The 452d Operations Group (452 OG) is the flying component of the
452d Air Mobility Wing
The 452nd Air Mobility Wing is an Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the Fourth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, stationed at March Air Reserve Base, California. If mobilized, the Wing is gained by the Ai ...
, assigned to the
United States Air Force Reserve
The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commis ...
. The group is stationed at
March Air Reserve Base, California.
During World War II, its predecessor unit, the 452d Bombardment Group (Heavy) was an
Eighth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortress unit in England, stationed at
RAF Deopham Green
Royal Air Force Deopham Green or more simply RAF Deopham Green is a former Royal Air Force station located near Deopham Green north of Attleborough, Norfolk, England.
United States Army Air Forces use
RAF Deopham Green was built in 1942 and ...
.
1st Lieutenant Donald J. Gott and
2nd Lieutenant William E. Metzger, Jr were both awarded the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...
for their heroic actions.
The present day 452d works to maintain a special relationship with the 452d Bomb Group Memorial Association to keep its heritage alive.
Overview
The 452 OG mission is to organize, train and equip aircrews to provide air refueling and strategic airlift any time, any place. The Group's aircraft operate under widely varying situations ranging from small movements in battle to large movements over long distances.
The Group also has a medical squadron which augments joint forces with aeromedical evacuation aircrews who provide medical care for sick and injured patients transported by air.
Units
The group includes a
C-17 Globemaster III
The McDonnell Douglas/Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft that was developed for the United States Air Force (USAF) from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas. The C-17 carries forward the name of t ...
flying squadron and a
KC-135R 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 transport ...
flying squadron as well as an aeromedical evacuation squadron:
*
336th Air Refueling Squadron
The 336th Air Refueling Squadron is a United States Air Force Reserve squadron, assigned to the 452d Operations Group, stationed at March Joint Air Reserve Base, California. The squadron shares its aircraft and facility with the 912th Air R ...
(KC-135R)
*
729th Airlift Squadron
The 729th Airlift Squadron is a United States Air Force Reserve squadron, assigned to the 452d Operations Group, stationed at March Air Reserve Base, California. It operates Boeing C-17 Globemaster III aircraft providing global airlift any time, ...
(C-17)
* 452d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron
* 452d Operations Support Squadron
* 452d Contingency Response Squadron
* 912 ARS-AD Associate flying KC-135R
History
: ''For related history and lineage, see
452d Air Mobility Wing
The 452nd Air Mobility Wing is an Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the Fourth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, stationed at March Air Reserve Base, California. If mobilized, the Wing is gained by the Ai ...
''
World War II
The 452 Bombardment Group (Heavy) was established on 14 May 1943 and activated on 1 June 1943 at Geiger Field, Washington. The unit was transferred to Rapid City AAB, South Dakota on 15 June 1943 and trained there until early October 1943. It had been redesignated as 452 Bombardment Group, Heavy on 20 August 1943. The unit was moved to Pendleton Field Oregon on 11 October 1943 and to Walla Walla AAFd Washington on 4 November 1943.
Ground unit left for Camp Shanks New York on 23 December 1943 and sailed on the Queen Elizabeth on 2 January 1944, and arrived in Clyde on 8 January 1944. The air echelon began overseas movement in early December 1943 via the southern ferry route. Most of the aircraft reached England a few days before the ground units arrived. The 452d was assigned to the
45th Combat Bombardment Wing
The 45th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Eighth Air Force at Pease Air Force Base, New Hampshire. It was inactivated on 14 June 1989.
History
As the 45th Bombardment Wing, the unit was one ...
, and the group tail code was a "Square-L".
the 452d entered combat on 5 February with an attack against aircraft assembly plants at
Brunswick. Throughout combat, engaged primarily in bombardment of strategic targets, including marshalling yards at
Frankfurt
Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , " Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on it ...
, aircraft assembly plants at
Regensburg, aircraft component works at
Kassel, the ball-bearing industry at
Schweinfurt
Schweinfurt ( , ; ) is a city in the district of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany. It is the administrative centre of the surrounding district (''Landkreis'') of Schweinfurt and a major industrial, cultural and educational hub. The urban ag ...
, a synthetic rubber plant at
Hanover
Hanover (; german: Hannover ; nds, Hannober) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony. Its 535,932 (2021) inhabitants make it the 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-largest city in Northern Germany ...
, and oil installations at
Bohlen.
In addition to strategic missions, the 452d supported ground forces and carried out interdictory operations. Helped prepare for the
invasion of Normandy by hitting airfields, V-weapon sites, bridges, and other objectives in France. The group struck coastal defenses on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Bombed enemy positions in support of the breakthrough at
Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô (, ; br, Sant Lo) is a commune in northwest France, the capital of the Manche department in the region of Normandy. in July and the offensive against
Brest
Brest may refer to:
Places
*Brest, Belarus
**Brest Region
**Brest Airport
**Brest Fortress
* Brest, Kyustendil Province, Bulgaria
* Břest, Czech Republic
*Brest, France
** Arrondissement of Brest
**Brest Bretagne Airport
** Château de Brest
*Br ...
in August and September 1944. Later in September, assisted the
airborne attack on the Netherlands. Hit enemy communications in and near the combat zone during the
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted from 16 December 1944 to 28 January 1945, towards the end of the war in ...
, December 1944 – January 1945. Bombed an airfield in support of the
airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945.
The group received a
Distinguished Unit Citation for action on 7 April 1945 when, despite vigorous fighter attacks and heavy flak, it accurately bombed a jet-fighter base at
Kaltenkirchen
(nicknamed ''Kaki''; nds, Koldenkarken or ''Kolenkarken'') is a town located 35 km north of Hamburg in Germany. It is part of the Segeberg district, in Schleswig-Holstein. It has about 20,000 inhabitants.
History
First mentioned in the ...
. The 452d Bomb Group flew its last combat mission of World War II
n Europe
N, or n, is the fourteenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''en'' (pronounced ), plural ''ens''.
History
...
on 21 April, striking marshalling yards at
Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt (, Austro-Bavarian: ) is an independent city on the Danube in Upper Bavaria with 139,553 inhabitants (as of June 30, 2022). Around half a million people live in the metropolitan area. Ingolstadt is the second largest city in Upper Ba ...
.
The group flew a total of 250 missions from Deopham Green during the war, losing 110 of its bombers in the course of these operations. Indeed, the group suffered particularly heavy losses during the spring of 1944, at that time sustaining one of the highest rates of loss of any Fortress equipped unit in the Eighth Air Force.
Redeployed to the US June/August 1945. The air echelon departed the United Kingdom late June 1945. Ground echelon sailed on the ''Queen Elizabeth'' from
Greenock on 5 August 1945, and arrived in New York on 11 August 1945. The unit established at Sioux Falls AAFd, South Dakota where the Group was inactivated on 28 August 1945.
Cold War
![452dbombwing-emblem](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/452dbombwing-emblem.jpg)
Redesignated 452 Bombardment Group, Very Heavy on 11 March 1947. Activated in the Reserve on 19 April 1947. Redesignated 452 Bombardment Group, Light on 27 June 1949. Trained as a bombardment group under supervision of the 2347th Air Force Reserve Training Center. Ordered to active duty effective 10 August 1950 for duty in the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
under the 5th Air Force. Moved to Japan, October–November 1950, and entered combat with
B-26 Invader
The Douglas A-26 Invader (designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965) is an American twin-engined light bomber and ground attack aircraft. Built by Douglas Aircraft Company during World War II, the Invader also saw service during several major Col ...
light bombers against communist forces late in Oct, operating first from bases in Japan and later from
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...
. Flew armed reconnaissance, intruder, and interdiction missions, and provided support for ground troops. Bombed and strafed buildings, tunnels, rail lines, switching centers, bridges, vehicles, supply dumps, and airfields until May 1952 when its mission was taken over by the regular USAF
17th Bombardment Group
The 17th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. The group was last stationed at Hurlburt Field, Florida.
The Group is a direct successor to the 17th Pursuit Group, one of the 15 original combat air groups formed by the ...
(Light). The group received two
Distinguished Unit Citations (Presidential Unit Citations)for its actions during the Korean War.
Returned to the United States and placed back in reserve status. The unit was remanned and trained as a tactical reconnaissance group, (452 Tactical Reconnaissance Group) 1952–1955; as a tactical bombardment group (452 Bombardment Group, Tactical), 1955–1957; and as a troop carrier group, (452 Troop Carrier Group, Medium) 1957–1959.
Modern era
On 1 August 1992, the 452d Operations Group (452 OG) was activated as a result of the 452d Refueling Wing implementing the USAF objective wing organization. Upon activation, the 452 OG was bestowed the lineage and history of the 452 Air Refueling Group and all predecessor organizations. the 452 OG was assigned the flying squadrons of the 452d Refueling Wing.
In 1993, March AFB was selected for realignment. As part of the Air Force's realignment the 452d ARW became the 452d Air Mobility Wing on 1 April 1994. On 1 April 1996, March officially became March Air Reserve Base. In 2005, the Group retired its C-141 fleet. A year later, the wing began to receive its eight C-17s.
Lineage
* Established as 452 Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 14 May 1943
: Activated on 1 June 1943
: Redesignated 452 Bombardment Group, Heavy on 20 August 1943
: Inactivated on 28 August 1945
* Redesignated 452 Bombardment Group, Very Heavy on 11 March 1947
: Activated in the Reserve on 19 April 1947
: Redesignated 452 Bombardment Group, Light on 27 June 1949
: Ordered to Active Duty on 10 August 1950
: Inactivated on 10 May 1952
* Redesignated 452 Tactical Reconnaissance Group on 6 June 1952
: Activated in the Reserve on 13 June 1952
: Redesignated: 452 Bombardment Group, Tactical on 22 May 1955
: Redesignated: 452 Troop Carrier Group, Medium on 1 July 1957
: Inactivated on 14 April 1959
* Redesignated: 452 Air Refueling Group, Heavy on 31 July 1985 (Remained inactive)
* Redesignated: 452 Operations Group on 1 August 1992 and activated in the Reserve.
Assignments
*
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 ...
, 1 June 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 defende ...
, 6 October 1943
*
Eighth Air Force, c. 8 January 1944
*
VIII Bomber Command
8 (eight) is the natural number following 7 and preceding 9.
In mathematics
8 is:
* a composite number, its proper divisors being , , and . It is twice 4 or four times 2.
* a power of two, being 2 (two cubed), and is the first number of ...
, January 1944
*
3d Bombardment Division
3-D, 3D, or 3d may refer to:
Science, technology, and mathematics Relating to three-dimensionality
* Three-dimensional space
** 3D computer graphics, computer graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data
** 3D film, a ...
, January 1944
*
45th Combat Bombardment Wing
The 45th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Eighth Air Force at Pease Air Force Base, New Hampshire. It was inactivated on 14 June 1989.
History
As the 45th Bombardment Wing, the unit was one ...
, January 1944
*
20th Bombardment Wing, 18 June 1945
*
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 defende ...
, c. 12–18 August 1945
*
304th Bombardment Wing (later, 304 Air Division), 19 April 1947
*
452d Bombardment Wing 45 may refer to:
* 45 (number)
* one of the years 45 BC, AD 45, 1945, 2045
Film
* ''45'' (film), directed by Peter Coster (2009)
* ''.45'' (film), directed by Gary Lennon (2006)
Music
* ''45'' (Jaguares album), 2008
* ''45'' (Kino album), 1982
...
, 27 June 1949 – 10 May 1952
*
452d Tactical Reconnaissance (later, 452 Bombardment; 452 Troop Carrier) Wing, 13 June 1952 – 14 April 1959
*
452d Air Refueling (later, 452 Air Mobility) Wing, 1 August 1992–present
Components
*
79th Air Refueling Squadron: 1 August 1992 – 1 April 1995
*
336th Air Refueling Squadron
The 336th Air Refueling Squadron is a United States Air Force Reserve squadron, assigned to the 452d Operations Group, stationed at March Joint Air Reserve Base, California. The squadron shares its aircraft and facility with the 912th Air R ...
: 1 August 1992–present
*
703d Bombardment Squadron: 28 May 1948 – 27 June 1949
*
728th Bombardment (later Airlift) Squadron (9Z) : 1 June 1943 – 28 August 1945; 19 April 1947 – 10 May 1952; 13 June 1952 – 14 April 1959
*
729th Bombardment (later, 729 Tactical Reconnaissance; 729 Bombardment; 729 Troop Carrier; 729 Airlift) Squadron (M3): 1 June 1943 – 28 August 1945; 12 July 1947 – 10 May 1952; 13 June 1952 – 14 April 1959; 1 May 1994–present
*
730 Bombardment (later, 730 Tactical Reconnaissance; 730 Bombardment; 730 Troop Carrier; 730 Airlift) Squadron (6K) : 1 June 1943 – 28 August 1945; 1 August 1947 – 10 May 1952; 13 June 1952 – 14 April 1959; 1 May 1994 – 1 April 2005
*
731st Bombardment Squadron (7D): 1 June 1943 – 28 August 1945; 12 July 1947 – 25 June 1951 (detached November 1950-25 June 1951).
*
733d Bombardment Squadron: 16 November 1957 – 14 April 1959.
Stations
*
Geiger Field
Spokane International Airport is a commercial airport located approximately west-southwest of downtown Spokane, Washington, United States. It is the primary airport serving the Inland Northwest, which consists of 30 counties and includes are ...
,
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
, 1 June 1943
*
Rapid City Army Air Base
Rapids are sections of a river where the river bed has a relatively steep gradient, causing an increase in water velocity and turbulence.
Rapids are hydrological features between a ''run'' (a smoothly flowing part of a stream) and a ''cascade'' ...
,
South Dakota
South Dakota (; Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux Native American tribes, who comprise a large porti ...
, c. 13 June 1943
*
Pendleton Field
Eastern Oregon Regional Airport (Eastern Oregon Regional Airport at Pendleton) is a public airport three miles northwest of Pendleton, in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. Commercial service is provided by Boutique Air to Portland, subsi ...
,
Oregon
Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...
, 10 October 1943
*
Walla Walla Army Air Base
Walla Walla Regional Airport is a public airport in Walla Walla County, Washington, in the western United States. It is northeast of central Walla Walla, and is owned by the Port of Walla Walla.
History World War II
The airport was the locati ...
,
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
, c. 4 November–December 1943
*
RAF Deopham Green
Royal Air Force Deopham Green or more simply RAF Deopham Green is a former Royal Air Force station located near Deopham Green north of Attleborough, Norfolk, England.
United States Army Air Forces use
RAF Deopham Green was built in 1942 and ...
(USAAF Station 142), England, c. 8 January 1944 – 6 August 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
South Dakota (; Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux Native American tribes, who comprise a large porti ...
, c. 12–28 August 1945
*
Long Beach AAFld (later, Long Beach Muni Aprt), California, 19 April 1947
*
George AFB
George Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located within the city limits, 8 miles northwest, of central Victorville, California, about 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California.
Established by the United States Army Air Co ...
, California, 10 August–October 1950
*
Itazuke Air Base, Japan, 26 October 1950
*
Miho Air Base
Miho Airbase (美保飛行場) , also known as Yonago Airport is a Japan Air Defense Force (JASDF) base located 11 km northwest of Yonago in Tottori Prefecture. It is owned and operated by JASDF and shares the runway with civil activities. ...
, Japan, c. 10 December 1950
*
Pusan East (K-9) Air Base
Pusan East (K-9) Air Base was a United States Air Force (USAF) and Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) air base adjacent to the Suyeong River in Haeundae District, Busan, South Korea. It was redeveloped in the 1990s as Centum City, a commercial ...
,
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...
, 17 May 1951 – 10 May 1952
*
Long Beach Airport
Long Beach Airport is a public airport three miles northeast of downtown Long Beach, in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is also called Daugherty Field, named after local aviator Earl Daugherty. The airport was an operating base ...
, California, 13 June 1952 – 14 April 1959
*
March AFB (later, ARB), California, 1 August 1992–present
Aircraft assigned
*
B-17 Flying Fortress, 1943–1945
*
C-45 Expeditor
The Beechcraft Model 18 (or "Twin Beech", as it is also known) is a 6- to 11-seat, twin-engined, low-wing, tailwheel light aircraft manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. Continuously produced from 1937 to November ...
, c. 1948–1949
*
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota (RAF, RAAF, RCAF, RNZAF, and SAAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in f ...
, c. 1948–1949; 1957–1958
*
B/TB/FB-26 Invader, 1948–1957
*
F/TF-51 Mustang, 1953–1954
*
F/TF-80 Shooting Star, 1954–1955
*
C-46 Commando
The Curtiss C-46 Commando is a twin-engine transport aircraft derived from the Curtiss CW-20 pressurised high-altitude airliner design. Early press reports used the name "Condor III" but the Commando name was in use by early 1942 in company pub ...
, 1957–1958; 1952–1954
*
C-119 Flying Boxcar
The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (Navy and Marine Corps designation R4Q) was an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechani ...
, 1958–1959
*
C-45 Expeditor
The Beechcraft Model 18 (or "Twin Beech", as it is also known) is a 6- to 11-seat, twin-engined, low-wing, tailwheel light aircraft manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. Continuously produced from 1937 to November ...
, 1953–1955, 1957–1958
*
TB-25 Mitchell, 1954–1955
*
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 trans ...
, 1992–present
*
KC-10 Extender
The McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender is an American aerial refueling tanker aircraft operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). A military version of the three-engine DC-10 airliner, the KC-10 was developed from the Advanced Tanker Cargo A ...
, 1992–1995
*
C-141 Starlifter
The Lockheed C-141 Starlifter is a retired military strategic airlifter that served with the Military Air Transport Service (MATS), its successor organization the Military Airlift Command (MAC), and finally the Air Mobility Command (AMC) of the ...
, 1994–2005
*
C-17 Globemaster III
The McDonnell Douglas/Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft that was developed for the United States Air Force (USAF) from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas. The C-17 carries forward the name of t ...
, 2006–present
References
*
*
*
* Rogers, Brian. ''United States Air Force Unit Designations since 1978''. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications, 2005. .
External links
452d Operations Group Factsheet
{{Navboxes
, list =
{{USAF Korea
{{Strategic Air Command
{{USAAF 8th Air Force UK
{{USAAF 2nd Air Force World War II
Operations groups of the United States Air Force