451st Air Expeditionary Group

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451st Air Expeditionary Group

451st Air Expeditionary Group graphic
Active 1943-Present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
Part of Air Expeditionary
Garrison/HQ Southwest Asia
An MQ-1 Predator at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, taxis out for a mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom on Friday, June 2, 2006.
An MQ-1 Predator at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, taxis out for a mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom on Friday, June 2, 2006.
An HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter lands as an Army UH-60 Blackhawk prepares to pick up a medivac patient June 13. The 33rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron is the first squadron to have a combat-search-and-rescue mission and a medevac mission, and is based at Kandahar
An HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter lands as an Army UH-60 Blackhawk prepares to pick up a medivac patient June 13. The 33rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron is the first squadron to have a combat-search-and-rescue mission and a medevac mission, and is based at Kandahar

The United States Air Force's 451st Air Expeditionary Group (451 AEG) is located at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan and includes an expeditionary reconnaissance squadron, an expeditionary rescue squadron and an expeditionary air control squadron.

Contents

[edit] Units

The 451st Air Expeditionary Group includes an expeditionary reconnaissance squadron, an expeditionary rescue squadron and an expeditionary air control squadron.

[edit] Aircraft

[edit] History

[edit] Lineage

  • Constituted as 451st Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 6 Apr 1943.
    • Activated on 1 May 1943
    • Inactivated on 26 Sep 1945
  • Established as the 451st Strategic Missile Wing (ICBM-Titan)
    • Activated on April 26, 1961
    • Discontinued and inactivated June 25, 1965
  • Redesignated: 451st Air Expeditionary Group 2002
    • Activated 2002

[edit] Bases Assigned

  • San Pancrazio, Italy c. 5 Mar 1944
  • Castelluccio Airfield, Italy c. 6 Apr 1944-Jun 1945
  • Dow Field, Maine c. 19 Jun-16 Sep 1945
  • Lowry AFB, Colorado 26 Apr 1961 - 25 Jun 1965
  • Kandahar/Qandahar Airfield Afghanistan, 2002 - Present

[edit] Aircraft Assigned

[edit] Operational History

[edit] World War II

451st Bomb Group Consolidated B-24H-30-CF Liberator 42-50443 displaying 304th Wing markings c.1945. The upper tail surface and circle were red in color.
451st Bomb Group Consolidated B-24H-30-CF Liberator 42-50443 displaying 304th Wing markings c.1945. The upper tail surface and circle were red in color.

Constituted as 451st Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 6 Apr 1943. Activated on 1 May 1943. Prepared for combat with B-24's. Moved to the Mediterranean theater, Nov 1943-Jan 1944, with the air echelon training in Algeria for several weeks before joining the remainder of the group in Italy.

Operated with Fifteenth Air Force, Jan 1944-May 1945, functioning primarily as a strategic bombardment organization. Attacked such targets as oil refineries, marshalling yards, aircraft factories, bridges, and airfields in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, and Greece.

Received a Distinguished Unit Citation for each of three missions: to an aircraft factory at Regensburg on 25 Feb 1944, to oil refineries and marshalling yards at Ploesti on 5 Apr 1944, and to an airdrome at Vienna on 23 Aug 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 in Aug 1944. Transported supplies to troops in Italy during Sep 1944. Supported the final advances of Allied armies in northern Italy in Apr 1945.

Returned to the US in Jun. Inactivated on 26 Sep 1945.

[edit] Cold War

Emblem of the SAC 451st SMW
Emblem of the SAC 451st SMW

Established as the 451st Strategic Missile Wing (ICBM-Titan) and activated on April 26, 1961. Organized on July 1, 1961 at Lowry AFB, Colorado.

The 451st replaced the 703d Strategic Missile Wing in July of 1961 with two Titan I missile squadrons (724th, 725th MS). The first wing missile complex was accepted on April 18, 1962. All wing missiles went off alert status on March 26, 1965 and the wing phased down for inactivation.

Discontinued and inactivated June 25, 1965.

[edit] Global War on Terrorism

The 451st Air Expeditionary Group was activated in 2002 as part of the Global War on Terrorism.

[edit] See Also

[edit] References

[edit] External links


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