317th Airlift Group

317th Airlift Group
Active 1948-1949; 1952-1993; 1997-present
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Part of Air Mobility Command
18th Air Force
Garrison/HQ Dyess Air Force Base
Motto(s) "I Gain By Hazard"
Equipment C-130 Hercules
Decorations Air Force Meritorious Unit Award Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
317th Airlift Group emblem (Approved 15 May 1958)[1]
A C-130 Hercules from the 317th Airlift Group from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, prepares to take off for an airlift mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.

The 317th Airlift Group (317 AG) is a United States Air Force unit, stationed at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. Assigned to Air Mobility Command (AMC) Eighteenth Air Force, the 317 AG operates as a tenant unit to the 7th Bomb Wing, Air Combat Command (ACC).

The 317 AG is a tactical airlift organization, flying the C-130 Hercules and Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules. Since December 2003, the 317th has been in a continuously deployed status in support of the Global War on Terrorism, with elements being deployed into combat areas. It has been engaged in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF); Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), as well as supporting other Air Expeditionary units around the world.

During World War II, the units predecessor unit, the The 317 Troop Carrier Group was one of the most highly decorated troop carrier units of the United States Army Air Forces.

Units

The 317AG is composed of the following squadrons:

History

Cold War

317th Troop Carrier Wing was activated in Japan in 1948. Provided troop carrier and courier service in the Far East, 1948. As a result of Soviet blockade of Berlin, moved by ship from Japan to West Germany, December 1948— January 1949 and reassigned to USAFE.. Participated in Berlin Airlift, 9 January – 31 July 1949.

Became USAFE theater airlift organization. From July 1952 to April 1957 provided C-119 troop carrier and airlift service in support of USAFE, NATO, and UN, at same time participating in numerous exercises and humanitarian missions. Moved to France in April 1957, replacing 465th Troop Carrier Wing on 8 July From April 1963 to June 1964, provided C-130 airlift in support of USAFE, NATO, and UN.

Reassigned to Tactical Air Command and moved to Ohio in June 1964. Became involved in TAC's worldwide C-130 airlift operations, with airborne training a major responsibility.

In May 1967 the unit was redesignated the 317 Troop Carrier Wing and by 1971 it transferred to Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina. Provided C-130 replacement training support for PACAF, October 1965— July 1971 and August— December 1971. Also provided C-123 combat crew training for the U.S. and Republic of Vietnam crews, September 1969— August 1971.

Reassigned to Military Airlift Command in December 1974. Pioneered in use of adverse weather aerial delivery system (AWADS) equipment in active combat operations in Southeast Asia, and from September 1977 to January 1988, trained aircrews in the AWADS for a C-130 squadron in Europe.

The 317th provided airlift, combat control, medical evacuation, and security police support for Operation Urgent Fury, the rescue and evacuation of American citizens from Grenada, October–November 1983.

Between 1983 and 1993, the 317th participated in training exercises, special assignment airlift missions, channel missions for Military Airlift Command and Air Mobility Command, and national airlift competitions. Crews and aircraft of assigned squadrons rotated periodically to England for European providing intra-theater airlift. It has Trained jointly with Army airborne forces from Fort Bragg, NC, tested container delivery system for parachute dropping of heavy equipment, deployed crews and aircraft worldwide as needed, and led C-130 Airborne Assault of Rio Hato for the Rangers and provided launch support out of Green Ramp at Pope Air Force Base for 2126 82d Airborne Division paratroopers on C-141s and follow on support airlift for airborne and special operations forces in Operation Just Cause in Panama.

Post Cold War era

After an Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, transported troops, equipment, and supplies to Southwest Asia as part of Operation Desert Shield and participated in Operation Desert Storm in 1991. In 1992, the Fighting 3-1-7 took part in humanitarian airlifts to Bosnia (Operation Provide Promise) and Somalia (Operation Provide Relief). It transported relief workers and supplies to Florida after Hurricane Andrew. As the Air Force continued to streamline its operations after the end of the Cold War, the 317th was inactivated at Pope Air Force Base in July 1993.

Four years after the inactivation, in April 1997, a transfer of all U.S. based C-130 aircraft to Air Mobility Command (AMC) resulted in the reactivation of the 317th as a group organization. From 1997 to present, deployed personnel and equipment worldwide to provide all phases of combat delivery, air-land, airdrop, airlift maintenance and recovery, operations support and deployable air mobility command and control.

In 2008, the 317th AG again supported Americans providing hurricane relief in Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, transporting patients and ambulatory personnel away from affected areas to temporary shelters.

Beginning 20 December 2003 and ending 20 March 2013, the 317th AG deployed for 3,378 continuous days in service to the United States at home and abroad.

On 25 July 2013, the 317th AG received its 28th and final Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules, giving the Group the distinction of being the largest C-130J unit in the world.

In May 2014, crews and planes of the group deployed to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, where they formed the 75th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, supporting Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa. During the deployment crews supported medical evacuations, disaster relief, humanitarian and airdrop operations. Operations included movement of the East Africa Response Force to forward positions.[2]

On 19 February 2015, airmen of the 317th who had been deployed to Dakar, Senagal as part of Operation United Assistance, the US military support to the Agency for International Development in its response to contain the outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa. The return of these airmen marked the first time since September 2013 that the entire group was together at its home station.[3] At Dakar, the airmen had served as part of the 787th Air Expeditionary Squadron.[4]

Lineage

Activated on 18 August 1948
Inactivated on 14 September 1949
Activated on 14 July 1952
Inactivated on 25 September 1958
Organized on 15 April 1963
Redesignated: 317th Troop Carrier Wing on 1 March 1966
Redesignated: 317th Tactical Airlift Wing on 1 May 1967
Redesignated: 317th Airlift Wing on 1 January 1992
Inactivated on 18 August 1993
Activated on 1 April 1997[1]

Assignments

Attached to 322d Air Division [Combat Cargo], 1 April 1954 – 31 July 1955
Attached to 322d Air Division [Combat Cargo], 1 April – 20 June 1964
Attached to Operating Location A, Headquarters Twenty-First Air Force, 31 December 1974 – 30 June 1975

Components

Group

Squadrons

Stations

Aircraft

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Kane, Robert B. (27 May 2015). "Factsheet 317 Airlift Group (AMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  2. ↑ Keopka, SSG Leslie (11 July 2014). "Dyess AFB members help open new 75 EAS chapter at CJTF-HOA". USAFE Public Affairs. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  3. ↑ Hall, SRA Shannon (19 February 2015). "317th AG made whole again". 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  4. ↑ Taunton, Capt Sybil (6 February 2015). "AF Ebola support winds down". USAFE Public Affairs. Retrieved 26 February 2015.

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

External links

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