 | This article includes a list ofgeneral references, butit lacks sufficient correspondinginline citations. Please help toimprove this article byintroducing more precise citations.(March 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| 305th Operations Group | |
|---|---|
 GroupKC-10 Extender after receiving fuel from aKC-135 Stratotanker over Afghanistan | |
| Active | 1942–1946; 1947–1948; 1950–1952; 1991–1993; 1994–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Airlift andAir Refueling |
| Part of | Air Mobility Command |
| Garrison/HQ | McGuire Air Force Base |
| Motto | Can Do[1] |
| Engagements | European Theater of Operations[2] |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award[2] |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Curtis LeMay |
| Insignia | |
| 305 Operations Gp emblem[2][note 1] |  |
| 305th Bombardment Group emblem(approved 23 April 1951)[1] |  |
| 305th Bombardment Group emblem (World War II)[3] |  |
The305th Operations Group is aUnited States Air Force unit assigned to the305th Air Mobility Wing. It is stationed at theMcGuire AFB entity ofJoint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst,New Jersey.
During World War II, the group's predecessor unit, the305th Bombardment Group was one of the firstVIII Bomber CommandBoeing B-17 Flying Fortress units in England, and, was one of the most-decorated USAAF heavy-bombardment groups in theEuropean Theater. 1st LtWilliam R. Lawley, Jr. and 1st LtEdward S. Michael, pilots in the 364th Bomb Squadron, each received theMedal of Honor.
While commanded by ColonelCurtis LeMay the 305th Bomb Group pioneered many bomber flying formations and bombing procedures that became the standard operating procedures in the Eighth Air Force.
The group lost thirteen aircraft during the 14 October 1943Schweinfurt mission, the heaviest loss of any group on the mission, and for this reason was given a Nazi flag found flying in the city as a war trophy when it was captured by U.S. troops in April 1945.
The mission of the305th Operations Group is to deploy worldwide from Air Mobility Command's Eastern Gateway, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JB MDL), to perform aerial-refueling and airlift missions, in support of tactical, strategic, reconnaissance, transport, and bombardment forces in high-threat and chemical-warfare environments.
The group flies theC-17 Globemaster III,KC-10 Extender, andKC-46 Pegasus in support of worldwide operations.
The group comprises the following squadrons:
The305th Bombardment Group was activated 1 March 1942 atSalt Lake City Army Air Base, Utah. The unit trained there before moving toGeiger Field, Washington on 11 June 1942. Received intensive training atMuroc Army Air Field, California beginning in July 1942.
The ground unit went by train to atFort Dix Army Air Base, New Jersey. The ground unit sailed on the Queen Mary on 5 September 1942, and disembarked from Greenock on 12 September 1942. The aircraft assembled atHancock Field, New York, and spent six weeks in advanced flight training. The unit received newBoeing B-17F Flying Fortress bombers, and left for the United Kingdom in October 1942 viaPresque Isle Army Air Field andGander Airport, toPrestwick Airport Scotland.
The 305th Bomb Group deployed to England in September 1942 and formed atRAF Grafton Underwood as part of VIII Bomber Command's 40th Bombardment Wing. Was assigned group tail code "Triangle-G". From Grafton Underwood, the group began combat on 17 November 1942 and attacked such targets as submarine pens, docks, harbours, shipyards, motor works, and marshalling yards in France, Germany, and the Low Countries. During December 1942, the group was transferred toRAF Chelveston.
On 27 January 1943, the group participated in the Eighth Air Force's first raid on Germany. During the winter of 1942–1943, the 305th was commanded byColonel Curtis LeMay and pioneered many of the techniques of daylight bombing used by the USAAF over Nazi-controlled Europe.
The 305th Bomb Group bombed the navy yards atWilhelmshaven on 27 January 1943 when heavy bombers of Eighth Air Force made their first penetration into Germany. Through mid-1943, the group attacked strategic targets such as submarine pens, docks, harbors, shipyards, motor works, and marshaling yards in France, Germany, and theLow Countries.
The 305th received theDistinguished Unit Citation for a mission in April 1943 when an industrial target in Paris was bombed with precision in spite of pressing enemy fighter attacks and heavyflak.
During the second half of 1943, the unit began deeper penetration into enemy territory to strike heavy industry. Significant objectives included aluminum, magnesium, and nitrate works in Norway, industries inBerlin, oil plants atMerseburg, aircraft factories at Anklam, shipping at Gdynia, and ball-bearing works atSchweinfurt.
A second Distinguished Unit Citation was awarded to the 305th for withstanding severe opposition to bombing aircraft factories in central Germany on 11 January 1944. The unit participated in the intensive campaign of heavy bombers against the German aircraft industry during "Big Week," 20–25 February 1944.
In addition to bombardment of strategic targets, the 305th Bomb Group often flew tactical interdictory missions and supported infantry units. Prior to the Normandy invasion in June 1944, it helped to neutralize enemy installations such as V-weapon sites, airfields, and repair shops. OnD-Day, 6 June, the unit bombed enemy strongholds near the battle area. During theBattle of Normandy the 305th attacked enemy positions in advance of ground forces atSaint-Lô in July 1944 and struck antiaircraft batteries to cover theairborne invasion of the Netherlands in September.
After "Victory in Europe Day" (V-E Day), the 305th moved toSaint Trond Airfield, Belgium in July 1945 where it conducted photo-mapping flights which was called Project Casey Jones over Europe and North Africa. On 15 December 1945, the 305th moved toLechfeld Airfield, Germany which it had bombed on 18 March 1944. The 364th Bomb Squadron was inactivated on 1 July 1946. The423d Bombardment Squadron of the306th Bombardment Group was attached to the group after this date but, by the end of October 1946, the group ceased all operations. Officially the unit was inactivated on 25 December 1946. On the Continent it was assigned to Ninth Air Force and inactivated on 15 November 1945.
Not operational from 16 October to 25 December 1946. During two periods of activation (between July 1947 and September 1948, and, between January 1951 and June 1952), the group was manned only from 2 January to 9 February 1951 when SAC reorganized its wings into the dual deputate system.
On 1 September 1991, the 305th Operations Group activated under the "Objective Wing" concept adapted by the Air Force as the lines between tactical and strategic forces blurred. The flying components of the 305th Air Refueling Wing were reassigned to the newly established group.
The1993 Base Realignment and Closure Commission directed realignment ofGrissom Air Force Base, Indiana to theAir Force Reserve and the 305th OG phased out operations there in 1993. TheBoeing KC-135R Stratotanker equipped70th and305th Air Refueling Squadrons were inactivated. In addition, the EC-135G/L radio relay aircraft as part of the PACCS system were also retired.
The 305th was reactivated at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, replacing the438th Operations Group on 1 October 1994. At McGuire, the group controls three squadrons ofBoeing C-17A Globemaster III transports andMcDonnell Douglas KC-10A Extender air refueling aircraft.
|
|
|
|
|
|
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
 Air Mobility Command (AMC) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numbered Air Forces | | ||||||||||||
| Command Organizations | |||||||||||||
| Bases | |||||||||||||
| Group | |||||||||||||
| Wings |
| ||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Airfields |  | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Units |
| ||||||||||||||
