World War II

Combat operations

Consolidated B-24H-10-CF Liberator 42-64500, 743d Bomb Squadron. Lost on 11 June 1944

The air echelon of the group was delayed in Tunisia and was not entirely lodged at the 455th's combat station of San Giovanni Airfield, Italy until 1 February 1944, and the group flew its first mission on 16 February.^[1] The group was engaged primarily in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, attacking targets like airfields, factories, oil refineries, harbors, marshalling yards in Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Yugoslavia.^[15]

On 2 April 1944, the group attacked a ball-bearing plant at Steyr, Austria for which it earned a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC). The primary target, the Daimler-Pusch aircraft engine factory was obscured by clouds, so the unit attacked the nearby ball bearing plant although attacks by an estimated 75 twin-engine fighters continued through the bomb run and heavy, accurate flak was encountered. The 740th claimed the destruction of seven of these fighters against the loss of one squadron Liberator. The 742d lost two Liberators in the attack but claimed the destruction of six enemy aircraft. Five crewmembers from one of the squadron's B-24s lost in the attack bailed out in territory controlled by Yugoslav Partisans and were able to evade German forces and returned to the squadron a month after the attack. The 743d Squadron claimed the destruction of nine fighters against the loss of two squadron Liberators.^{[23][note 2]}

On 26 June 1944, the group, which was leading the 304th Bombardment Wing on the raid, encountered fighter opposition that was described as the strongest Fifteenth Air Force had encountered to date, and which destroyed several Liberators of the 455th Group. One 740th Liberator was lost on the raid, while the squadron claimed eleven enemy aircraft destroyed (two shared claims). Enemy fighters were able to separate the 741st Squadron from its fighter escort and intensified their attacks on the squadron. One 741st bomber was lost when a Luftwaffe fighter dove head-on into it. The Liberator continued on the bomb run and dropped its bombs on the target before crashing into the ground.^{[note 3]} Other fighters continued their attacks to within 100 feet of the group's planes. On this mission, the 742d Squadron suffered its heaviest losses of the war, with six planes lost to enemy action. Only one of the squadron's Liberators that reached the target returned safely. The 743d Squadron put nine bombers over the target but was the only squadron of the group to bring all its planes home. The group pressed its attack on an oil refinery at Moosbierbaum, Austria, for which it received a second DUC.^[15][24]

The group provided air support to ground forces in Operation Shingle, the landings at Anzio and the Battle of Monte Cassino in the spring of 1944. It knocked out coastal defenses to clear the way for Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France in September. As Axis forces were withdrawing from the Balkan peninsula in the fall of 1944, the squadron bombed marshalling yards, troop concentrations and airfields to slow their retreat. It flew air interdiction missions to support Operation Grapeshot, the Spring 1945 offensive in Northern Italy.^[15]

The group flew its last combat mission on 25 April 1945 against rail yards at Linz, Austria.^[25] Following the surrender of German forces in Italy, it flew some supply missions and transported personnel to ports and airfields for shipment back to the United States. Most of the air echelon returned to the United States, ferrying their aircraft in June. The 740th Squadron's ground personnel moved to Bari Airfield in July 1945, where they serviced the aircraft assigned to headquarters, Fifteenth Air Force. Many of the group's remaining personnel were transferred to other units in the 304th Bombardment Wing for shipment back to the United States, while the group remained in Italy, serving as a replacement depot. The last of the air echelon departed Italy in July and the group was inactivated on 9 September 1945.^[18][26]

The group lost 118 aircraft. It suffered 147 killed in action, 268 Missing in action, 179 prisoners of war, and 169 wounded in action. On the other hand, the group claimed the destruction of 119 enemy aircraft.^[1]

Air Force reserve

The group was reactivated as a reserve unit under Air Defense Command (ADC) in March 1947 at Hensley Field, Texas, with the 740th Squadron, which was already active,^[16] assigned to it.^[15] At Hensley its training was supervised by ADC's 4122d AAF Base Unit (later the 2596th Air Force Reserve Training Center). The 741st and 742d Squadrons were activated to join the group in late June and early September 1947, respectively.^[17][18] In October, the group was rounded out with the activation of the 743d Squadron, which was not stationed with the group, but at Sheppard-Kell Municipal Airport.^[19] The 455th was nominally a very heavy bomber unit, but does not appear to have been fully manned or equipped while a reserve unit.^[27] In 1948 Continental Air Command (ConAC) assumed responsibility for managing reserve and Air National Guard units from ADC.^[28] President Truman's reduced 1949 defense budget required reductions in the number of units in the Air Force.^[29] ConAC also reorganized its reserve units under the wing base organization system in June 1949. As a result, the group was inactivated and its personnel and equipment at Hensley Field were transferred to elements of the 443d Troop Carrier Wing, which was activated simultaneously.^[16][30] The 743d Squadron was also inactivated and reserve flying operations at Sheppard came to an end.^{[16][17][18][19][15][31]}

Tactical Air Command

The group was redesignated the 455th Fighter-Day Group and activated at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina in July 1956 as Tactical Air Command planned to organize a second North American F-100 Super Sabre wing there.^{[note 4]} Some personnel were assigned to the group and its squadrons, but it never became operational with aircraft. It was inactivated in July 1957 and its few personnel were reassigned to elements of the 354th Fighter-Day Wing.^{[15][16][17][18][19]}

Intercontinental ballistic missile wing

The wing's second predecessor was organized at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota in November 1962 as the 455th Strategic Missile Wing along with its 740th Squadron.^[2][16] The 741st and 742d Squadrons were organized in December 1962 and January 1963.^[18] The wing prepared for operational capability with LGM-30B Minuteman I missiles through March 1964. The wing's first Minuteman missile arrived on 6 September 1963, and was placed three days later. The 150th, and final, missile was placed on 26 February 1964, and by late March^[1] the wing became combat-ready.

On 25 June 1968, the 455th was inactivated and transferred its assets to the 91st Strategic Missile Wing, which moved to Minot on paper from Glasgow Air Force Base, Montana. The three missile squadrons, however, were reassigned to the 91st Wing.^{[16][17][18][32]}

On 31 January 1984, the 455th Fighter-Day Group and the 455th Strategic Missile Wing were consolidated into a single unit under the wing's designation.^[2]

War in Afghanistan

Maintenance squadron working on the engine of a C-130J Super Hercules, Bagram Air Base

The 455th was converted to provisional status in December 2001 and redesignated the 455th Air Expeditionary Group after the United States invasion of Afghanistan. It was activated on 26 April 2002 at Bagram Air Base. In July 2002, the group was redesignated the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing with five assigned groups.^[1] Since then the wing has provided close air support, air mobility, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, combat search and rescue, electronic attack, aero medical evacuation, and combat support as the lead Air Force organization in Afghanistan. The wing consisted of about 1,600 airmen, based throughout Afghanistan.

The 455 AEW was awarded the Meritorious Unit Award for all personnel assigned between 1 October 2006 and 30 September 2007,^[33] 1 October 2008 through 30 September 2009, and 1 October 2010 through 30 September 2011.

Assignments

• II Bomber Command, 1 June 1943
• I Bomber Command, 4 October 1943
• Fifteenth Air Force, c. 15 January 1944
• 304th Bombardment Wing, 25 January 1944 – 9 September 1945
• Tenth Air Force, 25 March 1947
• 309th Bombardment Wing (later 309th Air Division), 17 October 1947 – 27 June 1949
• Ninth Air Force, 25 July 1956 – 1 July 1957 (attached to 342d Fighter-Day Wing until 19 November 1956, then to 354th Fighter-Day Wing)
• Strategic Air Command, 28 June 1962 (not organized)
• 810th Strategic Aerospace Division, 1 November 1962 – 25 June 1968
• Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate as needed, 4 December 2001

9th Aerospace Expeditionary Task Force, 26 July 2002 – July 2021^[2]

Stations

• Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico, 1 June 1943
• Kearns Army Air Field, Utah, c. 6 September 1943
• Langley Field, Virginia, c. 5 October – 2 December 1943
• San Giovanni Airfield, Italy, 15 January 1944 – 9 September 1945
• Hensley Field, Texas, 25 March 1947 – 27 June 1949
• Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina, 25 July 1956 – 1 July 1957
• Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, 1 November 1962 – 25 June 1968
• Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, 26 April 2002 – Jul 2021^[2]

Components

Groups

• 451st Air Expeditionary Group, 1 April 2014 – present^[14]
• 455th Expeditionary Operations Group, 26 July 2002 – present
• 455th Expeditionary Logistics Group (later 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Group), c. 26 July 2002 – present
• 455th Expeditionary Medical Group, c. 26 July 2002 – present
• 455th Expeditionary Support Group (later 455th Expeditionary Mission Support Group), c. 26 July 2002 – present
• 755th Expeditionary Mission Support Group (later 755th Air Expeditionary Group), 17 January 2006 – present

Squadrons

• 740th Bombardment Squadron (later 740th Fighter-Day Squadron, 740th Strategic Missile Squadron): 1 June 1943 – 9 September 1945, 25 March 1947 – 27 June 1949, 25 July 1956 – 1 July 1957, 1 December 1962 – 25 June 1968^[2]
• 741st Bombardment Squadron (later 741st Fighter-Day Squadron, 741st Strategic Missile Squadron): 1 June 1943 – 9 September 1945, 26 June 1947 – 27 June 1949, 25 July 1956 – 1 July 1957, 1 December 1962 – 25 June 1968^[2]
• 742d Bombardment Squadron (later 742d Fighter-Day Squadron, 743d Strategic Missile Squadron): 1 June 1943 – 9 September 1945, 9 September 1947 – 27 June 1949, 25 July 1956 – 1 July 1957, 1 January 1963 – 25 June 1968^[2]
• 743d Bombardment Squadron: 1 June 1943 – 9 September 1945, 15 October 1947 – 27 June 1949^[2]

Aircraft and missiles

Bibliography

• 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. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. 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. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6.
• 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.
• Rogers, Brian. (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, UK: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.
• World Airpower Journal. (1992). US Air Force Air Power Directory. Aerospace Publishing: London, UK. ISBN 1-880588-01-3

Further reading

• Asch, Col Alfred; Graff, Col Hugh R.; Ramey, Lt Col Thomas A. (1991). 455th Bomb Group (H): Flight of the Vulgar Vultures. Appleton WI: Graphic Communications Center. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
• Gansz, David M. (2022). Fifteenth Air Force War Diary, Bombing by the Numbers. First Mountain Belgians Publishing. ISBN 978-1-7343806-1-3.
• Watkins, Robert A. (2009). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II. Vol. IV, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations. Atglen,PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-3401-6.

Notes

Explanatory notes

Citations

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency