The 8th Airlift Squadron at McChord Field has a long, proud history of setting the standard for airlift capability.

When it came time to find a way to capture some of that history to help tell the squadron's story, leaders knew just where to turn.

The 8th AS unveiled a detailed wall display honoring retired Air Force general and former squadron commander Duane Cassidy during a ceremony May 6 at the squadron's headquarters.

The squadron also renamed its main auditorium after Cassidy.

"We've been planning this for two years," said Lt. Col. Steven Ritter, 8th AS commander. "This has been a labor of love. (General Cassidy) is the kind of guy you honor."

Cassidy, a Corapolis, Pa. native, assumed command of the then 8th Military Airlift Squadron in 1972 and was stationed at McChord until 1974. One of the many highlights of his distinguished military career included a stint as commander of Military Airlift Command in the late 1980s. As commander in chief of MAC, he was responsible for military airlift in support of unified and specified commands during war, periods of crisis and contingencies. Cassidy was also instrumental in the procurement of a sufficient number of aircraft to meet the documented airlift shortage during his tenure. He was an ardent and persuasive spokesman for procuring the C-17 Globemaster as the next generation airlift aircraft. His efforts ultimately resulted in Congressional approval for full-scale production funding for the C-17.

Cassidy's work on the C-17 project is even highlighted in the display inside the auditorium, as a box featuring one of the first shavings off a part of a C-17 was built into the wall.

"What do you say when somebody puts you on the wall?" said Cassidy, who flew out from his home in Chapel Hill, N.C. for the ceremony. "I kind of said ‘Why me?' because there was a lot of great guys that have come through here. But I'm absolutely humbled by the whole thing."

Also in attendance at the ceremony were several friends and veterans who served or worked with Cassidy in one way or another throughout his military career. Retired loadmaster Bill Cannon, who knew Cassidy when he was at McChord, came out to see the unveiling.

"(Cassidy) and I were both picked to ramrod the Airlift Tanker Association," said Cannon, who also worked on the development of the C-17 after retiring from the Air Force. "I was the president and he was the chairman of the board. We had a lot of fun on that."

Although his time at McChord was short in comparison to his long military career, the 78-year-old Cassidy said his tenure at the 8th played a important role in his development as a leader.  

"I feel like this is where I got my start. This is still my best assignment," he said. "I've done a lot of things now since then. But I loved this assignment. I was young, and I had a young family. The people I was leading were young and smart, and we had a great mission. (When) you have a great mission to do and then when you can do it with great people ... my goodness... what else is there in life?"

Ritter hopes the display in the auditorium will convey an important message to future Airmen coming through the squadron's doors.

"I hope they take home that they are part of something bigger," Ritter said. "And General Cassidy is a big part of that."