204th Airlift Squadron

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204th Airlift Squadron
154th Wing C-17 Globemaster III flying over Hickam Air Force Base.jpg
204th Airlift Squadron Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, Hawaii Air National Guard flies over Hickam Air Force Base and nearby Pearl Harbor for the arrival ceremony of its first aircraft. Hickam was the first base outside the continental U.S. to permanently host the C-17
Active1 August 1994-Present
CountryFlag of the United States.svg  United States
AllegianceFlag of Hawaii.svg  Hawaii
Branch US-AirNationalGuard-2007Emblem.svg   Air National Guard
TypeSquadron
RoleAirlift
Part of Hawaii Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Honolulu, Hawaii
Nickname(s)Na Manu Ikaika
Mascot(s)Hawaiian owl
Tail Code"HH"
Insignia
204th Airlift Squadron emblem 204th Airlift Squadron emblem.jpg

The 204th Airlift Squadron (204 AS) is a unit of the Hawaii Air National Guard 154th Wing stationed at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Honolulu, Hawaii. The 204th is equipped with the C-17 Globemaster III.

Contents

Overview

The 204th Airlift Squadron is a unit of the 154th Wing. The unit is a classic associate unit with the 535th Airlift Squadron at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. It flies the C-17 Globemaster III, the newest, most flexible cargo aircraft to enter the airlift force. The C-17 is capable of rapid strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases or directly to forward bases in the deployment area. The aircraft can perform tactical airlift and airdrop missions and can also transport litters and ambulatory patients during aeromedical evacuations when required.

History

Established in 1994 to provide the Hawaii Air National Guard a theater airlift capability and to support joint exercises in Hawaii with Army and Marine Corps units. The squadron supports operational training, provides paratroop and tactical air drop capability, and deliver relief supplies following natural disasters.

The last C-130 Hercules aircraft scheduled to leave the Hawaii Air National Guard sits in the flight line during a farewell ceremony by the 204th Airlift Squadron at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, 8 Feb. 2006. 204th Airlift Squadron -C-130H.jpg
The last C-130 Hercules aircraft scheduled to leave the Hawaii Air National Guard sits in the flight line during a farewell ceremony by the 204th Airlift Squadron at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, 8 Feb. 2006.

Since its establishment, squadron C-130 crews have made airdrops over India, shuttled military crews involved in the search for missing in action servicemen in New Zealand and Cambodia, and have even transported to Oahu 30 to 40 people arrested on neighbor island drugs raids.

In April 1999, the 204th Airlift Squadron was awarded the Air Force's Outstanding Unit Award for the period of 14 July 1996 to 13 July 1998. While providing airlift support during the exercise Balitakan 2000, in February 2000, the 204th Airlift Squadron, HIANG, delivered books and school supplies to Virgen Delos Remedios Elementary School, Angeles City, Philippines, while here supporting Balikatan 2000.

After more than a decade the C-130s were the Hawaii National Guard's workhorse—the main means of moving supplies, soldiers, airmen, and even prisoners between the islands. In 2008, the unit was upgraded to the Air Force's latest jet cargo plane, the C-17 Globemaster III.

The eight C-17s are part of a 190-member unit manned by active Air Force personnel from the 535th Airlift Squadron and the Hawaii Air Guard's 204th Airlift Squadron. When established in 2008, it was the first active joint Air Force and Air National Guard unit outside of the mainland.

In July 2018 a C-17 of the squadron collected 55 cases of human remains from Wonsan in North Korea. It is thought that these are remains of US or possibly other UN servicemen from the Korean War. [1] The C-17 then flew to Osan Air Base in South Korea. [2] [3]

Lineage

Received federal recognition and activated on 1 August 1994

Assignments

Stations

Re-designated: Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, 1 January 2010-Present

Aircraft

Related Research Articles

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176th Wing Unit of the Alaska Air National Guard

The 176th Wing is a unit of the Alaska Air National Guard, stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), Anchorage, Alaska. If activated to federal service, components of the Wing are gained by several United States Air Force Major Commands.

911th Airlift Wing

The 911th Airlift Wing is an Air Mobility Command-gained unit of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC), based out of Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station at the Pittsburgh International Airport, Pennsylvania.

154th Wing

The 154th Wing is a unit of the Hawaii Air National Guard, stationed at Hickam Air Force Base, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Honolulu, Hawaii. If activated to federal service, the Wing is placed under the command of the Pacific Air Forces.

133rd Airlift Wing

The 133rd Airlift Wing is a unit of the Minnesota Air National Guard, stationed at Minneapolis–Saint Paul Joint Air Reserve Station, Minnesota. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.

164th Airlift Wing

The 164th Airlift Wing is a unit of the Tennessee Air National Guard, stationed at Memphis Air National Guard Base, Tennessee. If activated to federal service in the United States Air Force, the 164th is gained by Air Mobility Command.

21st Airlift Squadron Unit of the US Air Force, part of the 60th Operations Group

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Hawaii Air National Guard

The Hawaii Air National Guard is the aerial militia of the State of Hawaii, United States of America. It is, along with the Hawaii Army National Guard, an element of the Hawaii National Guard.

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The 535th Airlift Squadron is part of the 15th Wing at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. It operates C-17 Globemaster III aircraft providing airlift in the Pacific theater.

199th Fighter Squadron

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203d Air Refueling Squadron

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249th Airlift Squadron

The 249th Airlift Squadron is an inactive unit of the Alaska Air National Guard, formerly located at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson, Alaska and assigned to the 176th Wing. The 249th was an associate unit of the 517th Airlift Squadron, which was equipped with the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III.

15th Operations Group

The 15th Operations Group is the flying component of the 15th Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Thirteenth Air Force. The group is stationed at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. It is also responsible for managing operational matters at Bellows Air Force Station, Hawaii and Wake Island Airfield.

921st Tactical Airlift Group

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References

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates  public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/ .

  1. ↑ "War Remains Could Also Be Of French, Australian Soldiers: Jim Mattis". NDTV . 27 July 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  2. ↑ Fichtl, Marcus (26 July 2018). "N. Korea hands over 55 cases of remains thought to be US war dead". Stars and Stripes . Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  3. ↑ Maresca, Thomas (26 July 2018). "North Korea hands over remains said to be US soldiers from Korean War, White House says". USA Today . Retrieved 27 July 2018.
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