Constituted as 357 Bombardment Squadron on 28 January 1942. Activated on 1 June 1942 as a Consolidated B-24 LiberatorOperational Training Unit, later becoming a Replacement Training Unit for deployed combat units, assigned to II Bomber Command. Inactivated on 10 April 1944. Redesignated as a Boeing B-29 Superfortress very heavy bombardment Squadron under Second Air Force on 1 April 1944 at Dalhart Army Air Field, Texas. Initially equipped with Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses for training, due to shortage of Superfortresses. Moved to McCook Army Air Field, Nebraska in August 1944 and equipped with B-29B limited production aircraft. After completion of training deployed to Central Pacific Area, assigned to XXI Bomber Command at Northwest Field for operational missions. B-29Bs were standard production aircraft stripped of most defensive guns to increase speed and bomb load, The tail gun was aimed and fired automatically by the new AN/APG-15B radar fire control system that detected the approaching enemy plane and made all the necessary calculations. Mission of the squadron was the strategic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands. Entered combat on 16 June 1945 with a bombing raid against an airfield on Moen. Flew first mission against the Japanese home islands on 26 June 1945 and afterwards operated principally against the enemy's petroleum industry. Flew primarily low-level, fast attacks at night using a mixture of high-explosive and incendary bombs to attack targets. Flew last combat mission on 15 August 1945, later flew in "show of Force" mission on 2 September 1945 over Tokyo Bay during formal Japanese Surrender. Inactivated on Guam 15 April 1946, personnel returned to the United States and aircraft sent to storage in Southwest United States. It was credited with participating in the Air Offensive, Japan; Eastern Mandates, and Western Pacific campaigns. The squadron received the Distinguished Unit Citation: Japan, 22–29 July 1945.
Reserve operations
It trained for troop carrier missions from 1952 to 1967. The squadron airlifted troops and their equipment during the Cuban Missile Crisis, October–November 1962. Redesignated 357 Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 Jul 1967; 357 Tactical Air Support Squadron on 25 Apr 1969; 357 Tactical Airlift Squadron on 15 Dec 1971 and Redesignated 357 Airlift Squadron on 1 Feb 1992. During 1993, the squadron exchanged their C-7 for C-130 Hercules'.
The squadron has flown numerous, worldwide airlift missions, including missions in the Gulf War and the Bosnian relief effort. It was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 July 1972 – 15 March 1974; 1 January 1976 – 30 November 1977; 1 February 1980 – 31 January 1982; 1 September 1986 – 31 August 1988; 1 September 1991 – 31 August 1993.
Lineage
Constituted as the 357th Bombardment Squadron on 28 January 1942
Redesignated 357th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 27 June 1944
Redesignated 357th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 26 May 1952
