137th Airlift Squadron
 | |
|---|---|
 Squadron C-17A Globemaster III at Stewart ANGB | |
| Active | 1942–1945; 1948–1961; 1961–1969; 1969–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Allegiance |  New York |
| Branch |  Air National Guard |
| Type | Squadron |
| Role | Airlift |
| Part of | New York Air National Guard |
| Garrison/HQ | Stewart Air National Guard Base, New York |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Meritorious Unit Award Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
| Insignia | |
| 137th Airlift Squadron emblem |  |
| 137th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron emblem |  |
| 504th Fighter Squadron emblem[1] |  |
| Tail stripe | "Stewart" on a black stripe |
| World War II Fuselage code[1] | 5Q |
The 137th Airlift Squadron is a unit of the New York Air National Guard 105th Airlift Wing located at Stewart Air National Guard Base, Newburgh, New York. It was first activated during World War II as the 483rd Bombardment Squadron. After converting to fighter aircraft as the 504th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, the squadron deployed to the European Theater of Operations, where it participated in combat, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation and destroying 52 enemy aircraft in air to air combat. Following V-E Day, it returned to the United States, where it was inactivated in November 1945.
In 1946, it was allotted to the National Guard and in 1948 was activated in the New York Air National Guard as the 137th Fighter Squadron it continued in the fighter role until 1961, when the 137th Tactical Fighter Squadron was replaced by the 137th Aeromedical Transport Squadron. It flew transport and aeromedical evacuation missions until 1969, when the 137th Military Airlift Squadron was replaced by the 137th Tactical Air Support Squadron which trained as a forward air control unit until 1983, when it moved from Westchester County Airport to Stewart and resumed the airlift mission.