POPE ARMY AIRFIELD, N.C -- Retired Airmen from the 317th Troop Carrier Group came to tour Pope AAF, Sept. 6, 2024. During their visit, they recalled fond memories from their time at then Pope Air Force Base.
The 317th TCG Veterans Group meets one to two times a year. For their second 2024 reunion, they came to Pope. The 317th TCG origins go back to Feb. 22, 1942, as part of the Army designated the Army Air Transport Group. In July of 1942, the Army Air Transport Group became the 317th TCG. The mission of the group was to transport personnel and equipment into combat zones. After moving between bases from 1971 to 1993 the 317th CTG served at Pope. The 317th CTG operated in the Vietnam war, intervention in Panama and the Gulf War. The group was then deactivated at Pope AAF in 1993.
“Few things in the military are ‘new,’” said Lt. Col Brian K. Steinke, 43rd Air Mobility Operations Group deputy commander, “While acronyms and organization names may change, it is remarkable how similar the challenges they faced are to the issues we are trying to tackle today.”
In the late 2010s, the 317th CTG was then reactivated at Dyess AFB, TX, as the 317th Airlift Wing.
“The visit to Pope was a nice experience,” said Jim Timmons, 317th Veterans Group member. “The different offices treated us special, and we certainly enjoyed it. We are very grateful for the visit.”
The 317th CTG has been at multiple bases from France to North Carolina. The 317th history is a part of Pope’s history. As the veterans departed the installation, they left with a more holistic view of how Team Pope continues the mission of delivering rapid global mobility.