7 th ▁( l ater ▁ 1 7 0 1 st ) ▁played ▁a ▁critical ▁role ▁in ▁ass uring ▁the ▁success ▁of ▁this ▁vital ▁operation . ▁Official s ▁selected ▁Great ▁F alls ▁as ▁the ▁only ▁replacement ▁air cre w ▁training ▁site ▁for ▁Berlin ▁Airl ift - bound ▁C - 5 4 s . ▁It ▁formed ▁a ▁prov is ional ▁unit , ▁the ▁ 1 4 3 5 th ▁Air ▁Transport ▁Group , ▁to ▁perform ▁this ▁mission , ▁using ▁resources ▁from ▁the ▁wing ' s ▁ 1 7 0 1 st ▁Air ▁Transport ▁Group . ▁ ▁Using ▁radio ▁be a cons , ▁Great ▁F alls ▁was ▁transformed ▁to ▁res emble ▁Temp el hof ▁Airport ▁in ▁Berlin , ▁Germany . ▁H undred s ▁of ▁pil ots ▁and ▁flight ▁engine ers ▁many ▁of ▁whom ▁were ▁re called ▁to ▁active ▁duty , ▁were ▁qualified ▁on ▁the ▁Douglas ▁C - 5 4 ▁Sk ym aster ▁aircraft ▁and ▁on ▁flight ▁procedures ▁to ▁and ▁from ▁Berlin ▁by ▁pract icing ▁on ▁ground ▁mock - ups ▁and ▁flying ▁sim ulated ▁air l ift ▁miss ions . ▁ ▁The ▁ 5 1 7 th ▁Air ▁Transport ▁Wing ▁was ▁red es ign ated ▁the ▁ 1 7 0 1 st ▁Air ▁Transport ▁Wing ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁to ▁comp ly ▁with ▁Air ▁Force ▁policy ▁that ▁table ▁of ▁distribution ▁units ▁be ▁number ed ▁in ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁four ▁digits ▁assigned ▁to ▁their ▁parent ▁command . ▁The ▁wing ' s ▁primary ▁mission ▁was ▁the ▁routing ▁and ▁sched uling ▁of ▁fl ights ▁throughout ▁the