Charleston Air Force Base
Charles Lindbergh's nonstop solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in 1927 heightened city officials' interest to establish air operations in Charleston.Foreseeing a commercial future in air travel, the city formed the Charleston Aircraft Corporation to acquire the land for a municipal airport.Given the continuing growth in passenger aviation, Pan American Airways selected Charleston Airport as its western terminus for trans-Atlantic flights.In 1939, with world tensions heightening, the United States Army Air Corps began a massive buildup of troops, bases, and equipment in preparation for war.As a result, Charleston acquired more land in 1940 for additional airport improvements that included construction of a hangar and administration building and lengthening of the runways to 5,000 feet.On 11 December the War Department assumed de facto control of Charleston Municipal Airport yet allowed Delta and Eastern commercial airlines to continue their civilian operations.At the same time as the base struggled to find its niche, the 16th Antisubmarine Squadron operated B-34 Lexington bombers helping defend the eastern seaboard from possible attack.On 31 March 1944, Johns Island Army Airfield became an auxiliary of Charleston AAB, providing an emergency landing field for the base.Consequently, the base was transferred to Air Transport Command on 1 June 1945 and began C-54 Skymaster crew training that lasted until late August 1945.As a result of the Cold War, the now independent United States Air Force requesting funds from Congress to begin troop carrier operations at the Charleston airport.By early 1953, elements of the 456th Troop Carrier Wing, assigned to Tactical Air Command, arrived at Charleston to prepare the base for operational status.Eventually, on 1 March 1955, Charleston AFB came under the jurisdiction and control of MATS and the 1608th Air Transport Wing (Medium) became the base's host unit.Charleston AFB underwent a significant change on 18 June 1958 when the 1608th received its first C-124C Globemaster aircraft, then again a month later when it lost its last C-54 transports.Soon after the wing's arrival, on 30 September 1968 the 444th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron inactivated, ending Charleston AFB's long-standing association with air defense and fighter aircraft.However, since 11 September 2001, the facility has seen intermittent operations by various USAF fighter aircraft of the Active and Reserve Components resuming the continental air defense mission under the cognizance of United States Northern Command and NORAD.Note: Inactivated and declared surplus 25 April 1946; custody assumed by Army division Engineers, 29 June 1946; transferred to War Assets Administration, 24 May 1947; assigned AF in inactive status, 11 July 1952; reactivated 1 August 1953.
North CharlestonSouth CarolinaUnited States of AmericaC-17A Globemaster III437th Airlift WingDepartment of DefenseUS Air ForceJoint Base CharlestonconcreteFederal Aviation AdministrationUnited States Air Force628th Air Base WingAir Mobility CommandNaval Support Activity Charlestonjoint civil-military airportCharleston International AirportBoeingAir Force Reserve CommandAir Combat CommandAir National GuardC-17 Globemaster III315th Airlift WingCivil Air PatrolHerbert A. DargueCharles LindberghGreat DepressionWorks Progress AdministrationPan American AirwaysUnited States Army Air Corps56th Pursuit GroupCharlotte AirportNorth Carolina61st Pursuit SquadronP-39 AiracobraP-40 WarhawkSouthern Defense CommandThird Air Force, Carolina Sector67th Observation Group107th Observation Squadron105 Observation SquadronTennesseeNational GuardNorth American O-47O-49 VigilantWar DepartmentEasternFirst Air Force16th Antisubmarine SquadronB-34 LexingtonJohns Island Army AirfieldB-24 Liberator454th Bombardment GroupEuropean Theater of Operations400th Bombardment GroupAir Transport CommandC-54 SkymasterCold War456th Troop Carrier WingTactical Air CommandC-119 Flying Boxcars1608th Air Transport GroupMilitary Air Transport CommandMilitary Airlift CommandNear EastAir Defense Command444th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86D SabreC-121C ConstellationC-124C GlobemasterF-101 VoodooC-130 HerculesC-141 Starlifter437th Military Airlift Wing943d Military Airlift Group315th Military Airlift Wing158th Fighter WingVermont Air National GuardUnited States Northern CommandAir Service CommandArmy Air Forces Antisubmarine CommandEighteenth Air ForceEastern Air Defense ForceMilitary Air Transport ServiceEastern Transport Air ForceTwenty-First Air Force36th Fighter Group389th Bombardment Group392d Bombardment Group437th Military Airlift (later Airlift) Wing315th Military Airlift (later Airlift) WingHurricane DorianSouth Carolina World War II Army Airfieldspublic domain materialNorth Charleston, South CarolinaCharleston Co. SDNorth Charleston HSR.B. Stall HSAcademic Magnet HSDorchester SD 2Fort Dorchester HSNorthside ChristianCharleston Southern UniversityTrident Technical CollegeLowcountry Graduate CenterCharleston Naval ShipyardNorth Charleston ColiseumI-526 (Mark Clark Expressway)US 52 (Rivers Avenue / Carner Avenue)US 78 (Rivers Avenue / University Boulevard)SC 7 (Cosgrove Avenue)SC 642 (Dorchester Road)South Carolina StingraysDepartment of the Air ForceSecretary of the Air ForceUnder Secretary of the Air ForceAir StaffChief of StaffVice Chief of StaffDirector of StaffChief Master Sergeant of the Air ForceFour-star generals1940–19592000–20092010–20192020–presentHouse Armed Services Committee