462d Air Expeditionary Group
462d Air Expeditionary Group | |
---|---|
Distinguished Unit Citation | |
Insignia | |
462d Strategic Aerospace Wing Emblem (approved 7 February 1963)[1][note 1] | |
Unofficial 462d Bombardment Group emblem[2] |
The 462d Air Expeditionary
The unit began during
In 1962 the 462d Strategic Aerospace Wing was activated by
The group and wing were consolidated into a single unit in 1984, remaining in inactive status. In 2002, the consolidated unit was converted to provisional status as the 462d Air Expeditionary Group and assigned to Air Mobility Command, which activated the group at Diego Garcia. Its inactivation date has not been determined.
History
World War II
Training in the United States
The 462d Bombardment Group was constituted on 15 May 1943 as a
Operations from India and China
In March 1944, the group left the United States and deployed via Africa to
From India, the 462d Bomb Group planned to fly missions against Japan from airfields in China. However, all the supplies of fuel, bombs, and spares needed to support the forward bases in China had to be flown in from India over
The first combat mission by the group took place on 5 June 1944 when squadrons of the 462d took off from India to attack the Makasan railroad yards at Bangkok, Thailand.[6] This involved a 2261-mile round trip, the longest bombing mission yet attempted during the war.
On 15 June the group participated in the first American Air Force attack on the Japanese Home Islands since the
Operations from the Marianas and return home
The group moved to West Field (Tinian), in the Marianas between February and April 1945, for further operations against Japan with the XXI Bomber Command. It participated in mining operations, bombardment of strategic targets, and incendiary raids on urban areas. It bombed industrial areas in Tokyo and Yokohama in May 1945, being awarded a DUC for the action. The group received a third Distinguished Unit Citation for a daylight attack on an aircraft plant at Takarazuka on 24 July 1945.[6]
The 462d returned to the United States, arriving at
Strategic Air Command
4170th Strategic Wing
The origins of the 462d Strategic Aerospace Wing date to 1 August 1958 when
In January 1960, in anticipation of the
SAC responded to the Cuban Missile Crisis shortly after the detection of Soviet missiles on Cuba. On 20 October the wing was directed to put two additional bombers on alert . On 22 October 1/8 of SAC's B-52s were placed on airborne alert and additional KC-135 were placed on alert to replace tankers devoted to maintaining the B-52 bomber force on airborne alert. On 24 October SAC went to DEFCON 2, placing all aircraft on alert.[14] The wing supported the increase in forward deployed Tanker Task Forces were in Spain, Alaska and in the Northeast.[15] On 21 November, due to the strains on its maintenance and flying crews, SAC returned to its normal airborne alert posture.[16] It also relaxed its readiness staus to DEFCON 3 and on 27 November the wing returned to normal alert posture.[17]
462d Strategic Aerospace Wing
In 1962, in order to perpetuate the lineage of many currently inactive bombardment units with illustrious World War II 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, but could carry a lineage and history.[note 2] As a result, the 4170th wing was replaced by the newly constituted 462d Strategic Aerospace Wing, which assumed its mission, personnel, and equipment on 1 February 1963.[note 3] The 768th Bombardment Squadron, one of the unit's World War II historical bomb squadrons, replaced the 327th Bombardment Squadron, which was inactivated.[3][11] The 829th Medical Group, 47th Munitions Maintenance Squadron and the 43d Air Refueling Squadron were reassigned to the 462d. Component support units of the 4170th Wing were replaced by units with numerical designation of the newly established 462d Wing. Each of the new units assumed the personnel, equipment, and mission of its predecessor. Under the Dual Deputate organization, all flying and maintenance squadrons were directly assigned to the wing, so no operational group element was activated.[note 4]
The 462d Wing conducted training in strategic bombardment and
Expeditionary operations
In June 2002, the consolidated unit was converted to provisional status and assigned to Air Mobility Command to activate or inactivate as needed.[7] It was activated a few days later at the Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, where it controlled KC-135R tankers deployed to support Operation Enduring Freedom.
Lineage
- 462d Bombardment Group
- Constituted as 462d Bombardment Group (Heavy) (B-29) on 19 May 1943
- Activated on 1 July 1943
- Redesignated 462d Bombardment Group, Very Heavy 20 November 1943
- Inactivated on 31 March 1946
- Consolidated with 462d Strategic Wing on 31 January 1984 as 462d Strategic Wing[7]
- 462d Wing
- Constituted as 462d Strategic Aerospace Wing and activated on 15 November 1962 (not organized)
- Organized on 1 February 1963
- Discontinued and inactivated on 25 June 1966
- Consolidated with 462d Bombardment Group, Very Heavy on 31 January 1984
- Converted to provisional status and redesignated 462d Air Expeditionary Group on 12 June 2002[7]
- Activated c. 15 July 2002
- Inactivated unknown
Assignments
- Second Air Force, 1 July 1943
- 58th Bombardment Wing, 1 August 1943
- Second Air Force, 3 November 1943
- 58th Bombardment Wing, 20 November 1943
- XX Bomber Command, 7 July 1944
- 58th Bombardment Wing, ca. 25 April 1945 – 31 March 1946
- Strategic Air Command (not organized), 15 November 1962
- 18th Strategic Aerospace Division, 1 February 1963 – 25 June 1966
- Air Mobility Command to activate or inactivate as needed, 12 July 2002[7]
- Attached to 40th Air Expeditionary Wing, c. 15 July 2002 – unknown
Components
- Groups
- 462d Combat Support Group, 1 February 1963 – 2 April 1966
- 829th Medical Group, 1 February 1963 – 2 April 1966
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- Other units
- 13th Photographic Laboratory (Bombardment Group, Very Heavy), 20 November 1943 – unknown
Stations
|
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Aircraft
- Martin B-26 Marauder, 1943
- Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1943–1944
- Boeing YB-29 Superfortress, 1943
- Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1944–1946
- Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, 1963–1966
- Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, 1963–1966, 2002-unknown
- Martin–Marietta SM-68 (later LGM-25) Titan I, 1963–1965[7]
Awards and campaigns
Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Distinguished Unit Citation |
20 August 1944 | Yawata, Japan 462d Bombardment Group[6] | |
Distinguished Unit Citation | 23, 25 and 29 May 1945 | Tokyo and Yokohama, Japan 462d Bombardment Group[6] | |
Distinguished Unit Citation | 24 July 1945 | Takarazuka, Japan 462d Bombardment Group[6] |
Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
India-Burma | c. 16 April 1944 – 28 January 1945 | 462d Bombardment Group[6] | |
China Defensive | c. 16 April 1944 – 4 May 1945 | 462d Bombardment Group[6] | |
Air Offensive, Japan | 15 June 1944 – 2 September 1945 | 462d Bombardment Group[6] | |
Central Burma | 29 January 1945 – April 1945 | 462d Bombardment Group[6] | |
Western Pacific | 17 April 1945 – 2 September 1945 | 462d Bombardment Group[6] | |
Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal | 15 July 2002-unknown | 462d Air Expeditionary Group[21] |
See also
- List of B-52 Units of the United States Air Force
- List of MAJCOM wings of the United States Air Force
References
Notes
- Explanatory notes
- ^ This emblem was originally approved for the 4170th Strategic Wing
- ^ MAJCON units could not carry a permanent history or lineage. Ravenstein, Guide to Air Force Lineage, p. 12.
- ^ Although the 462d wing was a new organization, it continued, through temporary bestowal, the history, and honors of the World War II 462d Bombardment Group. This temporary bestowal ended in January 1984, when the wing and group were consolidated into a single unit. It was also entitled to retain the honors (but not the history or lineage) of the 4170th.
- ^ Under this plan flying [and missile] squadrons reported to the wing Deputy Commander for Operations and maintenance squadrons reported to the wing Deputy Commander for Maintenance
- Citations
- ^ a b c d Ravenstein, Combat Wings, p. 256
- ^ Watkins, pp. 94–95. Apparently not officially approved. Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 337–338
- ^ a b c Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 745–746
- ^ a b c d Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 746
- ^ a b c Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 746–747
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 337–338
- ^ a b c d e f g h Haulman, Daniel L. "Lineage and Honors History of the 462d Air Expeditionary Group (AMC)" (PDF). Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 25 February 2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Factsheet 18 Strategic Aerospace Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 4 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
- ^ "Abstract (Unclassified), Vol 1, History of Strategic Air Command, Jan–Jun 1957 (Secret)". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
- ^ Ravenstein, Combat Wings, pp. 98–100
- ^ a b Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 402–403
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, 665–666
- ^ "Abstract (Unclassified), History of the Strategic Bomber since 1945 (Top Secret, downgraded to Secret)". Air Force History Index. 1 April 1975. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
- ^ Kipp, et al., p. 34-35
- ^ Kipp, et al., p. 37
- ^ Kipp, et al., p. 47
- ^ Kipp, et al., p. 61
- ^ Knaack, p. 248 n.41
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 428–429
- ^ Stations through 1966 in Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 337–338 and Ravenstein, Combat Units, p. 256
- ^ "Special Order G-33994" (PDF). United States Air Forces Central Command. 14 July 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Kipp, Robert; Peake, Lynn; Wolk, Herman. "Strategic Air Command Operations in the Cuban Crisis of 1962, SAC Historical Study No. 90 (Top Secret NOFORN, FRD, redacted and declassified)". Strategic Air Command. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
- Knaack, Marcelle Size (1978). Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems (PDF). Vol. 2, Post-World War II Bombers 1945–1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-59-5. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- 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.
- 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.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). A Guide to Air Force Lineage and Honors (2d, Revised ed.). Maxwell AFB, AL: USAF Historical Research Center. p. 12.
- Watkins, Robert A. (2017). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II. Vol. VI, China-Burma-India & The Western Pacific. Atglen,PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-5273-7.