17th Airlift Squadron

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The 17th Airlift Squadron is one of 4 active duty C-17A Globemaster III squadrons at Charleston AFB, SC. The 17 AS is under the 437th Operations Group, 437th Airlift Wing, Eighteenth Air Force, Air Mobility Command.

The 17th Airlift Squadron is commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel, who serves as head of the squadron and the pilots. The Chief Loadmaster is in charge of the loadmasters, and the First Sergeant takes charge of the few support military personnel and civilians working in the squadron.

The 17th was responsible for being the first unit to set up forward deployed C-17 staging operations, in the start of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, creating the 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron (EAS) .

Recently, the 17th Airlift Squadron stepped up to the plate again and created another EAS. For the first time in history, two C-17 Squadrons became deployed in forward theater locations, supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom. The 817th Area of Responsibility split. On June 1st, 2006, the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron was created and launched its first crew 15 minutes later.

Unlike previous C-17 deployments, this one actually had the squadron itself doing all the flying from "an undisclosed location in South East Asia." The 17th helped initiate a whole new concept in C-17 operations. The 17th AS continues to set the standard for Squadrons to come.

1 Lineage
2 Assignments
3 Stations
4 Aircraft
5 Operations
6 Awards and Decorations
7 Emblem
8 Sources

[edit] Lineage

Constituted 17th Air Corps Ferrying Squadron on 18 Feb 1942. Activated on 27 Apr 1942. Redesignated 17th Transport Squadron on 19 Mar 1943. Disbanded on 31 Oct 1943. Reconstituted, and redesignated 17th Air Transport Squadron, Medium, on 22 Mar 1954. Activated on 18 Jul 1954. Redesignated: 17th Air Transport Squadron, Heavy, on 18 Jun 1958; 17th Military Airlift Squadron on 8 Jan 1966. Inactivated on 8 Apr 1969. Activated on 1 Aug 1987. Redesignated 17th Airlift Squadron on 1 Oct 1991.

[edit] Assignments

Army Air Forces Ferrying Command (later, Air Transport Command), 27 Apr 1942; 11th Ferrying (later, 11th Transport) Group, 28 Jul 1942–31 Oct 1943. 1608th Air Transport Group, 18 Jul 1954; 1608th Air Transport Wing, 18 Jan 1963; 437th Military Airlift Wing, 8 Jan 1966–8 Apr 1969. 437th Military Airlift Wing, 1 Aug 1987; 437th Operations Group, 1 Oct 1991–.

[edit] Stations

Hamilton Field, CA, 27 Apr 1942–31 Oct 1943. Charleston AFB, SC, 18 Jul 1954–8 Apr 1969. 1 Aug 1987–.

[edit] Aircraft

C-46, 1942–1943; C-47, 1942–1943. C-54, 1954–1958; C-124, 1958–1969. C-141, 1987–1989; C-17, 1989-.

[edit] Operations

World War II: Air Transport and aircraft delivery to the Pacific Theater. Worldwide Airlift beginning 1954. Missions to Southeast Asia, 1964–1969. Supported operations in Panama, 18–29 Dec 1989, and Southwest Asia, Aug 1990–Dec 1991. Continues to support operations in Afganistan, Sep. 2001- present. Continues to support operations in Iraq, 2003- present. Supported Tsunami Relief in India and Sri Lanka. Supported Pakistan earth quake relief. Supported Katrina Relief in United States. Most recently supported the evacuation of American Citizens from Lebonon.

[edit] Awards and Decorations

[edit] Service Streamers

World War II American Theater.

[edit] Campaign Streamers

Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait.

[edit] Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers

Panama, 1989–1990.

[edit] Decorations

Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jan 1963–1 Feb 1964; 11 Jul 1966–10 Jul 1967; 11 Jul 1967–10 Jul 1968; 11 Jul 1968–8 Apr 1969; 1 Jul 1988–30 Jun 1989; 1 Jul 1989–30 Jun 1990; 21 Sep 1989–31 Oct 1989.
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Apr 1966–8 Apr 1969.

[edit] Emblem

On an Air Force Blue globe, grid lines White, issuing from the top of a White scroll, two hands flesh tone, winged at the wrists White, bearing supplies or cargo Air Force golden Yellow; outlines and details Air Force Blue throughout. MOTTO: ANYTHING, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME. Approved 27 Oct 1959 (K 11458).