451st Air Expeditionary Group
Encyclopedia
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
unit. It is one of two AEWs in Afghanistan, presently assigned to Kandahar Airfield
Kandahar Airfield
Kandahar International Airport is located 10 miles south-east of Kandahar City in Afghanistan. The airport was built by the United States in the 1960s, under the United States Agency for International Development program. It may have been intended to be used as a possible U.S...
and is also the host unit at Kandahar.
The 451 AEW provides an airpower presence in the Afghanistan area of operations. 451st AEW Airmen provide Tactical Airlift, Close Air Support, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Command and Control, Airborne Datalink, Combat Search and Rescue, Casualty Evacuation and Aeromedical Evacuation capabilities.
During the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, the Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
451st Strategic Missile Wing was the first fully operational HGM-25A Titan I ICBM wing in 1962. During World War II, the wing's predecessor unit, the 451st Bombardment Group was a B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
heavy bombardment organization, assigned to Fifteenth Air Force
Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
in Italy.
Units
Groups- 451st Expeditionary Operations Group
- 30th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron30th Reconnaissance SquadronThe 30th Reconnaissance Squadron is reconnaissance test squadron assigned to the 432d Air Expeditionary Wing at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada...
- 55th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron55th Rescue SquadronThe 55th Rescue Squadron is an aviation unit of the United States Air Force. It operates the HH-60G Pavehawk helicopter and provides rapidly deployable combat search and rescue forces to theater commanders worldwide...
- 62d Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron
- 73d Expeditionary Air Control Squadron
- 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron354th Fighter SquadronThe 354th Fighter Squadron is part of the 355th Fighter Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conducting close air support missions.-Mission:...
- 451st Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron
- 651st Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron
- 772d Expeditionary Airlift Squadron
- 30th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron
- 451st Expeditionary Maintenance Group
- 451st Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
- 451st Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron
- 451st Expeditionary Mission Support Group
- 451st Expeditionary Communications Squadron
- 451st Expeditionary Civil Engineering Squadron
- 451st Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron
- 451st Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron
- 451st Expeditionary Force Support Flight
Tenant Units
- 755th Air Expeditionary Squadron
- 755th Explosive Ordanance Disposal
Assigned aircraft
- A-10C Thunderbolt IIA-10 Thunderbolt IIThe Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
- C-130J Hercules
- EA-6B Prowler
- HH-60G Pave HawkH-60H-60 is often used as a general name for a wide family of U.S. military helicopters. However, they all use a modified mission symbol in addition to the 'H' vehicle type designator under the 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system . The mission prefix H-60 is often used as a...
- MQ-1 Predator UAV
- MQ-9 Reaper UAV
World War II
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
heavy bombardment unit; assigned to II Bomber Command
II Bomber Command
The II Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Second Air Force, based at Fort George Wright, Washington. It was inactivated on 6 October 1943....
for training. Primarily trained in the midwest. Received deployment orders for the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Mediterranean Theater of Operations
The Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army was originally called North African Theater of Operations and is an American term for the conflict that took place between the Allies and Axis Powers in North Africa and Italy during World War II...
(MTO) in November 1943.
Deployed to Southern Italy in January 1944; entered combat in January 1944, being assigned to Fifteenth Air Force
Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
. Air echelon training in Algeria for several weeks before joining the remainder of the group in Italy. Engaged in very long range strategic bombing missions to enemy military, industrial and transportation targets in Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. Attacked such targets as oil refineries, marshalling yards, aircraft factories, bridges, and airfields in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, and Greece.
Received a Distinguished Unit Citation for each of three missions: to an aircraft factory at Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
on 25 February 1944, to oil refineries and marshalling yards at Ploesti on 5 April 1944, and to an airdrome at Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
on 23 August 1944; although encountering large numbers of enemy fighters and severe antiaircraft fire during each of these missions, the group fought its way through the opposition, destroyed many interceptors, and inflicted serious damage on the assigned targets.
At times the group also flew support and interdictory missions. Helped to prepare the way for and participated in the invasion of Southern France
Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon was the Allied invasion of southern France on August 15, 1944, during World War II. The invasion was initiated via a parachute drop by the 1st Airborne Task Force, followed by an amphibious assault by elements of the U.S. Seventh Army, followed a day later by a force made up...
in August 1944. Transported supplies to troops in Italy during September 1944. Supported the final advances of Allied armies in northern Italy in April 1945.
Returned to the US in June 1945, forming at Dow Field, Maine. Unit personnel were demobilized throughout the summer of 1945. Inactivated on 26 September 1945.
Cold War
Established as the 451st Strategic Missile Wing (ICBM-Titan) at Lowry Air Force BaseLowry Air Force Base
Lowry Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located in the cities of Aurora and Denver, Colorado. Its primary mission throughout its existence was Air Force technical training and was heavily involved with the training of United States Army Air Forces bomber crews during World...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
and activated on 26 April 1961. The 461st SMW was the first operational HGM-25A Titan I missile wing. Construction on all nine silos at the three launch complexes was completed by 4 August 1961. On 18 April 1962, Headquarters SAC declared the 724th SMS operational, and 2 days later the first Titan Is went on alert status. A month later, the sister 725th SMS (initially designated the 849th SMS) declared it had placed all nine of its Titan Is on alert status, which marked a SAC first.
On 19 November 1964, Defense Secretary McNamara announced the phase-out of remaining first-generation SM-65 Atlas and Titan I missiles by the end of June 1965. This objective was met. All wing missiles went off alert status on 26 March 1965 and the wing phased down for inactivation. On 25 June 1965, the 724th SMS and 725th SMS were inactivated. SAC removed the last missile from Lowry on 14 April 1965.
Global War on Terrorism
The 451st Air Expeditionary Group was activated in 2002 as part of the Global War on TerrorWar on Terrorism
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
ism, conducting operations from Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. The group was responsible for air control of the southern region of Afghanistan, launch and recovery operations for the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper aircraft, the employment of combat search and rescue forces throughout the entire country and ground security and defense of the airfield. Included in the group are safety, logistics, communications, civil engineer.
Due to the growth in size and requirements of the USAF mission at Kandahar, the 451 AEG was enlarged to a wing-level organization, redesignated as the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing (451 AEW) and activated as such on 2 July 2009.
Lineage
- Constituted as 451st Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 6 April 1943.
- Activated on 1 May 1943
- Inactivated on 26 September 1945
- Established as the 451st Strategic Missile Wing (ICBM-Titan) 26 April 1961
- Activated on 26 April 1961
- Bestowed history, honors, and heraldry of 451st Bombardment Group passed to wing by HQ USAF upon activation.
- Organized 1 July 1961, assuming missiles, personnel and equipment of the 703d Strategic Missile Wing (Inactivated)
- Discontinued and inactivated 25 June 1965
- Converted to provisional status and allocated to Air Combat Command
- Redesignated 451st Air Expeditionary Group 2002 (exact date uncertain)
- Activated 2002 (exact date uncertain)
- Redesignated 451st Air Expeditionary Wing 2 July 2009
Note: Reference for unit lineage. As with most public information about Air Expeditionary Units activated during the Global War on Terrorism, the status of the bestowed Honors, and Heraldry of the unit is unclear.
Assignments
- Fourth Air ForceFourth Air ForceThe Fourth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve . It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California....
, 1 May 1943 - Third Air ForceThird Air ForceThe Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
, 3 June 1943 - Second Air ForceSecond Air ForceThe Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
, 18 July – November 1943 - Fifteenth Air ForceFifteenth Air ForceThe Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
,
- 47th Bombardment Wing, 11 December 1943 – 6 April 1944
- 49th Bombardment Wing49th Air DivisionThe 49th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, based at RAF Sculthorpe, England. It was inactivated on 1 July 1956.-History:...
, 6 April 1944 – 19 June 1945- Continental Air Forces
- First Air ForceFirst Air ForceThe First Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida....
, 19 June – 16 September 1945- Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air CommandThe Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
- Strategic Air Command
- 13th Air Division, 1 July 1961 – 25 June 1965
- Air Combat CommandAir Combat CommandAir Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
- Air Combat Command
- 455th Air Expeditionary Wing455th Air Expeditionary WingThe 455th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Force Air Combat Command unit. It is one of two AEWs in Afghanistan, presently assigned to Bagram Airfield. Most of the wing personnel are located at the Air Force Village known as Camp Cunningham.The wing's primary mission is to...
, ?? ??? 2002 – 2 July 2009 - Ninth Air ForceNinth Air ForceThe Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
, since 2 July 2009
Components
- 724th Bombardment (later Strategic Missile) Squadron, 1 May 1943 – 26 Sep 1945; 1 July 1961 – 25 June 1965
- 725th Bombardment (later Strategic Missile) Squadron, 1 May 1943 – 26 Sep 1945; 1 July 1961 – 25 June 1965
- 726th Bombardment Squadron726th Bombardment SquadronThe 726th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 451st Bombardment Group, stationed at Dow Field, Maine. It was inactivated on 26 September 1945.-History:...
, 1 May 1943 – 26 Sep 1945 - 727th Bombardment Squadron727th Bombardment SquadronThe 727th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 451st Bombardment Group, stationed at Dow Field, Maine. It was inactivated on 26 September 1945.-History:...
, 1 May 1943 – 26 Sep 1945
Stations
- Davis-Monthan Field, ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, 1 May 1943 – 5 June 1943 - Dyersburg Army Air BaseDyersburg Army Air BaseDyersburg Army Air Base is an inactive United States Air Force base, approximately 2 miles north of Halls, Tennessee. It was active during World War II as a training airfield. It was closed on 30 November 1945...
, TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, 3 June 1943 - Wendover Field, UtahUtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
c. 18 July 1943 - Fairmont AAFldFairmont Army AirfieldFairmont State Airfield is a public use airport located three nautical miles south of the central business district of Fairmont, in Fillmore County, Nebraska, United States. It is owned by the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics. The airport serves the general aviation community, with no scheduled...
, NebraskaNebraskaNebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
9 September – 16 November 1943 - Gioia del Colle Airfield, Italy c. 10 January 1944
- San Pancrazio AirfieldSan Pancrazio AirfieldSan Pancrazio Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Italy, which is located approximately 4 km northeast of San Pancrazio Salentino in the province of Brindisi in Puglia,on the south-east Italy coast...
, Italy c. 5 March 1944 - Castelltuccio Airfield, Italy c. 6 April 1944 – June 1945
- Dow Field, MaineMaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
c. 19 June – 16 September 1945 - Lowry AFB, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
26 April 1961 – 25 June 1965 - Kandahar/Qandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, since 2002