Lineage

Established as 442 Troop Carrier Group on 25 May 1943. Activated on 1 Sep 1943. Inactivated on 30 Sep 1946. Redesignated 442 Troop Carrier Group, Medium on 10 May 1949. Activated in the Reserve on 27 Jun 1949. Ordered to Active Service on 10 Mar 1951. Inactivated on 12 Mar 1951. Activated in the Reserve on 15 Jun 1952. Inactivated on 14 Apr 1959. Redesignated 442 Tactical Fighter Group on 28 Dec 1981. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Oct 1982. Inactivated on 1 Feb 1984. Redesignated 442 Operations Group, and activated in the Reserve, on 1 Aug 1992.

Assignments

61 Troop Carrier Wing, 1 Sep 1943; I Troop Carrier Command, 17 Dec 1943; 60 Troop Carrier Wing, 26 Jan 1944; Ninth Air Force, c. 29 Mar 1944; IX Troop Carrier Command, 31 Mar 1944; 50 Troop Carrier Wing, Apr 1944 (attached to: 52 Troop Carrier Wing, 12 May-6 Jun 1944 and 1-11 Sep 1944; 53 Troop Carrier Wing, 11-26 Sep 1944); IX Air Force Service Command, 20 May 1945 (attached to Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Forces, 20 May-10 Aug 1945); 302 Transport Wing, 11 Aug 1945; 51 Troop Carrier Wing (known in ETO as European Air Transport Service [Provisional]), 1 Oct 1945-30 Sep 1946. 442 Troop Carrier Wing, 27 Jun 1949-12 Mar 1951. 442 Troop Carrier Wing, 15 Jun 1952-14 Apr 1959. 434 Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 Oct 1982-1 Feb 1984. 442 Fighter Wing, 1 Aug 1992-.

Components

Squadrons. 301: 10 May-8 Aug 1945. 303 Troop Carrier (later, 303 Tactical Fighter; 303 Fighter): 1 Sep 1943-30 Sep 1946; 27 Jun 1949-12 Mar 1951; 15 Jun 1952-14 Apr 1959; 1 Oct 1982-1 Feb 1984; 1 Aug 1992-. 304: 1 Sep 1943-30 Sep 1946; 27 Jun 1949-12 Mar 1951; 15 Jun 1952-14 Apr 1959. 305: 1 Sep 1943-30 Sep 1946; 27 Jun 1949-12 Mar 1951; 15 Jun 1952-26 Jun 1955; 16 Nov 1957-14 Apr 1959. 306: 1 Sep 1943-c. 5 Jan 1946; 27 Jun 1949-12 Mar 1951.

Stations

Sedalia AAFld, MO, 1 Sep 1943; Alliance AAFld, NE, 16 Dec 1943; Pope Field, NC, 26 Jan 1944; Baer Field, IN, 2-11 Mar 1944; Fulbeck, England, c. 29 Mar 1944; Weston Zoyland, England, 12 Jun 1944; Peray (Bonnetable), France, 5 Oct 1944; St Andre-de-L'Eure, France, 7 Nov 1944; Munich-Reim (later, USAF Sta, Munich/Reim; USAF Sta, Munich; Munich AAB), Germany, 4 Oct 1945-30 Sep 1946. Fairfax Field, KS, 27 Jun 1949; Olathe NAS, KS, 27 May 1950-12 Mar 1951. Olathe NAS, KS, 15 Jun 1952; Grandview (later, Richards-Gebaur) AFB, MO, 3 Apr 1955-14 Apr 1959. Richards-Gebaur AFB, MO, 1 Oct 1982-1 Feb 1984. Richards-Gebaur AFB, MO, 1 Aug 1992; Whiteman AFB, MO, 1 Apr 1994-.

Commanders

Col Charles M. Smith, 1 Sep 1943; Col John C. Kilborn, 25 Sep 1945; Lt Col Paul A. Jones, 4 Oct 1945; Lt Col Bertram C. Harrison, Jun-30 Sep 1946. Col Lyman H. Goff Jr., 27 Jun 1949-30 Sep 1950 (permanent) and 1 Oct 1950-12 Mar 1951 (additional duty). Unkn, 15 Jun 1952-1954; Col Virgil A. Dinneen, by Dec 1954-unkn. Lt Col Robert A. McIntosh, 1 Oct 1982-1 Feb 1984. Lt Col Charles E. Stenner Jr., 1 Aug 1992; Col Roger G. Disrud, 15 Nov 1992-.

Aircraft

C-47, 1943-1946; C-53, 1943, 1944, 1945; CG-4 (glider), 1944-1945; C-109, 1945; L-4, 1945; L-3, 1945; CG-15 (glider), 1945. T-6, 1949-1950; T-7, 1949-1951; T-11, 1949-1951; C-47, 1949-1950; C/TC-46, 1949, 1950-1951. C-46, 1952-1957; C-119, 1957-1959. A-10, 1982-1984. A-10, 1992-.

Operations

Trained in the United States with C-47 and C-53 aircraft, then moved to England in Mar 1944 for duty with Ninth AF. Flew first combat missions during the Allied invasion of Normandy, dropping paratroops near Ste-Mere-Eglise on 6 Jun 1944 and flying a resupply mission on 7 Jun. Awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for its part in the Normandy invasion. Hauled freight and evacuated casualties during the remainder of the summer. In Jul, however, a detachment flew to Italy where it transported cargo, evacuated casualties, and took part in the invasion of southern France on 15 Aug by dropping paratroops in the battle area and releasing gliders carrying reinforcements. The detachment returned to England in late Aug, and in Sep the group participated in the airborne attack in Holland, transporting paratroops and towing gliders with reinforcements. Moving to the Continent in Oct 1944, the group flew resupply missions, hauled freight, and evacuated casualties in support of the Allied effort to breach the Siegfried Line. While continuing its transport duties until V-E Day, it also released gliders filled with troops in the airborne assault across the Rhine River in Mar 1945, carried supplies to ground forces in Germany during Apr and May, and evacuated liberated prisoners of war. The group flew air transport missions throughout Europe and the Middle East until inactivated. Trained in the Reserve as a troop carrier group, Jun 1949-Mar 1951. Ordered to active service on 10 Mar 1951, the group inactivated two days later, its personnel being distributed to other USAF organizations. Served as a Reserve troop carrier group again from Jun 1952 to Apr 1959. Activated as an A-10 fighter group in Oct 1982. Trained for such missions as close air support, anti-armor operations, battlefield interdiction, and combat search and rescue. On a recurring basis beginning in Dec 1993, deployed personnel and aircraft to Aviano AB, Italy, to participate in operations over Bosnia. Deployed aircraft and personnel to Kuwait in support of Operation Southern Watch, Sep-Oct 1998.

Service Streamers

None.

Campaign Streamers

World War II: Normandy; Rome-Arno; Southern France; Northern France; Rhineland, Central Europe.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers

None.

Decorations

Distinguished Unit Citation: France, [6-7] Jun 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 1 Oct 1997-31 Aug 1999.

Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 11 Apr 2000

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through Sep 1998

Emblem

Group will use the Wing emblem with the Group designation in the scroll.