436th Airlift Wing The 436th Airlift Wing ( 436 AW ) is an active United States Air Force unit . It is assigned to the Air Mobility Command Eighteenth Air Force , and is based at Dover Air Force Base , Delaware . Known as the " Eagle Wing " , the 436 AW consists of the operations , logistics , support , and medical groups ; in addition to 12 divisions and two detachments . The wing has over 4 , 000 active - duty military and civilian employees . The wing ' s C - 5 Galaxy and C - 17 Globemaster III aircraft provides 25 percent of the nation ' s inter - theater airlift capability , providing worldwide movement of outsized cargo and personnel on scheduled , special assignment , exercise and contingency airlift missions . The 436th is the only combat - ready C - 5 Galaxy wing capable of employing airdrop and special operations tactics in support of worldwide airlift . The wing routinely flies airlift missions throughout the world projecting global reach to more than 90 countries on six different continents including Asia , Africa , Australia , Europe , North and South America . Additionally , the Eagle Wing operates the largest and busiest aerial port in the Department of Defense with its passenger terminal moving over 100 , 000 passengers in 1998 . Units . 436th Operations Group ( 436 OG ) 436th Maintenance Group ( 436 MXG ) 436th Mission Support Group ( 436 MSG ) 436th Medical Group ( 436 MDG ) Additionally , the 436th Comptroller Squadron ( 436 CPTS ) reports directly to the wing staff . History . Cold War . The wing was activated as a Reserve troop carrier wing in June 1949 , and until April 1951 , trained under the supervision of the 2236th Air Force Reserve Training Center , and again during May 1955 - November 1957 , under supervision of the 2230th Air Reserve Flying Center . In between , ordered to active service and inactivated almost immediately , personnel serving as fillers for other USAF units during the Korean War . In January 1966 the 436th was called to active duty and replaced the 1607th Air Transport Wing in as the host wing at Dover Air Force Base , Delaware when Military Airlift Command replaced the Military Air Transport Service . The wing initially flew strategic airlift missions with propeller - driven C - 124 Globemaster II and C - 133 Cargomaster aircraft . However the C - 124s were replaced by C - 141 Starlifter jet transports in the late 1960s , and the C - 133s were replaced by the C - 5 Galaxy in 1971 . In 1973 , the 436th exchanged their C - 141s with the 437th Military Airlift Wing at Charleston AFB , South Carolina , which sent their C - 5s to Dover , making the 436th an exclusively C - 5 Galaxy wing . During the Vietnam War , the wing flew numerous missions to Southeast Asia , although the wing flew routes worldwide to Europe , the Middle East , and Africa . It participated in joint training with U . S . Army , taking part in numerous tactical exercises in the United States and overseas , particularly in support of NATO . Additionally , it flew worldwide airlift missions , including hauling mail and other high priority cargo , conducting aeromedical evacuation , serving as personnel transport , participating in humanitarian relief , and diplomatic missions . Wing aircrews were also augmented by attached Reserve aircrews from the 512th Airlift Wing . It airlifted personnel and equipment for operations in Grenada , 24 October 1983 – 18 December 1983 ; and Panama , 19 December 1989 – 14 January 1990 . The 436th deployed an Airlift Control Element ( ALCE ) at Tocumen International Airport , Panama on 19 December 1989 . It also provided airlift of personnel and equipment , and logistical support for operations in Southwest Asia , August 1990 - May 1991 . Modern era . In the years since Desert Storm and Military Airlift Command morphing into Air Mobility Command , the 436th has served as the only combat ready C - 5 Galaxy airlift wing capable of airdrop and special operations procedures in support of tactical forces and national objectives . The wing ' s 436th Operations Group , is Air Mobility Command ' s main active - duty heavy - lift organization , flying missions worldwide , and supporting combat operations in Southwest Asia and in Afghanistan . The wing flies special mortuary airlift missions from Iraq and Afghanistan and operated the only joint services mortuary on the East coast since 1991 . Components . Groups Squadrons