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| 45th Airlift Squadron | |
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Learjet C-21 as flown by the squadron
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| Active | 1942–1945; 1993–1993; 1994–2011 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Airlift |
| Part of | Air Education and Training Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Keesler Air Force Base |
| Engagements | Mediterranean Theater of Operations European Theater of Operations[1] |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award[1] |
| Insignia | |
| 45th Airlift Squadron emblem (approved 5 June 1995)[1] |  |
The 45th Airlift Squadron is an inactive unit of the 314th Airlift Wing and served as a Geographically Separate Unit garrisoned at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. It operated the Learjet C-21 aircraft training pilots for executive airlift.
Activated in June 1942 under Air Transport Command, it was formed at Patterson Field, Ohio. It trained at various stations in the southeast and Texas with Douglas C-47 Skytrain transports. It was deployed to Egypt in November 1942 as part of President Roosevelt's decision to aid the Royal Air Force Western Desert Air Force, and was assigned to the newly established Ninth Air Force, headquartered in Cairo.
Transported supplies and evacuated casualties in support of the British Eighth Army, operating from desert airfields in Egypt and Libya. Reassigned in May 1943 to Twelfth Air Force in Algeria, supporting Fifth Army forces in the Tunisian Campaign. Began training for the invasion of Sicily; dropped paratroops over the assault area on the night of 9 July 1943. Carried reinforcements to Sicily on 11 July and received a Distinguished Unit Citation for carrying out that mission although severely attacked by ground and naval forces; dropped paratroops over the beachhead south of the Sele River on the night of 14 September 1943. Remained in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations until February 1944 until becoming part of IX Troop Carrier Command in England to participate in the buildup of forces prior to the Allied landings in France during D-Day in June 1944.
Engaged in combat operations by dropping paratroops into Normandy near Ste-Mere-Eglise on D-Day, 6 June 1944, and releasing gliders with reinforcements on the following day. The unit received a third Distinguished Unit Citation and a French citation[dubious – discuss] for these missions.
After the Normandy invasion the squadron ferried supplies in the United Kingdom. The squadron also hauled food, clothing, medicine, gasoline, ordnance equipment, and other supplies to the front lines and evacuated patients to rear zone hospitals. It dropped paratroops near Nijmegen and towed gliders carrying reinforcements during the Operation Market Garden, the airborne attack on the Netherlands. In December, it participated in the Battle of the Bulge by releasing gliders with supplies for the 101st Airborne Division near Bastogne.
Returned to the United States in May 1945, becoming a domestic troop carrier squadron for Continental Air Forces. Reassigned to Seventh Air Force in Hawaii in September 1945, operating until being inactivated at the end of the year.
Reactivating briefly in 1993, and again in 1994 under AETC it has trained pilots in operational support airlift missions for VIP personnel using Lear C-21 executive aircraft.
On July 14, 2011, the 45th AS was inactivated.[2]
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This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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