451st AIR EXPEDITIONARY GROUP – BLACKSHEEP TFB – OCP

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Description

Computer made/mounted on velcro   4.0 inch-100mm

 

451st AIR EXPEDITIONARY GROUP (ACC)

Lineage. Established as 451 Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 6 Apr 1943. Activated on 1 May 1943. Redesignated as 451 Bombardment Group, Heavy on 10 May 1943. Inactivated on 26 Sep 1945. Consolidated (31 Jan 1984) with the 451 Strategic Missile Wing (ICBM-Titan), which was established, and activated, on 26 Apr 1961. Organized on 1 Jul 1961. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 Jun 1965. Redesignated as 451 Air Expeditionary Group, and converted to provisional status, on 3 May 2002.

Assignments. II Bomber Command, 1 May 1943; Second Air Force, 6 Oct 1943; 47 Bombardment Wing, c. 11 Dec 1943; 49 Bombardment Wing, 7 Apr 1944; Air Transport Command, Jun-26 Sep 1945. Strategic Air Command, 26 Apr 1961; 13 Air (later, 13 Strategic Missile) Division, 1 Jul 1961-25 Jun 1965. Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate at any time on or after 3 May 2002.

Operational Components. Squadrons. 724 Bombardment: 1 May 1943-26 Sep 1945; 1 Jul 1961-25 Jun 1965. 725 Bombardment: 1 May 1943-26 Sep 1945; 1 Jul 1961-25 Jun 1965. 726 Bombardment: 1 May 1943-26 Sep 1945. 727 Bombardment: 1 May 1943-26 Sep 1945.

Stations. Davis-Monthan Field, AZ, 1 May 1943; Dyersburg AAFld, TN, 3 Jun 1943; Wendover Field, UT, 22 Jul 1943; Fairmont AAFld, NE, c. 11 Sep 1943; Camp Patrick Henry, VA, 28 Nov-2 Dec 1943 (ground echelon); Telergma, Algeria, Dec 1943 (air echelon); Gioia del Colle, Italy, c. 3 Jan 1944 (ground echelon), 20 Jan 1944 (air echelon); San Pancrazio, Italy, c. 5 Mar 1944; Castelluccio, Italy, c. 6 Apr 1944-c. 3 Jun 1945; Dow Field, ME, 18 Jun-26 Sep 1945. Lowry AFB, CO, 1 Jul 1961-25 Jun 1965.

Aircraft and Missiles. B-24, 1943-1945. Titan I, 1962-1965.

Operations. Prepared in the United States for bombardment operations, May-Nov 1943. Moved to Mediterranean theater, Nov 1943-Jan 1944, the air echelon training in Algeria for a few weeks before joining the ground echelon in Italy. As an element of Fifteenth Air Force, the group conducted strategic bombardment raids against targets such as oil refineries, marshalling yards, aircraft factories, bridges, and airfields in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Albania, and Greece, Jan 1944-May 1945. Earned a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for each of three 1944 air raids: to an aircraft factory at Regensburg, Germany, on 25 Feb; to oil refineries and marshalling yards at Ploesti, Rumania, on 5 Apr; and to an airdrome in Vienna, Austria, on 23 Aug. Although encountering large numbers of enemy fighters and heavy antiaircraft fire during each of these missions, the group inflicted serious damage on the assigned targets and shot down many interceptors. Flying interdiction missions, the group also helped prepare for and support the Allied invasion of southern France in Aug 1944. It transported supplies to troops in Italy in Sep 1944 and supported the final advance of Allied armies in northern Italy in Apr 1945. Returned to the United States in Jun, where it inactivated in late Sep 1945. Conducted missile training and coordinated Titan I facility construction, Jul 1961-Oct 1962. The first wing missile complex became operational in Apr 1962. The wing inactivated in Jun 1965 after a phase-down period beginning in late Mar.

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Po Valley; Air Combat, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Regensburg, Germany, 25 Feb 1944; Ploesti, Rumania, 5 Apr 1944; Vienna, Austria, 23 Aug 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 1 Jul 1963-30 Jun 1964.

Emblem. Approved on 20 Jun 1962; update pending on 21 Oct 2009.