The 38th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 86th Operations Group at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, where it was inactivated on 15 September 2010.
The 38th Troop Carrier Squadron was activated at Patterson Field, Ohio as one of the original squadrons of the 316th Transport Group in early 1942. It was reassigned to the 10th Troop Carrier Group in 1943 and served as a training unit until it was disbanded in 1944. The squadron was operational training unit, from October 1942 until April 1943 it participated in the ferrying of gliders From June through August 1943 it participated in experimental glider operations. Afterwards served as areplacement training for glider crews and participated in maneuvers.
The squadron was reconstituted in 1966 and served as a tactical airlift unit from 1967 until the fall of 1975.
The unit was converted to provisional status as the 38th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron and assigned to United States Air Forces Europe (USAFE) to activate or inactivate as needed. USAFE activated it at Ramstein Air Base, Germany from 2008 until 2010.
Constituted as the 38th Transport Squadron on 2 February 1942
Activated on 14 February 1942
Redesignated
38th Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 July 1942
Disbanded on 14 April 1944
Reconstituted and activated 8 August 1966 (not organized)
Organized on 1 January 1967
Redesignated
38th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 May 1967
Inactivated on 31 August 1975
Converted to provisional status and redesignated 38th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron on 3 September 2002
Activated on 27 June 2008
Inactivated on 15 September 2010
316th Transport Group (later 316th Troop Carrier Group), 14 February 1942
10th Troop Carrier Group, 19 May 1943 - 14 April 1944
316th Troop Carrier Wing (later 316th Tactical Airlift Wing), 1 January 1967 (attached to 315th Air Division 8 February 1968 - 19 July 1968)
313th Tactical Airlift Wing, 1 July 1969 (attached to 513th Tactical Airlift Wing 5 November 1970 - 7 January 1971, 13 September 1971 - 16 November 1971)
316th Tactical Airlift Wing, 15 November 1971 - 31 August 1975 (attached to 513th Tactical Airlift Wing 11 March 1972 - 6 May 1972, 374th Tactical Airlift Wing 31 August 1972 - 29 November 1972, 513th Tactical Airlift Wing 7 May 1973 - 15 July 1973, unknown 29 August 1973 - 3 Oct 1973, 322d Tactical Airlift Wing 16 December 1974 - 15 February 1975)
United States Air Forces Europe, to activate or inactivate as needed 3 September 2002
Patterson Field, Ohio, 14 February 1942
Stout Field, Indiana, 30 May 1942
Sedalia Army Air Field, Missouri, 3 December 1942
Bowman Field, Kentucky, 5 April 1943
Laurinburg-Maxton Army Air Base, North Carolina, 21 June 1943
Camp Mackall, North Carolina, 10 September 1943
Laurinburg-Maxton Army Air Base, North Carolina, 17 January - 14 April 1944
Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, 1 July 1967
Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas 1 July 1969
Langley Air Force Base, Virginia 15 November 1971 - 31 August 1975
Ramstein Air Base, Germany 27 June 2008 - 15 September 2010
Douglas C-47 Skytrain, 1942–1944
Lockheed C-130 Hercules, 1967-1975, 2008=2010
