315th Airlift Wing


The 315th Airlift Wing 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.

Mission

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. 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
  • 315th Maintenance Squadron
  • 315th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
  • 315th Maintenance Operations Squadron
315th Mission Support Group
  • 38th Aerial Port Squadron
  • 53d Aerial Port Squadron
  • 81st Aerial Port Squadron
  • 84th Aerial Port Squadron
  • 315th Mission Support Squadron
  • 315th Security Forces Squadron
  • 315th Services Flight
  • 315th Logistics Readiness Flight

    History

Established as the 315 Troop Carrier Wing, Medium, on 23 May 1952 under Far East Air Forceces 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 FEAF's 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.
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 Fairchild 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. 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.
Reactivated in 1973 as a heavy transport wing in the Air Force Reserve, operating the Lockheed 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 McDonnell Douglas 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 2001 and has flown the C-17 exclusively since.

Lineage

  • Established as the 315th Troop Carrier Wing, Medium on 23 May 1952
  • Redesignated 315th Air Commando Wing, Troop Carrier and activated, on 21 February 1966
  • Redesignated 315th Military Airlift Wing on 29 January 1973

    Assignments

  • 315th Air Division, 10 June 1952 – 18 January 1955
  • Pacific Air Forces, 21 February 1966
  • 315th Air Division, 8 March 1966
  • 834th Air Division, 15 October 1966
  • Seventh Air Force, 1 December 1971 – 31 March 1972
  • Eastern Air Force Reserve Region, 1 July 1973
  • Fourteenth Air Force, 8 October 1976
  • Twenty-Second Air Force, 1 July 1993 – September 2011
  • Fourth Air Force, September 2011 – present
File:Boeing C-17A III Globemaster of the USAF at RIAT Fairford 16July2018 arp.jpg|thumb|Boeing C-17 Globemaster III crewed by the 315th Airlift Wing taxis for departure at the 2018 RIAT, England

Components

Groups
Squadrons