17th Aero Squadron, History, RAF combat operations, Soncamp
As the army kept moving forward, the line changed from day to day. The army was battling on the Canal du Nord, the Hindenburg Line, the Canal de l'Escaut and Cambrai. The 17th was in combat each and every day during the battle there, carrying out bombing missions and strafing enemy forces on the ground from low-level. As the Battle for Cambrai progressed, the squadron's patrols would attack large formations of enemy Fokkers by ambushing them in the clouds, or bait them by trying to pull them over friendly territory.


17th Aero Squadron, History, RAF combat operations, Soncamp
The Germans also did the same to the squadron, as the German pilots were very aggressive and frequently the squadron wound up in air-to-air combat with them. The enemy were very good pilots and, as the squadron found out later, were one of the most famous of the German organizations and well known for their exploits on other fronts. On 24 September a formation of fourteen 17th aircraft saw, rather far off, an enemy formation of thirteen. A short while later two enemy two-seater observation planes were spotted and several of the squadron's aircraft dived down on them.


17th Aero Squadron, History, RAF combat operations, Soncamp
However, it turned out they were 'bait' as shortly afterwards, a formation of sixteen Fokkers dived down on them without warning, while another flight of enemy aircraft waited for their best moment to pounce on the rest of the squadron. Four of the 17th's aircraft had their guns jam, however, ten others attacked the enemy and shot down five and another was driven out of control with no losses. Later, the 148th attacked the same flight of Fokkers, or what remained of them and shot down six more enemy aircraft.


17th Aero Squadron, History, RAF combat operations, Soncamp
During the greater part of October, the squadron brought "great discomfort" to the enemy in many ways, and broke up the organization of his retreat towards the German frontier in spite of low clouds and a drizzling rain on many days. The squadron reported much materiel to British Intelligence which made it possible for ground units to attack in his weakest spots.


17th Aero Squadron, History, RAF combat operations, Transfer to the AEF
On 25 October, the squadron was again ordered to prepare itself to move. Estourmel was selected as an Advanced Landing Ground and Exnes as the site of a new Aerodrome. However, new orders were received that the squadron was to "go south" which meant being transferred to the American sector and joining the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). The news had a mixed reception, as the squadron wanted naturally to join its own forces, however, the squadron had been quite happy fighting with the RAF forces and learned their game and how to play it well.


17th Aero Squadron, History, RAF combat operations, Transfer to the AEF
The order came to turn in all British supplies and prepare to depart. This included the squadron's Sopwith Camels, as the squadron would be re-equipped by the AEF. RAF Major General Charles Longcroft, flew over in his Camel and assembled the entire squadron in a hangar. He walked the ranks and spoke to many of the men and asked what their work had been in America and what they did as part of the squadron.


17th Aero Squadron, History, RAF combat operations, Transfer to the AEF
He then read to all a letter from General Julian Byng, commander of the British Third Army expressing to the squadron his sincere appreciation for their excellent and hard work. The moment was impressive. Afterward, General Longcroft came to the Officer's mess and thanked each and every pilot and officer for their efforts in behalf of the Royal Air Force.


17th Aero Squadron, History, RAF combat operations, Transfer to the AEF
On 1 November the squadron entrained on the railhead at Saulty, proceeding on the long trip to Toul in the American Sector. On its arrival, the 17th Aero Squadron was assigned to the 4th Pursuit Group and was assigned to Croix de Metz Aerodrome on the north side of the city. The AEF assigned French SPAD S.XI aircraft to the squadron, but before the squadron was fully organized, the armistice with Germany was signed on 11 November and active operations by the squadron ended.


17th Aero Squadron, History, RAF combat operations, Demobilization
On 12 December 1918 orders were received from First Army for the squadron to report to the 1st Air Depot, Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome to turn in all of its supplies and equipment and was relieved from duty with the AEF. The squadron's SPAD aircraft were delivered to the American Air Service Acceptance Park No. 1 at Orly Aerodrome to be returned to the French. There practically all of the pilots and observers were detached from the squadron.


17th Aero Squadron, History, RAF combat operations, Demobilization
Personnel at Colombey were subsequently assigned to the commanding general, services of supply, and ordered to report to the staging camp at Nantes, France on 15 January 1919. There, personnel awaited scheduling to report to one of the base ports in France for transport to the United States. When the unit arrived back in New York City at the end of March, the 17th Aero Squadron demobilized.


17th Aero Squadron, History, Notable personnel
US DSC: Distinguished Service Cross; British DFC: Distinguished Flying Cross; US Silver Star Citation: Silver Star Citation; KIA: Killed in Action; POW: Prisoner of War


17th Air Army
The 17th Air Army (Russian: 17-я воздушная армия) was an Air army of the Red Air Force and Soviet Air Forces from 1942.


17th Air Army, World War II
It was formed in October (Bonn et al. : November) 1942 on the basis of the Air Forces of the Southwestern Front. Bonn et al. say that it included a mixed air corps, two fighter, one ground-attack, one bomber, and one night bomber division.


17th Air Army, World War II
It immediately took part in the Battle of Stalingrad. On 19 November 1942 during the battle of Stalingrad it was under the command of General Major Stepan Krasovsky.


17th Air Army, World War II
On 1 April 1943, as part of the Southwestern Front, it comprised the


17th Air Army, World War II
From March 1943 until the end of the war Vladimir Sudets commanded the 17th Air Army. From 1943-45 it participated in the Ostrogozhsk–Rossosh Offensive, Left and Right Bank Ukraine operations, and the capture of Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Hungary, and Austria. Over 200,000 sorties were flown.


17th Air Army, Post War Reorganization
The 39th Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment was transferred to Samarkand and the 6th Air Army in 1947.


17th Air Army, Post War Reorganization
Air Force Colonel General Sergey Goryunov was commander of 17th Air Army between 1946 and 1949.


17th Air Army, Post War Reorganization
In February 1949 it was redesignated the 69th Air Army. In April 1964 the 69th Air Army became the Air Forces of the Kiev Military District. In April 1968 the Air Forces of the Kiev Military District became the 69th Air Army once more. In April 1972 the 69th Air Army was redesignated the 17th Air Army. In June 1980 the 17th Air Army became the Air Forces of the Kiev Military District. In May 1988 the Air Forces of the Kiev Military District became the 17th Air Army.


17th Air Army, Post War Reorganization
In 1992 the air army became part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; by 1996 it appears to have been dissolved.


17th Air Army, Order of battle 1970
The 138th Fighter Aviation Division joined the 24th Air Army VGK in 1980.


17th Air Army, Order of battle late 1980s
In the late 1980s its headquarters was at Kiev. This order of battle is a composite; aircraft numbers are from Vad777 and virtually all other information is from Michael Holm, with some material from Feskov et al.


17th Air Army, Order of battle late 1980s
Lugansk Higher Military Aviation School of Navigators (Луганское ВВАУШ/Lugansk VVAUSh)


17th Air Army, Order of battle late 1980s
Kharkhov Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots (Харьковское ВВАУЛ/Kharkov VVAUL)


17th Air Army, Order of battle late 1980s
Chernigov Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots (Черниговское ВВАУЛ/Chernigov VVAUL)


17th Air Division
The 17th Air Division (17th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Pacific Air Forces, stationed at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield, Thailand. It was inactivated on 1 January 1976.


17th Air Division, History
It was activated as the 17th Bombardment Wing on 18 December 1940, and assigned to Southeast Air District to carry out bombardment training. Apparently never had sufficient personnel to carry out effectively its mission. Inactivated on 3 September 1941.


17th Air Division, History
Reactivated as part of Second Air Force in June 1942 as the 17th Bombardment Training Wing. Was the primary training command organization for USAAF heavy bombardment (B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator) heavy groups during World War II from June 1942 until May 1944. Initially, it controlled the third phase of training, in which each bombardment group split into tactical components and operated from squadron sized airfields under simulated combat conditions. Later, the 17th supervised the first and second phases of heavy bombardment group and crew training.


17th Air Division, History
In 1943 assumed mission for training B-29 Superfortress Very Heavy bombardment groups prior to their deployment to Twentieth Air Force in the Pacific Theater until April 1946 when it ceased all activity. It also exercised limited supervision over the training of the XXI and XXII Bomber Commands during 1944.


17th Air Division, History, Strategic Air Command
Reactivated an intermediate command echelon of Strategic Air Command in 1959, it gained control of the 340th and the 305th Bombardment Wings at Bunker Hill AFB, Indiana, and the 4040th Air Base Squadron at Richard I. Bong AFB, Wisconsin in 1959. The two bombardment wings flew normal SAC alert patrols and participated in special exercises as required. However, the division lost its bombardment wings and gained missile wings in 1963 and assumed responsibility for Titan and Minuteman missiles in Missouri, Kansas, and later Arkansas.


17th Air Division, History, Strategic Air Command
When joined by the 70th Bombardment Wing, on 1 July 1965 with B-52 and KC-135 aircraft, the division reverted to an earlier designation – 17th Strategic Aerospace Division. From 1965 to 1971, the division's subordinate units frequently deployed bomber and tanker resources. Arc Light operations in Southeast Asia, consisting of military operations against enemy forces in Vietnam, drew most of the deployments.


17th Air Division, History, Pacific Air Forces
From 1 July 1975 to 1 January 1976 as part of Pacific Air Forces, it maintained an effective training program for United States Air Force tactical units in Thailand. Inactivated as part of the USAF phaseout of activities in Thailand after the end of the Vietnam War.


17th Air Division, References, Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website .


17th Airborne Division (United States)
The 17th Airborne Division was an airborne infantry division of the United States Army during World War II, commanded by Major General William M. Miley.


17th Airborne Division (United States)
It was officially activated as an airborne division in April 1943 but was not immediately sent to a combat theater, remaining in the United States to complete its training. During this training process, the division took part in several training exercises, including the Knollwood Maneuver, in which it played a vital part in ensuring that the airborne division remained as a military formation in the U.S. Army. As such it did not take part in the first two large-scale airborne operations conducted by the Allies, Operation Husky and Operation Neptune, transferring to Britain only after the end of Operation Overlord.


17th Airborne Division (United States)
When the division arrived in Britain, it came under the command of Maj. Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway's XVIII Airborne Corps, a part of Maj. Gen. Lewis H. Brereton's First Allied Airborne Army, but was not chosen to participate in Operation Market Garden, the airborne landings in the Netherlands, as Allied planners believed it had arrived too late and could not be "trained up" in time for the operation. However, after the end of Operation Market Garden the division was shipped to France and then Belgium to fight in the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge.


17th Airborne Division (United States)
The 17th gained its first Medal of Honor during its time fighting in the Ardennes, and was then withdrawn to Luxembourg to prepare for an assault over the River Rhine. In March 1945, the division participated in its first, and only, airborne operation, dropping alongside the British 6th Airborne Division as a part of Operation Varsity, where it gained three more Medals of Honor. The division then advanced through Northern Germany until the end of World War II, when it briefly undertook occupation duties in Germany before shipping back to the United States. There, it was officially inactivated in September 1945, although it was briefly reactivated as a training division between 1948 and 1949.


17th Airborne Division (United States), Formation
The German Armed Forces pioneered the use of large-scale airborne formations, first during the invasion of Norway and Denmark and later that year during the assaults on the Netherlands and Belgium in 1940 and later in the Battle of Crete in 1941. The Allied governments were aware of the success of these operations (but not of the heavy German casualties incurred, particularly during the assault on the Netherlands and the invasion of Crete) and decided to form their own airborne formations.


17th Airborne Division (United States), Formation
This decision would eventually lead to the creation of five American and two British airborne divisions, as well as many smaller units. The 17th Airborne Division was activated on 15 April 1943 at Camp Mackall in North Carolina, under the command of the newly promoted Major General William Miley. The division was originally composed of the 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment, activated on 11 January 1943 at Fort Benning, the 193rd Glider Infantry Regiment, and the 194th Glider Infantry Regiment. The official dedication ceremony for the unit took place on 1 May 1943, with thousands of civilian and military spectators, including Major General Eldridge G. Chapman, overall commander of Airborne Command and of all American airborne forces during World War II.


17th Airborne Division (United States), Formation
Once activated, the division remained in the United States for training and exercises. As the division, like all airborne units, was intended to be an elite formation, the training regime was extremely arduous. There were 250 feet (76 m) and 34 feet (10 m) towers built from which prospective airborne troops would jump off of to simulate landing by parachute, lengthy forced marches and practice jumps from transport aircraft; to pause in the doorway of an aircraft during a practice jump resulted in an automatic failure for the candidate.


17th Airborne Division (United States), Formation
The resultant failure rate was accordingly high, but there was never a shortage of candidates, especially for the American divisions, as the rate of pay was much higher than that of an ordinary infantryman. As the division trained, a debate developed in the U.S. Army over whether the best use of airborne forces was en masse or as small compact units. On 9 July 1943, the first large-scale Allied airborne operation–the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky)–was carried out by elements of the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division and the British 1st Airborne Division.


17th Airborne Division (United States), Formation
The Commanding General (CG) of the U.S. 11th Airborne Division, Major General Joseph May Swing, had been temporarily assigned to act as airborne advisor to General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander in the Mediterranean, for the invasion of Sicily, and had observed the airborne assault, which went badly. The U.S. 82nd Airborne Division had been deployed by both parachute and glider and had suffered high casualties, leading to a perception that it had failed to achieve many of its objectives.


17th Airborne Division (United States), Formation, Swing Board
General Eisenhower had reviewed the airborne role in Operation Husky, and had concluded that large-scale formations were too difficult to control in combat to be practical. Lieutenant General Lesley J. McNair, commander of Army Ground Forces, had similar misgivings: once an airborne supporter, he had been greatly disappointed by their performance in North Africa and, more recently, Sicily. However, other high-ranking officers believed otherwise, notably the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, George Marshall.


17th Airborne Division (United States), Formation, Swing Board
He persuaded Eisenhower to set up a review board and to withhold judgement on the effectiveness of divisional-sized airborne forces until a large-scale maneuver could be tried in December. When Swing returned to the United States to resume command of the 11th Airborne Division in mid-September 1943, he had an additional role. McNair ordered him to form a committee–the Swing Board–composed of U.S. Army Air Forces, parachute and glider infantry, and artillery officers to arrange a large-scale maneuver that would effectively decide the fate of the divisional-sized airborne force.


17th Airborne Division (United States), Formation, Swing Board
As the 11th Airborne Division was in reserve in the United States, and had not yet been earmarked for overseas shipment, the Swing Board chose it as the test formation; it would be opposed by a composite combat team from the 17th Airborne Division with a battalion from the 541st Parachute Infantry Regiment temporarily attached. The maneuver would also provide both divisions with further airborne training, as had occurred several months previously in a large-scale maneuver undertaken by the 82nd and the 101st Airborne Divisions.


17th Airborne Division (United States), Formation, Swing Board
–The conclusion of General Eisenhower's review of the performance of American airborne forces during Operation Husky


17th Airborne Division (United States), Formation, Knollwood Maneuver
The objective for the 11th as the attacking force was to capture Knollwood Army Auxiliary Airfield near Fort Bragg in North Carolina, after which the maneuver was named. The defending forces were to try to defend the airport and the surrounding area and repel the airborne assault. The entire operation would be observed by Lieutenant General McNair. His observations and reports to the U.S. War Department, and ultimately General Eisenhower, would do much to decide the success or failure of the exercise.


17th Airborne Division (United States), Formation, Knollwood Maneuver
The Knollwood Maneuver took place on the night of 7 December, with the troops of the 11th Airborne Division being delivered to thirteen separate objectives by 200 C-47 Dakota transport aircraft and 234 Waco CG-4A gliders, with eighty-five percent of the airborne troops being delivered to their target without navigational error. The transport aircraft were divided into four groups, each taking off from a different airfield in the Carolinas, with two groups dropping paratroopers and two towing gliders, and between them deployed 4,800 airborne troops in the first wave.


17th Airborne Division (United States), Formation, Knollwood Maneuver
These airborne troops then seized the Knollwood Army Auxiliary Airfield from the defending troops and secured the area in which the rest of the division landed, all before daylight. Having secured their initial objectives, the 11th Airborne Division then conducted a coordinated ground attack against a reinforced infantry regiment, as well as several aerial resupply and casualty evacuation missions in coordination with transport aircraft. The exercise was judged to be a great success by those who observed it.


17th Airborne Division (United States), Formation, Knollwood Maneuver
McNair reported that the success of the maneuver pleased him, and highlighted the great improvements in airborne training that had occurred in the months between the end of Operation Husky and the Knollwood Maneuver. Due to the success of the units of the 11th Airborne Division during the exercise, the divisional-sized airborne force was deemed to be effective and was allowed by Eisenhower to remain.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II
The division also participated in the Second Army maneuvers in the Tennessee Maneuver Area from 6 February 1944. It finished its training on 27 March 1944, and transferred to Camp Forrest on 24 March 1944. The division staged at Camp Myles Standish on 12 August 1944 before departing Boston Port of Embarkation on 20 August 1944. The 17th Airborne Division arrived in the United Kingdom on 26 August.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II
Once in Britain the division was attached to U.S. XVIII Airborne Corps, under Major General Matthew Ridgway, which commanded all American airborne formations, and which in turn became part of the First Allied Airborne Army when it was formed on 21 August, under the command of Lieutenant General Lewis H. Brereton. Although attached to XVIII Airborne Corps, the division was not chosen to participate in Operation Market Garden, a large-scale airborne operation intended to seize several bridges through the Netherlands to allow the Allied armies to bypass the Rhine river and enter Germany.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II
The 17th was passed over in favour of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions because it had only recently arrived in the European Theater and was considered to be unprepared logistically as it was still collecting its combat equipment. The division, now with Colonel Edson Raff's 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment under command–a veteran unit which had fought in Normandy under command of the 82nd Airborne Division–remained in England as a theater reserve during Market Garden and its aftermath, as the Allied armies continued their advance towards Germany.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Battle of the Bulge
On 16 December 1944 the Wehrmacht launched an offensive in the Ardennes region of Belgium, breaking through Allied lines and rapidly advancing towards Antwerp. On the afternoon of 17 December, General Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander, decided to commit his theater reserve to the Ardennes in an attempt to halt the German advance; this consisted of the 17th, 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions under the control of XVIII Airborne Corps. The three divisions were to be attached to Courtney Hodges's U.S. First Army and were ordered to concentrate around the town of St Vith.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Battle of the Bulge
However, while the other two airborne divisions were able to immediately make their way to the Ardennes as they were already stationed in France, bad weather prevented the 17th from flying in from where the division was stationed in Britain for several days. On 23 December the weather cleared and the division was finally flown to France by emergency night flights. It moved to an assembly area near Rheims. On Christmas Day, the division was attached to George Patton's U.S. Third Army and ordered to assume a thirty-mile long defensive position that ran along the Meuse River near Charleville.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Battle of the Bulge
By 1 January 1945 the threat to Charleville had eased sufficiently for the division to be transferred to another area of the Ardennes, being transported to an area south-west of Bastogne near the village of Morhet on 3 January; there it relieved the 11th Armored Division which had occupied the village prior to its arrival.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Battle of the Bulge
On 4 January the division entered combat for the first time when it was ordered alongside the 87th Infantry Division to seize a number of key towns to the west of Bastogne, in order to prevent German forces from encircling the town a second time; it had been relieved by the Third Army on 26 December. With the 87th Infantry Division on its left flank, the division advanced towards German positions with the 194th


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Battle of the Bulge
Glider Infantry Regiment and 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment forming the division's assault element; the 193rd Glider Infantry Regiment and the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment moved behind these two regiments to deal with expected German armoured counter-attacks against them. During its initial advance the division engaged German forces, including infantry and armour, in an attempt to secure a narrow, high-rimmed road to the north-west of Bastogne; during a battle that lasted three days the division suffered nearly 1,000 casualties attempting to hold what the division's official historian labeled 'Dead Man's Ridge'.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Battle of the Bulge
It was during the opening stages of this battle that the division earned its first Medal of Honor. Staff Sergeant Isadore S. Jachman of the 513th Parachute Infantry engaged and damaged with a bazooka two German tanks that formed part of an armoured column attacking American positions, forcing the column to retreat but simultaneously being killed by machine gun fire. Between 19 and 26 January, the division broke through German lines and captured several towns before linking up with elements of the British 51st Infantry Division. After it had captured the town of Espeler on 26 January the entire division was withdrawn from the front and transported by truck to Luxembourg, effectively ending its participation in the Ardennes campaign.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Preparation
After participating in the Battle of the Bulge, the division was moved behind the front-lines as a reserve formation and theater reserve, whilst the Allies continued their advance towards the German interior. However, even as the division received replacements and trained, it had already been selected to take part in a highly ambitious airborne operation code-named Operation Eclipse.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Preparation
This operation, which got to such an advanced stage that plans had been created and divisional commanders briefed, called for the 17th and 82nd Airborne divisions, along with a brigade from the British 6th Airborne Division, to be dropped in daylight in and around Berlin to capture the city. The operation received the support of General Henry H. Arnold, the Chief of the United States Army Air Corps, but planning ended on 28 March, when General Eisenhower sent a message to Joseph Stalin indicating that the Allied armies would not attempt to capture Berlin, thereby making Eclipse obsolete. Eclipse and several other similarly ambitious airborne operations came to nothing, but in February the division finally received word that it would be involved in an Allied airborne operation to cross the River Rhine in support of the Anglo-Canadian 21st Army Group that would take place during March.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Preparation
By March 1945, the Allies had advanced into Germany and had reached the River Rhine. The Rhine was a formidable natural obstacle to the Allied advance, but if breached would allow the Allies to access the North German Plain and ultimately advance on Berlin and other major cities in Northern Germany. Following the 'Broad Front Approach' laid out by General Eisenhower, it was decided to attempt to breach the Rhine in several areas.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Preparation
British Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery, commanding the 21st Army Group, devised a plan to allow the forces under his command to breach the Rhine, which he entitled Operation Plunder, and which was subsequently authorized by Eisenhower. Plunder envisioned the British Second Army, under Lieutenant-General Miles Dempsey and the U.S. Ninth Army under Lieutenant General William Simpson crossing the Rhine at Rees, Wesel, and an area south of the Lippe Canal.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Preparation
To ensure that the operation was a success, Montgomery insisted that an airborne component was inserted into the plans for the operation to support the amphibious assaults that would take place, which was code-named Operation Varsity. Three airborne divisions were initially chosen to take part in Varsity, these being the British 6th Airborne Division, the U.S. 13th Airborne Division and the 17th Airborne Division, all of which were assigned to the U.S. XVIII Airborne Corps.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Preparation
However, as planning for Operation Varsity began, it soon became obvious that there was a lack of suitable transport aircraft to transport all three airborne divisions. As such the 13th Airborne Division was dropped from the operational plan, primarily because it had no combat experience, whereas the 6th Airborne Division had participated in Operation Tonga, the British airborne landings during Operation Neptune, and the 17th had seen combat in the Ardennes. The plan for the operation was therefore altered to accommodate the two remaining airborne divisions.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Preparation
This would be the first airborne operation the 17th would take part in, and indeed would be its only before it was disbanded. The two airborne divisions would be dropped behind German lines, with their objective to land around Wesel and disrupt enemy defences in order to aid the advance of the British Second Army.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Preparation
To achieve this, both divisions would be dropped near the town of Hamminkeln, and were tasked with a number of objectives; they were to seize the Diersfordter Wald, a forest that overlooked the Rhine and had a road linking several towns together; several bridges over a smaller waterway, the Issel, were to be seized to facilitate the advance; and the town of Hamminkeln was to be captured. Once these objectives were taken, the airborne troops would consolidate their positions and await the arrival of Allied ground forces, defending the territory captured against the German forces known to be in the area.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Preparation
The 17th Airborne was to land its units in the southern portion of the area chosen for the operation, engaging the German forces that were defending the area, securing the Diersfordterwald Forest which dominated the surrounding area and capturing three bridges that spanned the River Issel. It would then hold the territory it had captured until it linked up units from the British 6th Airborne Division, which would land in the northern section of the operational area, and finally advance alongside 21st Army Group once the Allied ground forces had made contact with the airborne forces.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Preparation
To avoid heavy casualties such as those incurred by the British 1st Airborne Division during Operation Market Garden, both Allied airborne divisions would be dropped only after Allied ground units had secured crossings over the Rhine; the two divisions would also be dropped only a relatively short distance behind German lines, to ensure that reinforcements would be able to link up with them after only a few hours and they would not be isolated.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Battle
Operation Plunder began at 21:00 on 23 March after a week-long aerial bombardment of Luftwaffe airfields and the German transport system, involving more than ten thousand Allied aircraft. By the early hours of 24 March units of 21st Army Group had crossed the Rhine against heavy German opposition and secured several crossings on the eastern bank of the river. In the first few hours of 24 March, the transport aircraft carrying the two airborne divisions that formed Operation Varsity took off from airbases in England and France and rendezvoused over Brussels, before turning north-east for the Rhine dropping zones.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Battle
The airlift consisted of 541 transport aircraft containing airborne troops, and a further 1,050 troop-carriers towing 1,350 gliders. The 17th Airborne Division consisted of 9,387 personnel, who were transported in 836 C-47 Dakota transports, 72 C-46 Commando transports, and more than 900 Waco CG-4A gliders. At 10:00 on the morning of the 24th, the first Allied airborne units began to land on German soil on the eastern bank of the Rhine, some thirteen hours after the Allied assault had begun.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Battle
The 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, under the command of Colonel Edson Raff, was the lead assault formation for the 17th Airborne Division, and was consequently the first U.S. airborne unit to land as part of Operation Varsity. The entire regiment was meant to be dropped in drop zone W, a clearing two miles north of Wesel; however, excessive ground haze confused the pilots of the transport aircraft carrying the 507th, and as such when the regiment dropped it split into two-halves.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Battle
Colonel Raff and approximately 690 of his paratroopers landed north-west of the drop zone near the town of Diersfordt, with the rest of the regiment successfully landing in drop zone W. The colonel rallied his separated paratroopers and led them to the drop zone, engaging a battery of German artillery en route, killing or capturing the artillery crews before reuniting with the rest of the regiment. By 14:00 the 507th PIR had secured all of its objectives and cleared the area around Diersfordt, having engaged numerous German troops and destroying a German tank.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Battle
The actions of the regiment during the initial landing also gained the division its second Medal of Honor, when Private George J. Peters posthumously received the award after charging a German machine gun nest and eliminating it with rifle fire and grenades, allowing his fellow paratroopers to gather their equipment and capture the regiments first objective.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Battle
The 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment was the second divisional unit to land, and was under the command of Colonel James W. Coutts. En route to the drop zone, the transport aircraft containing the regiment had the misfortune to pass through a belt of German anti-aircraft weapons, losing twenty-two of the C-46 transport aircraft and damaging a further thirty-eight.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Battle
Just as the 507th had, the 513th also suffered from pilot error due to the ground haze, and as such the regiment actually missed their designated drop zone, and were dropped on one of the landing zones designated for the British 6th Airlanding Brigade. However, despite this inaccuracy the paratroopers swiftly rallied and aided the British glider-borne troops who were landing simultaneously, eliminating several German artillery batteries which were covering the area. Once the German troops in the area had been eliminated, a combined force of American and British airborne troops stormed Hamminkeln and secured that town.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Battle
By 14:00, Colonel Coutts reported to the Divisional Headquarters that the 513th had secured all of its objectives, having knocked out two tanks and destroyed two complete regiments of artillery during its assault. During its attempts to secure its objectives, the regiment also gained a third Medal of Honor for the division when Private First Class Stuart S. Stryker posthumously received the award after leading a charge against a German machine gun nest, creating a distraction to allow the rest of his platoon to capture the fortified position the machine gun was situated in.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Battle
The third component of the 17th Airborne Division to take part in the operation was the 194th Glider Infantry Regiment, under the command of Colonel James Pierce. The regiment landed accurately in landing zone S, but their gliders and the aircraft that towed them took heavy casualties; twelve C-47 transports were lost due to anti-aircraft fire, and a further one hundred and forty were damaged by the same fire.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Battle
The regiment landed in the midst of a number of German artillery batteries that were engaging Allied ground forces crossing the Rhine, and as such many of the gliders were engaged by German artillery pieces which had their barrels lowered for direct-fire. However, these artillery batteries and their crews were defeated by the glider-borne troops, and the regiment was soon able to report that its objectives had been secured, having destroyed forty-two artillery pieces, ten tanks, two mobile-flak wagons and five self-propelled guns.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Aftermath
Operation Varsity was a successful large-scale airborne operation. All of the objectives that the airborne troops of the 17th had been tasked with had been captured and held, usually within only a few hours of the operation's beginning. The bridges over the Issel had been successfully captured, although one later had to be destroyed to prevent its capture by counter-attacking German forces. The Diersfordter Forest had been cleared of enemy troops, and the roads along which the Germans might have moved reinforcements against the advance had been cut by airborne troops.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Aftermath
By nightfall of the 24th, the British 15th Infantry Division had joined up with elements of the British 6th Airborne Division, and by midnight the first light bridge was across the Rhine. By the 27th, twelve bridges suitable for heavy armour had been installed over the Rhine and the Allies had fourteen divisions on the east bank of the river which had penetrated up to ten miles. The division also gained its fourth Medal of Honor in the days following Operation Varsity, when Technical Sergeant Clinton Hedrick of the 194th


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Operation Varsity, Aftermath
Glider Infantry Regiment received the award posthumously after aiding in the capture of Lembeck Castle, which had been turned into a fortified position by the Germans. In terms of casualties, the 17th Airborne Division suffered a total of 1,346 casualties in the space of five days, between 24 and 29 March, when Operation Plunder came to an end. After it had participated in Operation Varsity, the 17th Airborne Division continued to advance through Germany as a part of XVIII Airborne Corps, engaging German forces around Wesel, Essen and Münster. When Germany unconditionally surrendered on 7 May 1945, the division was conducting occupation duties in northern Germany.


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Awards
During World War II the division and its members were awarded the following awards:


17th Airborne Division (United States), World War II, Postwar and inactivation
The 17th Airborne Division was relieved of occupation duty on 14 June by British troops, and the division was split up and its component units attached to other airborne divisions, either to the 82nd Airborne Division in Berlin or to the 13th Airborne Division which was preparing to participate in the invasion of Japan. When Japan surrendered, all of the division's units returned to their parent formation and the division moved to Camp Myles Standish in Taunton, Massachusetts, being officially inactivated on 16 September 1945. The formation was reactivated at Camp Pickett, VA, on 6 July 1948 as a training division, but on 19 June 1949 it was permanently inactivated.


17th Airborne Division Artillery
The 17th Airborne Division Artillery is an inactive field artillery unit of the United States Army, active from 1942–1946 and from 1948–1949. The unit served with the 17th Airborne Division in World War II, and saw action in Belgium and Germany, including participating in Operation Varsity. The unit was reactivated again from 1948–1949, but was not deployed.


17th Airborne Raider Infantry Brigade
The 17th Raider Infantry Brigade / Kujang I (abbreviated The 17th Raider Brigade / Kujang I) is a Brigade level unit in the 1st Kostrad Infantry Division, a branch of the Indonesian Army. The Raiders Brigade consists of three battalions:


17th Airborne Raider Infantry Brigade
The unit's Command Headquarters (Mako) "Brigadier Raider 17 / Kujang I" is located in Cijantung, East Jakarta. This brigade was established on May 20, 1966. This unit was previously named the 17th Para Raider Infantry Brigade / Kujang I.


17th Airlift Squadron
The 17th Airlift Squadron was most recently one of four active duty Boeing C-17A Globemaster III units at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina. The squadron was first activated during World War II as the 17th Air Corps Ferrying Squadron, redesignating as the 17th Transport Squadron a few months later. Until disbanding in 1943, it transported cargo and ferried aircraft in the Pacific.


17th Airlift Squadron
The squadron was again activated in 1945 as the 17th Air Transport Squadron in 1954 at Charleston. When Military Air Transport Service became Military Airlift Command, the squadron became the 17th Military Airlift Squadron. The 17th was inactivated in 1969 as the C-124 Globemaster II was retired from active service. The squadron reactivated as a strategic airlift unit in 1987.


17th Airlift Squadron, History, World War II
Constituted 17th Air Corps Ferrying Squadron on 18 February 1942. Activated on 27 April 1942 at Hamilton Field, California flying Curtiss C-46 Commando transporters. Redesignated 17th Transport Squadron on 19 March 1943. Disbanded on 31 October 1943.


17th Airlift Squadron, History, Cold War strategic airlift
Reconstituted, and redesignated 17th Air Transport Squadron, Medium, on 22 March 1954. Activated on 18 Jul 1954 with Douglas C-54 Skymasters at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina. It performed worldwide airlift beginning 1954


17th Airlift Squadron, History, Cold War strategic airlift
Redesignated 17th Air Transport Squadron, Heavy, on 18 June 1958 with Douglas C-124 Globemaster IIs; 17th Military Airlift Squadron on 8 Jan 1966. Inactivated on 8 Apr 1969. It flew missions to Southeast Asia, 1964–1969.


17th Airlift Squadron, History, Jet airlift
Redesignated 17th Airlift Squadron on 1 Oct 1991, flying C-141s. It supported operations in Panama, 18–29 December 1989, and in Southwest Asia, August 1990 – December 1991  It supported operations in Afghanistan, September 2001 – June 2015 and in Iraq, 2003 – June 2015


17th Airlift Squadron, History, Jet airlift
It also supported humanitarian missions, including tsunami relief in India and Sri Lanka; Pakistan earthquake relief; Hurricane Katrina relief in United States; and evacuated American Citizens from Lebanon


17th Airlift Squadron, History, Jet airlift
On 17 January 1995, the 17th Airlift Squadron was declared the first operationally ready C-17 squadron.


17th Airlift Squadron, History, Jet airlift
The 17th was the first unit to set up forward deployed C-17 operations, at the start of Operation Enduring Freedom.


17th Airlift Squadron, History, Jet airlift
The 17th Airlift Squadron recently stepped up to the plate once more and created another expeditionary squadron. For the first time, two C-17 squadrons deployed in forward theater locations, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom. The 817th area of Responsibility split. On 1 June 2006, the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron was created and launched its first crew 15 minutes later.


17th Airlift Squadron, History, Jet airlift
Unlike previous C-17 deployments, this one actually had the squadron itself doing all the flying from "an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia." The 17th helped initiate a whole new concept in C-17 operations in that this was the first time that the airframe was employed like traditional intratheater airlift assets such as the C-12, C-20, C-21 or the C-130. However, unlike traditional tactical airlift assets that are under the direct command of the theater commander, the 817th EAS is headquartered out of theater.


17th Airlift Squadron, History, Jet airlift
The ceremony marking the inactivation of the 17th Airlift Squadron was held on 25 June 2015 at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina.


17th Airlift Squadron, Lineage, Awards and campaigns, Decorations
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 April 1966 – 8 April 1969


17th Airlift Squadron, Lineage, Awards and campaigns, Campaign streamers
Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait


17th Airlift Squadron, References, Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website .


17th Alabama Infantry Regiment
The 17th Alabama Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War.


17th Alabama Infantry Regiment, Service
The 17th Alabama Infantry Regiment was mustered in at Montgomery, Alabama in August 1861 under Colonel Thomas H. Watts. Watts organized the 17th Infantry and led it at Pensacola and Corinth, but resigned as its colonel to serve as the Confederacy's attorney general in President Jefferson Davis' cabinet.


17th Alabama Infantry Regiment, Service
The regiment surrendered at Greensboro, North Carolina in April 1865.


17th Alabama Infantry Regiment, Total strength and casualties
When regiment was organized at Montgomery, Alabama, it took 900 men hailing from Coosa, Lowndes, Montgomery, Pike, Randolph, Monroe, Butler, and Russell counties.


17th Alabama Infantry Regiment, Total strength and casualties
The regiment sustained particularly heavy losses in 1864 after it joined the Army of Tennessee.


17th Alberta Legislature
The 17th Alberta Legislative Assembly was in session from March 2, 1972, to February 14, 1975, with the membership of the assembly determined by the results of the 1971 Alberta general election held on August 30, 1971. The Legislature officially resumed on March 2, 1972, and continued until the fourth session was prorogued and dissolved on February 14, 1975, prior to the 1975 Alberta general election.


17th Alberta Legislature
Alberta's seventeenth government was controlled by the majority Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta for the first time, led by Premier Peter Lougheed. The Official Opposition was led by former Premier Harry Strom of the Social Credit Party, and subsequently James Douglas Henderson and Robert Curtis Clark. The Speaker was Gerard Amerongen who would serve in the role until he was defeated in the 1986 Alberta general election.


17th Alberta Legislature, Fourth session
Energy policy came to the forefront near the end of the fourth session of the Legislature when on January 16 a joint press conference was held by the owners of Syncrude Canada Ltd., a joint venture company created to extract oil from the Athabasca oil sands seeking $1-billion in investment following the withdrawal of Atlantic Richfield or risk the failure of the venture.


17th Alberta Legislature, Fourth session
Debate over the proposed investment Alberta's news with proponents noting the high costs of development, necessity for domestic oil supplies during the recent 1973 oil crisis, and the risk of stalling future development in the oil sands, while opponents felt the ultimatum was tantamount to blackmail. All provincial governments were provided the opportunity to invest in the agreement, and on February 3 the Governments of Ontario, Canada and Alberta met with Shell Oil and the original partners in the consortium.


17th Alberta Legislature, Fourth session
The Winnipeg Agreement was announced the next day, where the Government of Canada would invest $300-million for 15 per cent of Syncrude Canada Ltd., and the Government of Ontario would invest $100-million for 5 per cent equity, and Alberta would invest $200-million for convertible debenture and finance a $200-million power plant for the site. Representatives from Shell Oil stormed out of the meeting after an hour after the concession for a government-guaranteed base price for oil sands production was not provided. Liberal leader Nick Taylor and NDP leader Grant Notley were very critical of the agreement.


17th Ale Kino! Festival
The 17th annual Ale Kino! International Young Audience Film Festival was held from 26 April to 1 May 1999. A number of 43 movies took part.


17th Ale Kino! Festival
The movies were presented in four cinemas in Poznań: Apollo, Olimpia, Muza and Gwiazda.


17th Ale Kino! Festival
The movies were judged by professional and children jury, as well as by International Centre of Films for Children and Young People (CIFEJ).


17th Ali ibn Abi Taleb Division
17th Ali ibn Abi Taleb Division (Persian: لشکر 17 علی ابن ابی طالب) was a division of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps during the Iran–Iraq War. It covered Qom, Zanjan, Semnan, and Markazi provinces.


17th Ali ibn Abi Taleb Division
After Operation Tariq-ol-Qods, the 17th Brigade of Qom (تیپ 17 قم) was established in the Shush area. Fighters were from Qom, Mashhad, Behbahan, and Shush. Its commander was initially Morteza Saffari, who later became the deputy of Fajr Headquarters and was replaced by Hassan Darvish. In July or August 1982, the brigade was renamed to 17th Ali ibn Abi Taleb Brigade (تیپ 17 علی ابن ابی طالب). Since then, forces from Zanjan, Semnan, Markazi provinces constituted the bulk of the unit. In the fourth phase of the Operation Ramadan, Mehdi Zeinoddin was appointed as the new commander of the brigade.


17th Ali ibn Abi Taleb Division
After Operation Muharram and the expansion of IRGC brigades, this unit was expanded to the 17th Ali ibn Abi Taleb Division. The division proved to be capable during the war. It played a major role in the initial successful stages of Operation Badr. From November 1984 to May 1988, Gholamreza Jaafari was its commander, after whom Mohammad Mirjani commanded the unit for two months. After Operation Dawn 10, commander of IRGC Ground Forces Ali Shamkhani separated and expanded the division into 17th Ali ibn Abi Taleb Division and a new 71st Roohollah Division (لشکر 71 روح الله) of Markazi Province. 12th Qaem Brigade of Semnan (تیپ 12 قائم) and Saheb-ol-Amr Brigade of Zanjan (تیپ صاحب‌الامر(عج)) were also later separated as new units.


17th Ali ibn Abi Taleb Division, Sepah-e Ali bin Abu Taleb
The division was merged with the Basij of Qom Province to form the Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Corps of Qom Province during the rearrangement of the IRGC units in 2008.


17th Annual Anugerah Musik Indonesia
The 17th Annual Anugerah Musik Indonesia was held on June 19, 2014, at the Kasablanka Hall in Tebet, South Jakarta. The show was broadcast live on RCTI and was hosted by Raffi Ahmad and Robby Purba. The show was a collaboration between Anugerah Musik Indonesia Foundation and RCTI.


17th Annual Anugerah Musik Indonesia
Awards were presented in 48 categories in nine genres of music: Pop and Urban, Rock and Metal, Jazz and Instrumental, Kroncong and Kroncong Contemporary/Style/Opera, Dangdut, children's songs, production work, production support, and general. The event was divided into three segments: AMI Awards Gala Night, Lifetime Achievement Awards, and The Winner's Concert.


17th Annual Anugerah Musik Indonesia
Fatin Shidqia led the nominations with eight, and became the biggest winner of the night with five wins, including Best of the Best Album for For You, Best of the Best Newcomer, and Best Pop Female Solo Artist. Other winners included Geisha, who won in four categories, Coboy Junior, who earning three awards and Ayu Ting Ting, Judika & Duma, etc. took home two trophies each.


17th Annual Anugerah Musik Indonesia
Violinist Idris Sardi received the "AMI Legend Awards" for his contributions to Indonesian music. His daughter, Santi Sardi, accepted the award on his behalf.


17th Annual Anugerah Musik Indonesia, Nominees and winners
The nominees were announced on May 31, 2014. Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.


17th Annual Grammy Awards
The 17th Annual Grammy Awards were presented March 1, 1975, and were broadcast live on American television. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1974.


17th Annual Latin Grammy Awards
The 17th Annual Latin Grammy Awards were held on November 17, 2016 at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada.


17th Annual Latin Grammy Awards
The nominations were announced on September 21, 2016. Julio Reyes Copello, Djavan, Fonseca, Jesse & Joy, and Ricardo López Lalinde leads with four nominations each. American singer Marc Anthony was honored as the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year on November 16, the day prior to the Latin Grammy Awards.


17th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Awards, General
Andrés Castro, Shakira and Carlos Vives — "La Bicicleta" (Carlos Vives and Shakira)


17th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Awards, Urban
Egbert Rosa Cintrón, Farruko, Eduardo A. Vargas Berrios and Yandel — "Encantadora" (Yandel)


17th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Awards, Rock
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs — La Salvación de Solo Y Juan


17th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Awards, Tropical
Sonora Santanera — La Sonora Santanera En Su 60 Aniversario


17th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Awards, Tropical
Omar Alfanno, Fonseca, and Yadam González Cárdenas – "Vine A Buscarte" (Fonseca)


17th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Awards, Regional Mexican
Erika Ender, Manu Morendo, and Mónica Vèlez — "Ataúd" (Los Tigres del Norte)


17th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Awards, Traditional
Nicolás Ledesma y Su Orquesta — Cuando Llora la Milonga


17th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Awards, Jazz
Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra — Cuba: The Conversation Continues


17th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Awards, Classical
Cuarteto Latinoamericano and Jaramar — El Hilo Invisible (Cantos Sefaradíes)


17th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Awards, Production
Be Hussey, Gustavo Lenza, Diogo Poças, Rodrigo Sanches, Mike Cresswell and Felipe Tchauer — Tropix (Céu)


17th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival
The 17th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival (Turkish: 17. Antalya Altın Portakal Film Festivali) was a film festival scheduled to be held in Antalya, Turkey, in 1980, which was cancelled due to the declaration of martial law throughout the country following the military coup on September 12, 1980.


17th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival
The awards for this and the preceding festival, which was also cancelled, re-christened Belated Golden Oranges (Turkish: Geç Gelen Altın Portallar), were presented at an award ceremony as part of the 48th International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, with the recipients chosen from the films originally selected as candidates by the original jury members selected to represent the competition.


17th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival
The original 1980 jury was to have consisted of Orhan Aksoy, Melih Cevdet Anday, Atilla Dorsay, Kami Suveren, Ara Güler, Kenan Değer, Erkal Güngören, Doğan Hızlan, Ahmet Keskin, Ergin Orbey, Attila Özdemiroğlu, Nurettin Tekindor, Gani Turanlı, Tonguç Yaşar and Tunca Yönder.


17th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, National Feature Film Competition, Belated Golden Orange Awards
The reconstituted National Feature Film Competition Jury, headed by Prof. Dr. Özdemir Nutku, awarded Belated Golden Oranges in eight categories.


17th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, National Feature Film Competition, Official Selection
Seven Turkish films made in the preceding year were selected to compete in the festival's National Feature Film Competition.


17th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment "Sforzesca"
The 17th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment "Sforzesca" (Italian: 17° Reggimento Artiglieria Controaerei "Sforzesca") is an anti-aircraft artillery regiment of the Italian Army. Originally founded as a field artillery regiment the unit transferred to the anti-aircraft specialty on 1 July 1953. Today the regiment is based in Sabaudia in Lazio and administratively assigned to the Anti-aircraft Artillery Command.


17th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment "Sforzesca", Current Structure
As of 2019 the 17th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment "Sforzesca" consists of:


17th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment "Sforzesca", Current Structure
The Command and Logistic Support Battery fields the following sections: C3 Section, Transport and Materiel Section, Medical Section, and Commissariat Section. The 1st VSHORAD Group is equipped with Stinger man-portable air-defense systems, while the 2nd SHORAD Group is equipped with Skyguard "Aspide" surface-to-air missile systems, which will be replaced with CAMM-ER systems in the near future.


17th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment "Sforzesca", Current Structure
The 17th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment "Sforzesca" contributes two batteries to the Italian military's National Sea Projection Capability (Forza di proiezione dal mare), which consists of the Italian army's Cavalry Brigade "Pozzuolo del Friuli" and the Italian navy's 3rd Naval Division and San Marco Marine Brigade.


17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion
The 17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion (17th AAA Bn) was an antiaircraft unit in the United States Marine Corps that served during World War II. The battalion was originally formed in 1942 as the 2d Airdrome Battalion and has the distinction of being the last defense battalion formed in the Marine Corps during the war. Its original mission was to provide air and coastal defense for advanced naval bases. During the war the battalion spent significant time defending Nukufetau and took part in combat operations at Tarawa and Tinian. The battalion was decommissioned on December 6, 1945.


17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, History, Organization
The 2d Airdrome Battalion was commissioned on October 28, 1942 at Camp Elliott, San Diego, California. It was one of two airdrome battalions formed by the Marine Corps specifically to defend airfields in the China Burma India Theater. Those airfields were overrun by the Japanese before the battalions deployed so the Marine Corps quickly changed their tasking to missions in the Pacific Theater.


17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, History, Organization
While organizing and training in Southern California the battalion spent extensive time at Camp Dunlap in the Imperial Valley. The 2d Airdrome Battalion departed the United States near the end of May 1943 onboard the USS Henderson (AP-1) and SS Cape Clear (AK-5039).


17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, History, Organization
The battalion arrived in Oahu, Hawaii on May 31, 1943. It remained there for a few months of additional training as it waited for its initial deployment orders. In early August the battalion embarked on the USS Ormsby (APA-49) and the SS Whistler and sailed west for the Ellice Islands.


17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, History, Nukefetau and Tarawa
After a short layover in Funafuti, the 2d Airdrome Battalion arrived at Nukufetau on August 25, 1943 along with the first elements of the Navy's 16th Naval Construction Battalion. Nukufetau was a small atoll 75 miles northwest of the airfield that had been established on Funafuti. The battalion was responsible for air defense of the area while the Seabees constructed Nukufetau Airfield. The airfield was opened on October 6, 1943.


17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, History, Nukefetau and Tarawa
Half of the 2d Airdrome Battalion was detached from duty on Nukufetau and sailed for Tarawa. The detachment went ashore four days after the 2nd Marine Division assaulted the beaches. The remainder of the battalion departed Nukufetau in March 1944 after being relieved by elements of the 51st Defense Battalion. The 2d Airdrome Battalion sailed for Hawaii landing at Nawiliwili Harbor on March 21, 1944.


17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, History, Reorganization and Tinian
The 2d Airdrome Battalion was redesignated as the 17th Defense Battalion on March 22, 1944 and assigned to the V Amphibious Corps. On April 19, 1944 it was again re-designated as the 17th Antiaircraft Battalion. In Hawaii they trained for the occupation and defense of small islands in the Pacific. Between June 10–18 the battalion departed Hawaii in three echelons. The unit spent the next 54 days at sea en route to their final objective. While anchored in the harbor at Eniwetok on July 19 the battalion's moniker was changed for the final time, this time to the 17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion.


17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, History, Reorganization and Tinian
The 17th Defense Battalion landed on Tinian on August 2, 1944. They established positions north of the airfield and in the harbor. The battalion remained on occupation duty on Tinian for the next year. During these months they conducted routine patrols and took a number of Japanese prisoners of war still on the island after the battle. Three Japanese aircraft bombed and strafed the island on November 3, 1944 however the battalions batteries were not able to successfully engage any of the aircraft.


17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, History, Reorganization and Tinian
The battalion was guarding the airfield on August 6, 1945 when the Enola Gay launched to drop the first ever nuclear weapon against Hiroshima in mainland Japan. On August 15, 1945 the 17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion was relieved of its tactical duties on Tinian. It finally departed the island on November 1, 1945 on the USS Griggs (APA-110). The battalion sailed back to the United States and was officially decommissioned on December 6, 1945 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.


17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, Gallery
Coincidence rangefinder being utilized on Nukufetau on November 27, 1943.


17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, Unit awards
A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. The 17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion has been presented with the following awards:


17th Arabian Gulf Cup
The 17th Arabian Gulf Cup (Arabic: كأس الخليج العربي) was held in Doha, Qatar in 2004. It marked the return of the Iraqi National team back to the competition,following the fall of Saddam Hussein. Qatar turned out the victors and Oman came in runners up in a close match that ended in a penalty kick shootout.


17th Ariel Awards
The 17th Ariel Awards ceremony, organized by the Mexican Academy of Film Arts and Sciences (AMACC) took place in 1975, in Mexico City. During the ceremony, AMACC presented the Ariel Award in 13 categories honoring films released in 1974. La Choca, La Otra Virginidad, and Presagio were the most nominated films, and La Choca and La Otra Virginidad tied for Best Picture.


17th Ariel Awards
Emilio "El Indio" Fernández won for Best Director for La Choca, it was his fourth win in the category, becoming the most awarded director in the category; he held the record for 35 years, until Carlos Carrera tied with four wins in 2010 with the film Backyard: El Traspatio. La Choca was the most awarded film with six accolades; La venida del Rey Olmos and Presagio followed with two wins each.


17th Arizona State Legislature
The 17th Arizona State Legislature, consisting of the Arizona State Senate and the Arizona House of Representatives, was constituted in Phoenix from January 1, 1945 to December 31, 1946, during the third of  Sidney Preston Osborn's four consecutive terms as Governor of Arizona. The number of senators and house members remained constant at 19 and 58, respectively. The Democrats controlled one hundred percent of the senate. while the Republicans gained a single house seat.


17th Arizona State Legislature, Sessions
The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Phoenix on January 18, 1945; and adjourned on March 9. There were three special sessions, the first of which was held from September 10 through September 29, 1945, the second was held from April 23 – May 3, 1946, and the third was held between September 9 – 28, 1946.


17th Arizona State Legislature, State Senate, Members
The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature.


17th Arizona State Legislature, House of Representatives, Members
The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature.


17th Arizona Territorial Legislature
The 17th Arizona Territorial Legislative Assembly was a session of the Arizona Territorial Legislature which convened in Phoenix, Arizona. The session ran from February 13 through April 13, 1893.


17th Arizona Territorial Legislature, Background
Expectations were that Arizona would soon achieve statehood. Following the constitutional convention authorized by the previous session, Territorial Delegate Marcus A. Smith had submitted an Arizona statehood bill that had passed the United States House of Representatives but was blocked in the Senate by Republicans who did not wish to grant the predominantly Democratic territory two new senators. The Democratic party won control of the Senate during the 1892 elections, removing the ability of Republicans to block the legislation, and Smith would submit a new statehood bill in the next Congressional session.


17th Arizona Territorial Legislature, Background
Oakes Murphy had been promoted from Territorial Secretary to Governor following the resignation of Governor Irwin  With the inauguration of U.S. President Grover Cleveland imminent, candidates were vying to replace Murphy as the legislative session began. L. C. Hughes would be sworn in as territorial Governor on April 12, 1893.


17th Arizona Territorial Legislature, Background
Of concern to the citizens of Arizona Territory was the Apache Kid, who had become one of the most feared outlaws of the prior decade.


17th Arizona Territorial Legislature, Legislative session
The legislature convened on February 13, 1893. During the 60-day session, 91 laws were passed.


17th Arizona Territorial Legislature, Legislative session, Governor's address
Governor Murphy gave the address on February 14, 1893. It began by the Acting Governor expressing his desire for this session to be the last before statehood. A large portion of the speech was dedicated to territorial finances. With the rapid increases to the territory's population, governmental services needed additional revenue to support educational and law enforcement needs. Murphy criticized practices that allowed assessed property values to remain the same over multiple years  despite steady gains in real values. He was further concerned that the majority of the funds for territorial schools was derived from taxes paid by the gambling industry.


17th Arizona Territorial Legislature, Legislative session, Governor's address
In the area of proposed legislation, Murphy sought to regulate the railroads "wherever the people's interests are concerned"  He asked to have the employment of women in saloons prohibited while seeking to require a "high license" for the sale of alcohol as an alternative to prohibition. The Acting Governor additionally wanted to replace existing the territory-wide regulations on gambling with local option laws. He desired to create a licensing requirement to practice medicine. Additionally, Murphy asked for a law prohibiting Indians from carrying weapons off the reservation and wanted to move the territorial prison from Yuma to a more central location.


17th Arizona Territorial Legislature, Legislative session, Legislation
In a move intended to prepare the territory for statehood, the session created a board to regulate the dentistry profession. A reform school was authorized to be built in Flagstaff. Similarly, a territorial library was authorized for Phoenix while a museum for preservation of the territory's archeological artifacts was authorized to be built at the University of Arizona. The session passed a law requiring canal owners to remove sunflowers and cockleburs from the banks of the canals. Finally, in a bill introduced by George W. P. Hunt, the session authorized a US$5,000 bounty for the capture, dead or alive, of the Apache Kid.


17th Arizona Territorial Legislature, Legislative session, Concurrent activities
As the session was in progress, efforts were underway to have a new governor appointed. Territorial Delegate Marcus A. Smith wrote to President Cleveland on March 22, 1893, saying "The Legislature in now in session and will adjourn on the 13th of April. The newly installed Governor must have several days in which to make a judicious selection of the important officers under his appointment. The Federal Statutes ... provide ... that the Governor of the Territory, by and with the consent on the Council, shall name the Territorial officers. When the Legislature adjourns there will be no Council to act in harmony with him."


17th Arizona Territorial Legislature, Legislative session, Concurrent activities
The new Governor, L. C. Hughes, was not nominated until April 4, 1893, and, following confirmation by the U.S. Senate did not take office till the last full day of the legislative session. Unlike the 15th Arizona Territorial Legislature, the legislature did not extend the session to allow the new Governor a chance to make officer nominations of his own choosing.


17th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Lemoyne's)
The 17th (Lemoyne's) Arkansas Infantry (1862–1865) was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. The regiment did not yet have the required 10 companies when it was ordered east of the Mississippi River with the rest of General Earl Van Dorn's Army of the West. Due to its understrength size the unit was also known as the 17th Arkansas Infantry Battalion. The unit was eventually consolidated with remnants of McCraver's 14th Arkansas Infantry Battalion and the consolidated unit was re-designated as the 21st Arkansas Infantry Regiment.


17th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Lemoyne's)
The 21st Arkansas fought in all of the engagements of the Vicksburg campaign, and ended up surrounded and besieged at Vicksburg and surrendered with the rest of Pemberton's command. After being paroled and exchanged back to Arkansas, the regiment was consolidated with the remnants of several other Arkansas regiments to become 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment (Trans-Mississippi).


17th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Lemoyne's)
Another Arkansas Infantry Regiment, first commanded by Colonel Frank A. Rector and later commanded by Colonel John Griffith was also designated as the 17th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Griffith's).


17th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Lemoyne's), Organization
The Seventeenth Arkansas regiment was organized from six companies from Conway, Johnson, Pope and Yell counties on January 3, 1862, at Fairfield, Yell county. The regiment recruited only two more before it was ordered east of the Mississippi River by General Earl Van Dorn. The field and staff officers were:


17th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Lemoyne's), Organization
The unit was composed of volunteer companies from the following counties:


17th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Lemoyne's), Battles
The 17th Arkansas was ordered to Jacksonport. Records exist of soldiers from this unit being injured when the steamer Cambridge sank on February 23, 1862, while transporting Lemoyne's regiment across the White River between Grand Glaize and Augusta. The Company G of Yell County and Company H of Prairie County were added on February 15, 1862.


17th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Lemoyne's), Battles
The regiment was ordered to accompany General Van Dorn to Mississippi, and a return of troops shows Lemoyne's regiment, now listed as the 17th Arkansas Battalion at Corinth in early May 1862. During the reorganization of the army at Corinth, the 17th Arkansas was consolidated with McCarver's 14th Arkansas, and redesignated as the 21st Arkansas Regiment. The existing 21st Arkansas was redesignated as the 15th (Northwest) Arkansas Infantry.


17th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Lemoyne's), Battles
The 21st Arkansas Infantry Regiment was assigned to the Army of the West under General Price in north Mississippi and participated with credit in the battle of Corinth.


17th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Lemoyne's), Battles
The 21st Arkansas Infantry Regiment took part in the Battle of Big Black River Bridge, May 17, 1863, and endured the Siege of Vicksburg until the capitulation of Pemberton, July 4, 1863. Colonel Cravens was captured at the Big Black and, with the other officers, was sent a prisoner to Johnson's Island. Colonel Cravens became circuit judge and representative in Congress; Colonel Pitman, circuit judge and State senator; Capt. B. B. Chisom, secretary of State; F. J. Spurlin, private, who lost a leg, was many years treasurer of Garland county; Col. O. P. Lyles became representative in Congress.


17th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Lemoyne's), Consolidation and Surrender
In September 1864, 21st Arkansas Infantry Regiment was consolidated with the remnants of 14th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Powers'), 15th (Northwest) Arkansas Infantry Regiment, and the 16th Arkansas Infantry Regiment in the Army of the Trans-Mississippi, and designated as the 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment (Trans-Mississippi) under the command of Colonel Jordan E. Cravens. The 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry (Trans-Mississippi) Regiment was surrendered by General Kirby Smith with the remainder of the Department of the Trans-Mississippi on May 26, 1865.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion
17th Armored Engineer Battalion are part of the 2nd Armored Division "Hell on Wheels". During World War II, they were active in North African Campaign, and Western Europe Campaign. 17th Armored Engineer Battalion was founded on 1 October 1933 as part of the USS Army. First called 17th Engineer Battalion (Heavy Ponton), Motorized. It was renamed on 10 July 1940 to 17th Engineer Battalion (Armored) and assigned to the 2d Armored Division. The unit became active and started training 15 July 1940 at Fort Benning, Georgia. Renamed again on 8 January 1942 as the 17th Armored Engineer Battalion.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion
The Battalion is now based at Fort Hood, Texas. Battalion motto is We pave the way. Task of the 17 include construction and demolition tasks under combat conditions, like constructing and breaching trenches, tank traps and other fortifications, bunker construction, bridge and road construction. Along with building destruction bridges and other physical work in the battlefield are needed. They also lay or clear land mines. The 17th facilitates the movement and support of friendly forces while slowing the enemy's forces.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, World War I
Combat engineers of 17th Armored Engineer Battalion helped the French by building docks, depots and laid rail lines. As the US enter front line operations the 17th built trench systems, wire fence lines, and bridges.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, World War II training
After organizing the new battalion, training in engineering skills started. The battalion average age of the enlisted men was 22 years. Then men had two and a half months of basic training behind. Training included: M1 carbine Rifle marksmanship, mines, minefields, Demining fixed dry gullies bridge construct, floating Pontoon bridge construct, road repair-making, Military engineering vehicles-DUKW use, and other field combat problems. Training include Live fire exercise and live mine exercises, to make the men battle ready. Colonel George S. Patton was in charge of training the new 2nd Armored division.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, World War II
17th Armored Engineer Battalion moved with the 2nd Armored Division to North Africa, Sicily, England, France, Belgium and Germany, under the command of the First Army.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, North Africa
As part of the North African Campaign, and Operation Torch the 17th took part in landing French North Africa's Algeria and Morocco. The major task in North Africa was landing clear and mine removal. 17th landing were early morning on 8 November 1942. In Morocco the landing was in Safi as part of Operation Blackstone.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Sicily
As part of Operation Husky order of battle in the Sicily Campaign, the 17th Armored Engineer Battalion with the 2nd Armor Division landed in Gela, Sicily in south-central Sicily, on 11 July 1943. Before the landing the 17th used M4 Sherman tanks with Scorpion Mine flail exploder to clear the way. The operation captured Butera and participated in the Battle of Mazzarino, then moving on to Palermo. After Sicily the 17th moved to England to train and prepare for D-Day.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Normandy
On 9 June 1944, D-day plus 3, along with other battalions, the 17th battalion landed on Utah Beach in Normandy as a part of the Normandy landings and Operation Overlord. They cleared lanes for landing craft by destroying the mine-bearing steel structures that the Germans had implanted in the intertidal zone. They bulldozed roads up the narrow draws through the cliffs lining the beaches. 17th Armored Engineer Battalion were issued new camouflage uniforms for D-Day. These uniforms are the same one used by US Marine Corps in the Pacific.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Normandy
To clear barricades, mine fields, fill in caters and break through thick hedgerows the 17th used M4 Sherman Tanks mounting with M1 bulldozer. Also used was Caterpillar D7 with armor plates added to the engine and cab. The tank bulldozer broke through the hedgerows in France. Germans learned to wait until the tanks cross with infantry following on foot then fire on both. To counter, forces started with their main guns loaded with canister and pointed to the rear and to the flanks. As the tanks crossed they fired parallel to the hedges, inflicting enemy casualties, this became known as "Roosevelt's Butchers,". From Omaha Beach the battalion pushed through the Cherbourg peninsula and built bridge across the Seine river in France.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Albert Canal bridge
As part of aftermath of the Battle of Fort Eben-Emael, the 17th and 82nd Armored Engineer Battalion work build a Bailey bridge across the Albert Canal at the village of Kanne. The first try failed as the bridge fell into the canal. On 15 September 1944 with the help of a boat for support the bridge was completed. Albert canal functioned as a defense line for the retreating enemy.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Geleenbeek stream
On 18 September 1944 the 17th built a bridge across the Geleenbeek stream near Kathagermolen as all the bridges across the stream around Schinnen had been destroyed by the retreating German army. During the construction, the engineers were fired on by enemy machine gun emplacements in the treeline on the far bank. The gunfire missed the engineers and a US tank responded, firing several high-explosive rounds into the trees and silencing the enemy guns. Two 60 feet beam bridges were completed: one at Kathagermolen and one at Schinnen. The 17th saw frequent action fighting in Alsace.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Geleenbeek stream
On 26 November 1944 at Ciney, Belgium, as part of the Ardennes Offensive, Gen. Collier was ordered by Gen. Harmon to hold Ciney with the combined forces of the 2nd Armored Battalion, the 41st Armored Infantry, the 2nd Bn. 66th Armor, a platoon from "A" Company of the 17th Engineers, and another platoon from "A" Company of the 702d Tank Destroyer Bn. The 17th Armored Engineers was ordered to secure Merzenhausen and Barmen to cut off communication lines to the Roer as part of Operation Queen. In Lonlay-l'Abbaye the 17th blew up a bridge in center of town before moving on to blow up an enemy ammunition dump.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Battle of the Bulge
During the Battle of the Bulge, quick thinking and action of the engineers destroyed key bridges in the path of advancing German forces, slowing and diverting them while Allied forces regrouped. Battle of the Bulge was fought in the bitter cold from 16 December 1944 to 25 January 1945.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Seine River
17th Armored Engineers with 82nd Engineer Combat Regiment built a floating bridge over the Seine River at Meulan France on 30 August 1944. The bridge was started at 8am, opened at 6pm, it was 720 ft. in length. 17th bridge company did not have enough saddles to put on top of the floating pontoons, so a short trestle bridge was built near the far part of the bridge. Approaches to the bridge were made of sommerfeld mat over chespaling mat, with three inches of gravel.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Rhine crossing
Night of 23 March 1945, as part of the Western Allied invasion of Germany and Operation Plunder, Company E and C of the 17th Armored Engineer Battalion, constructed two treadway rafts to prepare of the crossing of the Rhine River about five kilometers south of Wesel. Bridge construction started at 9:45 am and by 4:00 pm the first truck crossed the floating bridge. Over 1152 feet of M2 treadway and 93 pneumatic floats were used in just six hours and fifteen minute construction project, record setting for the size of the bridge. It took twenty five 2 half tons GMC CCKW trucks to transport the bridge parts to the construction site, part of the Red Ball Express.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Rhine crossing
A steel treadway bridge needed floating pontoons. A saddles on top of the pontoon put the weight of the bridge on the pontoon. A 12-foot sections of treadway track was bolted to the saddles. The treadway sections were put together on the spot unloaded for many truck. The sections were taken out to the end of the bridge in construction. The sections were connected together with large steel pins. The 17th was experienced with treadway bridges, but this was the largest one. To cross the Rhine would need 80 or 90 sections to complete the bridge.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Rhine crossing
Moving the sections then pounding in the large pins was hard work. These bridge could carry a heavy load including a 66,800 pound M4 tanks. The floating pontoon was an 18-ton pressurized rubber bag. The saddle was the metal and plywood frame was placed on the float and supported the treadway tracks. To prefabricate the bridge the pontoon had to be inflated; the saddles had to be assembled and lashed to the top of the pontoon. On 30 March 1945 Company "C", constructed a treadway bridge across the canal near Alvert. On 5 April 1945, the 17th Engr. Bn. constructed a 384 treadway across the Weser at Ohr, Germany. On 8 April 1945 division engineers constructed a pontoon bridge across the Weser Elbe Canal, west of, Harsum allowing Company "A" to continue its drive northeast to Braunschweig.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Elbe River
The engineers ferried two battalions across the Elbe river before starting the construction of the floating bridge at – Westerhusen. In the night spanning 12 to 13 April 1945 a bridge across the river was made. Starting at 11pm Companies D and E, 17th Armored Engineer Battalion built the bridge. It was a very dark night making it difficult even with the use two search lights. In the dark the bridge quickly came together. As day light came, engineers put smoke pots, for smoke screen, on both sides of the bridge to hide the construction completions from the enemy.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Elbe River
But, at 6am enemy shells destroyed five bridge pontoon floats, work was stopped. By 7am work started again to complete and repair the bridge. By 2pm the bridge was also most complete with 25 feet to complete. But so much enemy artillery fire was raining in the engineers were ordered to abandon the bridge and load up their trucks and pull out, to prevent further damage. PFC William Horne with the 82nd Engineer Combat Regiment helping with the bridge was killed during construction. The unit moved to Grunewalde were a ferry would move them across.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Elbe River
17th engineers help in the ferry operations with their DUKWs. On 17 April the 17th Armored Engineered Battalion completed constructed of a bridge across the Elbe River at Magdeburg. The construction team came against enemy fire and once a Luftwaffe attack. 25 April 1945 is known as Elbe Day as the West and East armies connected near the bridge here.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Elbe River, Back to the US
On 21 January 1946 the battalion was shipped from Calais, France to Ft. Hood, Texas arriving 12 February 1946.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Cold War
After World War II the 17th Armored Engineer Battalion was based in Dexheim, Germany. From 1953 to 1954 Anderson Barracks was home of the 17th Armored Engineers. The Engineer battalion's mission was to assist the mobility of armored units of the Second Armored Division. Their mission was to help delay or defeat any Soviet invasions through the Fulda Gap. An annual training event was installing a floating bridge across the Rhine River, like the Battalion did in World War II (has caused flawed caption in image at right as noted).


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Cold War
In 1967 parts of 17th were assigned to the 198th Light Infantry Brigade. In 1978, Delta Company, 17th Engineers was stationed at Lucius D. Clay Kaserne in Garlstedt, Germany as part of 2nd Armored Division (Forward). During the Cold War, D Company's role was to prepare for heavy armored combat against the Warsaw Pact in defense of NATO being ready to move in the event of a Soviet threat to NATO. The 17th and its division practiced during exercises like REFORGER (Return of Forces to Germany) from 1967 to 1988. Some training took place at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Panama
The 17th took part in Operation Just Cause the United States invasion of Panama on 20 December 1989. Helping with landing and dock operation in the short, but very complex operation.


17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Gulf War
The 17th served in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. In the fall of 1990 17th deployed to Saudi Arabia as part of Operation Desert Storm to support heavy armor divisions in the Defense of Saudi Arabia and later the liberation of Kuwait. 17th took part in Battle of Norfolk, with tank battles and ground infantry fighting, the 17th was in operation much like World War II, with mine removal and other support roles. But, with new support vehicle like:M113-A2 & A3 Armored Personnel Carrier, M9 Armored Combat Earthmover, M104 Wolverine, and more.


17th Army (German Empire)
The 17th Army (German: 17. Armee / Armeeoberkommando 17 / A.O.K. 17) was an army-level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed in France on 1 February 1918 from the former 14th Army command. It served exclusively on the Western Front and was dissolved on 19 January 1919.


17th Army (German Empire), History
17th Army was one of three armies (along with 18th Army and 19th Army) formed in late 1917 / early 1918 with forces withdrawn from the Eastern Front. They were in place to take part in Ludendorff's German spring offensive. The Germans had realised that their only remaining chance of victory was to defeat the Allies before the overwhelming human and matériel resources of the United States could be deployed. They also had the temporary advantage in numbers afforded by nearly 50 divisions freed by Russia's withdrawing from the war (Treaty of Brest-Litovsk).


17th Army (German Empire), History
At the end of the war it was serving as part of Heeresgruppe Kronprinz Rupprecht.


17th Army (German Empire), History
The Headquarters was located at St Amand until 6 April 1918, Douai until 1 May 1918, Denain until 18 October 1918 and Mons until start of the march back, reaching Zülpich for disbandment on 19 January 1919.


17th Army (German Empire), History, Order of Battle, 30 October 1918
By the end of the war, the 17th Army was organised as:


17th Army (Soviet Union)
The 17th Army of the Red Army was a Soviet field army. Formed in 1940, the army served in the Soviet Far East during World War II and fought in the Soviet invasion of Manchuria in August 1945. It was disbanded postwar in mid-1946.


17th Army (Soviet Union), History
The 17th Army was formed from the 1st Army Group of the Transbaikal Military District on 21 June 1940. From 1941 to 1945, the army assumed a general defensive posture, including within Mongolia. On 22 June 1941 it included the 57th and 61st Tank Divisions, and the 36th and 57th Motor Rifle and 82nd Rifle Divisions. On 15 September, the Transbaikal Military District became the Transbaikal Front.


17th Army (Soviet Union), History
During the Soviet invasion of Manchuria, the army was assigned to the Transbaikal Front. On the night of 9 August 1945, without artillery and air support, the 17th Army began the attack. By the end of the day the main forces of the army had advanced 50 kilometers, and the best part of the passing of the day, about 70 miles, reached the area of the lake Lake Tabun-Nur. On the third day of the Khingan–Mukden Offensive Operation, in cooperation with the Soviet-Mongolian Cavalry mechanized group, the 17th Army approached the south-western spurs of the Greater Khingan Mountains.


17th Army (Soviet Union), History
In the later days of the operation the army successfully overcame Japanese opposition, and repulsed counterattacks in the area of Linxi. By the end of 14 August 1945, the 17th Army captured the Dabanshan - Tszinpen area. On 16 August Udanchen was captured. In late August 1945 in conjunction with the mechanized cavalry group of the front's main forces the 17th Army reached the area of Linyuan, and one of the divisions of the army was on the coast of Liaodong Bay near the town of Shanhaiguan. In the same area on 31 August 1945 the 17th  Army ended combat operations.


17th Army (Soviet Union), History
After the end of the war with Japan, the army became part of the Transbaikal-Amur Military District (formed from the Transbaikal Front) on 10 September 1945, and was disbanded between July and August 1946.


17th Army (Soviet Union), Commanders
The army was commanded by the following officers during the war:


17th Army (Wehrmacht)
The German Seventeenth Army (German: 17. Armee) was a field army of Nazi Germany during World War II.


17th Army (Wehrmacht), Operation Barbarossa
On 22 June 1941, the 17th Army was part of Army Group South when Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa and invaded the Soviet Union. From 1 July, the Hungarian "Mobile Corps" (Gyorshadtest) was subordinated to the 17th Army. Along with 1st Panzer Army, the 17th Army encircled Soviet forces in central Ukraine during the Battle of Uman. Approximately 100,000 Soviet troops were captured. The 17th Army participated in the Battle of Kiev. Army Group South was ordered to resume the offensive, with the objective of capturing Rostov-on-Don, the gateway to the Caucasus oil fields, and Kharkov, a major center of heavy industry for the Soviet Union.


17th Army (Wehrmacht), Operation Barbarossa
In October 1941, the army came under the command of Hermann Hoth, who was convicted post-war in the High Command Trial. Hoth was an active supporter of the war of annihilation (Vernichtungskrieg) against the Soviet Union. He called upon his men to understand the need for "harsh punishment of Jewry". In support of the Severity Order issued by Walter von Reichenau in October 1941, in November 1941 Hoth issued the following directive to troops under his command:


17th Army (Wehrmacht), Operation Barbarossa
Every sign of active or passive resistance or any sort of machinations on the part of Jewish-Bolshevik agitators are to be immediately and pitilessly exterminated ... These circles are the intellectual supports of Bolshevism, the bearers of its murderous organisation, the helpmates of the partisans. It is the same Jewish class of beings who have done so much damage to our own Fatherland by virtue of their activities against the nation and civilisation, and who promote anti-German tendencies throughout the world, and who will be the harbingers of revenge. Their extermination is a dictate of our own survival.


17th Army (Wehrmacht), Operation Barbarossa
Under Hoth's command, units of the 17th Army took part in the hunt for and murder of Jews in its territory of control.


17th Army (Wehrmacht), Battle of Stalingrad
In 1942, Army Group South was to spearhead the German summer offensive in Russia known as Case Blue. The 17th Army was to give flank protection to 1st Panzer Army as it struck towards the Don River. From June to July, the German 17th Army, the Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia, and the Romanian 3rd Army were organized as "Army Group Ruoff". In August 1942, Hitler sub-divided Army Group South into two new army groups: Army Group A and Army Group B. Army Group A included the 17th Army, the 1st Panzer Army, and the 4th Panzer Army. Army Group B included the 2nd Army, the 6th Army, the Italian 8th Army, and the Hungarian 2nd Army. By October 1942, the Romanian 3rd Army and the Romanian 4th Army were added to further bolster Army Group B.


17th Army (Wehrmacht), Battle of Stalingrad
While Army Group B struck towards Stalingrad, Army Group A and the 17th Army attacked towards the Caucasus oilfields in what was to be known as the Battle of the Caucasus. However, by December with Soviet forces en-circled the 6th Army at Stalingrad, Army Group A withdrew from Southern Russia but 17th Army was ordered to hold the Kuban bridgehead.


17th Army (Wehrmacht), Battle of Stalingrad
Hitler demanded a three-mile road and rail bridge across the Strait of Kerch in spring 1943 to support a push through the Caucasus to Persia, although the Cable Railway (Aerial tramway) which went into operation on July 14 with a daily capacity of one thousand tons was adequate for the defensive needs of the 17th Army in the Kuban bridgehead. Because of frequent earth tremors, vast quantities of extra-strength girders would be required, and their transport would curtail shipments of military material to the Crimea.


17th Army (Wehrmacht), Crimea
By October 1943, the 17th Army was forced to retreat from the Kuban bridgehead across the Kerch Strait to Crimea. During the following months, the Red Army pushed back the German forces in the southern Ukraine. In November 1943, they eventually cut off the land-based connection of 17th Army through the Perekop Isthmus. Hitler forbade a sea evacuation of 17th Army because he thought the Red Army could use the Crimean Peninsula to launch air attacks against Romanian oil refineries.


17th Army (Wehrmacht), Crimea
By the end of 1943, the Soviet command began landing troops in Kerch Strait and, by 10 April 1944, moving troops near the Sivash and together with an attack at the Perekop Isthmus forced 17th Army to fall back to Sevastopol. The German Supreme Command of the Armed Forces (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, or OKW) intended to hold Sevastopol as a fortress, much as the Red Army had done during the first battle for the Crimea from 1941 to 1942. Inadequate repair to the defenses of Sevastopol made this impossible and, on 9 May 1944, Sevastopol fell in less than one month after the start of the battle.


17th Army (Wehrmacht), Crimea
The Army lost much of its heavy equipment in the Crimea. Considerable losses were suffered in terms of men lost in battle and losses associated with the sea evacuation. The Army was subsequently reorganized and continued to fight on the Eastern Front, including in the Battle of Bautzen.


17th Army Corps (France)
The 17th Army Corps was a French Army corps, which fought in the Franco-Prussian War and both World Wars.


17th Army Corps (France)
During World War I, 17th Army Corps formed part of the Fourth Army. The 9th Balloon company of the U.S. Army Observation Balloon Service in World War I, served with the corps in 1918.


17th Army Corps (France)
The corps was mobilized from 9 September 1939 from the 17th Military Region, and fought the unsuccessful fr:Bataille de l'Ailette (1940) against the oncoming German Army. It was stood down and eventually disestablished after the Armistice of 22 June 1940.


17th Army Corps (France), Sources
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17th Army Corps (Russian Empire)
The 17th Army Corps was an Army corps in the Imperial Russian Army.


17th Asian Games Incheon 2014 Official Album
The 17th Asian Games Incheon 2014 Official Album is a compilation album that was released on 20 June 2014. It features songs written and selected for the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon.


17th Asianet Film Awards
The 17th Asianet Film Awards, honoring the best Malayalam films of 2014, were held on 11 January 2015 at Kochi Port Trust Stadium, Willingdon Island, Kochi. The title sponsor of the event was Ujala.


17th Attack Squadron
The 17th Attack Squadron is a squadron of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the 432d Wing, and stationed at Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs, Nevada. The 17th is equipped with the MQ-9 Reaper.


17th Attack Squadron, Overview
The 17th conducts intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operating the flies MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft.