Description
Computer made 3.0 inch-77mm
404th AIR EXPEDITIONARY GROUP (USAFE)
Lineage. Established as 100 Fighter Wing on 8 Nov 1943. Activated on 24 Nov 1943. Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945. Disestablished on 15 Jun 1983. Reestablished, and consolidated (31 Jul 1985) with the 704 Strategic Missile Wing, which was established on 20 May 1957. Activated on 1 Jul 1957. Redesignated 704 Strategic Missile Wing (ICBM) on 1 Apr 1958. Inactivated on 1 Jul 1959. Redesignated: 404 Tactical Missile Wing on 31 Jul 1985; 404 Air Expeditionary Group and converted to provisional status on 24 Mar 2003. Activated on 16 Jun 2003. Inactivated on 8 Jul 2003. Activated on 27 Aug 2003. Inactivated on 19 Sep 2003. Activated on 27 May 2005. Inactivated on 22 Jun 2005. Activated on 28 Jun 2007. Inactivated on 30 Jul 2007. Activated on 14 Mar 2008. Inactivated on 30 Apr 2008. Activated on 21 Aug 2008. Inactivated on 15 Sep 2008. Activated on 1 Oct 2008.
Assignments. Ninth Air Force, 24 Nov 1943; IX Fighter Command, 27 Nov 1943; IX Air Support Command, 12 Dec 1943; IX Fighter Command, 4 Jan 1944; IX Air Support Command, 1 Feb 1944; IX Fighter Command, 1 Mar 1944; XIX Air Support (later, XIX Tactical Air) Command, 15 Apr 1944-28 Jun 1945 (under operational control of IX Fighter Command, 15 Apr-31 Jul 1944); First Air Force, 6 Sep-7 Nov 1945. Air Research and Development Command, 1 Jul 1957 (attached to Air Force Ballistic Missile Division, 1-31 Jul 1957); 1 Missile Division, 1 Aug 1957-1 Jul 1959. United States Air Forces in Europe (attached to Third Air Force), 16 Jun-8 Jul 2003. United States Air Forces in Europe (attached to Sixteenth Air Force), 27 Aug-19 Sep 2003. United States Air Forces in Europe (attached to Sixteenth Air Force), 27 May-22 Jun 2005. United States Air Forces in Europe (attached to Third Air Force [Air Forces Europe]), 28 Jun-30 Jul 2007. 323 Air Expeditionary Wing (attached to Third Air Force [Air Forces Europe]), 14 Mar-30 Apr 2008. United States Air Forces in Europe (attached to 48 Fighter Wing), 21 Aug-15 Sep 2008. United States Air Forces in Europe (attached to Seventeenth Air Force [Air Forces Africa]), 1 Oct 2008-.
Operational Components. Groups: 48 Fighter: 1-15 Apr 1944, and 28 Apr-c. May 1945. 354 Fighter: 27 Nov-2 Dec 1943; c. 3 Apr 1944-4 May 1945 (detached c. 23 Jun-c. 14 Aug 1944). 358 Fighter: c. 3 Apr-c. 5 Nov 1944 (detached c. 3 Jul-c. 16 Aug 1944). 361 Fighter: attached 23 Dec 1944-31 Jan 1945. 362 Fighter: c. 3 Apr 1944-8 May 1945 (detached c. 2 Jul-c. 12 Aug 1944). 363 Fighter: c. 3 Apr-c. 18 Aug 1944 (detached c. 1-c. 10 Jul 1944). 365 Fighter: 23 Dec 1944-30 Jan 1945. 367 Fighter: Apr-15 Apr 1944; 23 Dec 1944-8 May 1945. 368 Fighter: 23 Dec 1944-8 May 1945. 371 Fighter: assigned 12 Mar-15 Apr 1944; attached 15-21 Feb 1945, assigned 22 Feb-c. May 1945. 373 Fighter: c. 20 Aug-1 Oct 1944. 405 Fighter: 15 Sep 1944-8 Feb 1945; 26 Apr-c. May 1945. 406 Fighter: 15 Sep 1944-8 Feb 1945. 474 Fighter: 17 Mar-15 Apr 1944. Squadrons. 37 Expeditionary Airlift: 28 Jun-30 Jul 2007. 42 Expeditionary Airlift: 1 Oct 2008-. 336 Expeditionary Air Refueling: 21 Aug-15 Sep 2008. 351 Expeditionary Air Refueling: 21 Aug-15 Sep 2008. 492 Expeditionary Fighter: 14 Mar-7 Apr 2008. 493 Expeditionary Fighter: 14 Mar-7 Apr 2008. 576 Strategic Missile: 1 Apr 1958-1 Jul 1959 (detached 6 Apr-1 Jul 1959). 644 Strategic Missile: 15 Jan-1 Jul 1959 (detached 6 Apr-1 Jul 1959). 672 Strategic Missile (later, 672 Technical Training): 1 Jan-20 May 1958. 864 Strategic Missile (later, 864 Technical Training): 23 Feb 1958-1 Jul 1959 (detached 1 Nov 1958-1 Jul 1959). 865 Strategic Missile (later, 865 Technical Training): 1 Jul 1958-1 Jul 1959 (detached 1 Nov 1958-1 Jul 1959). 866 Strategic Missile: 1 Sep 1958-1 Jul 1959 (detached 1 Nov 1958-1 Jul 1959).
Stations. Boxted, England, 24 Nov 1943; Greenham Common, England, 6 Dec 1943; Ibsley, England, 13 Jan 1944; Lashenden, England, c. 15 Apr 1944; Cricqueville, France, 2 Jul 1944; St Pierre-Eglise, France, 10 Jul 1944; Rennes, France, 8 Aug 1944; Montfort Le Rotrou (near LeMans), France, 30 Aug 1944; Lisle-en-Rigault (near St Dizier), France, 19 Sep 1944; Metz, France, 29 Dec 1944; Konigstein, Germany, 14 Apr 1945; Laon, France, c. 2 Jul 1945; Marseille, France, 18-24 Aug 1945; Seymour Johnson, NC, 6 Sep-7 Nov 1945. Cooke (later, Vandenberg) AFB, CA, 1 Jul 1957-1 Jul 1959. RAF Mildenhall, England, 16 Jun-8 Jul 2003. Graf AB, Bulgaria, 27 Aug-19 Sep 2003. Krzesiny, Poland, 27 May-22 Jun 2005. Ramstein, AB, Germany, 28 Jun-30 Jul 2007. Campia Turzii, Romania, 14 Mar-30 Apr 2008. Keflavik AS, Iceland, 21 Aug-15 Sep 2008. Ramstein AB, Germany, 1 Oct 2008-.
Aircraft and Missiles. P-38, 1944-1945; P-47, 1944-1945; P-51, 1944-1945. Atlas, 1958-1959; Jupiter, 1958; Thor, 1958-1959; Titan, 1959. Unkn, 2003. Unkn, 2005. Unkn, 2007. C-130, 2008-.
Operations. The 100 Fighter Wing activated in England in late Nov 1943, assigned to Ninth Air Force. Controlled fighter groups in combat, Apr 1944-May 1945. During the wing’s move to the European continent, its assigned fighter groups were under the operational control of the IX Tactical Air Command. The wing regained control of the 363 Fighter Group upon arrival in France. Provided air defense for the Normandy landing areas, June through Jul 1944. Regained rest of tactical groups in mid-Aug, then controlled armed reconnaissance, interdictory, and air ground support missions of its assigned fighter groups. Provided air ground support and armored column escort in support of Patton’s U.S. Third Army during its drive across France, north to Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge (Dec 1944-Jan 1945) and across the Rhine. Moved to the U.S. Aug-Sep 1945, and inactivated on 7 Nov 1945. The 704 Strategic Missile Wing activated on 1 Jul 1957, but was not operational until mid-Nov 1957. Trained ICBM and IRBM missile units, Nov 1957-Apr 1959. Not operational 6 Apr-1 Jul 1959. 404 Tactical Missile Wing converted to provisional status in 2003. Provided intertheater airlift in support of US Africa Command (USAFRICOM) taskings, 1 Oct 2008-.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. None.
Emblem. Approved on 26 Jun 1958.