457th Air Expeditionary Group
457th Air Expeditionary Group
Combat "V" Device Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | |
---|---|
Insignia | |
457th Air Expeditionary Group emblem | ![]() |
457th Bombardment Group emblem[1] | ![]() |
World War II Tail Code[1] | Triangle with U |
The United States Air Force's 457th Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional
The
History
World War II
Training in the United States
The 457th Bombardment Group was activated at
Combat in Europe
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/457bg-B-17G-40-BO-42-97075.jpg/220px-457bg-B-17G-40-BO-42-97075.jpg)
The
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/457bg-B-17G-25-DL-42-38046.jpg/220px-457bg-B-17G-25-DL-42-38046.jpg)
In June 1944, the group was diverted from its strategic mission to prepare for
The group flew its last combat mission on 20 April 1945. In fourteen months in combat, the group had flown 7086 sorties. It claimed the destruction of 33 enemy aircraft, but lost 83 Flying Fortresses. Following
Empire State Building accident
On Saturday, 28 July 1945, Lieutenant Colonel William F. Smith lost his way while ferrying a 457th
Air refueling operations
On 1 July 1993,
Expeditionary operations
The group was converted to provisional status as the 457th Air Expeditionary Group in February 2001 and assigned to
Operation Iraqi Freedom
In the spring of 2003, the group was activated at
Tanzania
The group was activated for three months in 2008 at Dar es Salaam Tanzania. During this time, it had an air control squadron and an air base squadron assigned.[11][12]
Operation Odyssey Dawn
In 2011, the group was briefly active at Naval Station Rota, Spain to support Operation Odyssey Dawn, the enforcement of a no fly zone over Libya.[13]
Lineage
- Established as the 457th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 May 1943
- Activated on 1 July 1943
- Redesignated 457th Bombardment Group, Heavy c. 1944
- Inactivated on 28 August 1945[14]
- Redesignated 457th Operations Group and activated on 1 July 1993
- Inactivated on 1 October 1994
- Redesignated 457th Air Expeditionary Group and converted to provisional status on 5 February 2001[8]
- Activated c. 1 February 2003[15]
- Inactivated c. 31 May 2003[15]
- Activated 30 January 2008[11]
- Inactivated 4 May 2008[12]
- Activated c. March 2011[13]
- Inactivated c. April 2011[13]
Assignments
- II Bomber Command, 4 July 1943[citation needed]
- 94th Combat Bombardment Wing, 21 January 1944[4]
- VIII Fighter Command, 18 June 1945[citation needed]
- Second Air Force, 20 July–28 August 1945[citation needed]
- 19th Air Refueling Wing, 1 July 1993 – 1 October 1994[16]
- United States Air Forces in Europe to activate or inactivate at any time after 5 February 2001[8]
- Attached to Third Air Force, 30 January–4 May 2008[11][12]
- 313th Air Expeditionary Wing, c. March–c. April 2011[13]
Operational Components
- 11th Air Refueling Squadron: 1 July 1993 – 1 October 1994[7]
- 23d Expeditionary Bomb Squadron: c. 21 February 2003 – c. 24 April 2003[15]
- 306th Air Refueling Squadron: 1 July 1993 – 1 October 1994[7]
- 603d Expeditionary Air Control Squadron, 30 January 2008 – 4 May 2008[11][12]
- 748th Bombardment Squadron: 4 July 1943 – 28 August 1945[3]
- 749th Bombardment Squadron: 4 July 1943 – 28 August 1945[3]
- 750th Bombardment Squadron: 4 July 1943 – 28 August 1945[3]
- 751st Bombardment Squadron: 4 July 1943 – 28 August 1945[3]
Stations
- Geiger Field, Washington, 4 July 1943
- Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota, 9 July 1943
- Ephrata Army Air Base, Washington, 28 October 1943
- Wendover Field, Utah, 4 December 1943 – 1 January 1944
- RAF Glatton (Station 130),[18] England, 22 January 1944 – 1 June 1945
- Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, 20 July–28 August 1945[19]
- Altus AFB, Oklahoma, 1 July 1993 – 1 October 1994[7]
- RAF Fairford, England, c. 1 February–c. 31 May 2003[15][17]
- Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 30 January–4 May 2008[11][12]
- Naval Station Rota Spain, c. March–c. April 2011[13]
Aircraft
- Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress 1943–1945[14]
- Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker, 1993–1994,[7] 2011
- Boeing B-52H Stratofortress, 2003[15]
Awards and campaigns
Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Combat "V" Device |
1 February 2003–31 May 2003[20] | 457th Air Expeditionary Group |
![]() |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1993-30 June 1994[20] | 457th Operations Group |
Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Air Offensive, Europe | 28 January 1944 – 5 June 1944 | 457th Bombardment Group[2] |
![]() |
Normandy | 6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944 | 457th Bombardment Group[2] |
![]() |
Northern France | 25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944 | 457th Bombardment Group[2] |
![]() |
Rhineland | 15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945 | 457th Bombardment Group[2] |
![]() |
Ardennes-Alsace | 16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945 | 457th Bombardment Group[2] |
![]() |
Central Europe | 22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945 | 457th Bombardment Group[2] |
See also
- List of United States Air Force Groups
- B-17 Flying Fortress units of the United States Army Air Forces
References
Notes
- Explanatory notes
- ^ This airplane was deployed from the Air Force Reserve Command's 917th Wing. It was equipped with the Litening 2 pod for laser-guided bomb delivery. The aircrew was deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom.
- ^ The aircraft in the foreground is Boeing B-17G-40-BO Flying Fortress, serial 42-97075 "Flak Dodger" of the 750th Bombardment Squadron. This plane survived the war and returned to the USA in June 1945. It is also featured on the covers of both The Fireball Outfit and Ready or Not: Into the Wild Blue.
- ^ Aircraft is Douglas built Boeing B-17G-25-DL Flying Fortress, serial 42-38056 "Queen Bea". Queen Bea was returning from a mission to Rouen, France on 22 June 1944 and was badly shot up from flak with no hydraulic system. After landing, the plane swerved out of control and collided with a B-17G named "Arf & Arf", serial 42-38064.
- Citations
- ^ a b c Watkins, pp. 100–101
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 332–333
- ^ a b c d e Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 734-736
- ^ a b c d Freeman, pp. 258–259
- ^ Freeman, p. 180
- ^ Blakebrough 1968, p. 58.
- ^ a b c d e Dancey [page needed]
- ^ a b c DAF/XPM Letter 201s, 5 February 2001, Subject: United States Air Forces in Europe Expeditionary Units
- ^ a b Barrett, SSG Kristina (24 April 2003). "Bomber group heads home". 457th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ Jontz, Sandra (17 April 2003). "Air Force used laser-guided targeting pod system in Iraq". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ a b c d e Research Division, Air Force Historical Research Agency, Air Force Organization Change Status Report, January 2008, Maxwell AFB, AL
- ^ a b c d e Research Division, Air Force Historical Research Agency, Air Force Organization Change Status Report, May 2008, Maxwell AFB, AL
- ^ a b c d e Staff writer, no byline (2 December 2011). "Combat Comm supports 40-year UN resolution". Kaiserslautern American. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ a b Lineage, including aircraft through 1957 in Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 332–333
- ^ a b c d e f Tudor, TSG Jason (25 April 2003). "Air Force forward operating base scales down after operation". 457th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ Robertson, Patsy (19 June 2017). "Factsheet 19 Airlift Wing (AMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- ^ a b See "Air Force Personnel Services: Unit Awards". Air Force Personnel Center. Retrieved 29 May 2019. (search)
- ^ Station number in Anderson.
- ^ Station information through 1945 in Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 332–333, except as noted.
- ^ a b "Air Force Personnel Services: Unit Awards". Air Force Personnel Center. Retrieved 29 May 2019. (search)
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- Blakebrough, Ken (1968). The Fireball Outfit: The 457th Bombardment Group in the Skies Over Europe. Fallbrook, CA: Aero Publishers, Inc. ISBN 0-8168-9754-9.
- Dancey, Peter (2010). USAF Air Combat Command and Air Mobility Command. Morrisville, NC: lulu.com. ]
- ISBN 978-0-87938-638-2.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. OCLC 72556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Watkins, Robert (2008). Battle Colors: Insignia and Markings of the Eighth Air Force in World War II. Vol. I (VIII) Bomber Command. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-1987-7.
- Further reading
- Angier, Major (Ret) J. Francis. Ready or Not – Into the Wild Blue: The Aviation Career of a B-17 Pilot, 457th BG, 8th AAF. South Burlington, Vermont: Success Networks International, 2003./Cowbit, Lincolnshire, UK: Old Forge Publishing, 2005. ISBN 0-9544507-7-9.
- Bass, James L. Fait Accompli: A Historical Account of the 457th Bomb Group. Carthage, TN: JLB Publications, 1995. ISBN 0-9648925-0-2.
- Bass, James L. Fait Accompli II: A Historical Account of the 457th Bomb Group. Carthage, TN: JLB Publications, 1998. ISBN 0-9648925-1-0.
- Bass, James L. Fait Accompli III: A Historical Account of the 457th Bomb Group. Carthage, TN: JLB Publications, 2000. ISBN 0-9648925-2-9.
- Byers, Roland O. Black Puff Polly. Moscow, Idaho: Pawpaw Press, 1991. ISBN 0-9614563-2-9
- Byers, Roland O. Flak Dodger. Moscow, Idaho: Pawpaw Press, 1985. ISBN 0-9614563-0-2.
- Digre, Clifford B. Into Life's School: My World War II Memories. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Digre, 2009 OCLC 469082171
- Freeman, Roger A. and Winston G. Ramsey. Airfields of the Eighth: Then and Now. London: After the Battle, 1978. Republished 1992.
- Freeman, Roger A. The Mighty Eighth in Colour. London: Arms & Armour, 1991.
- New Edition as The Mighty Eighth: The Colour Record. London: Cassell & Co., 2001. ISBN 0-304-35708-1.
- New Edition as The Mighty Eighth: The Colour Record. London: Cassell & Co., 2001.
- Freeman, Roger A. The Mighty Eighth War Diary. London: Jane's Publishing Company, 1981.
- Freeman, Roger A. The Mighty Eighth War Manual. London: Cassell & Co., 2001. ISBN 0-304-35846-0.
- Freeman, Roger A. The Mighty Eighth: Warpaint and Heraldry. London: Arms & Armour, 1997.
- Weingarten, Arthur. The Sky is Falling – Plane Crash at Empire State Building. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1977. ISBN 0-448-14411-5.
- Welch, John F. Dead Engine Kids. Rapid City, South Dakota: Silver Wings Aviation, Inc., 1993. ISBN 0-9637909-0-0.