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Home > Fact Sheets > 44 Fighter Group (AFRC)
44 FIGHTER GROUP (AFRC)
Posted 1/7/2011
Printable Fact Sheet
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In accordance with Chapter 3 of AFI 84-105, commercial reproduction of this emblem is NOT permitted without the permission of the proponent organizational/unit commander.
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Lineage. Established as 44 Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Redesignated as: 44 Bombardment Group, Heavy, on 20 Aug 1943; 44 Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, on 5 Aug 1945. Inactivated on 12 Jul 1946. Activated on 1 Jul 1947. Inactivated on 6 Sep 1948. Redesignated as 44 Bombardment Group, Medium, on 20 Dec 1950. Activated on 2 Jan 1951. Inactivated on 16 Jun 1952. Redesignated as 44 Operations Group on 29 Aug 1991. Activated on 1 Sep 1991. Inactivated on 1 Jul 1994. Redesignated as 44 Fighter Group on 7 Jan 2010. Activated on 1 Feb 2010.
Assignments. 3 Bombardment Wing, 15 Jan 1941; III Bomber Command, 5 Sep 1941; Eighth Air Force, c. 10 Sep 1942; 2 Bombardment Wing, Sep 1942 (attached to 201 Provisional Combat Wing, 25 Mar-12 Sep 1943); 2 Bombardment Division, 13 Sep 1943; 14 Combat Bombardment Wing, Sep 1943; Second Air Force, c. 26 Jun 1945; 17 Bombardment Operational Training Wing, Jul 1945; Strategic Air Command, 21 Mar 1946; Fifteenth Air Force, 31 Mar-12 Jul 1946. Strategic Air Command, 1 Jul 1947-6 Sep 1948. 44 Bombardment Wing, Medium, 2 Jan 1951-16 Jun 1952. 44 Missile Wing, 1 Sep 1991-1 Jul 1994. 301 Fighter Wing, 1 Feb 2010-.
Operational Components. Squadrons. 66 Bombardment (later, 66 Missile): 15 Jan 1941-12 Jul 1946; 1 Jul 1947-6 Sep 1948; 2 Jan 1951-16 Jun 1952; 1 Sep 1991-1 Sep 1993. 67 Bombardment (later, 67 Missile): 15 Jan 1941-12 Jul 1946; 1 Jul 1947-6 Sep 1948; 2 Jan 1951-16 Jun 1952; 1 Sep 1991-15 Aug 1992. 68 Bombardment (later, 68 Missile): 15 Jan 1941-12 Jul 1946; 1 Jul 1947-6 Sep 1948; 2 Jan 1951-16 Jun 1952; 1 Sep 1991-1 Jul 1994. 404 Bombardment: attached, 15 Jan 1941; assigned 25 Feb-12 Jul 1942. 506 Bombardment: Oct 1942-6 Mar 1946 (detached 1 Oct 1942-16 Jan 1943).
Stations. MacDill Field, FL, 15 Jan 1941; Barksdale Field, LA, Feb 1942; Will Rogers Field, OK, 26 Jul-c. 28 Aug 1942; Cheddington, England, 10 Sep 1942 (ground echelon); Shipdham, England, 10 Oct 1942 (ground echelon), 11 Oct 1942 (air echelon); Benina, Libya, 28 Jun 1943; Shipdham, England, c. 28 Aug 1943-15 Jun 1945; Sioux Falls AAfld, SD, 26 Jun 1945; Great Bend AAFld, KS, 24 Jul 1945; Smoky Hill AAFld, KS, 14 Dec 1945-12 Jul 1946. Andrews Field (later, Andrews AFB), MD, 1 Jul 1947-6 Sep 1948. March AFB, CA, 2 Jan 1951; Lake Charles AFB, LA, 1 Aug 1951-16 Jun 1952. Ellsworth AFB, SD, 1 Sep 1991-1 Jul 1994. Holloman AFB, NM, 1 Feb 2010-.
Commanders. Lt Col Melvin B. Asp, 15 Jan 1941; Lt Col Hugo P. Rush, May 1941; Col. F. H. Robinson, c. 1 Apr 1942; Col Leon W. Johnson, c. 15 Jan 1943; Lt Col James T. Posey, c. 3 Sep 1943; Col Frederick R. Dent, Dec 1943; Col John H. Gibson, c. 1 Apr 1944; Col Eugene H. Snavely, 15 Aug 1944; Col Vernon C. Smith, 15 Apr 1945-unkn; Lt Col Henry C. Coles, c. 6 Aug 1945; Col William J. Cain Jr., c. 30 Aug 1945; Lt Col James F. Starkey, c. 8 Jan 1946-unkn. None (not manned), 1 Jul 1947-6 Sep 1948. Unkn, Jan 1951; Col Howell M. Estes Jr., Feb 1951; Col Carlos J. Cochrane, 7 Mar 1951-16 Jun 1952. Col Howard R. Busch II, 1 Sep 1991; Col Thomas R. Boland, 5 Jun 1992-unkn. Col Donald R. Lindberg, 1 Feb 2010-.
Aircraft/Missiles. B-24, 1941-1945; B-29, 1945-1946. None, 1947-1948. None, 1951-1952. LGM-30 Minuteman II, 1991-1994. F-22, 2010-.
Operations. Trained with B-24s, 1941; performed antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico, 1942. Began combat training in Jul 1942 and moved to England in Oct 1942. Flew first combat mission on 7 Nov 1942. Received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for an extremely hazardous mission against naval installations at Kiel, Germany on 14 May 1943. After moving to North Africa, supported the invasion of Sicily in mid-1943. Earned a second DUC for participation in a famous low-level raid on Ploesti, Rumania oil fields on 1 Aug 1943. After moving back to England at the end of that month, attacked various targets in western Europe, but a detachment in Tunisia supported Allied forces at Salerno, Italy, in autumn, 1943. From a base in England, the group participated in Big Week, 20-25 Feb 1944; Normandy invasion, Jun 1944; Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944-Jan 1945. Flew last combat mission on 25 Apr 1945 and returned to the US in Jun 1945. Trained as a very heavy bombardment group beginning in Aug 1945. Became part of Strategic Air Command in Mar 1946. Inactivated on 12 Jul 1946. During 1 Jul 1947-6 Sep 1948 and 2 Jan 1951-16 Jun 1952 group was not operational. Provided missile combat crew members to plan, program and manage the LGM-30 Minuteman II weapons system, 1991-1992; assisted in inactivation of assigned missiles, 1993-1994.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Combat, EAME Theater; Air Offensive, Europe; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Kiel, Germany, 14 May 1943; Ploesti, Rumania, 1 Aug 1943. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Sep 1991-29 May 1992; 6 Jul 1992-1 Jul 1994.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, Commanders, Aircraft, and Honors through 17 Feb 2010.
Operations through 1 Jul 1994.
Supersedes statement prepared on 9 Mar 1992.
Emblem. Approved on 15 May 1951; modified on 12 Mar 2010.
Prepared by Patsy Robertson.
Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.
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