Lineage. Constituted as 310 Troop Carrier Squadron on 25 May 1943. Activated on 1 Oct 1943. Inactivated on 31 Jul 1945. Redesignated as 310 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 10 May 1949. Activated in the Reserve on 27 Jun 1949. Ordered to Active Service on 1 May 1951. Inactivated on 1 Feb 1953. Redesignated as 310 Troop Carrier Squadron, Assault, Rotary Wing on 16 Nov 1954. Activated on 8 Feb 1955. Inactivated on 7 Sep 1956. Redesignated as 310 Troop Carrier Squadron, Assault, and activated, on 24 May 1963. Organized on 8 Jul 1963. Redesignated as: 310 Air Commando Squadron, Troop Carrier on 8 Mar 1965; 310 Air Commando Squadron, Tactical Airlift on 1 Aug 1967; 310 Special Operations Squadron on 1 Aug 1968; 310 Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 Jan 1970. Inactivated on 15 Nov 1972. Redesignated as 310 Military Airlift Squadron, and activated, on 1 Dec 1984. Redesignated as 310 Airlift Squadron on 1 Jun 1992. Inactivated on 31 Mar 1999. Activated on 1 Jan 2001. Inactivated on 30 Sep 2019. Redesignated as 310 Special Operations Squadron on 16 Mar 2021. Activated on 30 Apr 2021.
Assignments. 443 Troop Carrier Group, 1 Oct 1943; I Troop Carrier Command, 15 Feb 1944; Eighth Air Force, 21 Apr 1944; 315 Troop Carrier Group, 26 Apr 1944–31 Jul 1945. 443 Troop Carrier Group, 27 Jun 1949–1 Feb 1953. Eighteenth Air Force (attached to 464 Troop Carrier Wing), 8 Feb 1955–7 Sep 1956. Pacific Air Forces, 24 May 1963; 315 Troop Carrier (later, 315 Air Commando) Group, 8 Jul 1963; 315 Air Commando (later, 315 Special Operations; 315 Tactical Airlift) Wing, 8 Mar 1966; 377 Combat Support Group (later, 377 Air Base Wing), 15 Jan–15 Nov 1972. 61 Military Airlift Group, 1 Dec 1984; 24 Operations Group, 1 Jun 1992; Twenty-First Air Force, 1 Oct 1997–31 Mar 1999. 6 Operations Group, 1 Jan 2001-30 Sep 2019. 27 Special Operations Group, 30 Apr 2021-.
Stations. Sedalia AAFld, MO, 1 Oct 1943; Alliance AAFld, NE, 19 Jan 1944; Camp Mackall, NC, 8 Mar–21 Apr 1944; Spanhoe, England, 21 Apr 1944; Amiens, France, 6 Apr–19 May 1945; Waller Field, Trinidad, 30 May–31 Jul 1945. Hensley Field, TX, 27 Jun 1949; Donaldson AFB, SC, 9 Aug 1951–1 Feb 1953. Pope AFB, NC, 8 Feb 1955–7 Sep 1956. Tan Son Nhut Afld, South Vietnam, 8 Jul 1963; Nha Trang Aprt (later, AB), South Vietnam, 29 Jun 1965; Phan Rang AB, South Vietnam, 14 Jul 1967; Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam, 27 Jan–15 Nov 1972. Howard AFB, Panama, 1 Dec 1984–31 Mar 1999. MacDill AFB, FL, 1 Jan 2001-30 Sep 2019. Cannon AFB, NM, 30 Apr 2021-.
Commanders. Capt Charles G. Carter Jr., 1 Oct 1943; Col Henry G. Hamby Jr., 26 Apr 1944; Maj George A. Rylance, 17 Jan-Apr 1945; unkn, May-31 Jul 1945. Unkn, 27 Jun 1949-1950; Maj Glenn Barrow, 1950; Maj John S. Gibson, Oct 1951; Maj Joseph L. Baldwin, 7 Feb-30 Jun 1952; unkn, Jul 1952-1 Feb 1953. Unkn, 8 Feb-May 1955; Lt Col Wilfred F. Simmons, by Jun 1955; unkn, Jul-7 Sep 1956. Unkn, 8 Jul-Sep 1963; Lt Col Doyle L. Crites, Sep 1963; Lt Col Woodland M. Styron, 13 Oct 1964; Col William A. McLaughlin, 10 Sep 1965; Lt Col John L. Jeff, 10 May 1966; Col George N. Blair Jr., 18 Sep 1966; Lt Col Edwin P. Leonard, 20 Oct 1966; Lt Col Gordon G. Neal, 6 Feb 1967; Col Jack K. Massie, 23 Sep 1967; Lt Col Jack L. Goodman, 27 Mar 1968; Lt Col Frank F. Cannon, 7 Dec 1968; Lt Col Joedan J. Saunders, 30 Jun 1969; Lt Col Ben V. Walker, 8 Dec 1969 (acting); Lt Col Robert K. Wright, 12 Jan 1970; Lt Col Emery J. Crane, 13 Nov 1970; Lt Col Creston J. Fowler, 1 Feb 1971; Lt Col Melvin F. Slicker, 12 Aug 1971; Lt Col James A. Nouss, 21 May 1972; Lt Col Ted W. Caudle, 1 Sep-15 Nov 1972. Unkn, 1 Dec 1984; Lt Col John J. Foncannon, 28 Jan 1985; Lt Col Bruce R. Sutherland, Jan 1986; Lt Col Steven E. Harrington, by 30 Jun 1988; Lt Col Kenneth A. Ertie, by Nov 1990; Lt Col Michael L. Dittl, 26 Sep 1991; Lt Col Curtis L. Ross, 27 Jul 1993; Lt Col David M. Roetzel, 28 Jun 1995; Lt Col Eugene W. Barnash, 14 Mar 1997; unkn, Jan-Mar 1999. Lt Col Eden Murrie, 1 Jan 2001; Lt Col David S. Dale Jr., 22 Jul 2002; Lt Col Monty Perry, 21 Jul 2004; Lt Col Michael A. Hess, 17 Mar 2006; Lt Col Jennifer Uptmor, 21 Mar 2008; Lt Col Jason D. Wolf, 18 May 2010; Lt Col Derrick Hodges, 25 Jun 2012-.
Aircraft. Principally C–47, 1943–1945. C–46, 1949–1952; C–119, 1952–1953. H–19, 1955–1956. C/UC–123, 1963–1972; C–7, 1972. C–22, 1985–1991; C–130, 1984–1996; C-21, 1989-1999; C–27, 1991–1999; CT–43, 1992–1997. C-37, 2001-; EC-135, 2001-2002; CT-43, 2001.
Operations. Airborne assaults on Normandy, Holland, and Germany, as well as aerial transportation in European Theater of Operations (ETO), during World War II. Awarded Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for service at Normandy, 5-6 Jun 1944. Helicopter support for atomic weapons tests (Operation RED WING) on the Bikini and Eniwetok atolls in the Marshall Islands, Feb-Jun 1956. Airdrop and airlift to combat forces in Southeast Asia, 1963–1972; also vegetation destruction and malaria control flights, Aug 1970–Jun 1972. Awarded Presidential Unit Citations (PUCs) for service in Vietnam, 21 Jan-12 May 1968; 1 Apr-30 Jun 1970. Airlift in South and Central America, 1985–1999, included the invasion of Panama (Operation Just Cause), Dec 1989–Jan 1990. Airlifted combatant commanders, government and military official throughout the US and worldwide in support of Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), 2001-. During 2013, personnel and aircraft of the unit deployed twice in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
Service Streamers. World War II American Theater. Global War on Terrorism-Service (GWOT-S).
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Central Europe. Vietnam: Vietnam Advisory; Vietnam Defensive; Vietnam Air; Vietnam Air
Offensive; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air/Ground; 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; Vietnam Ceasefire.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. Panama, 1989–1990.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Normandy, 5–6 Jun 1944. Presidential Unit
Citations: (Vietnam), 21 Jan–12 May 1968; 1 Apr–30 Jun 1970. Presidential Unit Citation (Navy): Khe Sanh, 20 Jan–31 Mar 1968. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat “V” Device: [8 Jul] 1963–30 Apr 1965; 30 Jun–9 Jul 1965; 15 Oct 1966–30 Apr 1967; 10 Jun–31 Dec 1967; 15 Jul 1968–30 Jun 1969; 1 Jan 1971–26 Jan 1972; 27 Jan–15 Nov 1972. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Dec 1984–30 Jun 1986; 1 Jul 1986–30 Jun 1988; 1 Jul 1988–30 Jun 1989; 20 Dec 1989–14 Feb 1991; 11 Feb 1992–31 Jul 1993; 1 Jun 1996-31 May 1998; 1 Jul 2004-30 Jun 2006; 1 Jul 2007-30 Jun 2009; 1 Jul 2009-30 Jun 2010; 1 Jul 2013-30 Jun 2014; 1 Jan 2016-30 Sep 2017; 1 Oct 2017-30 Sep 2019. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Crosses with Palm: 22 Apr 1966-1 Jan 1970; 1 Jan 1970-15 Nov 1972.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 6 Oct 2021.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 19 Aug 2013.
Supersedes statement prepared on 19 Aug 2013.
Emblem. Approved on 7 Jul 1994; latest rendering, 15 Apr 2019.
Prepared by Melissa Lahue.
Reviewed by Margaret Ream.