437th Operations Group The 437th Operations Group ( 437 OG ) is an active United States Air Force unit . It is the flying component of the Twenty - First Air Force 437th Airlift Wing , stationed at Charleston Air Force Base , South Carolina . The unit ' s World War II predecessor unit , the 437th Troop Carrier Group was a C - 47 Skytrain transport unit assigned to Ninth Air Force in Western Europe . During the Normandy campaign , the group released gliders over Cherbourg and carried troops , weapons , ammunition , rations , and other supplies for the 82nd Airborne Division in Operation NEPTUNE . For these actions , the group received a Distinguished Unit Citation . Overview . The 437 OG is responsible for flying the C - 17 Globemaster III jet cargo aircraft , the newest aircraft in the AMC airlift system . Units . The group consists of the following units : History . World War II . From May – December 1943 , the 437th Troop Carrier Group trained with cargo planes in Indiana , Missouri , and North Carolina . In January 1944 , the group deployed to England , where it prepared for the invasion of Nazi - occupied Europe . During the Normandy campaign , the group released gliders over Cherbourg and carried troops , weapon s , ammunition , rations , and other supplies for the 82nd Airborne Division in Operation Neptune . For these actions , the group received a Distinguished Unit Citation . The air echelon deployed to Italy in July 1944 and participated in the Allied invasion of southern France in August 1944 dropping paratroop s of the 1st Airborne Task Force . During Operation Market Garden in September 1944 , the group released gliders carrying troops and equipment for the airborne attack in the occupied Netherlands . In December 1944 , the group re - supplied the 101st Airborne Division in the Bastogne area of Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge . After moving to France in February 1945 , the unit released gliders in support of an American crossing of the Rhine River called Operation Varsity in March 1945 . The 437th continued to supply the offensive forces in April , while also evacuating wounded personnel to rear - zone hospitals . After V - E Day , the group evacuated prisoners of war and displaced persons to relocation centers . The group then returned to the United States and was inactivated . Cold War . Trained as a reserve unit until August 1950 , when it was ordered to active duty because of the outbreak of war in Korea and later moved to Japan in November 1950 . Between December 1950 and June 1952 , the group airlifted ammunition , rations , aircraft parts , gasoline , and other war supplies from Japan to United Nations bases in Korea , while evacuating wounded troops from Korea to hospitals in Japan . During 1951 , the 437th also dropped paratroops and flew re - supply and reinforcement missions in support of the Eighth Army in Korea . Between January – June 1952 , the group transported battlefield replacements and evacuated troops on leave . From June 1952 – November 1957 , the group again served as Reserve training organization flying C - 46s . Modern era . Activated as part of Objective Organization adoption by 437 AW in October 1991 . Assumed control of operational squadrons . Routinely deployed aircraft and aircrews in support of humanitarian and contingency operations in the Balkans , Southwest Asia , Africa , Russia , and provided disaster relief support , 1992 – 2001 . Supported Global War on Terrorism contingencies from October 2001 – .