As part of a worldwide realignment of Air Mobility Command assets on 1 October 1993, the 21st transferred its C-130s at Yokota to the 36th Airlift Squadron, which retired its C-141 Starlifters at McChord Air Force Base, Washington and moved to Yokota as a paper unit.
   The 21st, in turn, was transferred to Travis Air Force Base, California where it took over the assets of the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy 75th Airlift Squadron.
 The 75th was transferred in turn to Ramstein Air Base, Germany where it took over the Douglas C-9 Nightingale medical Evacuation mission of USAFE.
 This realignment was due to the large reduction in USAF assets after the end of the Cold War and the directive by USAF Chief of Staff General Merrill McPeak to retain notable units on active duty as much as possible.

Since the conversion to the C-5 Galaxy in 1993, the 21st helped avert conflict between North and South Korea by flying triple aerial-refueling mission carrying Patriot missile batteries directly to South Korea.

They were also involved in several humanitarian missions in 1994 including transportation of tons of badly needed medical supplies and food to disease-ravaged Rwanda, missions in support of the Haitian and Cuban relief efforts, and closer to home, the 21st provided the first C-5 crew to fly critically needed firefighters equipment to earthquake-stricken Los Angeles.
With the combination of the C-5 and aerial-refueling, the 21st delivered heavy and outsized cargo from the cold of Russia to the heat of Indonesia.

On 3 April 2006, the 21st Airlift Squadron celebrated its 64th anniversary.
On the same day, the squadron transferred from the C-5 Galaxy to the Boeing C-17A Globemaster III.
On 8 August 2006, the 21st received its first C-17, "The Spirit of Solano".
With the arrival of the C-17, the C-5 Galaxies were transferred to the United States Air Force Reserve 439th Airlift Wing, Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts.
As part of a worldwide realignment of Air Mobility Command assets on 1 October 1993, the 21st transferred its C-130s at Yokota to the 36th Airlift Squadron, which retired its C-141 Starlifters at McChord Air Force Base, Washington and moved to Yokota as a paper unit.    The 21st, in turn, was transferred to Travis Air Force Base, California where it took over the assets of the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy 75th Airlift Squadron.  The 75th was transferred in turn to Ramstein Air Base, Germany where it took over the Douglas C-9 Nightingale medical Evacuation mission of USAFE.  This realignment was due to the large reduction in USAF assets after the end of the Cold War and the directive by USAF Chief of Staff General Merrill McPeak to retain notable units on active duty as much as possible.
Since the conversion to the C-5 Galaxy in 1993, the 21st helped avert conflict between North and South Korea by flying triple aerial-refueling mission carrying Patriot missile batteries directly to South Korea.
They were also involved in several humanitarian missions in 1994 including transportation of tons of badly needed medical supplies and food to disease-ravaged Rwanda, missions in support of the Haitian and Cuban relief efforts, and closer to home, the 21st provided the first C-5 crew to fly critically needed firefighters equipment to earthquake-stricken Los Angeles. With the combination of the C-5 and aerial-refueling, the 21st delivered heavy and outsized cargo from the cold of Russia to the heat of Indonesia.
On 3 April 2006, the 21st Airlift Squadron celebrated its 64th anniversary. On the same day, the squadron transferred from the C-5 Galaxy to the Boeing C-17A Globemaster III. On 8 August 2006, the 21st received its first C-17, "The Spirit of Solano". With the arrival of the C-17, the C-5 Galaxies were transferred to the United States Air Force Reserve 439th Airlift Wing, Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts.
21st Airlift Squadron