Description
Computer made/mounted on velcro 3.5 inch/90mm
403rd OPERATIONS GROUP
Lineage. Established as 403 Troop Carrier Group on 7 Dec 1942. Activated on 12 Dec 1942. Inactivated on 15 Oct 1946. Redesignated as 403 Troop Carrier Group, Medium on 10 May 1949. Activated in the Reserve on 27 Jun 1949. Ordered to active service on 1 Apr 1951. Inactivated on 1 Jan 1953. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Jan 1953. Inactivated on 14 Apr 1959. Redesignated as: 403 Military Airlift Group on 31 Jul 1985; 403 Operations Group on 1 Aug 1992. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Aug 1992.
Assignments. I Troop Carrier Command, 12 Dec 1942; 50 Troop Carrier Wing, 1 May 1943; XIII Air Force Service Command, Sep 1943; Far East Air Service Command, 13 Dec 1945; 322 Troop Carrier Wing, 1 Jan 1946; 54 Troop Carrier Wing, 26 Jan-15 Oct 1946. 403 Troop Carrier Wing, 27 Jun 1949-1 Jan 1953. 403 Troop Carrier Wing, 1 Jan 1953-14 Apr 1959. 403 Airlift Wing (later, 403 Wing), 1 Aug 1992-.
Operational Components. Squadrons. 6 Troop Carrier: 15 May-15 Oct 1946. 9 Troop Carrier: 31 May-15 Oct 1946. 13 Troop Carrier: 22 Aug 1943-15 Oct 1946. 19 Troop Carrier: 31 May-15 Oct 1946. 53 Weather Reconnaissance: 1 Nov 1993-. 63 Troop Carrier: 12 Dec 1942-15 May 1946 (detached 10 Oct 1943-3 Jul 1944); 27 Jun 1949-1 Jan 1953; 1 Jan 1953-14 Apr 1959. 64 Troop Carrier: 12 Dec 1942-15 May 1946; 27 Jun 1949-1 Jan 1953; 1 Jan 1953-14 Apr 1959. 65 Troop Carrier: 12 Dec 1942-26 Jul 1943; 20 Feb 1945-27 Jan 1946; 27 Jun 1949-1 Jan 1953; 1 Jan 1953-16 Nov 1957. 66 Troop Carrier: 12 Dec 1942-21 Jul 1943; 20 Feb 1945-15 Jan 1946; 27 Jun 1949-17 Apr 1951. 815 Airlift: 1 Aug 1992-.
Stations. Bowman Fld, KY, 12 Dec 1942; Alliance, NE, 18 Dec 1942; Pope Fld, NC, 3 May 1943; Baer Fld, IN, 20 Jun 1943; Camp Stoneman, CA, 18 Jul-24 Aug 1943; Espiritu Santo, 15 Sep 1943; Los Negros, 30 Aug 1944; Biak, 4 Oct 1944; Leyte, 25 Jun 1945; Clark Fld, Luzon, 1 Feb 1946; Manila, Luzon, c. Jun-15 Oct 1946. Portland Muni Aprt, OR, 27 Jun 1949-29 Mar 1952; Ashiya AB, Japan, 14 Apr 1952-1 Jan 1953. Portland Intl Aprt, OR, 1 Jan 1953; Selfridge AFB, MI, 16 Nov 1957-14 Apr 1959. Keesler AFB, MS, 1 Aug 1992-.
Operations. Trained for overseas troop carrier operations from the end of 1942 to the summer of 1943, when it moved to the South Pacific. Transported men and supplies to forward areas in the Solomon Islands and flew passenger and cargo routes to New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, and New Caledonia. The group also moved personnel of Thirteenth Air Force units to the Southwest Pacific theater. Supported campaigns in New Guinea and the Philippines by transporting men and cargo to combat areas, evacuating casualties, and landing or dropping supplies for guerilla forces. On 23 Feb 1945, dropped paratroops at Laguna de Bay, Luzon, to free civilian internees held by the Japanese. Earned a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for transporting ammunition, food, and other supplies to Eighth Army forces in Mindanao and for landing on jungle airstrips to evacuate wounded personnel from Apr to Jun 1945. Moved to Leyte in Jun 1945 and remained in the Philippines after the war as part of Far East Air Forces. Ferried occupation troops to Japan, evacuated liberated prisoners, and flew cargo and passenger routes to Japan and Australia. Inactivated in Manila on 15 Oct 1946. From 27 Jun 1949 until 1 Apr 1951, when it was called the active duty, the group trained as a reserve troop carrier unit in Oregon. In Mar and Apr 1952, moved to Japan, where it was attached to Far East Air Forces for operations against communist forces in Korea. Using C-119s, the group aided United Nations forces in Korea by dropping paratroops and supplies, transporting personnel and equipment, and evacuating casualties. On 1 Jan 1953, it was relieved from active duty and inactivated in Japan. That same day, the group activated again as a reserve unit, training for airlift, air evacuation, and aeromedical evacuation missions until inactivation in 1959. In 1992, the group activated at Keesler AFB, MS, where it flew Air Force Reserve airlift and weather reconnaissance missions. On 29 Aug 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused extensive wind and water damage to Keesler AFB; aircraft evacuated to Houston, TX ahead of the hurricane and continued flying humanitarian and hurricane reconnaissance missions.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: New Guinea; Northern Solomons; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines. Korea: Korea Summer-Fall, 1952; Third Korean Winter.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Philippine Islands, 17 Apr-30 Jun 1945. Navy Unit Commendation: [Sep 1943]-15 Jul 1944. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation [1952]. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: [1 Aug] 1992-30 Apr 1994; 1 May 1994-30 Apr 1996; 1 May 1996-31 Aug 1997; 1 Jan 2004-31 Dec 2005; 1 Oct 2008-30 Sep 2010.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 7 Mar 2012.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through Dec 2007.
Supersedes statement prepared on 24 Jan 2001.
Emblem. Group will use the wing emblem with the group designation in the scroll.