The 1700th Air Transport Group is an inactive United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 unit. Its last was assigned to the Continental Division, Military Air Transport Service

Military Air Transport Service

The Military Air Transport Service is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command into a single, joint, unified command...

, stationed at Kelly Air Force Base

Kelly Air Force Base

Kelly Field Annex and is a former United States Air Force facility located in San Antonio, Texas. In 2001, the runway and land west of the runway became "Kelly Field Annex" and control of it was transferred to the adjacent Lackland Air Force Base, part of Joint Base San Antonio...

, Texas. It was inactivated on 1 May 1957.

History

Established at Kelly Field after World War II concurrently with the establishment of the Military Air Transport Service Continental Division Headquarters. With Material Command's large aircraft depot maintenance and supply facilities at Kelly, provided worldwide transport of supplies and equipment to all parts of the world. Operated large fleets of C-54s, C-97s and primarily C-124 Globemaster II transports, frequently forming transport squadrons then once trained and equipped would reassign them to new MATS organizations. During the 1950s, the 1700th operated most of the MATS transport aircraft as well as passenger aircraft.

Inactivated in May 1957 when Air Force Logistics Command became controlling organization at Kelly AFB, and MATS realigned its organization to focus more on overseas transports and the inactivation of its Continental Division.

Lineage

• Established as: 5th Air Transport Group (Provisional), 12 Jun 1947

Disestablished on 1 Jun 1948

• Established as: 518th Air Transport Group, 1 Jun 1948

Redesignated: 1700th Air Transport Group, 1 Oct 1948

Inactivated on 1 May 1957

Assignments

• Domestic Wing, Air Transport Service, 12 Jun 1947 – 1 Jun 1948; 1 Jun 1948
• Continental Division, Military Air Transport Service
  Military Air Transport Service
  The Military Air Transport Service is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command into a single, joint, unified command...
  
  , 1 Jul 1948 – 1 May 1957

Components

• 33d Air Transport Squadron (Provisional), 12 June 1947 – 28 Jun 1948 (C-54)

• 34th Air Transport Squadron (Provisional), 12 June 1947 – 28 Jun 1948 (C-54)

Activated 10th Air Transport Squadron Assuming assets of 34th ATS(P), 1 Jun 1948 (C-54)

Redesignated 1734th Air Transport Squadron, 1 Oct 1948 – 18 Sep 1953 (C-97)

• 51st Air Transport Squadron (Provisional), 12 June 1947 – 1 Jun 1948 (C-54)

Activated 8th Air Transport Squadron, Assuming assets of 51st ATS(P), 1 Jun 1948 (C-54)

Redesignated 1255th Air Transport Squadron, 1 Oct 1948 – 23 Apr 1949 (C-54)

• 52d Air Transport Squadron (Provisional), 12 June 1947 – 1 Jun 1948 (C-54)

Activated 9th Air Transport Squadron, Assuming assets of 52d ATS(P), 1 Jun 1948 (C-54)

Redesignated 1256th Air Transport Squadron, 1 Oct 1948 – 20 Jul 1952 (C-97)

Activated 57th Air Transport Squadron, Assuming assets of 1256th ATS, 20 Jul 1952 – 1 May 1957 (C-124)

• 1274th Air Transport Squadron, 25 Oct 1949 – 1 Aug 1952 (C-97)

• 1262d Air Transport Squadron, 24 May 1950 – 20 Jul 1952 (C-97)

Activated 55th Air Transport Squadron, Assuming assets of 1262d ATS, 20 Jul 1952 – 20 Oct 1953 (C-124)

• 1275th Air Transport Squadron, 24 May 1950 – 20 Jul 1952 (C-97)

Activated 56th Air Transport Squadron, Assuming assets of 1275th ATS, 20 Jul 1952 – 25 Mar 1954 (C-124)

• 1280th Air Transport Squadron, 24 Oct 1951 (C-124)

Redesignated 1286th Air transport Squadron, 7 Mar 1952 – 20 Jul 1952 (C-124)

Activated 58th Air Transport Squadorn, Assuming assets of 1286th ATS, 20 Jul 1952 – 30 Jun 1955 (C-124)

• 1291st Air Transport Squadron, 24 Jul 1951 (C-124)

Redesignated 1289th Air transport Squadron, 7 Mar 1952 – 20 Jul 1952 (C-124)

Activated 76th Air Transport Squadron, Assuming assets of 1289th ATS, 20 Jul 1952 – 1 Feb 1956 (C-124)

• 78th Air Transport Squadorn, 14 Jul 1953 – 1 Jul 1955 (C-124)
• 46th Air Transport Squadron, 18 Jul 1954 – 8 Apr 1956 (C-119)

Aircraft

• C-54 Skymaster
  C-54 Skymaster
  The Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces and British forces in World War II and the Korean War. Besides transport of cargo, it also carried presidents, British heads of government, and military staff...
  
  , 1947–1948
• C-97 Stratofreighter
  C-97 Stratofreighter
  The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter was a long range heavy military cargo aircraft based on the B-29 bomber. Design work began in 1942, with the prototype's first flight being on 9 November 1944, and the first production aircraft entered service in 1947. Between 1947 and 1958, 888 C-97s in several...
  
  , 1948–1952
• C-124 Globemaster II
  C-124 Globemaster II
  The Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, nicknamed "Old Shakey", was a heavy-lift cargo aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, California....
  
  , 1952–1957
• C-118 Liftmaster, 1954–1956