16th Airlift Squadron The 16th Airlift Squadron ( 16 AS ) is one unit of four active duty C - 17A Globemaster III squadron s at Charleston Air Force Base , South Carolina . Overview . The 16th Airlift Squadron is commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel , who serves as the leader of the squadron , including the pilots . The Chief Loadmaster is in charge of the loadmasters and the First Sergeant takes charge of the few support military personnel and civilians working in the squadron . History . Activated in December 1940 flying converted Douglas DC - 2 transport aircraft as a GHQ Air Force transport squadron . Converted to C - 47 Skytrain s in early 1942 , trained under I Troop Carrier Command for combat operations . Assigned to VIII Air Support Command , Eighth Air Force and deployed to England in August 1942 , providing transport to the newly established American Air Force . Was transferred to Algiers , Algeria in November 1942 , and attached , being later assigned to Twelfth Air Force as part of the North African Campaign . The squadron ' s aircraft flew supplies to front - line units in Algeria and Tunisia during the as soon as suitable landing strips were available and evacuated casualties back to rear area field hospitals . A flight of the squadron deployed to Tenth Air Force in India during the fall of 1942 , to assist in the re - supply of Brigadier General Merrill and his men , affectionately known as " Merrill ' s Marauders " . It was during this Ceylon , Burma , India campaign that the squadron received its first Distinguished Unit Citation , returning to Tunisia by the end of the year . The squadron moved to Sicily , dropping airborne forces onto the island during Operation Husky , then moved to forward airfields in Italy during 1943 as part of the Italian Campaign . Just prior to " D " Day , part of the 16th left India for Italy to tow gliders into France on " D " Day . In July 1944 , the detached unit was joined by the remainder of the 16th TCS at Ciampino , Italy and as the European Theater closed in on Germany , part of the 16th again went on detached service to Rosignano , Italy , operating re - supply missions to Greek Partisans during September to October 1944 . In the fall of 1944 , moved to France in support of Operation Anvil , the Allied invasion of Southern France , and supported ground forces moving north through the Rhone Valley to link up with Allied forces moving east from Normandy . Returned to Northern Italy in early 1945 , supporting the drive into the Po River Valley and the end of combat in Italy during May 1945 . The squadron also hauled food , clothing , medicine , gasoline , ordnance equipment , and other supplies to the front lines and evacuated patients to rear zone hospitals . In late May 1945 , after V - E Day , the squadron was moved to Waller Field , Trinidad and attached to Air Transport Command . From Trinidad , the squadron ferried returning military personnel to Morrision Field , Florida , where they were sent on to other bases or prepared for separation after the war . Inactivated at the end of July 1945 . Reactivated briefly in 1947 - 1948 at Langley Field , Virginia at a Tactical Air Command troop carrier squadron , but never fully manned or equipped due to budget shortages . Reactivated during the Korean War at Sewart AFB , Tennessee and equipped with C - 119 Flying Boxcar s and other assault transports to be used for airborne combat assault operations . Performed training for combat units , but remained in the United States . Moved to Ardmore AFB , Oklahoma in 1954 and was inactivated in 1955 due to budget reductions . Reactivated during the Vietnam War as a C - 130 Hercules airlift training squadron at Sewart AFB , moved to Little Rock AFB in 1970 with the closure of Sewart . Remained in the training role until 1993 until being moved to Charleston AFB and becoming an operational C - 141 Starlifter heavy airlift squadron . Inactivated with the retirement of the Starlifter in 2000 , reactivated with C - 17 Globemaster III s in 2002 .