Wing celebrates historic birthday Published Aug. 21, 2009 By Tyler Hemstreet 62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE -- -- The 62nd Airlift Wing's time at McChord will reach a historic milestone Saturday, marking the 62nd anniversary as a wing at this base. The wing was established as the 62nd Troop Carrier Wing on July 28, 1947, calling McChord Field (later Air Force Base) home on Aug. 15, 1947. The 4th, 7th and 8th Airlift Squadrons (formerly Troop Carrier Squadrons) moved from Bergstrom Field, Austin, Texas, and began flying operations. In 1950, McChord became part of the Air Defense Command's 25th Air Division, which played a pivotal role that same decade in the Korean Conflict airlift operations, flying C-54s and C-124s, and serving as a major port for the movement of troops and supplies. In 1966, the fi rst Lockheed C-141 Starlifter arrived at McChord in August to begin replacing the venerable Douglas C-124 Globemaster II. The conversion was complete by the end of 1969. The 62nd enhanced its capabilities in 1975 when the 36th Tactical Airlift Squadron became assigned to the wing, flying turboprop Lockheed C- 130 Hercules transports. In December 1991, the 62nd Military Airlift Wing was redesignated the 62nd Airlift Wing. Eight years later, the wing marked another milestone, as McChord received the fi rst C-17 Globemaster III. McChord's last C-141 Starlifter was flown to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., to the bone yard in 2002. The 38th C-17 was delivered June 20, making the 62nd Airlift Wing a fully operational C-17 wing. Also during August, the wing made history when 13 C-17s took off at 30-second intervals -- the base's largest C-17 jet formation ever.