17th Airlift Squadron

17th Airlift Squadron

17th Airlift Squadron Patch
Active 18 February 1942 – 25 June 2015
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
Type Airlift
Part of Air Mobility Command
18th Air Force
437th Airlift Wing
437th Operations Group
Garrison/HQ Charleston Air Force Base
Nickname(s) AAA Moving
Motto(s) Anything, Anywhere, Anytime
Decorations AFOUA
RVGC w/ Palm

The 17th Airlift Squadron was one of four active duty C-17A Globemaster III units at Charleston AFB, South Carolina.

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, 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, at the start of Operation Enduring Freedom, creating the 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron (EAS) .

The 17th Airlift Squadron recently stepped up to the plate once more and created another EAS. For the first time, two C-17 Squadrons became deployed in forward theater locations, supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom. The 817th Area of Responsibility split. On 1 June 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 Southwest Asia." The 17th helped initiate a whole new concept in C-17 operations in that this was the first time that the airframe was employed like traditional intratheater airlift assets such as the C-12, C-20, C-21 or the C-130. However, unlike traditional tactical airlift assets that are under the direct command of the theater commander, the 817th EAS is headquartered out of theater.

Lineage

Activated on 27 April 1942
Redesignated the 17th Transport Squadron on 19 March 1943
Disbanded on 31 October 1943
Activated on 18 July 1954
Redesignated the 17th Air Transport Squadron, Heavy on 18 June 1958
Redesignated the 17th Military Airlift Squadron on 8 January 1966
Inactivated on 8 April 1969
Redesignated the 17th Airlift Squadron on 1 October 1991
Inactivated on 25 June 2015

Note: the 17th Airlift Squadron already existed at the time of redesignation as a C-130 squadron based at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. This unit originated from the 17th Troop Carrier Squadron under Alaskan Air Command in 1964. The squadron was redesignated the 17th Tactical Airlift Squadron in 1966. It was redesignated the 517th Airlift Squadron upon activation of the C-17 unit that took its name. In January 2006 the 517th Airlift Squadron began its own transition from C-130s to C-17s with the final C-130 leaving the unit on 26 March 2007.[1]

Assignments

Stations

Hamilton Field, California, 27 April 1942 – 31 October 1943

Aircraft

Operations

World War II:
Air Transport and aircraft delivery to the Pacific Theater

Awards and decorations

Service Streamers

World War II American Theater

Campaign Streamers

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

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers

Panama, 1989–1990

Decorations

Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards:

Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 April 1966 – 8 April 1969

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 October 1959 (K 11458).

References

  1. ↑ Fact Sheets : 517th Airlift Squadron : 517th Airlift Squadron
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