317th Airlift Squadron

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 317th Airlift Squadron


caption= 317th Airlift Squadron Patch
dates= 25 October 1943 - 9 April 1944
1 May 1944 - 28 February 1946
6 April 1964 - 30 April 1974
1 April 1992 - Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch=United States Air Force
type= Airlift
role=
size=
command_structure= Air Force Reserve Command
22nd Air Force
315th Airlift Wing
315th Operations Group
current_commander= Lieutenant Colonel William R. Fingar
garrison= Charleston Air Force Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=
decorations= Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
battle_honours=

The 317th Airlift Squadron (327 AS) is part of the 315th Airlift Wing at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina. It operates C-17 Globemaster III aircraft supporting the United States Air Force global reach mission world wide.

Mission

The mission of the 317th Airlift Squadron is to recruit, train, and support combat ready aircrews in order to meet global taskings.

History

The 317th airlifted cargo and mail for the Eighth Air Force within the United Kingdom from, 1943-1944. It airlifted troops and cargo in India and Burma, 11 November 1944-c. August 1945, including assault landings in Burma in February and April 1945. The squadron provided aerial transportation for US and allied units in China briefly after the war, September-November 1945.

It trained special operations personnel for combat between 1964 and 1973. Since 1992, the squadron has flown worldwide airlift missions.

Operations

*World War II

Previous designations

*317th Transport Squadron (Cargo and Mail) (1943 – 1944)
*317th Troop Carrier Squadron, Commando (1944 – 1945)
*317th Troop Carrier Squadron (1945 – 1964)
*317th Air Commando Squadron, Troop Carrier (1964 – 1966)
*317th Air Commando Squadron, Utility (1966 – 1968)
*317th Special Operations Squadron (1968 – 1992)
*317th Airlift Squadron (Associate) (1992 – 1994)
*317th Airlift Squadron (1994 – Present)

Assignments

*8th Air Force (1943 - 1944)
*2d Air Commando Group (1944 - 1945)
*10th Air Force (1945 - 1946)
*US Army Forces, India-Burma Theater (1946)
*1st Special Operations Wing (1964 - 1969, 1970 - 1974)
*4410th Combat Crew Training Wing (1969 - 1970)
*315th Airlift Wing (1992 - Present)

Bases stationed

*Camp Griffiss, England (1943 - 1944)
*Camp Mackall, North Carolina (1944)
*Alachua Army Air Field, Florida (1944)
*Dunnellon Army Air Field, Florida (1944)
*Baer Field, Indiana (1944)
*Sylhet, India (1944)
*Bikram, India (1944)
*Kalaikunda, India (1944 - 1945)
*Palel, India (1945)
*Ledo, India (1945)
*Liangshan, China (1945)
*Xi'an, China (1945)
*Kunming, China (1945)
*Salua, India (1945)
*Hijli, India (1945 - 1946)
*Titagurh, India (1946)
*Eglin Air Force Base, Florida (1964 - 1966)
*England Air Force Base, Louisiana (1966 - 1970)
*Eglin Air Force Base, Florida (1970 - 1974)
*Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina (1992 – Present)

Aircraft operated

*CG-4 Waco (1944 – 1945)
*CG-15 Waco (1944 – 1945)
*C-47 Skytrain (1944 – 1945, 1966 – 1970)
*C-46 Commando (1945)
*C-123 Provider (1964 – 1965, 1972 – 1973)
*U-10 Super Courier (1966 – 1973)
*AC-47 Spooky (1967 – 1968)
*T-28 Trojan (1967 – 1968)
*UH-1 Iroquois (1970 – 1974)
*CH-3 Jolly Green Giant (1973 – 1974)
*C-141 Starlifter (1992 – 1993)
*C-17 Globemaster III (1993 – Present)

References

* [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0317as.html USAF 317th Airlift Squadron History]
* [http://www.315aw.afrc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=6283 317th Airlift Squadron Fact Sheet]

External links