World War II

P-47 Thunderbolt as used by the 537th Fighter Squadron for training

The squadron was first established as the 537th Fighter Squadron and was activated in November 1943 at Richmond Army Air Base, Virginia,^[2] as one of the four original squadrons of the 87th Fighter Group.^[3] The squadron began operations with Republic P-47 Thunderbolts as a Replacement Training Unit (RTU). RTUs were oversized units which trained aircrews prior to their deployment to combat theaters and assignment to an operational group.^[4] In January 1944, the squadron and the 546th Fighter Squadron moved to Millville Army Air Field, New Jersey,^[2] and the 87th group's headquarters and other squadrons transferred to Camp Springs Army Air Field, Maryland.^[3][5]

However, the Army Air Forces found that standard military units, based on relatively inflexible tables of organization were proving less well adapted to the training mission. Accordingly, a more functional system was adopted in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit.^[6] while the groups and squadrons acting as RTUs were disbanded or inactivated.^[7] This resulted in the squadron being disbanded in the spring of 1944^[2] and being replaced by the 135th AAF Base Unit (Fighter), which assumed its mission, personnel, and equipment.^[8]

Air Force Reserves

In 1952 the squadron was redesignated as the 537th Troop Carrier Squadron, became part of the newly constituted 87th Troop Carrier Wing under the wing base organization system, and was activated at Atterbury Air Force Base. The 87th Wing replaced the 923d Reserve Training Wing at Atterbury when reserve flying operations resumed there.^{[note 1]} The squadron operated Curtiss C-46 Commandos to train reservists. In February 1953 the 434th Troop Carrier Group was released from active duty and activated in the reserves, and its 73d Troop Carrier Squadron assumed the mission, personnel and equipment of the 537th.^[9]

Vietnam War

537th TAS C-7B Caribou at Pleiku Air Base, April 1970.

The squadron was activated in 1967, and took over DeHavilland Canada C-7A Caribou aircraft that were formerly operated by the 17th Aviation Company of the U.S. Army in South Vietnam, adopting the tactical airlift mission. The squadron initially maintained a detachment at An Khe, which had been the 17th's base. It operated from Phù Cát Air Base. The 537th earned a Navy Presidential Unit Citation, as well as an Air Force Presidential Unit Citation for airlift support of Khe Sanh and other forward bases from January to May 1968. It earned a second Air Force Presidential Unit Citation for action between April and June 1970^[1] when it participated in the 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.

Alaska

The squadron was redesignated as the 537th Airlift Squadron and activated at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska in 2011 to augment the 144th Airlift Squadron of the Alaska Air National Guard. Its primary mission was to support Army airborne forces training. The squadron was inactivated due to cuts in the Department of Defense budget resulting from sequestration.^[10]

Assignments

• 87th Fighter Group: 1 October 1943 – 10 April 1944
• 87th Troop Carrier Group: 15 June 1952 – 1 February 1953
• Pacific Air Forces: 12 October 1966 (not organized)
• 483d Troop Carrier Wing (later 483d Tactical Airlift Wing): 1 January 1967 – 31 August 1971
• 3d Operations Group: 29 April 2011 – 11 September 2013^[11]

Stations

• Richmond Army Air Base, Virginia, 1 October 1943
• Millville Army Air Field, New Jersey, 7 January 1944 – 10 April 1944
• Atterbury Air Force Base, Indiana, 15 June 1952 – 1 February 1953
• Phu Cat Air Base, Vietnam, 1 January 1967 – 31 August 1971
• Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, 29 April 2011 – 11 September 2013^[11]

Commanders

Capt John C. Yancey, 6 October 1943 – 10 April 1944; Lt Col Charles C. Smith, 1 January 1967; Lt Col John F. Yelton, c. Apr 1967; Lt Col Harold J. Zweifel, 22 May 1967; Lt Col Robert C. Olson, c. Jul 1967; Lt Col Gayle C. Wolf, 1 May 1968; Lt Col George C. Marvin, 18 February 1969; Lt Col Donald J. MacFarren, 14 November 1969; Lt Col Walter H. Perris, c. Jun 1970; Lt Col Ray Barton, 16 November 1979 – c. Aug 1971^[11][12]

Aircraft

• Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, 1943–1944
• Curtiss C-46 Commando, 1952–1953
• DeHavilland Canada C-7A Caribou, 1967–1971
• Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules, 2011–2013^[11]

Awards and Campaigns

Award streamer	Award	Dates	Notes
	Presidential Unit Citation	21 January 1968 – 12 May 1968	537th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Viet Nam[1]
	Presidential Unit Citation	1 April 1970 – 30 June 1970	537th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Viet Nam[1]
	Navy Presidential Unit Citation	20 January 1968 – 1 April 1968	537th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Viet Nam[1]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award w/Combat "V" Device	1 January 1967 – 30 April 1967	537th Troop Carrier Squadron[1]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award w/Combat "V" Device	1 May 1967 – 30 April 1968	537th Troop Carrier Squadron (later Tactical Airlift Squadron)[1]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award w/Combat "V" Device	1 July 1970 – 28 August 1971	537th Tactical Airlift Squadron[1]
	Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm	1 January 1967 – 31 August 1971	537th Troop Carrier Squadron (later Tactical Airlift Squadron)[1]

Campaign Streamer	Campaign	Dates	Notes
	Vietnam Air Offensive	1 January 1967 – 8 March 1967	537th Troop Carrier Squadron[1]
	Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II	9 March 1967 – 31 March 1968	537th Troop Carrier Squadron (later Tactical Airlift Squadron)[1]
	Vietnam Air/Ground	22 January 1968 – 7 July 1968	537th Tactical Airlift Carrier Squadron[1]
	Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III	1 April 1968 – 31 October 1968	537th Tactical Airlift Carrier Squadron[1]
	Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV	1 November 1968 – 22 February 1969	537th Tactical Airlift Carrier Squadron[1]
	Tet 1969/Counteroffensive	23 February 1969 – 8 June 1969	537th Tactical Airlift Carrier Squadron[1]
	Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969	9 June 1969 – 31 October 1969	537th Tactical Airlift Carrier Squadron[1]
	Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970	3 November 1969 – 30 April 1970	537th Tactical Airlift Carrier Squadron[1]
	Sanctuary Counteroffensive	1 May 1970 – 30 June 1970	537th Tactical Airlift Carrier Squadron[1]
	Southwest Monsoon	1 July 1970 – 30 November 1970	537th Tactical Airlift Carrier Squadron[1]
	Commando Hunt V	1 December 1970 – 14 May 1971	537th Tactical Airlift Carrier Squadron[1]
	Commando Hunt VI	15 May 1971 – 31 July 1971	537th Tactical Airlift Carrier Squadron[1]

Notes

Explanatory notes

Citations

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Craven, Wesley F; Cate, James L, eds. (1955). The Army Air Forces in World War II. Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press. LCCN 48003657.

  Goss, William A. (1955). "The Organization and its Responsibilities, Chapter 2 The AAF". In Craven, Wesley F.; Cate, James L. (eds.). The Army Air Forces in World War II (PDF). Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. LCCN 48003657. OCLC 704158. Retrieved 17 December 2016.

• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.