The wing's Operations Group was a highly decorated C-47 Skytrain unit that served with Ninth Air Force and Twelfth Air Force in the European Theater of Operations and the Mediterranean theaters during World War II.

The wing's officially stated mission is "Respond, Honor, Defend, Support and Care...to project airpower and diplomacy from America's Airfield".

As the host wing for Joint Base Andrews, Md., the 316th Wing is responsible for maintaining emergency reaction rotary-wing airlift and other National Capital Region contingency response capabilities critical to national security and for organizing, training, equipping and deploying combat-ready forces for Air and Space Expeditionary Forces (AEFs).

In late 1967, the 316 TAW relinquished its training mission and became a typical operational tactical airlift wing with the C-130E Hercules.

It also participated in worldwide tactical airlift operations, humanitarian missions, and special exercises and maneuvers, including joint airborne training.

In 1973, the wing also participated in repatriation of South Vietnamese and American prisoners of war from North Vietnam.