317th Airlift Group

317th Airlift Group

The 317th Airlift Group (317 AG) is a United States Air Force unit, stationed at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. Assigned to Air Mobility Command (AMC) Eighteenth Air Force, the 317 AG operates as a tenant unit to the 7th Bomb Wing, Air Combat Command (ACC).

The 317 AG is a tactical airlift organization, flying the C-130 Hercules and Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules. Since December 2003, the 317th has been in a continuously deployed status in support of the Global War on Terrorism, with elements being deployed into combat areas. It has been engaged in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF); Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), as well as supporting other Air Expeditionary units around the world.

During World War II, the units predecessor unit, the The 317 Troop Carrier Group was one of the most highly decorated troop carrier units of the United States Army Air Forces. The 317th TCG took part in nearly all of the airlift operations in the Pacific Theater of World War II including Wau, New Guinea, and the "Operation Topside" parachute drops on Corregidor, where the 503rd Parachute Regiment was dropped from 400 feet in groups of six per aircraft, requiring the crews to fly their C-47 "Gooney Birds" over the target at least three times. For both of these operations the 317 TCG was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.

It was Colonel John Lackey, commanding officer of the 317 TCG, who became the first American pilot to land in Japan following the capitulation of that country in August 1945.