The 15th Airlift Squadron, "Global Eagles," operate the C-17A Globemaster III aircraft and provide combat-ready aircrews for strategic airlift, airdrop, air refueling, tactical ingress, emergency nuclear airlift, Presidential support, and humanitarian relief missions worldwide. The 15th Airlift Squadron also maintains a cadre of aircrew to support Joint Chiefs of Staff-directed contingency missions, including sensitive operations and unconventional warfare.
The Global Eagles enjoy a historic legacy, beginning with the Allied invasion of Sicily during WWII. Eagles then spearheaded a 72-aircraft formation to airdrop the 82d Airborne Division over occupied France in the pre-dawn hours of “D-Day,” June 6th, 1944. They were also first responders to the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, airlifting Federal Emergency Management teams in response to the terrorist attacks and then participating in the first wave of operations over Afghanistan in October 2001. Global Eagles participated in military operations during WWII, the Berlin Airlift, Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, Iraq, Somalia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Syria, and every other major combat or humanitarian operation since 1940. Most recently, Global Eagles contributed to the largest non-combatant evacuation in history, where 123,000 people were delivered from Kabul, Afghanistan, in August 2021.
Mission: To project power and deliver hope today…leading the way for tomorrow.
Vision: Our nation’s most trusted airlift squadron.
Values: Wisdom, Strength, Endurance…Since 1940
Motto: “Eagles Lead the Way!”
LINEAGE
Constituted 15th Transport Squadron on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 4 Dec 1940. Redesignated 15th Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 Jul 1942. Inactivated on 31 Jul 1945. Activated on 30 Sep 1946. Redesignated: 15th Troop Carrier Squadron (Medium) on 1 Jul 1948, 15th Troop Carrier Squadron (Heavy) on 15 Aug 1948. Designated 15th Military Airlift Squadron on June 1967. Redesignated 15th Airlift Squadron on 1 January 1992.
ASSIGNMENTS
61st Transport (later Troop Carrier) Group, 4 Dec 1940 - 31 Jul 1945. 61st Troop Carrier Group, 30 Sep 1946, 63d Troop Carrier Group, 8 Oct 1959. 63d Troop Carrier Wing, 18 Jan 1963. 63d Military Airlift Wing, June 1967. 63d Operations Group, 63d Airlift Wing, 1 January 1992. The 15th inactivated on 26 July 1993 and reactivated on 1 October 1993 at Joint Base Charleston, SC, and was assigned to the 437th Operations Group.
STATIONS
Duncan Field, TX. 4 Dec 1940; Augusta, GA, 12 Jul 1941; Pope Field, NC, 24 May 1942; Lubbock, TX, Sep 1942; Pope Field, NC, 27 Feb - 2 May 1943; Lourmel, Algeria, 15 May 1943; Kalrouan, Tunisia, 24 Jun 1943; Licata, Sicily, 2 Sep 1943; Sciacca, Sicily, 5 Oct 1943 - 12 Feb 1944; Barkston, England, 17 Feb 1944; Abbeville, France, 13 Mar - 19 May 1945; Waller Field, Trinidad, 29 May - 31 Jul 1945; Eschborn AB, Germany, 30 Sep 1946; Rhein Main AB, Germany, 9 Feb 1947 - 21 Jul 1950; McChord AFB WA, 26 Jul - 4 Dec 1950; Ashiya, Japan, 13 Dec 1950; Tachikawa, Japan, 26 Mar - 18 Nov 1952; Larson AFB WA, 21 Nov 1952; Donaldson AFB SC, 25 Aug 1954 – Dec 1963; Hunter AFB GA, Jan 1963 - June 1967; Norton AFB CA, April 1967 until inactivation in 1993; Reactivated on 1 October 1993 at Joint Base Charleston, SC, and was assigned to the 437th Operations Group.
AIRCRAFT
C-33, 1941; C-39, 1941-1942; C-47, 1942-1948: C-109, 1944-1945; C-45, 1947- 1948; C-54, 1948 – 1952; C-124, 1952 – 1967; C-141, 1967 – 1997; C-17A, 1997 – present.
OPERATIONS
World War II. Included airborne assaults on Sicily, Normandy, Holland, and Germany. Aerial transportation in the Mediterranean and European Theatres of Operation. Berlin Airlift: 1948 - 1949. Korean War: Aerial transportation for US to Japan, Aug - Dec 1950, and between Japan and Korea, 13 Dec 1950 - Nov 1952. Vietnam Conflict: Aerial transportation of troops and cargo from US to Vietnam, 1965 - 1974. Grenada Invasion, Operation URGENT FURY: Oct 1983. Operation JUST CAUSE: Republic of Panama, Dec 1989 - Jan 1990. Operation VOLANT WIND: 3 Aug 1990 - 16 Jan 1991. Operation DESERT SHIELD: 3 Aug 1990 - 16 Jan 1991. Operation DESERT STORM: 17 Jan 1991 - Apr 1991. Operation PROVIDE COMFORT, Turkey. Operation FIERY VIGIL, Republic of the Philippines. Operation PROVIDE HOPE, Commonwealth of Independent States, March 1992. Operation RESTORE HOPE, Somalia. Oct 1993- Apr 1994. Operation DISTANT RUNNER. Rwanda/Burundi, April 1994. Operation PROVIDE PROMISE, Bosnia, 1 May 1994- Jan 1996. Operation SUPPORT HOPE. Zaire/Rwanda Jul -Sep 1994. Operation CUBAN REFUGEE, Guantanamo, Cuba. Aug 1994. Operation UPHOLD DEMOCRACY, Haiti. Sep 1994 – Mar 1995 Operations PHEONIX SCORPION I-IV Nov 1997- Dec 1998. Operation DESERT FOX Dec 1998. Operation ALLIED FORCE, Kosovo. Mar 1999. Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, Afghanistan. Oct 2001-Dec 2014. Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, Iraq. Mar 2003- Dec 2011. Operation NEW DAWN, Iraq. Dec 2010- Dec 2011. Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, Middle East. Iraq June 2014 – Dec 2021. Syria Sep 2014 – present. Libya Nov 2015 – Oct 2019. Operation ALLIES REFUGE Afghanistan. Jul-Aug 2021.
CAMPAIGNS
World War II: Sicily, Naples - Foggia, Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Central Europe. Korea War: CCF Intervention, First UN Counteroffensive, CCF Spring Offensive, UN Summer-Fall Offensive, Second Korean Winter, Korea Summer-Fall, 1952. Persian Gulf Conflict: Defense of Saudi Arabia, Liberation and Defense of Kuwait. Kosovo Air and Defense campaigns. All phases of the Liberation of Afghanistan. All phases of the Liberation of Iraq. All phases of the Inherent Resolve Campaign.
DECORATIONS
Distinguished Unit Citations: Sicily, 11 Jul 1943, France, 6-7 Jun 1944, Korea, 13 Dec 1950 - 21 Apr 1951. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 1 Jul 1957 - 10 Dec 1962: 1 Jul 1968 - 30 Jun 1969: 1 Jul 1970 - 30 Jun 1971: 1 Jun 1978 - 31 May 1980: 1 Jan -31 Dec 1983: 1 Jan - 31 Dec 1987. Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: 1 Jul 1951 -18 Nov 1952. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Apr 1966 - 28 Jan 1973.
COMMANDERS
Lt Col Brad S. Fisher, 20-Oct-23
Lt Col Robert L. Moore, 31-Mar-21
Lt Col Jonathan Baize, Apr-19
Lt Col Garrett C. Fisher, 15-Jun-17
Lt Col Eric W. Bucheit Jr., 15-Oct-15
Lt Col Cassius T. Bentley, III, 3-Apr-14
Lt Col David L. Owens, 24-May-12
Lt Col Rebecca J. Sonkiss, 27-May-10
Lt Col John Lamontagne, 11-Apr-08
Lt Col William D. Anderson Jr., 22-Jun-06
Lt Col Manson O. Morris, 29-Jun-04
Lt Col Stephan F. Shope, 15-May-02
Lt Col John D. Zazworsky, 21-Nov-00
Lt Col William L. Erikson, 25-May-99
Lt Col Frederick R. Cianciolo, 30-Sep-97
Lt Col Lance D. Christian, 13-Jul-95
Lt Col Dennis A. Blakham, 1-Oct-93
Activated, 1-Oct-93
Inactivated, 26-Jul-93
Lt Col Peter W. Moates, Jul-93
Lt Col Jack F. Peters, Apr-92
Lt Col Dennis W. Kullander, Aug-90
Lt Col David J. Semon, Jul-89
Lt Col Jon A. Miller, Sep-87
Lt Col Timothy H. Hatch, Feb-86
Lt Col Edward S. Tooley, Jun-84
Lt Col John J. Vilensons, Aug-82
Lt Col Robert V. Woods, Jan-81
Lt Col John W. Brodak, Apr-79
Lt Col Ronald F. Henderson, Jun-78
Lt Col Keith N. Sawyer, May-77
Lt Col Robert C. Pyatt, Jun-76
Lt Col Alton P. H. Brewer Jr., Aug-75
Lt Col James R. Brandeberry, Aug-74
Lt Col Daniel J. Rehm, Mar-73
Lt Col Robert C. Mason, Jul-72
Col William D. Sinclair, 1-Jan-70
Lt Col Philip O. Lock, 20-Feb-69
Col John D. Horn, 5-Jan-68
Lt Col Robert Henwood, 3-Jul-67
Lt Col Donald W. Vollett, 1-Apr-67
Lt Col William O. Ross, Jul-66
Lt Col David B. Smith, 15-Jan-65
Col Sidney G. Smith, Sep-64
Lt Col Charlton W. Winchester, Jr., Dec-62
Lt Col R.J. Daugherty, Jun-62
Lt Col Charlton W. Winchester, Jr., 23-Jan-61
Lt Col Sidney G. Smith, Jun-60
Maj Robert G. Matzke, 15-Oct-59
Lt Col Conway S. Hall, Apr-59
Maj James S. Liptak, Dec-58
Lt Col Conway S. Hall, ca. Oct-58
Maj Harold E. Krout, 1955
Lt Col Conway S. Hall, 1954
Maj Harold M. Bergeson, 1954
Lt Col William T. Jenkins, 25-Mar-52
Maj Richard L. Tyler, 10-Mar-52
Maj Robert L. Hetzel, 20-Jan-52
Lt Col William B. Colson, 23-Sep-51
Lt Col Charles H. Davis, 31-Aug-51
Lt Col William B. Colson, Apr-51
Lt Col Conway S. Hall, Oct-49
Lt Col John B. Kidd, Oct-49
Maj Frank L. Thomas, 9-Sep-49
Maj Raymond E. Buckwalter, 15-Aug-47
Maj Thomas G. Holden, 17-Jul-47
Maj Robert E. Simone, 11-Apr-47
Capt James F. Stevens, 17-Oct-46
Maj Joel A. Carroll, Jr., 30-Sep-46
Activated, 30 September 1946
Inactivated, 31 July 1945
Unfilled, 20-31 July 1945
Cap Walter J. Lantz, ca. 1-20 Jul-45
Maj Horace A. Montgomery, May-45
Maj Millard L. Perkinson, 20-Apr-45
Maj Horace A. Montgomery, 23-Oct-44
Lt Col Lawrence C. McMurtry, 30-Dec-43
Capt James A. Provan, 15-Dec-43
Maj Lawrence C. McMurtry, 7-Apr-43
Capt James A. Provan, 1943
Capt Terry H. Hutton, 1943
Capt Allan L. Dickey, ca. Jun 1942
Capt Collum, ca. May 1942
2d Lt Allan L. Dickey, ca. Nov 1941
No Personnel Assigned, 4-Dec-40 to 31-Dec-40
Constituted, 20 Nov 1940