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| 442d Operations Group | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of the 442d Operations Group | |
| Active | 1943–1946; 1949–1951; 1952–1959; 1982–1984; 1992–present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force Reserve |
The442d Operations Group is an activeUnited States Air Force Reserve unit. It is the flying component of theTenth Air Force442d Fighter Wing, stationed atWhiteman Air Force Base,Missouri.
The unit'sWorld War II predecessor unit, the442d Troop Carrier Group was aC-47 Skytrain transport unit assigned toNinth Air Forces in Western Europe. The 442d TCG group carried 82nd Airborne paratroopers into France for the 6 June 1944, D-Day invasion. In September 1944, the 442d flew units of the 101st Airborne into Belgium during Operation Market Garden. After D-Day, the 442d TCG flew resupply missions, hauled freight, and evacuated casualties in support of the Allied efforts in France and Belgium. While continuing its transport duties untilV-E Day, it also released gliders filled with troops in the airborne assault across theRhine River in March 1945, carried supplies to ground forces in Germany during April and May, and evacuated liberatedprisoners of war.
The 442d Operations Group (Tail Code: KC), operatesA-10 Thunderbolt II Aircraft.
The 442d trained in the United States withC-47 Skytrain andC-53 aircraft, then moved to England in March 1944 for duty withNinth Air Force. The 442d was a group ofNinth Air Force's 50th Troop Carrier Wing,IX Troop Carrier Command.
TheDouglas C-47/C-53 Skytrains of the group did not move in until 12/13 June although elements of the group had visitedRAF Weston Zoyland during the preceding weeks. With 50 C-47s on the airfield, there was a shortage of aircraft standings and, while many aircraft were parked on the turf, additional PSP standings were put down in case of wet weather.
Haulage of freight to the Continent and casualty evacuation occupied the 442d until mid-July when the air echelons of three squadrons (303rd, 304th, 305th) were sent to Follonica airfield inItaly from where they look part in the air drops for theinvasion of southern France in August.
In their absence, the 306th TCS continued with air haulage to and from France, being temporarily based atRAF Ramsbury for two weeks prior to the return of the MTO detachment on 24 August.
ForOperation Market Garden, the 442d TCG air echelon moved to an advanced base atRAF Chilbolton to give better range and operated temporarily as part of 53rd TCW. The group suffered 13 crew casualties and lost 10 C-47s during the missions in support of the air operations over the Netherlands, all of which were flown from Chilbolton.
It was then back to supply carrying until the group was alerted that it would be going to itsAdvanced Landing Ground (ALG) Peray Airfield (ALG A-44) France. The main party moved out between 4/6 October, the 442d being the last of the 50th TCW groups to leave its English base.
In France, the group flew resupply missions, hauled freight, and evacuated casualties in support of the Allied effort to breach theSiegfried Line. While continuing its transport duties untilV-E Day, it also released gliders filled with troops in the airborne assault across theRhine River in March 1945, carried supplies to ground forces in Germany during April and May, and evacuated liberatedprisoners of war.
The group flew air transport missions throughout Europe and the Middle East until inactivated in 1946.
Trained in the Reserve as a troop carrier group, June 1949 – March 1951. Ordered to active service on 10 March 1951, the group inactivated two days later, its personnel being distributed to other USAF organizations. Served as a Reserve troop carrier group again from June 1952 to April 1959.
Activated as an A-10 fighter group in October 1982. Trained for such missions as close air support, anti-armor operations, battlefield interdiction, and combat search and rescue. On a recurring basis beginning in December 1993, deployed personnel and aircraft to Aviano AB, Italy, to participate in operations over Bosnia. Deployed aircraft and personnel to Kuwait in support of Operation Southern Watch, September–October 1998.
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This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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