Description
Japanese made by Tiger Embroidery, Okinawa, Japan 3.25 inch-82mm
374th OPERATIONS GROUP (PACAF)
Lineage. Established as 374 Troop Carrier Group on 7 Nov 1942. Activated on 12 Nov 1942. Inactivated on 15 May 1946. Activated on 15 Oct 1946. Redesignated 374 Troop Carrier Group, Heavy, on 21 May 1948. Inactivated on 18 Nov 1958. Redesignated: 374 Tactical Airlift Group on 31 Jul 1985; 374 Operations Group on 1 Apr 1992. Activated on 1 Apr 1992.
Assignments. V Air Force Service Command, 12 Nov 1942 (attached to Directorate of Air Transport, Allied Air Forces, Southwest Pacific Area [DAT, AAFSWPA], 12 Nov-Dec 1942; Advance Echelon, Fifth Air Force, Dec 1942-25 May 1943); 54 Troop Carrier Wing, 26 May 1943; Fifth Air Force, 28 Sep 1943 (attached to DAT, AAFSWPA, 28 Sep 1943-c. 31 Aug 1944); Far East Air Forces (Provisional), 15 Jun 1944 (attached to 54 Troop Carrier Wing, c. 1 Sep 1944-); 5298 Troop Carrier Wing (Provisional), 3 Oct 1944 (remained attached to 54 Troop Carrier Wing); 322 Troop Carrier Wing, 30 Dec 1944 (remained attached to 54 Troop Carrier Wing to c. 5 Jan 1945); 54 Troop Carrier Wing, 26 Jan-15 May 1946. United States Army Forces, Pacific, 15 Oct 1946 (attached to Pacific Air Service Command, United States Army, 15 Oct-14 Dec 1946); Pacific Air Service Command, United States Army (later, Far East Air Material Command), 15 Dec 1946 (attached to Philippine Air Material Area [Provisional], 1 Feb 1947-); Thirteenth Air Force, 20 Feb 1947 (remained attached to Philippine Air Material Area [Provisional] to 24 Mar 1947); Philippine Air Material Area, (Provisional), 25 Mar 1947; Twentieth Air Force, 1 Apr 1947; Marianas Air Material Area (Provisional), 1 Sep 1947 (attached to Twentieth Air Force, 1 Sep 1947-16 Aug 1948); 374 Troop Carrier Wing, 17 Aug 1948; 1503 Air Transport Wing, 1 Jul 1957-18 Nov 1958. 374 Airlift Wing, 1 Apr 1992-.
Components. Squadrons: 4 Troop Carrier: attached 2-17 Dec 1950, 25 Jul-16 Nov 1951. 6 Troop Carrier: 12 Nov 1942-15 May 1946 (detached 2 Jul-c. 1 Sep 1944); 15 Oct 1946-18 Nov 1958 (detached 1 Feb-30 Nov 1947, 3 Feb 1956-1 Jul 1957, 8 Jul-18 Nov 1958). 9 Troop Carrier: c. Feb-15 May 1946. 14 Troop Carrier: attached 16 Nov 1951-31 Mar 1952, 15-30 Nov 1952. 19 Troop Carrier (later, 19 Airlift): 15 Oct-31 Dec 1946; 1 Jun 1992-1 Oct 1993. 20 Aeromedical Airlift: 1 Oct 1992-1 Oct 1993. 21 Troop Carrier (later, 21 Airlift): 12 Nov 1942-31 May 1946 (detached 2 Jul-c. 1 Sep 1944); 15 Oct 1946-18 Sep 1956 (detached 1 Feb-31 Aug 1947, 5 Mar 1949-18 May 1950, 22 Jul 1950-25 Jan 1951, 29 Jun 1951-30 Nov 1952, 3 Feb 1956-18 Sep 1956); 1 Apr 1992-1 Oct 1993. 22 Troop Carrier: 12 Nov 1942-31 Jan 1946 (detached 2 Jul-c. 1 Sep 1944); 15 Oct 1946-18 Nov 1958 (detached 1 Feb 1947-4 Mar 1949, 3 Feb 1956-1 Jul 1957; not operational 10 Jun 1957-18 Nov 1958). 30 Airlift: 1 Oct 1993-1 Sep 2003. 33 Troop Carrier: 12 Nov 1942-15 Feb 1946. 36 Airlift: 1 Oct 1993-. 46 Troop Carrier: attached 5 Mar-1 Apr 1949. 344 Troop Carrier: attached 15 Dec 1952-13 Oct 1953. 345 Airlift: 1 Apr 1992-1 Jul 1993. 459 Airlift: 1 Oct 1993-. Flights: 22 Helicopter: 1 Apr-1 Jul 1992.
Stations. Brisbane, Australia, 12 Nov 1942; Port Moresby, New Guinea, Dec 1942; Townsville, Australia, 7 Oct 1943; Nadzab, New Guinea, c. 1 Sep 1944; Biak, Netherlands East Indies, c. 14 Oct 1944; Nielson Field, Luzon, 28 May 1945-15 May 1946. Nichols Field, Luzon, 15 Oct 1946; Harmon Field (later, AFB), Guam, 1 Apr 1947; Tachikawa AFB (later, AB), Japan, 5 Mar 1949-18 Nov 1958 (deployed at Ashiya AB, Japan, c. 15 Sep-17 Dec 1950). Yokota AB, Japan, 1 Apr 1992-.
Aircraft. B-17 1942-1943, C-39, 1942-1943; C-47, 1942-1946; 1947-1953; C-49, 1942-1943; C-50, 1942-1943; C-53, 1942-1943; C-56, 1942; C-59, 1942; C-60, 1942-1943, DC-2, 1942; DC-3, 1942; DC-5, 1942; LB-30, 1942-1943; LC-1, 1942-1943; O-49, 1942; Tiger Moth, 1942-1943; C-46, 1945-1947, 1949, 1952-1953; C-54, 1946-1947, 1947-1956; C-119, 1951; C-124, 1952-1956, 1957-1958; VB-17, 1951. C-9, 1992-; C-12, 1992-; C-21, 1992-; C-130, 1992-; UH-1N, 1992-.
Operations. The 374th Troop Carrier Group drew its resources from the Air Carrier Service (formerly Air Transport Command) Allied Air Forces, Southwest Pacific Area when it formed in Nov 1942. It had four troop carrier squadrons assigned, the 21st and 22d were veterans of the South Pacific Area. During the remainder of 1942 and early 1943, the group employed a large variety of aircraft to perform air transport of troops, cargo, and evacuation of the wounded, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations (DUCs) in Papua. In Jan-Feb 1943, the group supplied Allied forces during the battle of Wau airstrip, making landings at the airstrip under enemy fire and earning its third DUC. From mid-Feb to Jul 1943, the group transported personnel and supplies to three principal areas: Dobodura, where a large base was being constructed; Wau and Bulolo, rear bases for advancing Allied forces; and to patrols skirting Lae and Salamau. During Jul and Aug 1943, the group trained elements of the 375th,403d, and 433d Troop Carrier Groups. When the campaign against Lae opened on 5 Sep 1943, the 374th led aircraft of those groups in a drop of US airborne troops and Australian artillery paratroops at Nadzab airdrome. The next day, as vegetation around the captured airdrome still burned, the group landed engineer troops and equipment to repair the damaged runways, and artillery to protect the captured airstrip. After the capture of Lae ten days later, the group flew 303 trips moving large stores of ammo, supplies, and equipment for use of advancing ground troops. From Oct 43-May 1944, the 374th maintained an unending flow of troops and equipment, including arms and ammunition, to units scattered throughout Australia and New Guinea areas. It continued to provide these services and in Nov 1944 commenced cargo and personnel flights to Leyte in the Philippines, which required three days for a round trip. By Jan 1945, flights in the New Guinea and Australian areas continued, but flights to the Philippines almost ceased until the group moved to Nielson Field near Manila and remained until the end of the war. The group participated in training maneuvers with army and naval forces in the Pacific Theater until May 1946. From Oct 1946-Apr 1947, it provided troop carrier and air courier services and participated in joint maneuvers in the Pacific. It moved to Japan in Mar 1949 and when the Korean War broke out in Jun 1950, was the only air transport group in the Far East. For its work between 27 Jun and 15 Sep1950, transporting vital cargo, personnel and evacuating wounded men, the 374th earned its fourth DUC. In Apr 1953, the group transported the first of several groups of repatriated prisoners of war from Korea to Japan. Beginning in Jan 1954, the 374th airlifted wounded French troops from Indo-China to Japan, en route to France. Principal operations from 1955 until 1958 consisted of numerous mobility exercises, routine theater airlift, and occasional exercises throughout the Western Pacific region. Activated as an Operations Group under the objective wing structure in Apr 1992, the group gained control over the 374th Airlift Wing’s operational squadrons. From 1992 to present, the 374th Operation Group’s assigned squadrons conducted special operations, aeromedical evacuations, search and rescue operations, humanitarian relief and theater airlift missions in support of US and United Nations security interests throughout the Far East.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Japan; Papua; New Guinea; Northern Solomons; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines. Korea: UN Defensive; UN Offensive; CCF Intervention; First UN Counteroffensive; CCF Spring Offensive; UN Summer-Fall Offensive; Second Korean Winter; Korea, Summer-Fall 1952; Third Korean Winter; Korea, Summer 1953.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Distinguished Unit Citations: Papua, 12 Nov-22 Dec 1942; Papua, [Nov] 1942-23 Jan 1943; Wau, New Guinea, 30 Jan-1 Feb 1943; Korea, 27 Jun-15 Sep 1950. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 30 Sep 1992-1 Oct 1994; 1 Oct 1994-30 Sep 1996; 1 Oct 1996-30 Sep 1997; 1 Oct 1998-30 Sep 2000; 1 Oct 2000-30 Sep 2002. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: 1 Jul 1951-27 Jul 1953.
Emblem. Group will use the wing emblem with group designation in the scroll.