458th Airlift Squadron

The 458th Airlift Squadron is part of the 375th Airlift Wing at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. It operates C-21 aircraft providing executive airlift and aeromedical evacuation. It has performed its current mission since activating in 1975 as the 1401st Military Airlift Squadron. The 1401st Squadron was consolidated with the 458th in 1991.

458th Airlift Squadron
Gates Learjet C-21A as flown by the squadron
Active1942–1945; 1966–1972; 1975 – present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleAirlift
Part ofAir Mobility Command
Garrison/HQScott Air Force Base
EngagementsPacific Ocean Theater
Vietnam War[1]
DecorationsDistinguished Unit Citation
Presidential Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Insignia
458th Airlift Squadron emblem (approved 18 May 1983)[1]
458 Tactical Airlift Squadron emblem[2] (approved 27 March 1968)[1]
458th Bombardment Squadron (approved 27 June 1945)[3]

The squadron was first activated during World War II as the 458th Bombardment Squadron. It was a replacement training unit for heavy bomber crews until being inactivated in the spring of 1944 when the Army Air Forces reorganized its training and support units in the United States. It was reactivated the same day as a Boeing B-29 Superfortress unit. The unit deployed to the Pacific Ocean Theater in early 1945 and participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Japan until V-J Day, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations for its actions. The squadron returned to the United States in December 1945 and was inactivated.

The squadron was redesignated the 458th Troop Carrier Squadron and activated in the reserve in 1952, but was quickly inactivated as reserve units that had been mobilized for the Korean War were released from active duty. As the Air Force assumed the light airlift mission from the Army, the squadron was again activated on New Year's Day 1967. It served in combat in Vietnam until March 1972, earning an additional Presidential Unit Citation and three Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat "V" Device before inactivating in theater.

History

Replacement training unit

Established in mid-1942 under II Bomber Command as a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Replacement Training Unit. Operated until March 1944.

B-29 Superfortress operations against Japan

Redesignated on 1 April 1944 as a Boeing B-29 Superfortress very heavy bombardment squadron. When training was completed moved to North Field, Guam in the Mariana Islands of the Central Pacific Area in January 1945 and assigned to XXI Bomber Command, Twentieth Air Force. Its mission was the strategic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands and the destruction of its war-making capability.

The squadron flew "shakedown" missions against Japanese targets on Moen Island, Truk, and other points in the Carolines and Marianas. The squadron began combat missions over Japan on 12 April 1945 with a bombing mission over Koriyama, Japan to strike the Hodogaya Chemical Plant. The squadron continued to participate in wide area firebombing attacks, but the first ten-day-long blitz resulted in the Army Air Forces running out of incendiary bombs. Until then the squadron flew conventional strategic bombing missions using high explosive bombs.

The squadron continued attacking urban areas with incendiary raids until the end of the war in August 1945, attacking major Japanese cities, causing massive destruction of urbanized areas. Also conducted raids against strategic objectives, bombing aircraft factories, chemical plants, oil refineries, and other targets in Japan. The squadron flew its last combat missions on 14 August when hostilities ended. Afterwards, its B 29s carried relief supplies to Allied prisoner of war camps in Japan and Manchuria.

The squadron remained in Western Pacific, although largely demobilized in the fall of 1945. Some aircraft were scrapped on Tinian; others flown to storage depots in the United States. The unit was inactivated as part of Army Service forces in December 1945.

Air Force reserve
A 458th TAS C-7B in Vietnam, 13 September 1970.

Activated as a C-46 Commando Troop Carrier Squadron in June 1952. Inactivated in July 1952.

Vietnam War

Reactivated during the Vietnam War at Cam Ranh Air Base, South Vietnam in 1966. Provided intratheater airlift in Vietnam, including airland and airdrop assault missions from, 1966–1972, being inactivated as part of the drawdown of United States forces and the closure of Cam Ranh AB. and military airlift operations worldwide from 1975 to 1978.

Executive airlift

It conducted airlift in Southwest Asia from August 1990 – May 1991.

Campaigns and Decorations
  • Campaigns: World War II: Western Pacific; Air Offensive, Japan; Vietnam Air Offensive; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air/Ground 1968; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; TET 69/ Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969; Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V; Commando Hunt VI; Commando Hunt VII; Intratheater airlift in Southwest Asia, August 1990 – April 1991;
  • Decorations: Distinguished Unit Citations: Japan, 10 May 1945; Tokyo and Yokohama, Japan, 23–29 May 1945. Presidential Unit Citations (Southeast Asia) 21 Jan-12 May 1968; 1 Apr-30 June 1970; Navy Presidential Unit Citation: Vietnam, 20 Jan-1 April 1968; Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device 1 Jan-30 April 1967; 1 May 1967 – 30 April 1968; 1 July 1970 – 31 December 1971. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 January 1967 – 30 April 1972; Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards-1 Jul-31 December 1975; 1 January 1976 – 31 January 1977; 1 June 1981 – 31 May 1982; 1 June 1982 – 30 June 1983; 1 June 1986 – 31 July 1988

Lineage
458th Airlift Squadron
  • Constituted as the 458th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 1 July 1942
Activated on 6 July 1942
Inactivated on 1 April 1944
  • Redesignated 458th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy and activated, on 1 April 1944
Inactivated on 27 December 1945
  • Redesignated 458th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 26 May 1952
Activated in the reserve on 14 June 1952
Inactivated on 14 July 1952
  • Redesignated 458th Troop Carrier Squadron and activated on 12 October 1966 (not organized)
Organized on 1 January 1967
Redesignated 458th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 August 1967
Inactivated on 1 March 1972
  • Consolidated with the 1401st Military Airlift Squadron as the 458th Airlift Squadron on 1 December 1991[1]
1401st Military Airlift Squadron
  • Designated as the 1401st Military Airlift Squadron and activated on 1 April 1975.
  • Consolidated with the 458th Tactical Airlift Squadron as the 458th Airlift Squadron on 1 December 1991[1]

Assignments

Stations

Aircraft

References

Notes
  1. No byline (8 April 2008). "Factsheet 458 Airlift Squadron". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  2. "458th Airlift Squadron" (PDF). USAFunithistory.com. 25 October 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  3. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 564

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

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