Lineage

Constituted 45th Transport Squadron on 30 May 1942. Activated on 15 Jun 1942. Redesignated 45th Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 Jul 1942. Inactivated on 26 Dec 1945. Redesignated 45th Airlift Flight on 1 Apr 1993. Activated on 1 May 1993. Inactivated on 1 Oct 1993. Redesignated 45th Airlift Squadron on 21 Mar 1994. Activated on 1 Jul 1994.

Assignments

316th Transport (later, 316th Troop Carrier) Group, 15 Jun 1942; I Troop Carrier Command, May?26 Dec 1945 (attached to VI Air Service Area Command, 9 Sep?c. 20 Dec 1945). 2d Operations Group, 1 May?1 Oct 1993. 81st Training Group, 1 Jul 1994?.

Stations

Patterson Field, OH, 15 Jun 1942; Bowman Field, KY, 20 Jun 1942; Lawson Field, GA, 9 Aug 1942; Del Valle, TX, 29 Sep?10 Nov 1942; Egypt, 25 Nov 1942; Libya, Mar 1943; Nouvion, Algeria, 24 May 1943; Guercif, French Morocco, 28 May 1943; Enfidaville, Tunisia, 21 Jun 1943; Mazara, Sicily, 1 Sep 1943; Borizzo, Sicily, 18 Oct 1943?12 Feb 1944; Cottesmore, England, 15 Feb 1944?May 1945; Pope Field, NC, May 1945; Baer Field, IN, 20 Jun?15 Aug 1945; Kipapa Airfield, TH, 9 Sep 1945; Wheeler Field, TH, 29 Sep?20 Dec 1945; Camp Anza, CA, 26 Dec 1945. Barksdale AFB, LA, 1 May?1 Oct 1993. Keesler AFB, MS, 1 Jul 1994?.

Aircraft

C?47, 1942?1945; C?46, 1945.

Operations

Included airborne assaults on Sicily, Normandy, Holland, and Germany; aerial transportation in MTO and ETO, Nov 1942?Apr 1945.

Honors

Service Streamers. World War II Asiatic-Pacific Theater.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Egypt-Libya; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Central Europe.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Sicily, 25 Nov 1942?

25 Aug 1943; Sicily, 11 Jul 1943; France, [6?7] Jun 1944.

Emblem

Azure a pile throughout Gules fimbriated with lightning flashes Or, charged in chief with a mullet Argent pierced Red and between in base two mullets of the like; all within a diminished bordure Silver Gray. Approved on 5 Jun 1995.