Westover Air Reserve Base has been in operation since 1940 and served as a bomber training base and port of embarkation/debarkation during World War II.

Following the war, the base was a staging point for the Berlin Aircraft, a headquarters of the Military Air Transport Service system until April, 1955.

From that time until 1974, the base was a major Strategic Air Command installation. Since May 19, 1974, Westover has been an Air Force Reserve Command base. From then until October 1987, the 439th Tactical Airlift Wing operated the C-130 Hercules and C-123 Provider aircraft.

The wing converted to C-5As in 1987, and the unit eventually became designated as the 439th Airlift Wing

Westover is the nation's largest Air Force Reserve base, and is home to more than 5,500 military and civilian workers.

Westover C-5 and people have also supported war-related missions such as: 
Patriot anti-missile batteries (Turkey 2013)
Operation New Dawn (Iraq 2010 - present)
Operation Unified Protector (Haiti 2010)
Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq 2003 - 2010) 
Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan 2001 - present) 
Operation Noble Eagle (Homeland Defense 2001 - present) 
Operation Joint Endeavor (Bosnia 1996) 
Operation Uphold Democracy (Haiti 1994) 
Operation Restore Hope (Somalia 1992) 
Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm (Iraq/Kuwait 1990-1991) 
Operation Just Cause (Panama 1989) 
In October 2001, Operation Enduring Freedom called up more than 1,000 Air Force reservists to fight the war on terrorism in Afghanistan. 
When Operation Iraqi Freedom kicked off in early February, 2003, nearly 1,000 members of the 439th were again called to active duty.

Westover's C-5 and people have a long and proud history of supporting worldwide humanitarian missions from disaster relief to providing food to refugees. 

Recent humanitarian-related missions include: 
Hurricane Sandy (U.S. East Coast 2012) 
Indonesian Tsunami relief (2006)
Pakistan earthquake relief (2005) 
Hurricane Katrina and Rita relief (2005) 
Tsunami disaster relief (2005) 
Iran earthquake (2003) 
World Trade Center recovery (2001)
Mozambique flood relief (2000) 
Hurricane Mitch (Honduras 1999) 
Honduran flood relief (1998) 
Hurricane Gilbert/Hurricane Hugo, Puerto Rico/Charleston, S.C. (1998) 
Jamaica (1988) 
Bosnia refugee support (1996) 
Operation Support Hope (Rwanda 1994)
Operation Restore Hope (Haiti 1992) 
Flood relief in Pakistan (1992) 
Hurricane Hugo (Miami 1992)