317th Troop Carrier Group

The 317th Troop Carrier Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 317th Tactical Airlift Wing, stationed at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina. It was inactivated on 1 April 1980.

During World War II the group operated primarily in the Southwest Pacific Theater transporting such things as gasoline, ammunition, medicine, rations, communications equipment, construction materials and evacuating wounded personnel during numerous campaigns. Participated in two airborne operations during the 1944–1945 Philippines Campaign. On 3 and 4 February 1945 it dropped paratroops south of Manila to seize highway routes to the city, and on 16 and 17 February dropped the 503rd Infantry Regiment on Corregidor to open Manila Bay to US shipping; received a United States Distinguished Unit Citation for the latter operation, performed at low altitude over small drop zones in a heavily defended area. In addition, the group completed two unusual missions on 12 and 15 April 1945 when the group bombed Carabao Island with drums of Napalm. Dropped part of 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment near Aparri on 23 June 1945 to split Japanese forces in the Cagayen Valley and prevent a retreat to the hills in northern Luzon.

The group remained active in Japan after the war as an occupation unit transporting personnel and supplies within the occupied areas. It was reassigned to Germany during the Berlin Airlift in 1948 using C-54's to transport coal, food, and other supplies to the blockaded city. Later during the 1950s, the group provided intra-theater airlift for USAFE until being inactivated in 1957 and its squadrons being assigned directly to the 317th TCW.

History

World War II

The group's beginning occurred on 22 February 1942 at Duncan Field near San Antonio, Texas. Eighteen enlisted men and one Captain formed the entire unit. However it wouldn't be long before the 317th tenant squadrons would acquire the venerable Douglas C-47 Skytrain and the familiar drone of rotating props would become forever synonymous with the 317th.

In July 1942, the Army redesignated the unit the 317th Troop Carrier Group. After receiving several months of training in and around the southern United States, the group had grown into a viable component of America's defense machine. In December of that same year, they departed for Australia in support of General Douglas MacArthur's Southwest Pacific campaigns against the Japanese. The Army Air Forces quickly stripped the 317th of their new C-47s upon arrival in the theater, and in turn gave them the battered aircraft of the veteran 347th Troop Carrier Group. With an assortment of damaged C-47s, C-60s, and cargo versions of the B-17, the 317th set about their mission.

As the Japanese pounded the airdrome at Wau, New Guinea, the 317th endured monsoon conditions, flying low level supply drops to the Australian Army engaged on the airfield in hand-to-hand combat. This mission cost the 317th three aircraft and several men, and for their actions the group received their first Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC).

Spearheading a combined airborne-glider offensive in June 1945, the 317th dropped allied paratroopers over northern Luzon in the Philippine Islands. Enemy anti-aircraft fire was intense, forcing the group to make repeated passes over the drop zone. Soon the Japanese forces were weakened to the point of defeat. Once again the 317th was awarded the DUC for their outstanding performance.

Cold War

In 1948 with the war finally at an end, the 317th participated in one of the most widely known humanitarian efforts in history, the Berlin Airlift. From May through July the group air-dropped food supplies to the citizens of the Soviet blockaded city. Once the blockade had been lifted and their mission was complete, the 317th inactivated at Rhein Main Air Base, Germany in September.

In July 1952, the Air Force reactivated the 317th at Rhein Main as the 317th Troop Carrier Wing. It became the first Air Force unit assigned to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Now flying C-119 "Boxcars", the 317th relocated to Neubiberg Air Base near Munich in 1953. Shortly after their arrival at the Bavarian base, newer C-123 transports arrived to compliment the C-119s.

The 317th continued to fly many humanitarian missions and support NATO airborne units throughout Europe. They airlifted life rafts, tents, and emergency food supplies to flood victims in the Netherlands, and aided thousands of earthquake victims in Italy, Greece, Pakistan and Yugoslavia among many others.

Post Vietnam era

Trained aircrews in adverse weather delivery system AWADS equipment for a C-130 squadron in Europe 1978–1980.

Lineage

• Constituted as 317th Transport Group on 2 February 1942

Activated on 22 February 1942

Redesignated 317th Troop Carrier Group (Heavy) in May 1948.

Inactivated in Germany on 14 September 1949

• Redesignated 317th Troop Carrier Group (Medium) 14 July 1952

Activated in Germany on 14 July 1952

Inactivated on 12 March 1957

• Redesignated 317th Troop Carrier Group and activated on 15 September 1978

Inactivated on 1 April 1980

Assignments

• I Troop Carrier Command, 22 February 1942

Attached to: 52d Troop Carrier Wing, 22 February – 3 December 1942

• Fifth Air Force, 23 January 1943
• 317th Troop Carrier Wing, 18 August 1948 – 14 September 1949; 14 July 1952 – 12 March 1957; 15 September 1978 – 1 April 1980

Detached 21 September 1948 – 8 January 1949

Not operational c. 31 August – 14 September 1949; 8 May 1955 – 12 March 1957; 15–30 September 1978

Components

• 39th Troop Carrier Squadron: 22 February 1942 – 14 September 1949; 14 July 1952 – 12 March 1957
• 40th Troop Carrier Squadron: 22 February 1942 – 14 September 1949; 14 July 1952 – 12 March 1957
• 41st Troop Carrier Squadron: 22 February 1942 – 14 September 1949; 14 July 1952 – 12 March 1957
• 46th Troop Carrier Squadron: 22 February 1942 – 14 September 1949

Stations

Aircraft

• C-47, 1942–1947
• C-39, C-49, C-60, B-17, LB-30, 1943–1943
• C-46, 1945–1947
• C-54, 1947–1948
• C-119, 1952–1957
• C-130, 1978–1980

See also

• United States Army Air Forces in Australia

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

• Maurer Maurer (1983), Air Force Combat Units Of World War II, Office of Air Force History. ISBN 978-0-405-12194-4

USAAF Fifth Air Force in World War II
Previously: Philippine Department Air Force (1941); Far East Air Force (1941-1942)
Airfields	Pacific USAAF in Australia USAAF in the Southwest Pacific USAAF in Okinawa
Units	Commands V Bomber V Fighter 5th Interceptor (Provisional) Wings 54th Troop Carrier 85th Fighter 86th Fighter 91st Reconnaissance 308th Bombardment 309th Bombardment 310th Bombardment Groups Air Commando 3d Air Commando Bombardment 3d Bombardment 7th Bombardment 19th Bombardment 22d Bombardment 27th Bombardment 38th Bombardment 43d Bombardment 90th Bombardment 312th Bombardment 345th Bombardment 380th Bombardment 417th Bombardment Combat Cargo 2d Combat Cargo Fighter 8th Fighter 24th Pursuit 35th Fighter 49th Fighter 58th Fighter 348th Fighter 475th Fighter Reconnaissance 6th Reconnaissance 71st Reconnaissance Troop Carrier 317th Troop Carrier 374th Troop Carrier 375th Troop Carrier 433d Troop Carrier Squadrons Bombardment 31st Bombardment Night Fighter 418th Night Fighter 421st Night Fighter 547th Intelligence Reconnaissance 2d Observation 8th Photographic Reconnaissance 36th Photographic Reconnaissance Troop Carrier 21st Troop Carrier 22d Troop Carrier 65th Troop Carrier 66th Troop Carrier
United States Army Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Fourteenth Fifteenth Twentieth

USAAF First Air Force in World War II
Airfields	First Air Force Group Training Stations First Air Force Replacement Training Stations First Air Force Tactical Airfields Freeman Army Airfield Godman Army Airfield Selfridge Field
Units	Commands I Bomber Command I Fighter Command I Ground Air Support Command Wings 25th Antisubmarine 50th Troop Carrier 52d Troop Carrier 53d Troop Carrier 60th Troop Carrier 61st Troop Carrier Boston Fighter New York Fighter Norfolk Fighter Philadelphia Fighter Groups Bombardment 2d Bombardment 13th Bombardment 22d Bombardment 34th Bombardment 43d Bombardment 45th Bombardment 301st Bombardment 302d Bombardment 400th Bombardment 402d Bombardment 455th Bombardment 459th Bombardment 460th Bombardment 471st Bombardment Combat Cargo 1st Combat Cargo 2d Combat Cargo 4th Combat Cargo Fighter 8th Fighter 31st Fighter 33d Fighter 52d Fighter 56th Fighter 57th Fighter 58th Fighter 59th Fighter 79th Fighter 80th Fighter 83d Fighter 87th Fighter 324th Fighter 325th Fighter 326th Fighter 327th Fighter 332d Fighter 348th Fighter 352d Fighter 353d Fighter 355th Fighter 356th Fighter 358th Fighter 359th Fighter 361st Fighter 362d Fighter 365th Fighter 366th Fighter 368th Fighter 370th Fighter 371st Fighter 373d Fighter 402d Fighter 413th Fighter 476th Fighter Reconnaissance 26th Reconnaissance 73d Reconnaissance Troop Carrier 10th Troop Carrier 60th Troop Carrier 61st Troop Carrier 62d Troop Carrier 63d Troop Carrier 89th Troop Carrier 313th Troop Carrier 314th Troop Carrier 315th Troop Carrier 316th Troop Carrier 317th Troop Carrier 349th Troop Carrier 375th Troop Carrier 403d Troop Carrier 433d Troop Carrier 434th Troop Carrier 435th Troop Carrier 436th Troop Carrier 437th Troop Carrier 438th Troop Carrier 439th Troop Carrier 440th Troop Carrier 441st Troop Carrier 442d Troop Carrier Other 1st Search Attack 477th Composite Incidents Freeman Field Mutiny
United States Army Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Fourteenth Fifteenth Twentieth