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| 407th Air Expeditionary Group | |
|---|---|
 407th Air Expeditionary Group emblem | |
| Active | 1943–1944 1953–1957 17 April 2003 – December 2011 2016–June 2022 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Air Expeditionary Group |
| Part of | United States Air Forces Central Command 332d Air Expeditionary Wing |
| Garrison/HQ | Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Carroll W. McColpin |
The407th Air Expeditionary Group (407 AEG) was a provisionalUnited States Air Force unit assigned to theUnited States Air Forces Central Command,332d Air Expeditionary Wing. It was stationed atAli Air Base, Iraq, until the closure of the base on 16 December 2011. It was activated as part of the332d Air Expeditionary Wing due toMilitary intervention against ISIL atAli Al Salem Air Base,Kuwait, andAhmad al-Jaber Air Base, Kuwait. In 2023Jane's Defence Weekly confirmed a June 2022 AFCENT statement that the 407 AEG had been inactivated.
The 407 AEG provided air operations support for coalition air dominance, battlespace control, and security to advance the stabilization of southern Iraq. It provides coalition tactical airlift support with aerial port operations. The 407 AEG was the first Air Force unit to stand up combat operations within Iraq duringOperation Iraqi Freedom.
The group traces its history back to the World War II407th Bombardment Group (Dive) which was established 23 March 1943, atDrew Field, Florida. The air echelon was attached toEleventh Air Force inAmchitka, Alaska, from 19 July to 15 August 1943, where it performed combat operations against the Japanese in theAleutian Islands.
In the early 2020s it consisted of the following squadrons:
Former units
The 407th AEG traced its history back to the 407th Bombardment Group (Dive) which was established 23 March 1943, atDrew Field, Florida. Its subordinate squadrons at that time included the 632d, 633d, 634th and 635th Bombardment (Dive) Squadrons. The air echelon was attached toEleventh Air Force inAmchitka, Alaska, from 19 July to 15 August 1943, where it performed combat operations against the Japanese in theAleutian Islands.
The 407th was redesignated the 407th Fighter-Bomber Group on 15 August 1943. At that time, the 632d, 633d and 634th were redesignated the 515th, 516th and 517th Fighter-Bomber Squadrons, respectively, and the 635th was disbanded. In 1943, the 407th flew the DouglasA-24 Banshee dive bombers; North AmericanA-36 Invader dive bombers,P-51D Mustangs, and theP-47 Thunderbolt from 1943 to 1944 as part of theArmy Air Forces School of Applied Tactics. In October 1943 the group moved theLakeland Army Airfield, Florida, and then toGalveston Army Airfield, Texas in November where it trained for combat, and functioned as a replacement unit until 1 April 1944, when it was disestablished.
The 407th was reactivated as theStrategic Air Command407th Strategic Fighter Wing atGreat Falls AFB,Montana in 1953. While it was established on 23 March 1953 it was not activated until 18 December 1953. The wing was assigned to theFifteenth Air Force and composed of the 407th Air Refueling Squadron withKB-29 Superfortress tankers and the 515th, 516th and 517th Strategic Fighter Squadrons, equipped with the RepublicF-84G Thunderjet. Also assigned to the wing in "attached" status was the91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (20 December 1954 – 17 July 1955) with RF-84Ks. In 1955KC-97s replaced the KB-29s.
Delays in delivery of the F-84Gs to the wing led to operational training not commencing until June 1954. Once operational, from August to November 1954, the 407th deployed toMisawa Air Base, Japan, where it provided air defense of northern Japan. In doing so, from 8 August to 10 November 1954 it was attached to the39th Air Division (Defense). Returning to the United States, the wing sent its straight-winged F-84Gs to AMARC, and was re-equipped with newer and faster swept-wing F-84F Thunderstreaks. From Great Falls, the 407th provided long-range fighter escort and refueling forB-36 Peacemaker andB-50 Superfortress bombers.
The wing had a short life, as the strategic fighter doctrine was phased out of use beginning in 1956. The 407th SFW was inactivated on 1 July 1957.
The 407th was redesignated the 407th Air Expeditionary Group and later activated atTallil Air Base (known as Ali Base), Iraq, on 14 April 2003 as a subordinate to the332d Air Expeditionary Wing, which was stationed at Al Jaber AB, Kuwait.
Throughout the summer of 2003, the mission at Ali Base (Tallil AB) expanded. The flightline became home to A-10s, C-130s and Predators. The 332d AEW then transferred from Al Jaber AB, Kuwait, to Ali Base on 5 August 2003. During that period, the wing's A-10s destroyed more than 1,100 targets during major combat operations of Operation Iraqi Freedom. It was also here that U.S. Special Forces staged and planned the rescue of Army Private 1st Class Jessica Lynch, and where the private was flown out of Iraq.
In addition to its operational commitments, the 407 AEG was the Senior Airfield Authority at Ali Air Base, and was responsible for the defense, control, operations and maintenance of the airfield, land and facilities whose proximity affected airfield operations
Ali Air Base was fully vacated by all U.S. Forces on 16 December 2011, and the 407th AEG was inactivated.
It was activated again in 2016, as part of the332d Air Expeditionary Wing, as part of theMilitary intervention against ISIL stationed atAli Al Salem Air Base,Kuwait, andAhmad al-Jaber Air Base, Kuwait.[3]
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This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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