| Add a VR-21 Shellback Initiation | Add a VR-21 Deployment - Major Event |
| Month |
Year |
to |
Month |
Year |
Deployment / Event |
| JAN | 1945 | - | JAN | 1950 | Squadron flying R5D RY-1 PB2Y PB4Y and JRB aircraft |
| JAN | 1945 | - | APR | 1945 | Flag Transport Units One and Two formed |
| APR | 1945 | - | NOV | 1946 | Utility Transport Squadron One (VRJ-1) formed |
| NOV | 1946 | - | SEP | 1948 | Utility Transport Squadron One renamed to VRU-1 |
| SEP | 1948 | - | JUL | 1957 | VRU-1 redesignated Air Transport Squadron Twenty-One (VR-21) |
| JAN | 1950 | - | AUG | 1951 | VR-21 now flying R4D PBY PBM TBM P2V JRB/SNB and OY-2 |
| JAN | 1951 | - | DEC | 1952 | Middle Pacific |
| MAR | 1951 | - | MAR | 1951 | Distinguished Flying Crosses presented to crew of VR-21 P2V-3Z |
| JUN | 1951 | - | JAN | 1954 | Midway Island/Korean War |
| NOV | 1952 | - | MAR | 1977 | VR-21 begins flying R6D-1/C-118B Liftmaster |
| DEC | 1955 | - | | | Shellback Initiation - 17 DEC 1955 - Pacific Ocean |
| JUN | 1956 | - | JUL | 1966 | VR21 RECTAD Flight Crews from VR1 for West Pac- Viet -Nam |
| DEC | 1956 | - | | | Shellback Initiation - 17 DEC 1956 - Pacific Ocean |
| JUL | 1957 | - | AUG | 1976 | VR-21 redesignated as Fleet Tactical Support Squadron Twenty-One |
| JUL | 1957 | - | OCT | 1966 | VR-21 absorbs VR-23 Det. Atsugi and VR-5 Det. North Island |
| JUL | 1957 | - | OCT | 1966 | VR-21 now flying TF-1/C-1A COD and R4Y-1/C-131F aircraft |
| AUG | 1961 | - | SEP | 1965 | West Pac-Viet Nam |
| MAY | 1962 | - | JUL | 1964 | West Pac |
| JAN | 1963 | - | JAN | 1967 | Middle Pacific |
| MAR | 1963 | - | | | Shellback Initiation - 18 MAR 1963 - Pacific Ocean |
| APR | 1963 | - | APR | 1963 | West Pac |
| JAN | 1964 | - | JAN | 1966 | West Pac-Viet Nam |
| JAN | 1964 | - | AUG | 1966 | West Pac-Viet Nam |
| JAN | 1964 | - | JAN | 1966 | West Pac-Viet Nam |
| JAN | 1965 | - | SEP | 1965 | West Pac-Viet Nam |
| JAN | 1965 | - | FEB | 1968 | VR-21 aircrewmen receive 362 Air Medals for Vietnam flights |
| JAN | 1965 | - | JAN | 1967 | West Pac |
| JAN | 1965 | - | JAN | 1967 | West Pac |
| JUN | 1965 | - | | | Shellback Initiation - 3 JUN 1965 - Pacific Ocean |
| JUN | 1965 | - | AUG | 1965 | West Pac-Viet Nam |
| SEP | 1965 | - | JAN | 1966 | VR-21 acquires two EC-130Gs for TACAMO detachment |
| NOV | 1965 | - | JAN | 1966 | West Pac-Viet Nam |
| DEC | 1965 | - | FEB | 1967 | VR-21 Barbers Pt HI |
| JAN | 1966 | - | JAN | 1967 | West Pac-Viet Nam |
| MAR | 1966 | - | MAR | 1977 | VR-21 acquires three cargo/passenger C-130Fs |
| JUN | 1966 | - | JUL | 1966 | West Pac-Viet Nam |
| JUN | 1966 | - | JUL | 1966 | VR1 NAS Patuxent River Det. Flightcrews toVR21 West Pac-Vie Nam |
| JUL | 1966 | - | | | Shellback Initiation - 11 JUL 1966 - Pacific Ocean |
| AUG | 1966 | - | | | Shellback Initiation - 17 AUG 1966 - Pacific Ocean |
| JAN | 1967 | - | JAN | 1969 | West Pac |
| FEB | 1968 | - | DEC | 1970 | vietnam 1968-1970 |
| MAY | 1968 | - | MAR | 1971 | West Pac-Viet Nam |
| JUL | 1968 | - | JUN | 1970 | VR-21 receives Meritorious Unit Commendation for SE Asia flights |
| SEP | 1968 | - | JAN | 1971 | West Pac-Viet Nam |
| OCT | 1968 | - | | | Shellback Initiation - 10 OCT 1968 - Pacific Ocean |
| MAR | 1969 | - | JUL | 1969 | West Pac-Viet Nam |
| JUN | 1969 | - | APR | 1971 | VR-21 Det. Atsugi's three C-130Fs transferred to VRC-50 |
| SEP | 1970 | - | OCT | 1970 | Rota Spain |
| AUG | 1976 | - | MAR | 1977 | VR-21 redesignated as Fleet Logistic Support Squadron Twenty-One |
| MAR | 1977 | - | MAR | 1977 | VR-21 disestablished |
