It is part of the 97th Operations Group at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma.

After training in the United States, the squadron moved to the Southwest Pacific Theater, where it conducted combat airlift operations against the Japanese until the surrender of Japan.

The unit participated in the airborne assault on Nadzab, New Guinea, on 5 September 1943 during World War II.

In January 1966, the 56th Military Airlift Squadron replaced the 1740th and continued to train Globemaster crews through 1968.

The 56th Airlift Squadron was the Air Force's formal school for Lockheed C-5 Galaxy airland qualification training.

[7] Explanatory notes Footnotes This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency