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Home > Fact Sheets > 323 Expeditionary Operations Group (USAFE)
323 EXPEDITIONARY OPERATIONS GROUP (USAFE)
Posted 5/28/2010
Printable Fact Sheet
Lineage. Established as 323 Bombardment Group (Medium) on 19 Jun 1942. Activated on 4 Aug 1942. Redesignated as 323 Bombardment Group, Medium, on 5 Aug 1944. Inactivated on 12 Dec 1945. Redesignated as 323 Bombardment Group, Light, and allotted to the Reserve on 13 Aug 1947. Activated on 9 Sep 1947. Ordered to active duty on 10 Mar 1951. Inactivated on 17 Mar 1951. Redesignated as 323 Fighter-Bomber Group on 9 May 1955. Activated on 8 Aug 1955. Inactivated on 1 Sep 1957. Redesignated as: 323 Tactical Fighter Group on 31 Jul 1985; 323 Operations Group on 9 Dec 1991. Activated on 15 Dec 1991. Inactivated on 31 May 1993. Redesignated as 323 Expeditionary Operations Group, and converted to provisional status on 25 Mar 2003.
Assignments. III Bomber Command, 4 Aug 1942; VIII Bomber Command, 11 May 1943; VIII Air Support Command, 15 Jun 1943; IX Bomber Command, 18 Feb 1944; IX Air Force Service Command, 15 Jun 1945; United States Air Forces in Europe, 25 Nov-12 Dec 1945. 310 Bombardment Wing (later, 310 Air Division), 9 Sep 1947; 323 Bombardment Wing, 27 Jun 1949-17 Mar 1951. 323 Fighter-Bomber Wing, 8 Aug 1955-1 Sep 1957. 323 Flying Training Wing, 15 Dec 1991-31 May 1993. United States Air Forces in Europe to activate or inactivate at any time on or after 25 Mar 2003.
Operational Components. Squadrons. 450 Flying Training: 15 Dec 1991-10 Nov 1992. 451 Flying Training: 15 Dec 1991-15 Jan 1992. 452 Flying Training: 15 Dec 1991-31 May 1993. 453 Bombardment (later, 453 Fighter-Bomber; 453 Flying Training): 4 Aug 1942-12 Dec 1945; 27 Jun 1949-17 Mar 1951; 8 Aug 1955-1 Sep 1957; 15 Dec 1991-31 May 1993. 454 Bombardment (later, 454 Fighter-Bomber; 454 Flying Training): 4 Aug 1942-12 Dec 1945; 27 Jun 1949-17 Mar 1951; 8 Aug 1955-1 Sep 1957; 15 Dec 1991-31 May 1993. 455 Bombardment (later, 455 Fighter-Bomber; 455 Flying Training): 4 Aug 1942-12 Dec 1945; 27 Jun 1949-17 Mar 1951; 22 Nov 1955-1 Sep 1957; 15 Dec 1991-31 May 1993. 456 Bombardment: 4 Aug 1942-26 Nov 1945; 27 Sep 1947-17 Mar 1951.
Stations. Columbia AAB, SC, 4 Aug 1942; MacDill Field, FL, 21 Aug 1942; Myrtle Beach Bombing Range, SC, 2 Nov 1942-25 Apr 1943; Horham, England, 12 May 1943; Earls Colne, England, 14 Jun 1943; Beaulieu, England, 21 Jul 1944; Lessay, France, 26 Aug 1944; Chartres, France, 21 Sep 1944; Laon/Athies, France, 13 Oct 1944; Denain/Prouvy, France, 9 Feb 1945; Gablingen, Germany, 15 May 1945; Landsberg, Germany, 16 Jul 1945; Clastres, France, Oct-Dec 1945; Camp Myles Standish, MA, 11-12 Dec 1945. Tinker Field (later, Tinker AFB), OK, 9 Sep 1947-17 Mar 1951. Bunker Hill AFB, IN, 8 Aug 1955-1 Sep 1957. Mather AFB, CA, 15 Dec 1991-31 May 1993.
Commanders. Col Herbert B. Thatcher, Sep 1942; Col Wilson R. Wood, c. 13 Nov 1943; Col Rollin M. Winningham, 14 Feb 1945; Lt Col George O. Commenator, Aug 1945-unkn. Col John C. Haygood, 8 Aug 1955; Col Billy Cornett, 12 Aug 1957-unkn. Col William L. Reynolds, 15 Dec 1991-31 May 1993.
Aircraft. B-26, 1942-1945. F-86, 1955-1956; F-100, 1956-1957. T-37, 1991-1993; T-43, 1991-1993.
Operations. Combat in the European Theater of Operations (ETO), Jul 1943-Apr 1945; received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for actions during the Battle of the Bulge (24-27 Dec 1944); participated in German disarmament, May-Jul 1945; returned to the US and inactivated in Dec 1945. Conducted aerial combat training, 1955-1957. Conducted Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training (SUNT), 1991-1993.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Belgium and Germany, 24-27 Dec 1944.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 7 May 2010.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 31 May 1993.
Supersedes published information contained in: Maurer Maurer (ed.), Air Force Combat Units of World War II (Washington: USGPO, 1983).
Emblem. Group will use the wing emblem with the group designation in the scroll.
Prepared by Patsy Robertson.
Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.
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