315th Airlift Wing
315th Airlift Wing C-17 Globemaster IIIs over the Arthur Ravenel Bridge, Charleston, S.C.
Active1952–present
CountryUnited States
BranchAir Force
TypeAirlift
Part ofAir Force Reserve Command
Garrison/HQJoint Base Charleston
Motto(s)Advenium – I Will Come
Engagements


  • 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 DUC
PUC
AFOUA w/ V Device
ROK PUC
RVGC w/ Palm
Website315aw.afrc.af.mil/
Commanders
Current
commander		Colonel John F. Robinson
Vice CommanderColonel Steven C. Priest
Command ChiefChief Master Sergeant Joe G. Gonzalez
Insignia
Identification
symbol
Aircraft flown
TransportBoeing 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.
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.

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 C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. If mobilized, the unit would fall under control of Air Mobility Command.

The mission of the 315th Airlift Wing is to provide and deliver global combat-ready airlift, expeditionary combat support and aeromedical evacuation personnel as a source of augmentation for the active forces in any emergency expansion of the Air Force strategic and aeromedical airlift capabilities.[1] Additionally, the Wing performs peacetime missions such as humanitarian airlift as part of the Denton Cargo Program and integrates with the active-duty 437th Airlift Wing and the 628th Air Base Wing in their normal Air Mobility Command operations and logistics missions. Both of these units are assigned to Joint Base Charleston, S.C.

Components

315th Operations Group (315 OG)

315th Maintenance Group (315 MXG)

  • 315th Maintenance Squadron (315 MXS)
  • 315th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (315 AMXS)
  • 315th Maintenance Operations Squadron (315 MOS)

315th Mission Support Group (315 MSG)

  • 38th Aerial Port Squadron (38 APS)
  • 53d Aerial Port Squadron (53 APS)
  • 81st Aerial Port Squadron (81 APS)
  • 84th Aerial Port Squadron (84 APS)
  • 315th Mission Support Squadron (315 MSS)
  • 315th Security Forces Squadron (315 SFS)
  • 315th Services Flight (315 SVF)
  • 315th Logistics Readiness Flight (315 LRF)

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 assigned to 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 AB 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 engaged in theater transport missions within South Vietnam. In 1971, became a training organization for Republic of Vietnam Air Force C-123 aircrews. Inactivated 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 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

  • Established as 315th Troop Carrier Wing, Medium, on 23 May 1952
Activated on 10 June 1952
Inactivated on 18 January 1955
  • Redesignated 315th Air Commando Wing, Troop Carrier, and activated, on 21 February 1966
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
  • Redesignated 315th Military Airlift Wing (Associate) on 29 January 1973
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

Components

Groups

  • 315th Troop Carrier (later, 315 Operations): 10 June 1952 – 18 January 1955; 1 August 1992–present

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.

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.