Some notable personnel associated with No. 617 Squadron (WWII era):

Wing Commander Guy Gibson VC - first commanding officer; led Operation Chastise (the dams raid).

Group Captain Leonard Cheshire VC - served with 617 and later commanded the squadron; key figure in precision target marking and special operations.

Barnes Wallis - engineer and designer of the ;bouncing bomb" used on Operation Chastise (closely linked to the squadron's formative mission).

Squadron Leader Melvin "Dinghy" Young DSO, DFC – senior pilot on Operation Chastise; later commanded 617 Squadron.

Flight Lieutenant John Hopgood DFC - flew on Operation Chastise; his crew was among the losses on the dams raid.

Squadron Leader Henry Maudslay DSO - took part in Operation Chastise; killed on the return leg.

Flight Lieutenant David Maltby DSO, DFC - flew on Operation Chastise; credited with delivering the final successful attack on the Möhne Dam.

Wing Commander James "Willie" Tait DSO, DFC - later commanded 617; led major late-war precision raids.

Squadron Leader Joseph C. "Joe" McCarthy DSO, DFC - prominent 617 pilot and leader on later precision operations (including major attacks against German naval targets).

Flight Lieutenant Les Munro CNZM, DSO, QSO, DFC - New Zealand pilot who flew on Operation Chastise (later one of the best-known surviving participants).