Lineage. Constituted as 52 Transport Squadron on 30 May 1942. Activated on 15 Jun 1942. Redesignated as 52 Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 Jul 1942. Disbanded on 14 Apr 1944. Reconstituted, and redesignated as 52 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 9 May 1951. Redesignated as 52 Troop Carrier Squadron, Heavy, on 19 Mar 1953. Activated on 20 Jun 1953. Redesignated as 52 Military Airlift Squadron on 8 Jan 1966. Inactivated on 8 Feb 1969. Activated on 1 Jun 1988. Redesignated as 52 Airlift Squadron on 1 Jan 1992. Inactivated on 30 Sep 1992. Activated on 1 May 1994. Inactivated on 16 Sep 1997. Activated on 1 Oct 2009.
Assignments. 63 Transport (later, 63 Troop Carrier) Group, 15 Jun 1942-14 Apr 1944. 63 Troop Carrier Group, 27 Jun 1949-9 May 1951. 63 Troop Carrier Group, 20 Jun 1953 (attached for operational control to 322 Air Division, c. 29 Jan-c. 1 Aug 1960 and c. Jan 1962-); 63 Troop Carrier (later, 63 Military Airlift) Wing, 18 Jan 1963 (remained under operational control of 322 Air Division); 436 Military Airlift Wing, 8 Jan 1967-8 Feb 1969 (remained under operational control of 322 Air Division, to 8 Feb 1969). 63 Military Airlift Wing, 1 Jun 1988; 63 Operations Group, 1 Jan-30 Sep 1992. 347 Operations Group, 1 May 1994-16 Sep 1997. 19 Operations Group, 1 Oct 2009-.
Stations. Camp Williams, WI, 15 Jun 1942; Dodd Field, TX, 17 Sep 1942; Stuttgart, AR, 18 Nov 1942; Victorville, CA, 25 Dec 1942; Lawson Field, GA, 5 May 1943; Grenada AAFld, MS, 3 Jun 1943; Sedalia AAFld, MO, c. 19 Jan-14 Apr 1944. Floyd Bennett NAS, NY, 27 Jun 1949-9 May 1951. Altus AFB, OK, 20 Jun 1953; Donaldson AFB, SC, 15 Oct 1953 (operated from Rhein-Main AB, Germany, 29 Jan-c. 1 Aug 1960 and c. Jan 1962-); Hunter AFB, GA, 30 Jun 1963 (continued to operate from Rhein-Main AB, Germany); Dover AFB, DE, 8 Jan 1967-8 Feb 1969 (continued to operate from Rhein-Main AB, Germany, to 8 Feb 1969). Norton AFB, CA, 1 Jun 1988-30 Sep 1992. Moody AFB, GA, 1 May 1994-16 Sep 1997. Peterson AFB, CO, 1 Oct 2009-.
Commanders. Maj Joseph W. Paul, 15 Jun 1942; Maj Charles W. Smith, 7 Jul 1942; Capt R. G. Delaney, 5 Feb 1943; Capt J. D. Kausel, 7 Jun 1943; 1 Lt Thomas H. Wheat, 21 Nov 1943-14 Apr 1944. Lt Col Otto Krumbach, 1949-unkn. Unkn, 20 Jun 1953-Dec 1954; Lt Col Cadman V. Padgett, by 31 Dec 1954; Lt Col Cicero J. Ellen Jr., 1955; Maj Raymond J. Daugherty, c. Apr 1959; Lt Col Harold E. Krout, c. 1960; Lt Col Ned G. Munsey, c. 1960; Lt Col Sydney G. Smith, 3 Apr 1961-unkn; Lt Col William T. Johnson, 12 Mar 1962; Lt Col Charlton W. Winchester Jr., 17 Jan 1962; Lt Col James S. Liptak, c. 1962; Lt Col William T. Johnson, 4 May 1963; Lt Col Ned G. Munsey, 14 Oct 1963; Lt Col Sydney G. Smith, c. 1964; Lt Col Charlton W. Winchester Jr., 29 Aug 1964; Lt Col James S. Liptak, 17 Feb 1965; Lt Col Carl J. Roeser, 22 Jul 1965; Lt Col Kenneth D. Johnson, 11 Jan 1966; Lt Col Edward F. McDuffie, 1 Jul 1966; Lt Col Lawrence R. Hileman, 1 Dec 1966; Lt Col David B. Smith, 21 Jan 1967; Lt Col Edwin W. Gramkow, 8 Jul 1968-8 Feb 1969. Lt Col James S. Parker, 1 Jun 1988; Lt Col Jack S. Peters, 7 Jun 1990 (acting); Lt Col Mark A. Volcheff, 27 Jun 1990-30 Sep 1992. Lt Col Greggory A. Bricker, 1 May 1994; Lt Col Mark H. Fritzshe, 1 Aug 1996-16 Sep 1997. Lt Col Carlos H. Ortiz, 1 Oct 2009; Lt Col Patrick L. Schlichenmeyer, 14 May 2011-.
Aircraft. DC-3, 1942; C-39, 1942; C-53, 1942-1943; C-47, 1942-1944. T-6, 1949-1950; T-7, 1949-1951; T-11, 1949-1951; C-47, 1949-1951. C-124, 1953-1969. C-141, 1988-1992. C-141, 1994-1997. C-130, 2009-.
Operations. Replacement training, 1943-1944. Worldwide airlift, 1953-1969. Supported Project Deep Freeze in the Antarctic, 1956-1958. Worldwide airlift, 1988-1992, including airdrop of troops and equipment in Operation JUST CAUSE in Panama on 20 Dec 1989. Supported Operation Enduring Freedom, Aug 2010-.
Service Streamers. World War II American Theater.
Campaign Streamers. None.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. Panama, 1989-1990.
Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 2 Mar-31 May 1955; 1 Jul 1957-10 Dec 1962; 2 Oct-12 Nov 1958; 8 Jul-1 Aug 1960; 1 Sep 1962-15 Apr 1963; 20-28 Nov 1964; 1 May-13 Jun 1967; 13 Nov-18 Dec 1967; 1 Jan 1990-30 Apr 1991; 1 Jun 1994-31 May 1996. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Apr 1966-8 Feb 1969.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through Jul 2011.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through Jul 2011.
Supersedes published information contained in Judy G. Endicott (ed.), USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995 (Washington: USGPO, 1999).
Emblem. Approved on 14 May 1943.
Prepared by Patsy Robertson.
Reviewed by Carl E. Bailey.