Lineage

Established as 301 Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 3 Feb 1942. Redesignated: 301 Bombardment Group, Heavy c. 20 Aug 1943; 301 Bombardment Group, Very Heavy on 5 Aug 1945. Inactivated on 15 Oct 1945. Activated on 4 Aug 1946. Redesignated 301 Bombardment Group, Medium on 28 May 1948. Inactivated on 16 Jun 1952. Redesignated 301 Operations Group on 29 Aug 1991. Activated on 1 Sep 1991. Inactivated on 1 Jun 1992. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Aug 1992.

Assignments

Second Air Force, 3 Feb 1942; First Air Force, 21 Jun 1942; VIII Bomber Command, c. 9 Aug 1942; XII Bomber Command, 14 Sep 1942; 5 Bombardment Wing, Jan 1943; Second Air Force, Jul 1945; 16 Bombardment Operational Training Wing, 17 Aug-15 Oct 1945. Fifteenth Air Force, 4 Aug 1946; 301 Bombardment Wing, 5 Nov 1947-16 Jun 1952. 301 Air Refueling Wing, 1 Sep 1991-1 Jun 1992. 301 Fighter Wing, 1 Aug 1992-.

Components

Squadrons. 29 Reconnaissance (later, 419 Bombardment): 3 Feb 1942-15 Oct 1945. 32: attached 16-30 Mar 1942, assigned 31 Mar 1942-15 Oct 1945; assigned 4 Aug 1946-16 Jun 1952 (detached 10 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952). 91 Air Refueling: 1 Sep 1991-1 Jun 1992. 301 Air Refueling: 1 Mar 1949-16 Jun 1952 (detached 10 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952). 352: 3 Feb 1942-15 Oct 1945; 4 Aug 1946-16 Jun 1952 (detached c. 30 Jun-Sep 1948 and 10 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952). 353: 3 Feb 1942-15 Oct 1945; 4 Aug 1946-16 Jun 1952 (detached 10 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952). 354: 3 Feb-16 Mar 1942. 457 Fighter: 1 Aug 1992-.

Stations

Geiger Field, WA, 3 Feb 1942; Alamogordo, NM, 27 May 1942; Richmond AB, VA, 21 Jun-19 Jul 1942; Chelveston, England, Aug 1942; Tafaroui, Algeria, 26 Nov 1942 (air echelon); Maison Blanche, Algeria, 5 Dec 1942 (air echelon); Biskra, Algeria, 16 Dec 1942 (air echelon); St-Barbe-du-Tlelat, Algeria, 21 Dec 1942 (ground echelon); Ain M'lila, Algeria, c. 17 Jan 1943; St Donat, Algeria, 6 Mar 1943; Oudna, Tunisia, 6 Aug 1943; Cerignola, Italy, c. 7 Dec 1943; Lucera, Italy, 2 Feb 1944-c. Jul 1945; Sioux Falls AAFld, SD, 28 Jul 1945; Mountain Home AAFld, ID, 17 Aug 1945; Pyote AAFld, TX, 23 Aug-15 Oct 1945. Clovis AAFld, NM, 4 Aug 1946; Smoky Hill AAFld (later, AFB), KS, 16 Jul 1947; Barksdale AFB, LA, 7 Nov 1949-16 Jun 1952. Malmstrom AFB, MT, 1 Sep 1991-1 Jun 1992. Carswell AFB (later, ARS), TX, 1 Aug 1992-.

Commanders

Col Ronald R. Walker, Feb 1942; Lt Col Samuel J. Gormly Jr., c. Feb 1943; Col John K. Brown Jr., 3 Sep 1943; Col Jean R. Byerly, 24 Nov 1943; Lt Col Karl T. Barthelmess, 25 Dec 1943; Col John F. Batjer, 3 Mar 1944; Lt Col John D. Moorman, Sep 1944; Col Ernest S. Holmes Jr., 8 Dec 1944; Lt Col Robert H. Allyn, 1945; Col Raymond L. Winn, 31 Aug 1945-unkn. Unkn, Aug 1946-Jul 1947; Col George L. Robinson, 1 Aug 1947; Lt Col Frank W. Ellis, Sep 1947; Lt Col Thomas J. Classen, 20 Jun 1949; Col Harris E. Rogner, 21 Jul 1949; Col Chester C. Cox, 15 Dec 1950; Col Horace M. Wade (additional duty), 2 Mar 1951-16 Jun 1952. Col Larry L. Evanoff, 1 Sep 1991-1 Jun 1992. Lt Col Craig S. Ferguson, 1 Aug 1992; Lt Col Thomas A. Dyches, 28 Jun 1993-.

Aircraft

B-17, 1942-1945. B-29, 1947-1951; KB-29, 1949-1951. KC-135, 1991-1992. F-16, 1992-.

Operations

After activation in Feb 1942, trained with B-17s. Air echelon operated 5-15 Jun 1942 from Muroc Dry Lake, CA, and performed anti-submarine patrols off the California coast. Reunited with ground echelon after arrival in England in Aug 1942. Entered combat with Eighth Air Force in Sep 1942. Attacked enemy-held submarine pens, airfields, railroads, bridges, and other targets in western Europe, especially France. Reassigned to Twelfth Air Force and moved to North Africa in Nov 1942. Bombed docks, shipping facilities, airdromes, and railroad yards in Tunisia, Sicily, and Sardinia, and attacked enemy shipping between Tunisia and Sicily. Earned a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for a 6 Apr 1943 attack on an enemy ship convoy off Bizerte, in spite of heavy antiaircraft fire, thus depriving Axis forces of many supplies for their defense of Tunisia. Assaulted gun positions on Pantelleria, May-Jun 1943. Flew numerous missions to Italy, Jul-Oct 1943. Reassigned to Fifteenth Air Force on 1 Nov 1943. Moved to Italy in Dec 1943 to direct its attacks against strategic targets such as oil centers, communications, and industrial areas in Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, and Greece. Earned a second DUC for bombing aircraft production centers at Regensburg, Germany in spite of heavy enemy fighter opposition. Provided air support for Allied forces in the Anzio and Cassino areas of Italy. Supported the Allied invasion of southern France, the Soviet advance in the Balkans, and an Allied offensive in Italy's Po River Valley. Returned to the United States in Jul 1945 and inactivated on 15 Oct. Activated in 1946 but probably not manned until Aug 1947. Trained with B-29s for bombardment operations. Deployed to Furstenfeldbruck AB, Germany, Jul-Aug 1948; to RAF Station Scrampton, England, Oct 1948-Jan 1949; and to RAF Stations Lakenheath and Sculthorpe, May-Nov 1950. Added an air refueling mission in 1949. In Feb 1950, rotated squadrons to Goose Bay, Labrador, for air refueling training in cold climates. Reduced to "paper" strength in Feb 1951 and inactivated in Jun 1952. Refueled aircraft in CONUS and provided tankers and crews for various Tanker Task Forces in Saudi Arabia, Sep 1991-May 1992. After activation in the Reserve on 1 Aug 1992, trained for possible world-wide deployment for counter-air, interdiction and close air support missions. Supported Operation Deny Flight in Bosnia-Herzegovina, deploying F-16 aircraft and crews to Aviano AB, Italy, 1 Dec 1993-2 Jan 1994. Elements deployed again to Aviano, 2 Jan-9 Mar 1996 to enforce a no-fly zone over Bosnia. Deployed aircraft and personnel to Karup AS, Denmark, for a combined force exercise, 24 May-Jun 1997.

Service Streamers

None.

Campaign Streamers

World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Europe; Egypt-Libya; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Po Valley; Air Combat, EAME.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers

None.

Decorations

Distinguished Unit Citations: Tunisia, 6 Apr 1943; Germany, 25 Feb 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 30 Jun 1995-1 Jul 1997.

Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 6 Nov 2000

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 31 Dec 1997

Emblem

Group will use the wing emblem with the group designation in the scroll.