535th Airlift Squadron - History

History

The 535th provided replacement crew, advanced flying, and basic flying training, December 1943-April 1944. It conducted reserve flying training from June 1949-April 1951 and again from June 1952-February 1953.

On activation in 1967, the squadron took over C-7A aircraft of 57th Aviation Company (U.S. Army) and tactical airlift mission in South Vietnam. It operated from several locations in addition to its primary base. The 535th airlifted routine cargo and passengers, provided support for Army special forces and radio relay for ground units, airdropped troops and cargo, performed emergency resupply and medical evacuations, and flew other combat airlift missions. It earned a Navy Presidential Unit Citation, as well as a Presidential Unit Citation combat device for airlift support of Khe Sanh and other forward bases from January to May 1968. It earned a second Presidential Unit Citation for action between April and June 1970 for participation in aerial resupply of Dak Seang Special Forces Camp, evacuation of over 2000 refugees from Cambodia, and transportation of the Presidential Southeast Asia Investigation Team to various remote locations in South Vietnam.

It was reactivated in 2005 to provide theater airlift in the Pacific.

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