451st Air Expeditionary Group

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 451st Air Expeditionary Group


caption= 451st Air Expeditionary Group graphic
dates= 1943-Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= United States Air Force
type=
role=
size=
command_structure= Air Expeditionary
current_commander=
garrison= Southwest Asia
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
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* World War II: European Campaign (1943-1945)
* Global War on Terrorism: Afghanistan campaign (To Be Determined)
anniversaries=The United States Air Force's 451st Air Expeditionary Group (451 AEG) is located at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan and includes an expeditionary reconnaissance squadron, an expeditionary rescue squadron and an expeditionary air control squadron.

Units

The 451st Air Expeditionary Group includes an expeditionary reconnaissance squadron, an expeditionary rescue squadron and an expeditionary air control squadron.

Aircraft

* A-10 Thunderbolt II
* C-130 Hercules, also EC-130 Compass Call
* EA-6B Prowler
* F-15E Strike Eagle
* HH-60 Pave Hawk
* MQ-1 Predator UAV

History

Lineage

* Constituted as 451st Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 6 Apr 1943. : Activated on 1 May 1943: Inactivated on 26 Sep 1945
* Established as the 451st Strategic Missile Wing (ICBM-Titan) : Activated on April 26, 1961: Discontinued and inactivated June 25, 1965
* Redesignated: 451st Air Expeditionary Group 2002: Activated 2002

Assignments

* Fourth Air Force, 1 May 1943
* Third Air Force, 3 June 1943
* Second Air Force, 18 Jul - Nov 1943
* Fifteenth Air Force, : 47th Bombardment Wing, 11 Dec 1943 - 6 Apr 1944: 49th Bombardment Wing, 6 Apr 1944 - 19 Jun 1945
* Continental Air Forces: First Air Force, 19 Jun - 16 Sep 1945
* Strategic Air Command: 13th Air Division, 1 Jul 1961 - 25 Jun 1965
* Air Combat Command: 9th Air Force/CENTAF, 2002-To Be Determined

Stations

* Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 1 May 1943 - 5 Jun 1943
* Dyersburg AAFld, Tennessee, 3 Jun 1943
* Wendover Field, Utah c. 18 Jul 1943
* Fairmont AAFld, Nebraska 9 Sep-16 Nov 1943
* Gioia del Colle, Italy c. 10 Jan 1944
* San Pancrazio, Italy c. 5 Mar 1944
* Castelluccio, Italy c. 6 Apr 1944-Jun 1945
* Dow Field, Maine c. 19 Jun-16 Sep 1945
* Lowry AFB, Colorado 26 Apr 1961 - 25 Jun 1965
* Kandahar/Qandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, 2002 - Present

Aircraft assigned

* B-24 Liberator 1943-1945
* Titan I ICBM 1961-1965

Operational history

World War II

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thumb|right|451st Bomb Group Consolidated B-24H-30-CF Liberator42-50443 displaying 304th Wing markings c.1945. The upper tail surface and circle were red in color.Constituted as 451st Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 6 Apr 1943. Activated on 1 May 1943. Prepared for combat with B-24s. Moved to the Mediterranean theater, Nov 1943-Jan 1944, with the air echelon training in Algeria for several weeks before joining the remainder of the group in Italy.

Operated with Fifteenth Air Force, Jan 1944-May 1945, functioning primarily as a strategic bombardment organization. Attacked such targets as oil refineries, marshalling yards, aircraft factories, bridges, and airfields in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, and Greece.

Received a Distinguished Unit Citation for each of three missions: to an aircraft factory at Regensburg on 25 Feb 1944, to oil refineries and marshalling yards at Ploesti on 5 Apr 1944, and to an airdrome at Vienna on 23 Aug 1944; although encountering large numbers of enemy fighters and severe antiaircraft fire during each of these missions, the group fought its way through the opposition, destroyed many interceptors, and inflicted serious damage on the assigned targets.

At times the group also flew support and interdictory missions. Helped to prepare the way for and participated in the invasion of Southern France in Aug 1944. Transported supplies to troops in Italy during Sep 1944. Supported the final advances of Allied armies in northern Italy in Apr 1945.

Returned to the US in Jun. Inactivated on 26 Sep 1945.

Cold War

Established as the 451st Strategic Missile Wing (ICBM-Titan) and activated on April 26, 1961. Organized on July 1, 1961 at Lowry AFB, Colorado.

The 451st replaced the 703d Strategic Missile Wing in July 1961 with two Titan I missile squadrons (724th, 725th MS). The first wing missile complex was accepted on April 18, 1962. All wing missiles went off alert status on March 26, 1965 and the wing phased down for inactivation. Discontinued and inactivated June 25, 1965.

Global War on Terrorism

The 451st Air Expeditionary Group was activated in 2002 as part of the Global War on Terrorism.

References

* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
* Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799129.
* [http://www.bagram.afnews.af.mil/units/451stairexpeditionarygroup.asp 451st Air Expeditionary Group Website]

External links