The 54th Airlift Squadron is a United States Air Force squadron stationed at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. The squadron is an active duty associate unit aiding the 932d Airlift Wing in performance of its airlift mission. The first predecessor of the squadron was formed in August 1917 as the 54th Aero Squadron and served in France during World War II. In 1936, this unit was consolidated with the 54th School Squadron, a pilot training unit that became the 54th Bombardment Squadron, which became a demonstration unit for the Air Corps Tactical School, and later a test and evaluation unit for medium bomber aircraft and tactics.
In 1985, this squadron was consolidated with the 54th Transport Squadron, an Air Transport Command unit that was involved with the movement of aircraft in the Caribbean during World War II, and the 554th Reconnaissance Squadron, which conducted surveillance of the Ho Chi Minh Trail during the Vietnam War.
In 1993, the consolidated unit became the 54th Airlift Flight and has conducted operational support airlift since then. In 2005, the flight was expanded to squadron size.
History
World War I
The first predecessor of the squadron was formed in August 1917 as the 54th Aero Squadron. The unit was organized primarily from recruits in the Columbus, Ohio area at Kelly Field, Texas. After a month of indoctrination training at Kelly, it moved to the Aviation Concentration Center at Hazelhurst Field, Long Island, New York, where it arrived on 21 September. At Hazelhurst, the squadron was outfitted for overseas duty, sailing on the Cunard Liner on 13 October with seven other squadrons, Arriving in Belfast, Ireland on the 28th. The following day, the squadron disembarked at Liverpool for a train trip to Southampton. The squadron arrived at Le Havre, France on 1 November.
After some rest in Le Havre, the squadron then boarded a French train for Issoudun Aerodrome in central France. Its mission was to assist in the construction of a large training aerodrome, designated the Third Aviation Instruction Center. The squadron erected wooden barracks, dug ditches for water and sewer lines as well as electricity and telephones. It was redesignated as the 466th Aero Squadron on 1 February 1918 when Aero Squadrons engaging in construction work were renumbered in the 400s.
On 10 March 1918, with the work largely completed at Issodun, the squadron was moved to Air Service Production Center No. 2 at Romorantin Aerodrome. There, the squadron assisted in the same type of construction it performed at Issodun.
By 1 April 1918, the facility was ready for use as an active Air Service training camp. As part of the permanent garrison at Romorantin, the squadron's mission was to assemble aircraft, work in the engineering department, maintain the facilitates of the base, operate the quartermaster's office and other administrative departments of the production center. It continued this work until the armistice in November 1918.
In late December 1918, the squadron was ordered to be demobilized by the Commanding General, Services of Supply, American Expeditionary Forces. It moved to a staging area near Brest where it awaited transportation back to the United States. The squadron arrived at Garden City, New York, at the end of January 1919 where it was demobilized and its men returned to civilian life.
Flying training
The second predecessor of the 54th was the 54th School Squadron, which was activated in July 1927 at March Field, California. The squadron conducted flying training with Douglas BT-2s until July 1931, when the Air Corps concentrated its pilot training at fields in the San Antonio, Texas area and inactivated the squadron and March Field.
Air Corps Tactical School
The squadron was activated again a little more than three months later at Maxwell Field, Alabama, where it was assigned to the Air Corps Tactical School. The squadron permitted students at the school to maintain flying proficiency while attending the school. In March 1935, the squadron was redesignated the 54th Bombardment Squadron. It was inactivated in September 1936. The following month, it was consolidated with the 466th Aero Squadron, although it remained in inactive status for the next three years.