416th Air Expeditionary Wing
A 416th Air Expeditionary Group airman positions a fire bottle while preparing a C-17 Globemaster III for parking
Active	1943–1945; 1962–1995; 2002–2005
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Air Expeditionary
Role	Combat Support
Engagements	European theater of World War II Southwest Asia
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
416th Air Expeditionary Wing emblem(approved 2 March 1964)[2]
World War II Fuselage Identification Codes	5H (668th Bomb Sq) 2A (669th Bomb Sq) F6 (670th Bomb Sq) 5C (671st Bomb Sq)[1]
ACC tail marking at Griffiss AFB)[3]	GR

The416th Air Expeditionary Wing (AEW) is a provisional unit assigned to theAir Combat Command of theUnited States Air Force to activate or inactivate as needed.

The wing began life inWorld War II as the416th Bombardment Group (BG). The group was aDouglas A-20 Havoc light bombgroup assigned toNinth Air Force inWestern Europe. It was awarded aDistinguished Unit Citation for its actions in France when, in spite of intense resistance, the group bombed bridges, railways, rolling stock, and a radar station to disrupt the German retreat through theFalaise-Argentan gap. It converted toDouglas A-26 Invaders while engaged in combat and continued to support ground forces through the end of the war.

The group's heritage was continued by the416th Bombardment Wing (BW), aStrategic Air CommandB-52 Stratofortresswing that conducted strategic bombardment training and air refueling operations on a global scale based atGriffiss Air Force Base in New York. 416th BW crews and aircraft deployed to the Pacific during theVietnam War era to support SAC operations during the conflict. In 1984, the wing and group were consolidated and became a single unit. In 1991, wing tanker crews and KC-135R aircraft participated in the war in Southwest Asia. The 416th was inactivated as part of the Post-Cold War drawdown of United States strategic forces in 1995 (BRAC 1993) and the closure ofGriffiss AFB.

In 2002 the wing was converted to provisional status as the416th Air Expeditionary Group It served as the host unit atKarshi-Khanabad Air Base (K2), inQarshi, Uzbekistan, from 2002 to 2005, where it supported operations against theTaliban andal-Qaeda in Afghanistan. It was redesignated as the416th Air Expeditionary Wing in 2010, but the current status of this unit is not publicly known.

Media related to416th Bombardment Group (United States Army Air Forces) at Wikimedia Commons

Thewing was first activated on 5 February 1943^[4] without personnel, atWill Rogers Field, Oklahoma as the416th Bombardment Group (Light) (BG).^{[note 1]} The originalsquadrons of thegroup were the668th,^[5]669th,^[6]670th,^[7] and671st Bombardment Squadrons^[8]

Fifty-one officers and two hundred and forty-one (241) enlisted men were transferred to the group on 15 February 1943. The source of thecadre was the46th Bombardment Group and units from Will Rogers Field;Blythe AAF, California;Barksdale Field, Louisiana and a number of men with considerable overseas experience from theThird Air Force Replacement Center, Plant Park, Florida. On that date, the 46th BG moved to the North side of Will Rogers Field, leaving the South side to the 416th BG.^{[citation needed]}

The group originally operated as an Operational Training Unit under theIII Air Support Command, providing a portion of the initial cadre of the417th Bombardment Group.^[9] The group fell back on the 46th BG for assistance with its training. Pilots were attached to the 46th BG for transition flying during the first three months of its existence. On 11 May, the first eight (8) planes were assigned to the 416th Group. OneNorth American B-25C Mitchell and oneDouglas A-20B Havoc was given to each of the 668th and 669th Squadrons. Two A-20B's were assigned to each of the 670th and 671st Squadrons. Classes in all the military occupational specialties were conducted by the 46th until 1 June 1943. The Pilots attended Ground School, for five hours a day, in the following subjects: code, link trainer, aircraft recognition, operation and maintenance of the A-20 and B-25, air navigation, radio, instrument procedure, etc. The Intelligence personnel attended classes for one hour a day.^{[citation needed]}

Thebombardment group moved to England in January to February 1944, and was assigned toNinth Air Force. It entered combat in March 1944, and during the next several weeks directed most of its attacks againstV-1 andV-2 sites in France.^[4] In addition to the assigned code markings assigned to each of its squadrons, the 416th's aircraft were marked with a "white diagonal stripe emanating outwards from the [trailing] edge of the ... rudder."^[1] The 416th flew a number of missions againstairfields andcoastal defenses to help prepare for theinvasion of Normandy. It supported the invasion in June 1944 by striking road junctions,marshalling yard, bridges, and railway overpasses. The group assisted ground forces atCaen andSaint-Lô in July and atBrest later in the summer, by hitting transportation facilities, supply dumps,radar installations, and other targets. In spite of intense resistance, the group bombed bridges, railways, rolling stock, and a radar station to disrupt the enemy's retreat through the Falaise gap, 6–9 August 1944, and received aDistinguished Unit Citation for the missions.^[4]

The group assisted theairborne attack on the Netherlands in September. It also supported the assault on theSiegfried Line by pounding transportation, warehouses, supply dumps, and defended villages in Germany.^[4] in November, the group converted toDouglas A-26 Invader aircraft. With its new aircraft it attacked transportation facilities, strong points, communications centers, and troop concentrations during theBattle of the Bulge from December 1944 through January 1945. It aided theAllied thrust into Germany by continuing its strikes against transportation, communications, airfields, storage depots, and other objectives, February—May 1945. It also bombed flak positions in support of the airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945.^[4] The group returned to the US between July and October 1945 and was inactivated at the port of embarkation on 24 October 1945.

The origins of the 416th Bombardment Wing begin on 1 August 1958 whenStrategic Air Command established the4039th Strategic Wing atGriffiss AFB, New York^[10] as part of SAC's plan to disperse itsB-52 Stratofortress heavy bombers over a larger number of bases, thus making it more difficult for theSoviet Union to knock out the entire fleet with a surprise first strike.^[11] The wing remained a headquarters only until 5 January 1959 when the41st Air Refueling Squadron, flyingBoeing KC-135 Stratotankers and three maintenance squadrons were activated and assigned to the wing and the wing was transferred fromEighth Air Force to the820th Air Division.^[12] In July, the56th Aviation Depot Squadron was activated to oversee the wing's special weapons. It became fully organized on 15 October 1959 when the75th Bombardment Squadron (BS), consisting of 15Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses moved to Griffiss fromLoring AFB, Maine where it had been one of the three squadrons of the42d Bombardment Wing. Starting in 1960, one third of the squadron's aircraft were maintained on fifteen-minutealert, fully fueled and ready for combat to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet missile strike. This was increased to half the squadron's aircraft in 1962.^[13] The 4039th (and later the 416th) continued to maintain an alert commitment until December 1991.^[14] On 1 April 1961 the wing was reassigned from the 820th to the6th Air Division, which was activated at Dow.^[15] In 1962, the wingbombers began to be equipped with theGAM-77 Hound Dog and theGAM-72 Quail air-launchedcruise missiles, The4039th Airborne Missile Maintenance Squadron was activated in November to maintain these missiles. However, SAC Strategic Wings could not carry a permanent history or lineage and SAC looked for a way to make its Strategic Wings permanent.

In 1962, in order to perpetuate the lineage of many currently inactive bombardment units with illustriousWorld War II records, Headquarters SAC received authority from Headquarters USAF to discontinue its Major Command controlled (MAJCON) strategic wings that were equipped with combat aircraft and to activate Air Force controlled (AFCON) units, most of which were inactive at the time which could carry a lineage and history.

The 4039th SW was replaced by the newly constituted416th Bombardment Wing (416th BW) on 1 February 1963^[2] and was assigned to SAC's 6th Air Division.^{[note 2]} The 75th BS was also replaced by the668th Bombardment Squadron, one of the unit'sWorld War II historical bombardment squadrons. The41st Air Refueling Squadron and56th Munitions Maintenance Squadron transferred to the 416th. The 4039th's maintenance and securitysquadrons were replaced by ones with the 416th numerical designation of the newly established wing. Each of the new units assumed the personnel, equipment, and mission of its predecessor. Under the Dual Deputate organization, all components were directly assigned to the wing, no operational or maintenance group element was activated. The history, lineage and honors of the416th Bombardment Group were temporarily bestowed upon the newly established wing upon activation.

The 416th Bomb Wing continued to conduct strategic bombardment training and air refueling operations to meet operational commitments ofStrategic Air Command, including deployments toSoutheast Asia during theVietnam War with tankers and crews from December 1964 through December 1975 and withbomber crews from June 1968 through 1975.^[2] The 416th BW assumed host wing responsibility at Griffiss AFB, New York on 1 July 1970,^[2] when thebase was transferred fromAir Force Systems Command to SAC.^[10]

In 1988, the wing began to prepare for a primarily conventional warfare role.^[14] In June 1990, the wing added a second air refueling squadron when the509th Air Refueling Squadron moved to Griffiss fromPease AFB, New Hampshire and became part of the wing. Shortly afterward, in August, it began to deploy KC-135s toSeeb International Airport and B-52s to Spain, Diego Garcia, and England. From January to April 1991 the wing flew combat missions in Southwest Asia.^[14]

In September 1991, the wing ended its support of worldwideair refueling operations.^[14] The wing was assigned toAir Combat Command (ACC) after inactivation of SAC on 1 June 1992 and its refueling squadrons, while physically remaining at Griffiss, were assigned to the380th Operations Group, Plattsburgh AFB ofAir Mobility Command.^[16] Wing aircraft carried ACC Tail Code "GR". The wing was inactivated in 1995 due to closure of Griffiss AFB. The 416th transferred the last two of its B-52Hs to the5th Bomb Wing atMinot AFB, North Dakota on 15 November 1994 in preparation for inactivation in 1995 with the closure of Griffiss AFB.^[14]

The wing became a provisional airexpeditionary group as part of theGlobal War on Terrorism in 2002. It was assigned toUzbekistan as anAir Combat Command unit in early 2002. There it operated the base, which was used for transshipments of cargo and supplies from United States, for onward tacticalairlift to combat forces in Afghanistan fightingTaliban andAl-Qaeda forces. The group was inactivated in November 2005 after the Uzbek government requested the United States withdraw its forces from their territory. In 2010, the group was upgraded to wing but is not known to have been active under that designation.

416th Bombardment Group

• Constituted as416th Bombardment Group (Light) on 25 January 1943

Activated on 5 February 1943

Redesignated416th Bombardment Group, Light on 20 August 1943

Inactivated on 24 October 1945^[4]

• Consolidated with the416th Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 31 January 1984 as the416th Bombardment Wing, Heavy^[14]

416th Bombardment Wing

• Constituted as416th Bombardment Wing, Heavy, on 15 November 1962

Activated on 15 November 1962

Organized on 1 February 1963

Consolidated with the416th Bombardment Group, Light on 31 January 1984^[2]

Redesignated416th Wing on 1 September 1991

Redesignated416th Bomb Wing on 1 June 1992

Inactivated on 30 September 1995

• Redesignated416th Air Expeditionary Group, and converted to provisional status, on 3 May 2002

Redesignated416th Air Expeditionary Wing on 23 February 2010^[14]

Groups

• 416th Combat Support Group (later 416th Support Group),^[10] 1 July 1970 – 30 September 1995
• 416th Logistics Group, 1 September 1991 – 30 September 1995
• 416th Operations Group, 1 September 1991 – 30 September 1995

Operational Squadrons

• 41st Air Refueling Squadron: 1 February 1963 – 1 September 1991^[14]
• 509th Air Refueling Squadron: 30 June 1990 – 1 September 1991^[16]
• 668th Bombardment Squadron: 5 February 1943 – 24 October 1945; 1 February 1963 – 1 September 1991^[5]
• 669th Bombardment Squadron: 5 February 1943 – 24 October 1945^[6]
• 670th Bombardment Squadron: 5 February 1943 – 24 October 1945^[7]
• 671st Bombardment Squadron: 5 February 1943 – 24 October 1945^[8]

Support Squadrons

• 56th Munitions Maintenance Squadron, 1 February 1963 – 1 October 1972^[10]
• 416th Airborne Missile Maintenance Squadron, 1 February 1963 – 30 September 1974^[10]
• 416th Armament & Electronics Maintenance Squadron (later 416th Avionics Maintenance Squadron, 416th Intermediate Level Maintenance Squadron), 1 February 1963 – 1 September 1991^[10]
• 416th Combat Defense Squadron (later 416th Security Police Squadron), 1 February 1963 – 1 July 1970^[10]
• 416th Field Maintenance Squadron,^[10] 1 February 1963 – 1 September 1991
• 416th Munitions Maintenance Squadron,^[10] 1 October 1972 – 1 September 1991
• 416th Organizational Maintenance Squadron,^[10] 1 February 1963 – 1 September 1991

Detachments

• Detachment 1

Otis AFB Massachusetts 2 Alert KC-135A's (Shared with Detachment),99th Bombardment Wing fromWestover AFB, Massachusetts also with 2 Alert KC-135A's,^{[citation needed]} 2 April 1969 – 31 December 1971

• Detachment^{[citation needed]}

Minot AFB, North Dakota 2 Alert B-52G's & 2 KC-135A's (Shared with a Detachment380th Bombardment Wing fromPlattsburgh AFB, New York with 2 Alert KC-135A's Relocated after April 1972 but prior to October 1973 Attached to the5th Bombardment Wing

Award streamer	Award	Dates	Notes
	Distinguished Unit Citation	6 August 1944 – 9 August 1944	France, 416th Bombardment Group[4]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award w/Combat "V" Device	1 July 2004 – 31 May 2005	416th Air Expeditionary Group[19]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award w/Combat "V" Device	1 June 2005 – 31 May 2006	416th Air Expeditionary Group[19]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	15 September 1981 – 31 October 1982	416th Bombardment Wing[14]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 July 1984 – 30 June 1986	416th Bombardment Wing[14]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 July 1989 – 30 June 1991	416th Bombardment Wing[14]

Campaign Streamer	Campaign	Dates	Notes
	Air Offensive, Europe	1 February 1944 – 5 June 1944	416th Bombardment Group[4]
	Normandy	6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944	416th Bombardment Group[4]
	Northern France	25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944	416th Bombardment Group[4]
	Rhineland	5 September 1944 – 21 March 1945	416th Bombardment Group[4]
	Ardennes-Alsace	6 December 1944 – 25 January 1945	416th Bombardment Group[4]
	Central Europe	22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945	416th Bombardment Group[4]
	Defense of Saudi Arabia		416th Air Expeditionary Group[14]
	Liberation of Kuwait		416th Air Expeditionary Group[14]

• List of B-52 Units of the United States Air Force

 This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985).Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II(PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved7 July 2012.
• Green, Eugene L.; Keane, Paul A.; Callanan, Lewis E. (1946).The Sky Lancer: The 417th Bomb Group. Bangor Public Library World War Regimental Histories No. 75. Sydney, NSW, Australia: John Sands Pty., Ltd. Retrieved28 September 2013.
• Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988).U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day(PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 17 September 2016.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961].Air Force Combat Units of World War II(PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History.ISBN 0-912799-02-1.LCCN 61060979.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969].Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II(PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History.ISBN 0-405-12194-6.LCCN 70605402.OCLC 72556.
• Mueller, Robert (1989).Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982(PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History.ISBN 0-912799-53-6.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984).Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History.ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
• Watkins, Robert (2008).Battle Colors. Vol. III Insignia and Markings of the Ninth Air Force in World War II. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing Ltd.ISBN 978-0-7643-2938-8.

• Air expeditionary wings of the United States Air Force

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