The 415th Bombardment Group is an inactive

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

unit that served primarily as a training and demonstration unit. It was last part of

Second Air Force The Second Air Force (2 AF; ''2d Air Force'' in 1942) is a USAF numbered air force responsible for conducting basic military and technical training for Air Force enlisted members and non-flying officers. In World War II the CONUS unit defended ...

, at

Dalhart Army Air Field Dalhart Army Air Base is a former World War II military airfield complex near the city of Dalhart, Texas. It operated three training sites for the United States Army Air Forces from 1943 until 1945. The majority of the namesake city of Dalhart, ...

, Texas, where it was disbanded on 5 April 1944. In July 1985, the

group A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together. Groups of people * Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity * Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic ide ...

was reconstituted as the 415th Tactical Missile Wing, but has not been active as a missile unit.

History

The 415th Bombardment Group was activated during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

as a

Third Air Force The Third Air Force (Air Forces Europe) (3 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA). Its headquarters is Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It is responsible for all U.S. air forces in E ...

training and demonstration unit as part of the

Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics The Army Air Forces Tactical Center was a major command and military training organization of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It trained cadres from newly formed units in combat operations under simulated field condition ...

. It was equipped with A-20s, A-24s, A-26s, B-25s, and P-39s. The group was reassigned to

in early 1944 as a

B-17 Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...

replacement training unit. It was inactivated in early 1944 when the need for B-17 aircrews diminished.Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 299 The 415th was reconstituted in inactive status as the 415th Tactical Missile Wing on 31 July 1985.Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 648q, 31 July 1985, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Organizations

Lineage

* Constituted as the 415th Bombardment Group (Light) on 12 February 1943 : Activated on 15 February 1943 : Disbanded on 5 April 1944Lineage through 1944 in Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 299. * Reconstituted as the 415th Tactical Missile Wing on 31 July 1985

Assignments

, 15 February 1943 *

II Bomber Command The II Bomber Command is a disbanded United States Air Force unit. It was established in September 1941, shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor to command heavy bomber units assigned to Second Air Force. Following the entry of the United St ...

, 19 March–5 April 1944

Components

* 465th Bombardment Squadron: 23 March 1943 – 5 April 1944 * 521st Fighter-Bomber (formerly 667th) Bombardment Squadron: 15 February 1943 – 5 April 1944

Stations

Alachua Army Airfield Alachua Army Airfield, was a World War II United States Army Air Force airfield, located northeast of Gainesville, Florida. History Construction of the Gainesville Municipal Airport began in April 1940 as a Works Project Administration (WPA) a ...

, Florida, 15 February 1943 *

Orlando Army Air Base Orlando Executive Airport is a public airport three miles (6 km) east of downtown Orlando, in Orange County, Florida. It is owned and operated by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) and serves general aviation. Overview Orlando ...

, Florida, 25 February 1944 *

, Texas, 19 March–5 April 1944

References

Notes

Bibliography

* * {{USAAF 2d Air Force World War II Bombardment groups of the United States Army Air Forces Military units and formations established in 1943