315th Airlift Wing

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315th Airlift Wing
081218-F-9616R-525.jpg
315th Airlift Wing C-17 Globemaster IIIs over the Arthur Ravenel Bridge, Charleston, S.C.
Active1952–present
CountryUnited States
Branch Air Force
Type Airlift
Part of Air Force Reserve Command
Garrison/HQ Joint Base Charleston
Motto(s)Advenium – I Will Come
Engagements
World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon.svg
Korean Service Medal - Ribbon.svg Vietnam Service Medal ribbon.svg Southwest Asia Service Medal ribbon (1991-2016).svg
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary ribbon.svg Afghanistan Campaign Medal ribbon.svg Iraq Campaign Medal ribbon.svg
  • World War II
European Campaign (1943–1945)
  • Korean Service (1952–1953)
  • Vietnam Service (1966–1972)
  • Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003–2011)
  • Operation Enduring Freedom (2001–present)
Decorations United States Army and U.S. Air Force Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg DUC
United States Army and U.S. Air Force Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg PUC
Outstanding Unit ribbon.svg AFOUA w/ V Device
Presidential Unit Citation (Korea).svg ROK PUC
Vietnam gallantry cross unit award-3d.svg RVGC w/ Palm
Website 315aw.afrc.af.mil/
Commanders
Current
commander
Colonel Stephen L. Lanier
Vice CommanderColonel Alan J. Partridge
Command Chief Chief Master Sergeant Chima O. Ellis
Insignia
Identification
symbol
315th Airlift Wing.png
Aircraft flown
Transport Boeing C-17 Globemaster III
Members of the 315th and 437th Airlift Wings, Joint Base Charleston, S.C., participated in the International Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, France, 18 June 2009. 315th-c-17-paris.jpg
Members of the 315th and 437th Airlift Wings, Joint Base Charleston, S.C., participated in the International Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, France, 18 June 2009.
An F-15 Eagle from the 60th Fighter Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., escorts a C-17 Globemaster III from the 14th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Charleston, S.C., as they fly over the USS Yorktown and the Arthur J. Ravenel Jr. Bridge in the Charleston, S.C., area during a local training mission 315th-c-17-charleston.jpg
An F-15 Eagle from the 60th Fighter Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., escorts a C-17 Globemaster III from the 14th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Charleston, S.C., as they fly over the USS Yorktown and the Arthur J. Ravenel Jr. Bridge in the Charleston, S.C., area during a local training mission
A C-123K of the 19th ACS, 315th ACW, Phan Rang, Vietnam, 1968. C-123K 54-0696 19ACS PhanRang Apr68.jpg
A C-123K of the 19th ACS, 315th ACW, Phan Rang, Vietnam, 1968.

The 315th Airlift Wing (315 AW) is a wing of the United States Air Force Reserve. It is stationed at Joint Base Charleston, in the city of North Charleston, South Carolina, and operates the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. If mobilized, the unit would fall under control of Air Mobility Command.

Contents

The mission of the 315th Airlift Wing is to fly airlift missions, and provide expeditionary combat support and aeromedical evacuation personnel as a source of augmentation for the Air Force active force. [1] The Wing also provides personnel and equipment to fill out normal activities of the active-duty 437th Airlift Wing and the 628th Air Base Wing, both also based at Joint Base Charleston. Peacetime missions include humanitarian airlift as part of the Denton Cargo Program.

Components

315th Operations Group

315th Maintenance Group (315 MXG)

315th Mission Support Group (315 MSG)

History

Established as 315 Troop Carrier Wing, Medium, on 23 May 1952 under Far East Air Force in Japan. Activated on 10 Jun 1952. During the Korean War, the wing flew troop and cargo airlift and airdrop, leaflet drops, spray missions, air evacuation, search and rescue, and other aerial missions in theater as part of Far East Air Forces 315th Air Division. It remained in the Far East after the war to fly transport missions and paratroop training flights in Japan, Korea, French Indo-China, and other points until December 1954, after which it was again inactivated 18 Jan 1955. [2]

Reactivated in 21 Feb 1966 under Pacific Air Forces, the unit was established at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam. It engaged in special operations directly under Seventh Air Force in Saigon, operating C-123 Provider aircraft with Air Commando squadrons engaging in unconventional warfare. Moved to Phan Rang Air Base in 1967. Also operated UC-123 aerial spraying aircraft for Operation Ranch Hand defoliation missions over South Vietnam. Phased out special operations missions in 1970, and thereafter carried out transport missions within South Vietnam. In 1971, became to train Republic of Vietnam Air Force C-123 aircrews. It was inactivated in South Vietnam in March 1972. [2]

Reactivated in 1973 as a heavy transport wing in the Air Force Reserve, operating the C-141 Starlifter aircraft, stationed alongside and using the same airframes as the active-duty 437th Airlift Wing at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina. It has since trained Air Force Reserve aircrews for strategic airlift, including channel, special assignment, humanitarian, and combat airlift missions. In the 1980s and 1990s, personnel participated in contingency and humanitarian aid airlift operations and exercises worldwide. In 1994, the wing conducted the first C-17 Globemaster III flight with an all-Air Force Reserve crew. It also took part in the first combined U.S. – Russian exercise that year. The unit retired its last C-141 in 2001and has flown the C-17 exclusively since. [2]

Lineage

Activated on 10 June 1952
Inactivated on 18 January 1955
Organized on 8 March 1966
Redesignated: 315th Air Commando Wing on 1 August 1967
Redesignated: 315th Special Operations Wing on 1 August 1968
Redesignated: 315th Tactical Airlift Wing on 1 January 1970
Inactivated on 31 March 1972
Activated in the Reserve on 1 July 1973
Redesignated: 315th Airlift Wing (Associate) on 1 February 1992
Redesignated: 315th Airlift Wing on 1 October 1994

Assignments

Attached to 2d Air Division, 8–31 March 1966
Attached to Seventh Air Force, 1 April-15 October 1966
Boeing C-17 Globemaster III crewed by the 315th Airlift Wing taxis for departure at the 2018 RIAT, England Boeing C-17A III Globemaster (serial 07-7188) of the USAF at RIAT Fairford 16July2018 arp.jpg
Boeing C-17 Globemaster III crewed by the 315th Airlift Wing taxis for departure at the 2018 RIAT, England

Components

Groups

Squadrons

Stations

Aircraft

Operations

Unit shields

References

  1. "315th Airlift Wing". www.315aw.afrc.af.mil.
  2. 1 2 3 Robertson, Patsy. "315 Airlift Wing (AFRC)" . Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  3. Lahue, Melissa (9 February 2023). "Factsheet 38 Aerial Port Squadron (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 6 March 2023.

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency