The 449th Air Expeditionary Group (449 AEG) is a provisional
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 assigned to the
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 ...
supporting
United States Africa Command
The United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM, U.S. AFRICOM, and AFRICOM), is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense, headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. It is responsible for U. ...
. It is stationed at
Camp Lemonnier
Camp Lemonnier is a United States Naval Expeditionary Base, situated next to Djibouti–Ambouli International Airport in Djibouti City, and home to the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) of the U.S. Africa Command (USAFRI ...
, Djibouti. It flies missions for
Africa Command and
Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa
Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) is a joint task force of United States Africa Command (AFRICOM). It originated under Operation Enduring Freedom – Horn of Africa (OEF-HOA) as part of the United States response to the Se ...
, supporting varied U.S. objectives in the area.
The group began as the
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 ...
449th Bombardment Group (Heavy) in the spring of 1943. The group prepared for combat with
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models des ...
heavy
bomber
A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry (such as bombs), launching aerial torpedo, torpedoes, or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. The first use of bombs dropped ...
s. It moved to Italy by January 1944, and was assigned to the
47th Bombardment Wing
The 47th Flying Training Wing is a United States Air Force pilot training wing based at Laughlin Air Force Base, near Del Rio, Texas. It is one of five pilot training units in the Air Force's Air Education and Training Command which conducts ...
of
Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Air Force (15 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base. It was reactivated on 20 August 2020, merging the previous units of the Ninth Air Force ...
. The group operated primarily as a strategic bombardment organization. The group earned two
Distinguished Unit Citation
The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enem ...
s for its combat actions. After returning to the United States at the end of May 1945, the unit was assigned to
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 ...
, transitioned to
B-29 Superfortress
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is an American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the B-17 Fl ...
es, and was redesignated a Very Heavy bomb group.
In the postwar era, the 449th Bombardment Group was one of the original ten
bombardment groups assigned to
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
(SAC). The unit was inactivated on 4 August 1946 at
Grand Island Army Air Field
Grand Island Army Airfield was a United States Army Air Forces airfield which operated from 1942 to 1946. After its closure, the base was reopened as Central Nebraska Regional Airport.
History
Grand Island Army Airfield was opened in 1942, a ...
, Nebraska and its mission, aircraft, and personnel were transferred to the
28th Bombardment Group which was simultaneously activated.
The 449th Bombardment Wing, Heavy was activated in 1963 at
Kincheloe AFB
Kincheloe Air Force Base was a United States Air Force (USAF) base during the Cold War. Built in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in 1943 during World War II, the base was in service
The base was known by various names, including Kinross Muni ...
, Michigan, assuming the mission, aircraft and equipment of the 4239th Strategic Wing and trained for strategic operations flying
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air ...
es and
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of transpor ...
s as part of
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
. The wing inactivated in 1977 with the closure of Kincheloe AFB.
In 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 ...
and the
wing
A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is expres ...
were consolidated, but remained inactive. In 2003 the unit was redesignated as the 449th Air Expeditionary Group and was assigned to
United States Air Forces Europe
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...
(USAFE) to activate or inactivate as needed. Since 2008, the unit has controlled USAF activities in the Horn of Africa.
Units
The 449th AEG is currently made up of:
*
12th Expeditionary Special Operations Squadron (
Chabelley Airfield, Djibouti)
*
75th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron
The 75th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron (75 EAS) is a provisional Air Force squadron. It was most recently activated in May 2014 in Djibouti, where it provides airlift support for Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa. It replaced the 52 ...
*
82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron
The 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron (82 ERQS) is a provisional unit of the United States Air Force (USAF), assigned to the 449th Air Expeditionary Group. It has been stationed at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti since at least 2007. The squadron is m ...
* 475th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron (
Manda Bay Airfield, Kenya)
* 726th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron
* 776th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron (Chabelley Airfield, Djibouti)
History
World War II
![Douglas-Tulsa B-24J-5-DT Liberator 42-51327 449BG 717BS](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Douglas-Tulsa_B-24J-5-DT_Liberator_42-51327_449BG_717BS.jpg)
The group was constituted as 449th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 6 April 1943 and activated on 1 May at
Davis–Monthan Field, Arizona.
its original components were the
716th,
717th,
718th, and
719th Bombardment Squadrons.
[Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 718]
It was assigned to
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 ...
for combat training with
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models des ...
s. The first morning report was issued on 27 May 1943and listed as 52 officers and 33 enlisted men available for duty. Over the next seven months the Group steadily increased to full strength as the training program progressed. In July 1943 the group moved to
Alamogordo Army Airfield
Alamogordo () is the seat of Otero County, New Mexico, United States. A city in the Tularosa Basin of the Chihuahuan Desert, it is bordered on the east by the Sacramento Mountains and to the west by Holloman Air Force Base. The population was ...
, New Mexico
[ where second phase training was performed. In September the group again relocated, this time to Bruning Army Air Field, Nebraska.][ The move to Bruning was completed on 18 September 1943. At that time the 449th consisted of a total complement of 184 officers and 1,203 enlisted men. At Bruning the group received its new operational ]Consolidated B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models des ...
s.
By December 1943, training was complete and the 449th was ordered overseas to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
The Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army (MTOUSA), originally called the North African Theater of Operations, United States Army (NATOUSA), was a military formation of the United States Army that supervised all U.S. Army forc ...
(MTO). Each crew flew its aircraft overseas by the South Atlantic Transport Route which took them to Morrison Field, Florida, then to Puerto Rico and Brazil. The Atlantic crossing was made from Brazil to Dakar
Dakar ( ; ; wo, Ndakaaru) (from daqaar ''tamarind''), is the capital and largest city of Senegal. The city of Dakar proper has a population of 1,030,594, whereas the population of the Dakar metropolitan area is estimated at 3.94 million in 2 ...
, French West Africa. From Dakar the planes flew north to Tunis
''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois
, population_note =
, population_urban =
, population_metro = 2658816
, population_density_km2 =
, timezone1 = CET
, utc_offset1 ...
by way of Marrakech
Marrakesh or Marrakech ( or ; ar, مراكش, murrākuš, ; ber, ⵎⵕⵕⴰⴽⵛ, translit=mṛṛakc}) is the fourth largest city in the Kingdom of Morocco. It is one of the four Imperial cities of Morocco and is the capital of the Marrakes ...
. From Tunis they flew to their forward operating base at Grottaglie Airfield
Taranto-Grottaglie "Marcello Arlotta" Airport ( it, Aeroporto di Taranto-Grottaglie "Marcello Arlotta") is an airport serving Taranto and Grottaglie, both ''comunes'' in the province of Taranto in Italy. The airport is located from the city of ...
near Taranto
Taranto (, also ; ; nap, label= Tarantino, Tarde; Latin: Tarentum; Old Italian: ''Tarento''; Ancient Greek: Τάρᾱς) is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto, serving as an important com ...
, Italy. The 449th was assigned to the 47th Bombardment Wing
The 47th Flying Training Wing is a United States Air Force pilot training wing based at Laughlin Air Force Base, near Del Rio, Texas. It is one of five pilot training units in the Air Force's Air Education and Training Command which conducts ...
of the Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Air Force (15 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base. It was reactivated on 20 August 2020, merging the previous units of the Ninth Air Force ...
.
The group operated primarily as a strategic bombardment organization, attacking such targets as oil refineries, communications centers, aircraft factories, and industrial areas in Italy, Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Albania, and Greece.[
The group received a ]Distinguished Unit Citation
The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enem ...
(DUC) for a mission on 4 April 1944 when the group, flying without escort, raided marshalling yards in Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...
. Although heavily outnumbered by German fighters
Fighter(s) or The Fighter(s) may refer to:
Combat and warfare
* Combatant, an individual legally entitled to engage in hostilities during an international armed conflict
* Fighter aircraft, a warplane designed to destroy or damage enemy warplan ...
, the group succeeded not only in bombing the target but also in destroying many of the enemy interceptors. Received another DUC for action on 9 July 1944 when the group flew through heavy smoke and intense enemy fire to attack an oil refinery
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where petroleum (crude oil) is transformed and refined into useful products such as gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, asphalt base, fuel oils, heating oil, kerosene, lique ...
at Ploiești
Ploiești ( , , ), formerly spelled Ploești, is a city and county seat in Prahova County, Romania. Part of the historical region of Muntenia, it is located north of Bucharest.
The area of Ploiești is around , and it borders the Blejoi commu ...
. Other operations of the group included bombing gun emplacements in southern France in preparation for the invasion in August 1944, and attacking troop concentrations, bridges, and viaducts in April 1945 to assist Allied forces in northern Italy.[
The group was ordered back to the United States during May after the German capitulation. The 449th was redesignated a Very Heavy bombardment group and was programmed for very long range strategic bombardment operations against the ]Japanese Home Islands
The Japanese archipelago (Japanese: 日本列島, ''Nihon rettō'') is a group of 6,852 islands that form the country of Japan, as well as the Russian island of Sakhalin. It extends over from the Sea of Okhotsk in the northeast to the East Chi ...
using Boeing B-29 Superfortress
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is an American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the B-17 Fl ...
es. Many personnel were demobilized upon arrival at the port of embarkation; a small cadre
Cadre may refer to:
*Cadre (military), a group of officers or NCOs around whom a unit is formed, or a training staff
*Cadre (politics), a politically controlled appointment to an institution in order to circumvent the state and bring control to th ...
of key personnel was formed and the group was then established at Sioux Falls Army Air Field
Sioux Falls Regional Airport , also known as Joe Foss Field, is a public and military use airport three miles northwest of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States. It is named in honor of aviator and Sioux Falls native Joe Foss, who later served a ...
, South Dakota in late May where the group was reformed with new personnel.
After a period of organization, the group moved to 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 initial training was conducted with former 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 ...
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 ...
; B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Major General William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allied air forces, the B-25 served in ...
s and some B-29s.[ As the group was so far along in training, it moved to ]Grand Island Army Air Field
Grand Island Army Airfield was a United States Army Air Forces airfield which operated from 1942 to 1946. After its closure, the base was reopened as Central Nebraska Regional Airport.
History
Grand Island Army Airfield was opened in 1942, a ...
, Nebraska in September where it became a regular unit of Continental Air Forces
Continental Air Forces (CAF) was a United States Army Air Forces major command, active 1944–1946. It was tasked with combat training of bomber and fighter personnel, and for Continental United States (CONUS) air defense after the Aircraft Warn ...
, receiving some of the last new B-29 aircraft manufactured by Boeing. In November, its 719th squadron was converted to a reconnaissance
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities.
Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...
unit and redesignated the 46th Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range (Photographic-Weather).[
On 21 March 1946, the 449th Bombardment Group became one of the initial ten B-29 groups assigned to ]Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
(SAC). The group was inactivated on 4 August 1946[ and its personnel, mission, and equipment were reassigned to the 28th Bombardment Group.
]
Strategic Air Command
4239th Strategic Wing
The origins of the 449th Bombardment Wing began on 1 July 1959 when SAC established the 4239th Strategic Wing (SW) at Kincheloe AFB
Kincheloe Air Force Base was a United States Air Force (USAF) base during the Cold War. Built in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in 1943 during World War II, the base was in service
The base was known by various names, including Kinross Muni ...
, Michigan, an Air Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was est ...
(ADC) base, whose host was the 507th Fighter Group (Air Defense ) and assigned it to the 40th Air Division as part of SAC's plan to disperse its Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air ...
heavy bombers over a larger number of bases, thus making it more difficult for the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
to knock out the entire fleet with a surprise first strike. The wing remained a headquarters
Headquarters (commonly referred to as HQ) denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the to ...
only until 1 June 1961 when the 70th Munitions Maintenance Squadron was activated to oversee the wing's special weapons.
The 93d Bombardment Squadron (BS), consisting of 15 Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air ...
es, moved to Kincheloe from Homestead AFB
Homestead Air Reserve Base (Homestead ARB), previously known as Homestead Air Force Base (Homestead AFB) is located in Miami–Dade County, Florida to the northeast of the city of Homestead. It is home to the 482nd Fighter Wing (482 FW) of th ...
, Florida where it had been one of the three squadrons of the 19th Bombardment Wing
The 19th Airlift Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command's Eighteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. The wing is also the host unit at Little Rock.
The Wing provides the ...
in August 1961. At the same time three maintenance squadrons and a squadron to provide security for special weapons were activated and assigned to the wing. Starting in 1960, one third of the squadron's aircraft were maintained on fifteen-minute alert, fully fueled and ready for combat to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet missile strike. This was increased to half the squadron's aircraft in 1962. The 4239th (and later the 449th) continued to maintain an alert commitment until the 449th was inactivated in 1977. In 1962, the wing's bomber
A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry (such as bombs), launching aerial torpedo, torpedoes, or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. The first use of bombs dropped ...
s began to be equipped with the GAM-77 Hound Dog and the GAM-72 Quail
The McDonnell ADM-20 Quail was a subsonic, jet powered, air-launched decoy cruise missile built by McDonnell Aircraft Corporation. The Quail was designed to be launched by the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber and its original United ...
air-launched cruise missiles
A cruise missile is a guided missile used against terrestrial or naval targets that remains in the atmosphere and flies the major portion of its flight path at approximately constant speed. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead ...
, The 4239th Airborne Missile Maintenance Squadron was activated in November to maintain these missiles.
However, SAC Strategic Wings could not carry a permanent history or lineage and SAC looked for a way to make its Strategic Wings permanent.
449th Bombardment Wing
In 1962, in order to perpetuate the lineage of many currently inactive bombardment units with illustrious 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 ...
records, Headquarters SAC received authority from Headquarters USAF to discontinue its Major Command controlled (MAJCON) strategic wings that were equipped with combat aircraft and to activate Air Force controlled (AFCON) units, most of which were inactive at the time which could carry a lineage and history. As a result, the 4239th SW was replaced by the 449th Bombardment Wing, Heavy which assumed its mission, personnel, and equipment on 1 February 1963.
In the same way the 716th Bombardment Squadron
The 716th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 449th Bombardment Wing at Kincheloe Air Force Base, Michigan, where it was inactivated on 30 September 1977.
The squadron (aviation), squad ...
, one of the unit's World War II historical bomb squadrons, replaced the 93d BS. The 70th Munitions Maintenance Squadron was reassigned to the 449th. Under the Dual Deputate organization, all flying and maintenance squadrons were directly assigned to the wing, so no operational group was activated. The 4239th's maintenance and security squadrons were replaced by ones with the 449th numerical designation of the new wing. Each of the new units assumed the personnel, equipment, and mission of its predecessor. In July 1963, the wing added an air refueling
Aerial refueling, also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one aircraft (the tanker) to another (the receiver) while both aircraft a ...
capability when the 908th Air Refueling Squadron
9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding .
Evolution of the Arabic digit
In the beginning, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bottom dot. The Kshatrapa, Andhra and ...
, equipped with Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of transpor ...
s, was organized and assigned to the wing.[
The 449th continued the mission of strategic bombardment training and contributing to SAC's worldwide refueling capability. It supported SAC combat operations in Southeast Asia by furnishing KC-135 aircraft and crews from November 1965 through December 1975 and B-52 crews between May 1968 and June 1975.][
Although the number of ADC interceptor squadrons remained almost constant in the early 1960s, attrition (and the fact that production lines closed in 1961) caused a gradual drop in the number of planes assigned to fighter interceptor squadrons, from 24 to typically 18 by 1964 and to 12 by 1967. Because of this reduction, in December 1965, the ]Department of Defense Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to:
Current departments of defence
* Department of Defence (Australia)
* Department of National Defence (Canada)
* Department of Defence (Ireland)
* Department of National Defense (Philipp ...
announced it would close Kincheloe by October 1971. ADC terminated its interceptor
Interceptor may refer to:
Vehicles
* Interceptor aircraft (or simply "interceptor"), a type of point defense fighter aircraft designed specifically to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft
* Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, a police car
* ...
mission at Kincheloe and inactivated its 507th Fighter Wing
5 (five) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number, and cardinal number, following 4 and preceding 6, and is a prime number. It has attained significance throughout history in part because typical humans have five digits on eac ...
in 1968. It then organized the 4609th Air Base Group as a temporary host organization for the base. However, in May 1971, the decision to close the base was reversed and it was instead transferred to SAC, which activated the 449th Combat Support Group as the new host organization and assigned it to the wing. This was only a six-year reprieve, as the base was closed on 30 September 1977 as part of an ongoing reduction in force in the USAF following the end of the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
. The B-52s and KC-135s of the 449th were reassigned to other SAC units, and the wing was inactivated[ concurrent with the closure of the base.
]
Europe and Africa
From 2008, the 449th Air Expeditionary Group has been assigned to United States Air Forces Europe
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...
to activate or inactivate as needed for operations. The group is currently based at Camp Lemonnier
Camp Lemonnier is a United States Naval Expeditionary Base, situated next to Djibouti–Ambouli International Airport in Djibouti City, and home to the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) of the U.S. Africa Command (USAFRI ...
, Djibouti. The 449th provides combat search and rescue for the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa
Combined may refer to:
* Alpine combined (skiing), the combination of slalom and downhill skiing as a single event
** Super combined (skiing)
* Nordic combined (skiing), the combination of cross country skiing and ski jumping as a single event
* T ...
. The group has been assigned various expeditionary rescue squadrons while located in Djibouti. It is composed of HC-130P Hercules
The Lockheed HC-130 is an extended-range, search and rescue (SAR)/combat search and rescue (CSAR) version of the C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft, with two different versions operated by two separate services in the U.S. armed forc ...
aircraft assigned to the 81st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron and pararescuemen
Pararescuemen (also known as PJs) are United States Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) and Air Combat Command (ACC) operators tasked with recovery and medical treatment of personnel in humanitarian and combat environments. These Speci ...
from the 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron. While deployed the group performed both combat and civil search and rescue missions. Since the above referenced fact sheet was issued the group has been joined by the 75th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron
The 75th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron (75 EAS) is a provisional Air Force squadron. It was most recently activated in May 2014 in Djibouti, where it provides airlift support for Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa. It replaced the 52 ...
.
In November 2006, while conducting an air-land mission, Staff Sergeant Joshua C. Sevilla, assigned to the group's 79th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron and his crew were forcibly detained by at El Fasher Airport
El Fasher Airport , also known as Al Fashir Airport, is an airport serving El Fasher (Al Fashir), the capital city of the North Darfur state in Sudan.
United Nations peacekeeping force UNAMID uses a special terminal at El Fasher Airport for tran ...
, Sudan by members of the Sudanese military who accused them of espionage and demanded the surrender of all crew members and the aircraft. SSG Sevilla denied a force of more than 150 Sudanese soldiers the ability to control the aircraft, enabling all 17 American detainees to return.
The 303rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron, now a provisional Expeditionary Rescue Squadron assigned to USAFE since July 2011, has conducted deployments as part of the 449th AEG as the 303rd ERQS, at least during December 2013.
From November 2016 a detachment of General Dynamics F-16CM Fighting Falcons were deployed here from the 510th Fighter Squadron at Aviano Air Base
Aviano Air Base ( it, Base aerea di Aviano) is a base in northeastern Italy, in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. It is located in the Aviano municipality, at the foot of the Carnic Pre-Alps or Southern Carnic Alps, about from Pordenone.
Th ...
, Italy with support from the 100th Air Refueling Wing, from RAF Mildenhall
Royal Air Force Mildenhall or RAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located near Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. Despite its status as a Royal Air Force station, it primarily supports United States Air Force (USAF) operations, and ...
, UK using Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of transpor ...
s.
It is likely that the 60th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron
The 60th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit, assigned to Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate as needed. Its last known activation was as an unmanned aerial vehicle unit, inactivated on 7 ...
at Camp Lemonnier is associated with the group in some way.
Lineage
449th Bombardment Group
* Constituted as 449th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 6 April 1943
: Activated on 1 May 1943.
: Redesignated 449th Bombardment Group, Heavy ca. August 1943
: Redesignated 449th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy on 29 May 1945
: Inactivated on 4 August 1946
* Consolidated with 449th Bombardment Wing as 449th Bombardment Wing on 31 January 1984[Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 539q, 31 January 1984, Subject: Consolidation of Units] (remained inactive)
449th Air Expeditionary Group
* Constituted as 449th Fighter-Bomber Wing on 23 March 1953
: Redesignated 449th Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 15 November 1962 and activated (not organized)
: Organized on 1 February 1963
: Inactivated on 30 September 1977.
* Consolidated with 449th Bombardment Group on 31 January 1984[ (remained inactive)
* Redesignated 449th Air Expeditionary Group and converted to provisional status in 2003.
: Activated and inactivated on undetermined dates.
]
Assignments
* Fourth Air Force
The Fourth Air Force (4 AF) is a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California.
4 AF directs the activities and supervises the training of more than 30,000 Air Force Reser ...
, 1 May 1943
* 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 ...
, 12 September 1943
* 47th Bombardment Wing
The 47th Flying Training Wing is a United States Air Force pilot training wing based at Laughlin Air Force Base, near Del Rio, Texas. It is one of five pilot training units in the Air Force's Air Education and Training Command which conducts ...
: 11 December 1943 – 15 May 1945
* 20th Bombardment Wing, 29 May 1945
* Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
: 21 March 1946 – 4 August 1946
* Strategic Air Command: 15 November 1962 (not organized)
* 40th Air Division, 1 February 1963 – 30 September 1977
* Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the primary provider of air combat forces for the Air Force, and i ...
to activate or inactivate any time in 2003 (attached to United States Air Forces Central
The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint De ...
, 2003)
* United States Air Forces in Europe
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...
to activate or inactivate any time after 1 October 2008
* Seventeenth Air Force
The Seventeenth Expeditionary Air Force (17 EAF) was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force located at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The command served the United States Air Forces in Europe during (1953–1996) and AFAFRICA, United Sta ...
, 1 October 2008 - 20 April 2012
* 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 ...
, 20 April 2012 – present
Stations
* Davis–Monthan Field, Arizona, 1 May 1943
* Alamogordo Army Air Field
Alamogordo () is the seat of Otero County, New Mexico, United States. A city in the Tularosa Basin of the Chihuahuan Desert, it is bordered on the east by the Sacramento Mountains and to the west by Holloman Air Force Base. The population was ...
, 5 July 1943 (elements trained at Albuquerque Army Air Base New Mexico)
* Bruning Army Air Field, Nebraska, 12 September – 3 December 1943
* Grottaglie Airfield
Taranto-Grottaglie "Marcello Arlotta" Airport ( it, Aeroporto di Taranto-Grottaglie "Marcello Arlotta") is an airport serving Taranto and Grottaglie, both ''comunes'' in the province of Taranto in Italy. The airport is located from the city of ...
, Italy, c. 4 January 1944 – 16 May 1945
* Sioux Falls Army Air Field
Sioux Falls Regional Airport , also known as Joe Foss Field, is a public and military use airport three miles northwest of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States. It is named in honor of aviator and Sioux Falls native Joe Foss, who later served a ...
, South Dakota, 29 May 1945
* Dalhart Army Airfield
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, 24 July 1945
* Grand Island Army Air Field
Grand Island Army Airfield was a United States Army Air Forces airfield which operated from 1942 to 1946. After its closure, the base was reopened as Central Nebraska Regional Airport.
History
Grand Island Army Airfield was opened in 1942, a ...
, Nebraska, 8 September 1945 – 4 August 1946.
* Kincheloe AFB
Kincheloe Air Force Base was a United States Air Force (USAF) base during the Cold War. Built in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in 1943 during World War II, the base was in service
The base was known by various names, including Kinross Muni ...
, Michigan, 1 February 1963 – 30 September 1977
* Camp Lemonnier
Camp Lemonnier is a United States Naval Expeditionary Base, situated next to Djibouti–Ambouli International Airport in Djibouti City, and home to the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) of the U.S. Africa Command (USAFRI ...
, Djibouti (2003–present)
Components
Groups
* 449th Combat Support Group, 30 June 1971 – 30 September 1977
Operational Squadrons
1943–1977
* 716th Bombardment Squadron
The 716th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 449th Bombardment Wing at Kincheloe Air Force Base, Michigan, where it was inactivated on 30 September 1977.
The squadron (aviation), squad ...
: 1 May 1943 – 4 August 1946, 1 February 1963 – 30 September 1977
* 717th Bombardment Squadron: 1 May 1943 – 4 August 1946
* 718th Bombardment Squadron: 1 May 1943 – 4 August 1946
* 719th Bombardment Squadron (later 46th Reconnaissance Squadron): 1 May 1943 – 11 June 1945
* 908th Air Refueling Squadron
9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding .
Evolution of the Arabic digit
In the beginning, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bottom dot. The Kshatrapa, Andhra and ...
: 1 July 1963 – 30 September 1977
From 2011
* 79th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron: unknown dates
* 81st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron: unknown dates
* 82d Expeditionary Rescue Squadron: unknown dates
* 303d Expeditionary Rescue Squadron: unknown dates, but after 22 July 2011
Support Squadrons
* 70th Munitions Maintenance Squadron: 1 July 1963 – 30 September 1972
* 449th Airborne Missile Maintenance Squadron: 1 July 1963 – 30 June 1975
* 449th Armament & Electronics Maintenance Squadron: 1 July 1963 – 30 September 1977
* 449th Combat Defense Squadron (later 449th Security Police Squadron): 1 July 1963 – 30 June 1971
* 449th Field Maintenance Squadron: 1 July 1963 – 30 September 1977
* 449th Munitions Maintenance Squadron: 1 October 1972 – 30 September 1977
* 449th Organizational Maintenance Squadron: 1 July 1963 – 30 September 1977
Other
* USAF Hospital, Kincheloe: 30 June 1971 – 30 September 1977
Aircraft and missiles
* Consolidated B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models des ...
(1943–1945)
* Boeing B-29 Superfortress
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is an American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the B-17 Fl ...
(1945–1946)
* Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air ...
(1963–1977)
* ADM-20 Quail
The McDonnell ADM-20 Quail was a subsonic, jet powered, air-launched decoy cruise missile built by McDonnell Aircraft Corporation. The Quail was designed to be launched by the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber and its original United ...
(1963–unknown)
* AGM-28 Hound Dog
The North American Aviation AGM-28 Hound Dog was a supersonic, turbojet-propelled, nuclear armed, air-launched cruise missile developed in 1959 for the United States Air Force. It was primarily designed to be capable of attacking Soviet gr ...
(1963–1975)
* AGM-69 SRAM
The Boeing AGM-69 SRAM (Short-Range Attack Missile) was a nuclear air-to-surface missile. It had a range of up to , and was intended to allow US Air Force strategic bombers to penetrate Soviet airspace by neutralizing surface-to-air missile de ...
(1973–1977)
* Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of transpor ...
(1963–1977)
* Lockheed C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally design ...
(present)
Awards and campaigns
See also
* List of B-52 Units of the United States Air Force
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress has been operational with the United States Air Force since 5 June, 1955. This list is of the units it was assigned to, and the bases it was stationed.
In addition to the USAF, A single RB-52B (52-008) was flown ...
References
Bibliography
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Notes
External links
Combined Joint Task Force – Horn Of Africa
Named 449th Bomb Group Aircraft during World War 2
{{Navboxes
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{{Strategic Air Command
{{USAAF 15th Air Force World War II
{{USAAF 4th Air Force World War II
{{USAAF 2d Air Force World War II
Air expeditionary groups of the United States Air Force