817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron

817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron
Members of the 8th Airlift Squadron are welcomed home as they return from a 60-day deployment to Southwest Asia, April 5, 2013, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The Airmen were deployed as the 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Active	1943-1966; 2002-2014
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Engagements	World War II - EAME Theater Korean War Afghanistan Campaign Iraq Campaign
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation (2x) Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (3x)
Insignia
Emblem of the 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron

The 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron (817 EAS) is a provisional United States Air Force unit. It is currently engaged in combat operations in Southwest Asia. It was inactivated in 2014, however it can be re-activated at any time.

During World War II as the 817th Bombardment Squadron, it was one of the last B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber squadrons deployed to Southern Italy as part of the Fifteenth Air Force 483d Bombardment Group in March 1944.

The 817 EAS was equipped with McDonnell Douglas C-17 Globemaster III transports and supports Coalition forces engaging in combat operations as part of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, and also operates in the Horn of Africa.

The mission of the 817h EAS is to provide global strategic airlift, airdrop, aeromedical evacuation and humanitarian relief, to create an air bridge for personnel, equipment and supplies throughout their assigned areas of responsibility.

Established in late 1943 as a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombardment squadron, trained under Third Air Force in Florida. Was deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO), being assigned to Fifteenth Air Force in Southern Italy. Engaged in long-range strategic bombardment of enemy military, industrial and transport targets, including oil refineries and production oilfields in Italy, France, southern Germany. Austria and the Balkans. Continued strategic bombardment until German capitulation in May 1945.

After V-E Day, was assigned to Air Transport Command (ATC) Green Project which was the movement of troops from Pisa Airfield staging area in Morocco. B-17s were dearmed with flooring and seats for 25 passengers installed. Crew consisted of Pilot, Co-Pilot, Navigator and Flight Engineer. Carried passengers from Pisa to Port Lyautey Airfield, French Morocco where ATC transports moved them across the Atlantic or to Dakar for movement via South Atlantic Transport Route. Inactivated in Italy in September 1945.