445th Airlift Wing

445th Airlift Wing. The 445th Airlift Wing is a Air Force Reserve Command unit stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. It operates the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, providing global airlift for Department of Defense missions. The wing's history traces back to its activation as the 445th Bombardment Group during World War II.

History

The wing originated as the 445th Bombardment Group, a B-24 Liberator unit activated in 1943 under Second Air Force. Deploying to the European Theater of Operations, it was assigned to the 2nd Bombardment Division of the Eighth Air Force, operating from RAF Tibenham in England. The group conducted strategic bombing missions against targets such as Berlin, Schweinfurt, and Kassel, and participated in major campaigns including the Big Week offensive and support for the D-Day landings at Normandy. Following Victory in Europe Day, the unit returned to the United States and was inactivated in 1945. It was redesignated the 445th Troop Carrier Wing and activated in the Air Force Reserve in 1947 at Memphis Municipal Airport, flying C-46 Commando and later C-119 Flying Boxcar aircraft before inactivation in 1951 during the Korean War.

Mission and organization

The primary mission is to provide strategic and tactical airlift, executing airdrop, aeromedical evacuation, and special operations support worldwide. As a gaining command unit for Air Mobility Command, it maintains combat-ready aircrews and support personnel for rapid global deployment. The wing is composed of the 445th Operations Group, which includes an airlift squadron and an aeromedical evacuation squadron, and the 445th Maintenance Group, responsible for aircraft servicing. Other subordinate units handle mission support, medical readiness, and logistics functions, ensuring full-spectrum readiness for both peacetime and contingency operations as directed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Aircraft

The wing's current primary aircraft is the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, a four-engine strategic airlifter capable of operating from austere airfields. Historically, the unit has operated numerous aircraft types, beginning with the Consolidated B-24 Liberator during World War II. In the postwar Air Force Reserve, it flew the Curtiss C-46 Commando, the Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar, and the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter. Prior to transitioning to the C-17, the wing operated the McDonnell Douglas C-9 Nightingale for aeromedical evacuation missions and the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, one of the largest military aircraft in the world.

Assignments and bases

The wing is currently assigned to Twenty-Second Air Force and is based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, a location shared with Air Force Materiel Command. Its historical assignments include Second Air Force during initial training and Eighth Air Force for combat operations. Post-war reserve assignments have been under Tactical Air Command, Military Air Transport Service, and Air Mobility Command. Previous home stations include Gowen Field in Idaho, RAF Tibenham in England, Memphis Municipal Airport in Tennessee, Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Georgia, and Norton Air Force Base in California.

Notable operations and incidents

Throughout its service, the unit has participated in every major U.S. conflict since World War II. During the Vietnam War, it provided critical troop carrier and logistics support. In the Gulf War, it airlifted personnel and equipment for Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. Following the September 11 attacks, it supported Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The wing also plays a key role in domestic disaster relief, supporting Federal Emergency Management Agency responses to hurricanes like Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Maria. A notable peacetime incident involved a C-141 Starlifter from the wing that made an emergency landing at Sondrestrom Air Base in Greenland in 1987.

Emblem and lineage

The wing's emblem, approved in 1956, features a blue disc with a stylized phoenix in gold, symbolizing the unit's rebirth in the reserve following its World War II service. The lineage and honors of the 445th Bombardment Group are perpetuated by the current wing, including its World War II campaign streamers and two Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards. Its historical insignia from the European Theater of Operations featured a cartoon "Flying Tiger" design on the B-24 Liberator tails of its assigned squadrons, such as the 700th Bombardment Squadron and the 703rd Bombardment Squadron. Category:Military units and formations in Ohio Category:Air Force Reserve Command wings Category:Military units and formations established in 1943