Lineage. Constituted as 48 Transport Squadron on 30 May 1942. Activated on 15 Jun 1942. Redesignated as 48 Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 Jul 1942. Inactivated on 15 Nov 1945. Activated on 30 Sep 1946. Redesignated as: 48 Troop Carrier Squadron, Heavy on 30 Jul 1948; 48 Troop Carrier Squadron, Special on 1 Feb 1949. Inactivated on 18 Sep 1949. Redesignated as 48 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 26 Nov 1952. Activated on 1 Feb 1953. Inactivated on 8 Jun 1955. Activated on 20 Aug 1964. Organized on 1 Jan 1965. Redesignated as 48 Troop Carrier Squadron on 1 Mar 1966. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 Jun 1967. Redesignated as 48 Tactical Airlift Squadron on 15 Jun 1971. Activated on 15 Nov 1971. Inactivated on 1 Sep 1973. Redesignated as 48 Airlift Squadron on 21 Nov 2003. Activated on 1 Dec 2003.
Assignments. 313 Transport (later, 313 Troop Carrier) Group, 15 Jun 1942-15 Nov 1945. 313 Troop Carrier Group, 30 Sep 1946-18 Sep 1949. 313 Troop Carrier Group, 1 Feb 1953-8 Jun 1955. 313 Troop Carrier (later, 313 Tactical Airlift) Wing, 1 Jan 1965-25 Jun 1967. 313 Tactical Airlift Wing, 15 Nov 1971; 314 Tactical Airlift Wing, 6 Aug-1 Sep 1973. 314 Operations Group, 1 Dec 2003-.
Stations. Daniel Field, GA, 15 Jun 1942; Bowman Field, KY, 21 Jun 1942; Florence, SC, 4 Aug 1942; Maxton, NC, 13 Dec 1942-26 Apr 1943; Oujda, French Morocco, 11 May 1943; Kairouan, Tunisia, 20 Jun 1943 (air echelon operated from Ponte Olivo Airdrome, Sicily, 27 Jul-11 Aug 1943); Sciacca Airdrome, Sicily, 6 Sep 1943; Trapani/Milo Airfield, Sicily, 6 Oct 1943-18 Feb 1944; Folkingham, England, 3 Mar 1944; Achiet, France, 6 Mar-3 Aug 1945; Baer Field, IN, 26 Sep-15 Nov 1945. Illesheim, Germany, 30 Sep 1946; Tulln AB, Austria, 5 May-25 Jun 1947; Langley Field, VA, 25 Jun 1947; Bergstrom Field (later AFB), TX, 15 Jul 1947-22 Oct 1948 (operated from Rhein/Main AB, Germany, c. 1 Jul-8 Nov 1948); Fassberg, Germany, 9 Nov 1948-18 Sep 1949. Mitchel AFB, NY, 1 Feb 1953; Sewart AFB, TN, 2 Oct 1953-8 Jun 1955. Forbes AFB, KS, 1 Jan 1965-25 Jun 1967. Forbes AFB, KS, 15 Nov 1971; Little Rock AFB, AR, 6 Aug-1 Sep 1973. Little Rock AFB, AR, 1 Dec 2003-.
Commanders. None (not manned), 15 Jun-Jul 1942; Lt Edward B. Sutton Jr., 9 Jul 1942; Lt Col John P. Biggerstaff, 12 Aug 1942; Maj Edgar F. Stovall Jr., 1 Apr 1944; Capt William S. Kirkpatrick, 7 Jun 1944; Maj Edgar F. Stovall Jr., 29 Jul 1944; Lt Col William G. Oliver Jr., 29 Nov 1944; Capt Frederick I. Brown, c. Sep-15 Nov 1945. Col Edward F. Hubbard, 30 Sep 1946; none (not manned), 25 Jun-10 Aug 1947; Maj Paul E. Blow, 11 Aug 1947; Maj Philip A. Fitter, 1 Nov 1947; Maj William T. Johnson, 19 Nov 1947; Maj Wayne B. Curren, c. 15 Dec 1947-Jun 1948; unkn, Jul-Nov 1948; Maj John L. Evans, 26 Nov 1948; Maj Darrell S. Cramer, 23 Feb 1949; Lt Col Steward H. Nichols, 14 Apr-18 Sep 1949. Lt Col Wilbert E. St. John, 1 Feb 1953; Maj Richard E. Knie, by Jul 1954; unkn, Jan-8 Jun 1955. Lt Col Theodore M. Raley, 1 Jan 1965; Lt Col James F. Fowler, 5 Nov 1965; Lt Col Ellis J. Wheless, 31 Jan 1966; Lt Col James H. Seely, 14 Jun 1966; Lt Col Robert C. Kerr, 28 Nov 1966-25 Jun 1967. Lt Col Carl R. Webb, 15 Nov 1971; Lt Col Thomas P. Williams, 7 Apr 1972; Lt Col George B. Painter, 1 Aug-1 Sep 1973. Lt Col David A. Kasberg, 1 Dec 2003; Lt Col Patrick K. McLeod, 15 Dec 2005; Lt Col Todd M. Pavich, 22 Jun 2007; Lt Col John E. Vaughn, 8 May 2009-.
Aircraft. C-47, 1942-1945; C-53, 1942-1945; C-46, 1945. C-47, 1946-1947; C-54, 1947-1949. C-46, 1953; C-119, 1953-1955. C-130, 1965-1967. C-130, 1971-1973. C-130, 2003-.
Operations. Supported airborne assaults on Sicily, Italy, Normandy, Holland, and Germany during World War II. Berlin Airlift, 1948-1949. Supported U.S. Army forces, 1953-1955. Provided airlift for airborne forces, 1965-1967; deployed aircraft and crews to France and England, Oct 1965-Mar 1967 and to Panama Canal Zone, Mar-Jun 1967. Intra-theater airlift and support of U.S. Army airborne forces, 1971-1973. Trained crews for airlift operations, 2003-.
Service Streamers. World War II American Theater.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno, Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Central Europe. Berlin: Berlin Airlift
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Sicily, 11 Jul 1943; France [6-7] Jun 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: [1 Dec] 2003-30 Jun 2004; 1 Jul 2005-30 Jun 2006; 1 Jul 2006-30 Jun 2007; 1 Jul 2008-30 Jun 2009.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through Oct 2010.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through Oct 2010.
Supersedes statement prepared on 17 Dec 2003.
Emblem. Emblem approved on 30 Aug 1954 does not meet AFI requirements; squadron should modify the emblem to meet the standards of AFI 84-105, Chapter 3.
Prepared by Patsy Robertson.
Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.