6th Operations Group
6th Operations Group | |
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Insignia | |
6th Operations Group emblem[note 1][1] | |
6th Composite Group Distinctive Unit Insigne[note 2] |
The 6th Operations Group (6 OG) is the operational flying component of the 6th Air Refueling Wing, stationed at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.
The mission of the 6th OG is the planning and executing global aerial refueling, combatant commander airlift, and specialized missions for US and allied combat and support aircraft. The group extends US global power and global reach by employing of a mix of KC-135R and C-37 aircraft.
The 6th Operations Group is a successor organization of the 6th Group (Composite), one of the 15 original combat air groups formed by the Army before World War II. During World War II, the 6th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy was a
History
- For additional history and lineage, see 6th Air Mobility Wing
Origins
The 6th Operations Group's origins began on 30 September 1919 as the United States Army Panama Canal Department 3d Observation Group, stationed at
In 1921, the group was redesignated the 6th Group (Observation) ,and in 1922, the 6th Group (Composite). The 6th flew such aircraft at the Curtiss R-4,
Throughout the 1920s and 1930, the group participated in manoeuvres, flying patrol missions, photographing the canal area, staging aerial reviews and making good-will flights to Central and South America. In 1933, the group became part of the larger
World War II
As events in Europe and the Far East unfolded, the 6th Bomb Group and its units moved towards a war footing. Starting in May 1940, ground training for junior officers, newly arrived at
On 4 June 1941, the first four-engine
Many alerts and false alarms of enemy aircraft were recorded in the first three months after the Japanese
In 1941 it was assigned to the new
Author James Rusbridger examined the records of the 6th Heavy Bomber Group operations while in Panama. The records show the sinking of a large submarine the morning of 19 February 1942. Since no German submarine was lost in the area on that date, it is assumed the large submarine was the Free-French Surcouf, which was the largest submarine in the world at the time. Rusbridger suggested that a collision reported by the American freighter Thompson Lykes on the night of 18 February, sustained damaged to the submarine's radio antenna with the stricken vessel limping towards Panama.[4]
On 19 April 1944, the 6th Bombardment Group was reactivated at
Due to a shortage of B-29s, the group was equipped with former
In November the group was deployed to the
On 25 May 1945, the 6th flew a low-altitude night mission through alerted enemy defenses to drop incendiary bombs on Tokyo, for which they received their first
Postwar era
With the war over, the 6th dropped food and supplies to Allied prisoners of war and took part in show-of-force flights over Japan. The unit remained on Tinian until February 1946 during which time the group largely demobilized as part of the "Sunset Project", with some aircraft being sent as reclamation on
The unit moved to
In January 1951, the group was activated as the operational component of the new 6th Bombardment Wing at
. However all of the group's B-29 Superfortress were attached directly to the Wing organization, with the group having only one officer and one airman officially assigned to group headquarters. It was inactivated in June 1952 as part of the implementation of the postwar Tri-Deputate organization, as all operational flying squadrons were assigned directly to the 6th Bombardment Wing.Reactivation, from the 1990s
Activated on 1 October 1996 with an air refueling mission as part of the Objective Wing structure of the 6th Air Refueling Wing.
Elements deployed to Southwest Asia in July 1998 to refuel aircraft engaged in no-fly operations over northern Iraq. After January 2001, the group also provided airlift for the commanders of U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command. It also refueled fighters providing security over the southeastern United States as part of homeland security after terrorist attacks against the United States in September 2001. MacDill KC-135’s have supported US military operations all over the world including refueling coalition aircraft during the war in Bosnia. Since 2001, personnel and aircraft deployed around the world to fulfill air refueling and aeromedical missions.
The 6th has twice won the Air Mobility Rodeo Best Air Mobility Wing Award; in 2000 and 2005.
The group's squadrons in the late 2010s include:
- 6th Operations Support
- Provides airfield operations management, air traffic control, weather services, intelligence support, combat tactics development and training, mission development, and manage aircrew training support operations. Manage flight records and KC-135R simulator training.
- 99th Air Refueling Squadron, active duty associate unit with the 117th Air Refueling Wing at Birmingham IAP, Alabama.
All three Air Refuelling Squadrons operate the KC-135R Stratotanker, a long-range tanker aircraft capable of refueling a variety of other aircraft in mid-air, anywhere in the world and under any weather condition.
Lineage
- 6th Bombardment Group
- Established as the 3d Observation Group, and organized on 30 September 1919
- Redesignated 6th Group (Observation) on 14 March 1921
- Redesignated 6th Group (Composite) in June 1922
- Redesignated 6th Composite Group on 25 January 1923
- Redesignated 6th Bombardment Group on 1 September 1937
- Redesignated 6th Bombardment Group (Medium) on 6 December 1939
- Redesignated 6th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 12 December 1940
- Disestablished on 1 November 1943.
- Reestablished, and consolidated with the 6th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy on 29 June 1944
- 6th Operations Group
- Established as the 6th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy on 28 March 1944
- Activated on 1 April 1944
- Consolidated with the 6th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 29 June 1944
- Inactivated on 18 October 1948
- Redesignated 6th Bombardment Group, Medium on 20 December 1950
- Activated on 2 January 1951
- Inactivated on 16 June 1952
- Redesignated 6th Strategic Group on 31 July 1985 (Remained inactive)
- Redesignated 6th Operations Group on 1 July 1996
- Activated on 1 October 1996[1]
Assignments
- Panama Canal Department, 30 September 1919
- 19th Composite Wing(later, 19 Wing; 19 Bombardment Wing), 25 January 1933
- VI Bomber Command, 25 October 1941 – 1 November 1943
- Second Air Force, 1 April 1944
- 313th Bombardment Wing, 23 April 1944
- Attached to 17th Bombardment Operational Training Wing (Very Heavy), c. 19 May–18 November 1944
- 1st Air Division, 1 June 1947 – 18 October 1948
- 6th Bombardment Wing, 2 January 1951 – 16 June 1952
- 6th Air Refueling (later, 6th Air Mobility) Wing, since 1 October 1996
Components
Panama
- 3d Bombardment Squadron: 1 February 1940 – 1 November 1943[5]
- 5th Reconnaissance Squadron: 24 October 1919 – 24 March 1920 (detached entire period)
- 7th Aero (later, 7th Observation; 7th Reconnaissance; 397th Bombardment): assigned 30 September 1919 – 1 February 1940, attached 1 February 1940 – 25 February 1942, assigned 25 February 1942 – 1 November 1943[6]
- 24th Aero (later, 24th Pursuit): assigned 27 May 1922 – 8 May 1929, attached 8 May 1929 – 1 December 1932
- 25th Bombardment Squadron: 27 May 1922 – 12 May 1943[7]
- 29th Bombardment Squadron: 12 May–1 November 1943[8]
- 41st Bombardment Squadron: 1 April–10 May 1944
- 44th Observation Squadron: 1 April 1931 – 1 September 1937
- 74th Bombardment Squadron: 1 February 1940 – 9 August 1942; 12 May–1 November 1943[9]
- 78th Pursuit Squadron: attached 1 April 1931 – 1 December 1932
- 395th Bombardment Squadron: 9 August 1942 – 12 May 1943
Twentieth Air Force
- 24th Bombardment Squadron: 1 April 1944 – 18 October 1948; 2 January 1951 – 16 June 1952 (detached 2 January 1951 – 16 June 1952)
- 39th Bombardment Squadron: 1 April 1944 – 18 October 1948; 2 January 1951 – 16 June 1952 (detached 2 January 1951 – 16 June 1952)
- 40th Bombardment Squadron: 1 April 1944 – 18 October 1948; 2 January 1951 – 16 June 1952 (detached 2 January 1951 – 16 June 1952)
- 22d Photographic Laboratory Squadron
United States Air Force
- 6th Air Refueling Squadron: 10 April – 1 August 1951 (detached entire period)
- 50th Air Refueling Squadron, c. 2 October 2017 – present[10]
- 91st Air Refueling Squadron: 1 October 1996 – present
- 99th Air Refueling Squadron : 1 October 2009 – present
- 310th Airlift Squadron: 1 January 2001 – 30 September 2019
- 911th Air Refueling Squadron: 12 April 2008 – present
Stations
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Aircraft
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References
Notes
- Explanatory notes
- Gaillard Cutand an airplane flying overhead.
- ^ This is the crest of the group's coat of arms.
- Citations
- ^ a b Robertson, Patsy (27 June 2017). "Factsheet 6 Operations Group (AMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- ^ a b Conaway, William. "6th Bombardment Group (Heavy)". VI Bomber Command in Defense of the Panama Canal 1941–45.
- ^ Conaway, William. "VI Bombardment Command History". Planes and Pilots of World War Two.
- ISBN 0-7126-3975-6.[page needed]
- ^ Conaway, William. "3rd Bombardment Squadron (Heavy)". VI Bomber Command in Defense of the Panama Canal 1941–45.
- ^ Conaway, William. "397th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy)". VI Bomber Command in Defense of the Panama Canal 1941–45.
- ^ Conaway, William. "25th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy)". VI Bomber Command in Defense of the Panama Canal 1941–45.
- ^ Conaway, William. "29th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy)". VI Bomber Command in Defense of the Panama Canal 1941–45.
- ^ Conaway, William. "74th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy)". VI Bomber Command in Defense of the Panama Canal 1941–45.
- ^ Perdue, A1C Ashley (2 October 2017). "Bringing 50 Back". 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- 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.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
External links
- Media related to 6th Bombardment Group (United States Army Air Forces) at Wikimedia Commons
- World War II 6th Bombardment Group Association
- World War II 6th Bombardment Group
- History of the 6th by Kingdon R. "King" Hawes, Ltc. USAF (Ret.)