315th Airlift Wing

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Lineage

Established as 315 Troop Carrier Wing, Medium on 23 May 1952. Activated on 10 Jun 1952. Inactivated on 18 Jan 1955. Redesignated 315 Air Commando Wing, Troop Carrier, and activated, on 21 Feb 1966. Organized on 8 Mar 1966. Redesignated: 315 Air Commando Wing on 1 Aug 1967; 315 Special Operations Wing on 1 Aug 1968; 315 Tactical Airlift Wing on 1 Jan 1970. Inactivated on 31 Mar 1972. Redesignated 315 Military Airlift Wing (Associate) on 29 Jan 1973. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Jul 1973. Redesignated: 315 Airlift Wing (Associate) on 1 Feb 1992; 315 Airlift Wing on 1 Oct 1994.

Assignments

315 Air Division, 10 Jun 1952-18 Jan 1955. Pacific Air Forces, 21 Feb 1966; 315 Air Division, 8 Mar 1966 (attached to 2 Air Division, 8-31 Mar 1966; Seventh Air Force, 1 Apr-15 Oct 1966); 834 Air Division, 15 Oct 1966; Seventh Air Force, 1 Dec 1971-31 Mar 1972. Eastern Air Force Reserve Region, 1 Jul 1973; Fourteenth Air Force, 8 Oct 1976; Twenty-Second Air Force, 1 Jul 1993-.

Components

Group. 315 Troop Carrier (later, 315 Operations): 10 Jun 1952-18 Jan 1955; 1 Aug 1992-.

Squadrons. 8 Special Operations: 31 Jul 1971-15 Jan 1972 (detached 5-15 Jan 1972). 9 Special Operations: 30 Sep 1971-29 Feb 1972 (detached 9 Jan-29 Feb 1972). 12: 15 Oct 1966-30 Sep 1970. 19: 8 Mar 1966-10 Jun 1971. 300: 1 Jul 1973-1 Aug 1992. 309: 8 Mar 1966-31 Jul 1970. 310: 8 Mar 1966-15 Jan 1972, attached 16-26 Jan 1972. 311: 8 Mar 1966-5 Oct 1971. 317: 1 Apr-1 Aug 1992. 701: 1 Jul 1973-1 Aug 1992. 707: 1 Jul 1973-1 Aug 1992.

Flight. Royal Australian Air Force Air Transport Flight, Vietnam: attached 8 Mar-15 Oct 1966.

Detachments. Det. 5, HQ 315 Air Division: attached 8 Mar-15 Oct 1966. Det. 6, HQ 315th Air Division: attached 8 Mar-15 Oct 1966. Det. 1, HQ 315 Air Commando Wing: 1 Aug-15 Oct 1966.

Stations Brady AB, Japan, 10 Jun 1952-18 Jan 1955. Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam, 8 Mar 1966; Phan Rang AB, South Vietnam, 15 Jun 1967-31 Mar 1972. Charleston AFB, SC, 1 Jul 1973-.


Commanders

Col Kenneth W. Northamer, 10 Jun 1952; Col Robert O. Good, 26 Jul 1953; Col Adriel N. Williams, 29 Aug 1953; Col David B. Lancaster, 27 Feb 1954; Col Francis W. Williams, 10 Aug 1954-18 Jan 1955. None (not manned), 21 Feb-7 Mar 1966; Col George L. Hannah Jr., 8 Mar 1966; Col Robert T. Simpson, 23 Jun 1966; Col Vernon W. Froehlich, 19 Nov 1966; Col Bill M. Richardson, 9 Aug 1967; Col Robert D. Brown, 20 Nov 1967; Col Noble F. Greenhill Jr., 8 Jun 1968; Col John W. Pauly, 19 Jul 1968; Col. Harry V. Bankard, 4 May 1969; Col John W. Pauly, 3 Jun 1969; Col Leslie J. Campbell, Jr., 10 Jun 1969; Col Charles S. Reed, 27 May 1970; Col Kenneth T. Blood Jr., 31 Jan 1971; Col Ray C. Staley, 19 Nov 1971-31 Mar 1972. Col Richard P. McFarland, 1 Jul 1973; Col David Guminski, c. 31 Sep 1974; Lt Col David L. Webber, 1 Dec 1974; Lt Col Kenneth O. Mann, c. 25 Apr 1976; Col Marc M. McClelland, c. 20 Jun 1976; Col Carl W. Knazik, 15 May 1979; Col John G. Sullivan, 17 Jun 1979; Col Billy R. Henderson, 26 Apr 1981; Col Michael J. Peters, 23 Apr 1988; Col Robert B. Stephens, 14 Apr 1989; Col James P. Czekanski, 1 Jul 1991; Brig Gen James D. Bankers, 11 Mar 1992; Col Edward A. Stickler, 1 Mar 1997-.

Aircraft

C-46, 1952-1955. CV-2, 1966; UC-123, 1966-1971; C-123, 1966-1972; C-130, 1966; A-37, 1971-1972; C-47, 1971-1972; O-2, 1971-1972. C-5, 1973; C-141, 1973-; C-17, 1993-.

Operations

Flew troop and cargo airlift and airdrop, leaflet drop, spraying, air evacuation, search and rescue, and related missions in theater during the Korean War. Performed tactical airlift operations within South Vietnam, 1966-1972. In 1971, trained South Vietnamese C-123 aircrews. Not tactically operational, 15 Jan-31 Mar 1972. Since 1973, stationed with and used airframes of the 437th Airlift Wing. Trained Air Force Reserve aircrews for strategic airlift, including channel, special assignment, and combat airlift missions. In 1980s and 1990s, personnel participated in contingency and humanitarian airlift operations worldwide. In 1994, the wing conducted the first C-17 flight with an all-Air Force Reserve crew.

Service Streamers

Korean Theater.

Campaign Streamers

Vietnam: Vietnam Air; Vietnam Air Offensive; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air/Ground; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; TET 69/Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer/Fall 1969; Vietnam Winter/Spring 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V; Commando Hunt VI; Commando Hunt VII; Vietnam Ceasefire.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers

Grenada, 1983; Panama, 1989-1990.

Decorations

Presidential Unit Citations (Vietnam): 21 Jan-12 May 1968; 1 Apr-30 Jun 1970. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat "V" Device: 15 Oct 1966-30 Apr 1967; 10 Jun-31 Dec 1967; 15 Jul 1968-30 Jun 1969; 1 Jan 1971-31 Mar 1972. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jan 1982-31 Dec 1983; 1 Jul 1988-30 Jun 1989; 1 Jul 1989-30 Jun 1990; 21 Sep-31 Oct 1989; 1 Jul 1993-30 Jun 1995; 1 Jul 1995-30 Jun 1997. Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: [10 Jun 1952]-27 Jul 1953. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Crosses with Palm: 1 Oct 1966-30 Oct 1971; 1 Jun 1969-1 Jun 1970; 1 Jul 1971-11 Mar 1972.

Bestowed Honors

Authorized to display honors earned by the 315th Operations Group for the periods 14 Feb 1942-31 Jul 1945, 19 May 1947-10 Sep 1948, and 9 Nov 1962-8 Mar 1966, but not for the period 10 Jun 1952-18 Jan 1955, when both the group and the wing were active: Service Streamers. World War II American Theater. Campaign Streamers. World War II: Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Central Europe. Vietnam: Vietnam Advisory; Vietnam Defensive. Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: France, [6] Jun 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat "V" Device: 1 May 1963-30 Apr 1965; 30 Jun-9 Jul 1965.


Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 15 Dec 1999


Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 30 Sep 1997


Emblem

Approved on 7 Nov 1973.

  
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