lake City Army Air Base in November 1942 as one of the four original squadrons of the
382d Bombardment Group. The squadron moved to
Davis–Monthan Field, Arizona in January 1943 and began to operate as an
Operational Training Unit (OTU) for
Consolidated B-24 Liberator units. In April 1943, the squadron moved to
Pocatello Army Air Field, Idaho, where its mission changed to acting as a
Replacement Training Unit (RTU) for Liberator
aircrews. As a result of this reorganization, the 536th was inactivated,
Air Force Reserve Initial activation and the Korean War The second predecessor of the squadron was organized in the
reserves as the
336th Troop Carrier Squadron at
Birmingham Municipal Airport, Alabama in June 1949, although it moved to
Mitchel Air Force Base, New York in October along with its parent
514th Troop Carrier Group. At Mitchel, it trained under the supervision of
Continental Air Command (ConAC)'s 2233d Air Force Reserve Flying Training Center. The 514th Group was equipped with
Curtiss C-46 Commandos during this period, but it is not clear if any of the
group's operational aircraft were assigned to the squadron. All reserve combat units were mobilized for the
Korean War. The squadron was
mobilized on 1 May 1951, The squadron remained at Mitchel and performed airlift missions until relieved from active duty on 1 February 1953.
Return to reserve airlift operations The reserve began to receive aircraft again in July 1952. While the squadron was still serving on active duty, ConAC had formed the
65th Troop Carrier Wing at Mitchel in 1952 as a reserve airlift unit. On 1 April 1953, the 514th Wing returned to the reserves, replacing the 65th Wing, and the 336th Squadron was activated and absorbed the personnel and equipment of the
13th Troop Carrier Squadron. The squadron again trained with the 2233d Center, flying C-46 Commandos but it completed transition to
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars by August 1954. In the summer of 1956, the unit participated in Operation Sixteen Ton during its two weeks of active duty training. Sixteen Ton was performed entirely by reserve troop carrier units and moved
United States Coast Guard equipment From
Floyd Bennett Naval Air Station, New York to
Isla Grande Airport in Puerto Rico and
San Salvador in the Bahamas. After the success of this operation, the squadron began to use inactive duty training periods for Operation Swift Lift, transporting high priority cargo for the Air Force and Operation Ready Swap, transporting aircraft engines between
Air Materiel Command’s depots. In 1958, the 2233d Center was inactivated and some of its personnel were absorbed by the squadron. In place of active duty support for reserve units, ConAC adopted the Air Reserve Technician program, in which a
cadre of the unit consisted of full-time personnel who were simultaneously civilian employees of the Air Force and also held military rank as members of the reserve. After 1958, the squadron increasingly participated in
humanitarian and other airlift missions.
Dispersed squadrons In April 1959, the 514th Wing reorganized under the Dual Deputy system. Its 514th Troop Carrier Group was inactivated and the squadron was assigned directly to the wing. The 336th Squadron moved to
Stewart Air Force Base, New York in March 1961 as part of this program. The
904th Troop Carrier Group became the squadron's headquarters on 17 January 1963. In the fall of 1966, the squadron transition into the
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II and was redesignated the
336th Military Airlift Squadron. The squadron, along with its parent 904th Group moved to
Hamilton Air Force Base, California at the end of 1969 as reserve flying operations at Stewart ended. 1972 saw another name change to the
336th Tactical Airlift Squadron as the squadron transitioned into the
Lockheed C-130 Hercules. The 904th Group was inactivated in 1975 as
Air Force Reserve eliminated its groups located on the same bases as their parent wings to avoid duplication. The squadron was assigned directly to the
452d Tactical Airlift Wing at Hamilton.
Air refueling operations In early 1976, the 336th moved to
March Air Force Base, California. Shortly thereafter, it began to fly the
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker and became the
336th Air Refueling Squadron. It has performed air refueling worldwide since 1977. ==Lineage==