The first C-17 for the 445th AW is pictured on final approach at Wright - Patterson AFB. The C-17 and the other C-17's will come from other units primarily from the the 437th AW at Charleston. The wing received four C-17's in January for training with four more expected by the end of fiscal year 2012. The last of the 445th's 10 C-5A will lbe retired by October 1 2012.

More than 500 people attended the 445th Airlift Wing’s C-17 Welcome Ceremony on July 9, 2011. Featured speakers included David Hobson, former U.S. Representative Ohio’s 7th District, Lt. Gen. Charles Stenner Jr., Air Force Reserve Command commander, retired Brig. Gen. Howard Ingersoll, Boeing's C-17 Service Director & former 62 AW commander, and Col. Stephen Goeman, 445th Airlift Wing commander.

C-17A 97-0044 taxis past one of the units C-5A's during a local training mission.

C-17 arrives at 445th for training

By Lt. Col. Cynthia Harris 445th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

Members of the 445th Airlift Wing began C-17 training January 20 (2011) on an aircraft on loan from Joint Base Charleston, S.C. In an effort to prepare aircrews and maintenance personnel for its upcoming C-17 mission, a 445th Airlift aircrew will fly a C-17 Globemaster III from Joint Base Charleston to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The aircraft (97-0044) is scheduled to be reassigned to the 445th at a date to be determined.

“We are excited to have the opportunity to train our Airmen on aircraft here locally. This will allow us to provide more training without sending them TDY to other bases,” said Col. Stephen Goeman, 445th Airlift Wing commander. Currently, 10 pilots and six load masters, equating to three aircrews, have completed C-17 training at Altus Air Force Base, Okla.

In addition, 32 maintainers were trained on the new air frame at Joint Base Charleston. The C-17 from Charleston is scheduled to be a maintenance trainer. A maintenance field training team from Air Education and Training Command will be on hand to train 445th maintenance personnel on this airplane. “Being able to have an airplane on the ramp for our maintainers to train on will ensure our maintenance crews are prepared to maintain our C-17s when they arrive. It’s imperative that they’re familiar and comfortable with the aircraft,” Colonel Goeman added.

An additional aircraft is anticipated to arrive in February to provide aircrews with a training platform.

C-17A 93-0603 and its stable mates await their next mission at Wright Patterson AFB. C-17 -0603, one of the oldest Globemasters in the fleet  was the 19 aircraft off Boeings Long Beach production line.

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio, July 11, 2011 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] on July 9 joined the U.S. Air Force Reserve at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to commemorate the base's transition to the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III airlifter. Wright-Patterson, home of the 445th Airlift Wing, previously flew the C-5A Galaxy and is the latest Air Force Reserve Command unit to transition to a fleet of C-17 aircraft.

 

"Boeing is honored to welcome the 445th Airlift Wing to the elite group of C-17 operators that the world looks to for aid in times of crisis and troops rely on when they are called on a mission anywhere in the world," said Boeing C-17 Program Manager Bob Ciesla. "The C-17 continues to be the backbone of the U.S. Air Force's airlift capability; the aircraft have successfully completed countless military and humanitarian missions during their years of service. We know that the men and women who serve at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base can count on their C-17s to continue to perform for many years to come."

 

The first C-17 deployed to Wright-Patterson left Boeing's Long Beach, Calif., final assembly facility on Nov. 9, 1998, and was first assigned to Charleston Air Force Base, S.C. The 445th Airlift Wing received that C-17 on Jan. 21 and has since received four more C-17s, including one that arrived on July 8. The unit will be equipped with a total of nine C-17s by the end of fiscal year 2012.

 

C-17s have provided airlift capability to U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan and Iraq and deployed on every major humanitarian mission in the past decade.

"Boeing's support for the C-17 doesn’t stop when the aircraft is delivered but continues through the C-17 Globemaster III Sustainment Partnership (GSP)," said Gus Urzua, Boeing C-17 GSP vice president. "The GSP 'virtual fleet' arrangement ensures mission readiness by providing all C-17 customers with access to an extensive support network for worldwide parts availability and economies of scale when purchasing materials."

 

A tactical and strategic airlifter, the C-17 can land combat-ready troops in remote locations or airdrop them directly where needed. The C-17’s ability to back up allows it to operate on narrow taxiways and congested ramps. With a maximum payload of 164,900 pounds (74,797 kg), the C-17 can take off and land in 3,000 feet (914.4 m) or less.

 

Boeing has delivered 233 C-17s worldwide, including 22 to international customers. The U.S. Air Force -- including active duty, National Guard and Air Force Reserve units -- has taken delivery of 211 C-17s. Other customers include the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force, the Qatar Emiri Air Force, the Canadian Forces, the Royal Australian Air Force, the 12-member Strategic Airlift Capability initiative of NATO and Partnership for Peace nations, and the United Arab Emirates Air Force and Air Defence. In June, India's Ministry of Defence signed an agreement with the U.S. government to acquire 10 C-17s that will be delivered in 2013-2014.

Lineage

Established as 445 Fighter-Bomber Wing on 24 Jun 1952. Activated in the Reserve on 8 Jul 1952. Redesignated: 445 Troop Carrier Wing, Medium on 6 Sep 1957; 445 Troop Carrier Wing, Assault on 25 Sep 1958. Ordered to Active Service on 28 Oct 1962. Relieved from Active Duty on 28 Nov 1962. Redesignated: 445 Troop Carrier Wing, Heavy on 1 Oct 1965; 445 Air Transport Wing, Heavy on 1 Dec 1965; 445 Military Airlift Wing on 1 Jan 1966. Ordered to Active Service on 26 Jan 1968. Relieved from Active Duty on 1 Jun 1969. Inactivated on 29 Jun 1971. Redesignated 445 Military Airlift Wing (Associate) on 29 Jan 1973. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Jul 1973. Redesignated: 445 Airlift Wing (Associate) on 1 Feb 1992; 445 Airlift Wing on 1 Apr 1993. Inactivated on 1 May 1994. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Oct 1994.

Assignments

First Air Force, 8 Jul 1952; Fourteenth Air Force, 16 Nov 1957; Third Air Force Reserve Region, 15 Jul 1960; Ninth Air Force, 28 Oct 1962; Third Air Force Reserve Region, 28 Nov 1962; Twenty-First Air Force, 26 Jan 1968; Third Air Force Reserve Region, 2 Jun 1969; Eastern Air Force Reserve Region, 31 Dec 1969-29 Jun 1971. Western Air Force Reserve Region, 1 Jul 1973; Fourth Air Force, 8 Oct 1976-1 May 1994. Twenty-Second Air Force, 1 Oct 1994; Fourth Air Force, 1 Apr 1997-.

Components

Groups. 445 Fighter-Bomber (later, 445 Troop Carrier; 445 Operations): 8 Jul 1952-25 Sep 1958; 1 Aug 1992-1 May 1994; 1 Oct 1994-. 904: 26 Jan 1968-1 Jun 1969. 915: 1 Dec 1965-26 Jan 1968;1 Sep 1969-21 Apr 1971 (detached 1-21 Apr 1971). 918: 11 Feb 1963-21 Apr 1971 (detached 1-21 Apr 1971). 919: 11 Feb 1963-15 Dec 1965. 920: 11 Feb 1963-15 Dec 1965. 943: 1 Feb 1992-30 Jun 1993.

Squadrons. 76: 1 Oct 1961-27 Aug 1962. 336: attached 15 Aug 1968-1 Jun 1969. 700: attached 16 Nov 1957-24 Sep 1958, assigned 25 Sep 1958-11 Feb 1963; attached 15 Aug 1968-1 Jun 1969. 701: 25 Sep 1958-11 Feb 1963 (detached). 702: 25 Sep 1958-11 Feb 1963 (detached). 728: 1 Jul 1973-1 Jan 1992. 729: 1 Jul 1973-1 Aug 1992. 730: 1 Jul 1973-1 Aug 1992.

Stations

Buffalo, NY, 8 Jul 1952; Niagara Falls Muni Aprt, NY, 15 Jun 1955; Dobbins AFB, GA, 16 Nov 1957-29 Jun 1971. Norton AFB, CA, 1 Jul 1973; March AFB, CA, 1 Jul 1993-1 May 1994. Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, 1 Oct 1994-. 

Aircraft

Primarily T-6, 1952-1955; F-51, 1953-1954; F-80, 1953-1956; F-84, 1955-1957; C-119, 1957, 1957-1959, 1961-1962, 1965-1966; C-123, 1958-1965; and C-124, 1965-1971; but also included C-46, 1952-1956, 1957-1958; TF-51, 1953-1954; TF-80, 1953-1956; T-33, 1953-1957; T-28, 1954-1956; C-45, 1955-1957, 1957-1960; TC-47, 1956-1957, 1957-1958; F-86, 1957-1958; C-47, 1959-1968, 1969-1971; U-3, 1961-1965, 1970-1971; VC-117, 1966-1968; C-117, 1969-1970; VC-47, 1969-1970; HU-16, 1969-1971, and T/VT-29, C-1970-1971. C-41, 1973-1994; C-130, 1992-1993. C-141, 1994-.  

Operations

Trained as an Air Force Reserve organization to maintain operational proficiency as a fighter-bomber unit, 1952-1956, and as a troop carrier (later military airlift) unit, 1956-1971. On active duty during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962 and during the period of international tension following the Pueblo incident, 1968-1969. Components of the wing were collocated in New York until Nov 1957. From Nov 1957 to Jun 1971 the wing operated primarily from a base in northern Georgia, but with many of its tactical and support components based in other states. Not operational, 1 Apr-29 Jun 1971. In Jul 1973, replaced the 944th Military Airlift Group at Norton AFB. Until 1993, associated with the 63d Military Airlift Wing of the regular establishment, whose C-141s were flown and maintained in part by Reserve personnel. Participated in airlift missions worldwide, including many humanitarian airlift missions. Airlifted troops and equipment to Panama, Dec 1989-Jan 1990. Participated in the redeployment from Panama of the 82d Airborne Division, airdropping the paratroops at Ft Bragg, NC. Deployed aircrews and support personnel to support Desert Shield/Desert Storm, from Aug 1990 to mid-1991. On 1 Apr 1993, began to gain the C-141s of the 63d Wing, which was in the process of phasing down for inactivation. On 1 Jul 1993, the 445th officially moved to March AFB, although the wing's C-141s and aircrews moved on 14 Aug. Apparently on 1 Apr 1994 the wing's personnel and aircraft were absorbed by the 452d Air Mobility Wing at March AFB prior to inactivation. From 1 Oct 1994, the wing trained for and flew strategic airlift missions worldwide. It supported contingency and humanitarian operations and training exercises, and helped test and calibrate the laser detection and ranging system (LADAR).

Honors

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. None.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. Panama, 1989-1990.

Decorations. Air Force Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 26 Jan 1968-31 Mar 1969; 1 Jan-31 Dec 1983; 1 Sep 1985-31 Aug 1987. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Apr 1966-29 Jun 1971.

Bestowed Honors. Authorized to display honors earned by the 445th Operations Group prior to 8 Jul 1952.

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Gotha, Germany, 24 Feb 1944. French Croix de Guerre with Palm. 

Emblem

Approved on 10 Feb 1960

Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 20 Aug 2001