Lineage

Established as 908 Troop Carrier Group, Medium, and activated in the Air Force Reserve, on 15 Jan 1963. Organized on 11 Feb 1963. Redesignated: 908 Tactical Airlift Group on 1 Jul 1967; 908 Tactical Air Support Group on 25 Apr 1969; 908 Tactical Airlift Group on 15 Dec 1971; 908 Airlift Group on 1 Feb 1992; 908 Airlift Wing on 1 Oct 1994.

Assignments

Continental Air Command, 15 Jan 1963; 302 Troop Carrier Wing, 11 Feb 1963; 435 Troop Carrier Wing, 18 Mar 1963; 446 Troop Carrier (later, 446 Tactical Airlift) Wing, 1 Dec 1965; 433 Tactical Airlift Wing, 1 Mar 1968; Third Air Force Reserve Region, 25 Apr 1969; Eastern Air Force Reserve Region, 31 Dec 1969; 434 Special Operations Wing, 1 Jul 1971; 302 Tactical Airlift Wing, 25 Oct 1971; 94 Tactical Airlift (later, 94 Airlift) Wing, 1 Jul 1972; 403 Airlift Wing (later, 403 Wing), 1 Aug 1992; Tenth Air Force, 1 Oct 1994; Twenty-Second Air Force, 1 Apr 1997-.

Components

Group.908 Operations: 1 Aug 1992-.

Squadrons. 357: 11 Feb 1963-1 Aug 1992.

Stations

Bates Field, AL, 11 Feb 1963; Brookley AFB, AL, 1 Oct 1964; Maxwell AFB, AL, 25 Apr 1969-.

Commanders

Lt Col William A. Willis, 11 Feb 1963; Lt Col David P. Whiteside, by Dec 1966; Col Marcus C. West, 7 Jul 1967; Lt Col John P. Cranford, 8 Jun 1968; Col Andrew Chaplin, by Dec 1968; Col Marcus C. West, 2 Feb 1970; Lt Col Sloan R. Gill, Oct 1971; Maj Lelias E. Thomas, 4 Jun 1973; Lt Col Jonathan Gardner, 14 Aug 1973; Lt Col Billie H. Parker, 17 Jan 1976; Col Jack P. Ferguson, 30 Aug 1976; Col Robert Q. Head, 4 Sep 1977; Col Robert S. Martin, 18 Jul 1980; Col Anthony Tassone Jr., 1 Oct 1989; Col Thomas W. Spencer, 13 Jan 1991; Col Christopher M. Joniec, 21 Aug 1994; Col William P. Kane, 24 Aug 1996-.

Aircraft

C-119, 1963-1969; U-3, 1969-1971; O-2, 1970-1971; C-7, 1971-1983; C-130, 1983-.

Operations

The 908th from its organization in 1963 flew airlift missions. Beginning in 1969 it recruited and trained personnel to provide ground-to-air communications in support of ground forces. In 1971, the group resumed its tactical airlift role. It maintained combat readiness and the ability to respond to national emergencies and supported Air National Guard, ROTC, Army, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard units. During the Southeast (SEA) conflict, the unit flew airlift missions to free Military Airlift Command assets for SEA action. From Jun 1973, it also flew aerial search and rescue, medical patient, and humanitarian missions. In Feb 1982, the 908th started the conversion from C-7 to C-130 aircraft. Since then, it has flown numerous, worldwide airlift and humanitarian missions, including in support of the Southwest Asia War and the Bosnian relief effort.

Service Streamers

None.

Campaign Streamers

Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers

None.

Decorations

Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1972-15 Mar 1974; 1 Jan 1976-30 Nov 1977; 1 Feb 1980-31 Jan 1982; 1 Sep 1986-31 Aug 1988; 1 Sep 1991-31 Aug 1993.


Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 5 Mar 2001

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 30 Sep 1996

Emblem

Approved on 20 Apr 1976.