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| 71st Operations Group | |
|---|---|
 Gaggle patch of 71st Operations Group squadrons | |
| Active | 1941–1946; 1947–1949; 1991–present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
The71st Operations Group (71 OG) is the operational flying component of theUnited States Air Force71st Flying Training Wing. It is stationed atVance Air Force Base,Oklahoma.
The group'sWorld War II predecessor unit, the71st Reconnaissance Group operated primarily in the Southwest Pacific Theater flying reconnaissance missions overNew Guinea,New Britain, and theAdmiralty Islands to provide target and damage-assessment photographs for air force units, It also bombed and strafed Japanese installation and shipping, supported Allied forces on New Guinea andBiak, flew courier missions, participated in rescue operations, and hauled passengers and cargo. The group moved to thePhilippines in November 1944 and flew reconnaissance missions overLuzon to provide information for US forces on Japanese troops movements, gun positions, and supply routes. It was awarded thePhilippine Presidential Unit Citation for its role in the liberation of the Philippines during 1944–1945. During the postwar years, the unit remained in the Far East and photographed areas of Japan andSouth Korea, which in 1950, provided much of the initial intelligence of the area when theKorean War broke out.
MajorWilliam A. Shomo of the 71st Reconnaissance Group awarded theMedal of Honor for his actions on 11 January 1945 sighting a formation of thirteen Japanese aircraft while leading 3 two-plane flight, Maj. Shomo attacked the superior enemy force and destroyed seven planes.
The 71 OG conducts joint specialized undergraduate pilot training for over 410 U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and allied student pilots each year. The group utilizes over 200T-6,T-1,T-38, and A T-38 aircraft, flies more than 55,000 sorties annually, and logs over 81,000 flying hours each year.
The 71st Observation Group trained withB-25,P-38, andP-40 aircraft beginning in October 1941. It moved to California in December 1941 and flew antisubmarine patrols off the west coast, then moved to the Southwest Pacific in the fall of 1943 and flew reconnaissance missions overNew Britain,New Guinea, and theAdmiralty Islands from bases inNew Guinea andBiak. It also flew combat mission against Japanese installations, airfields, and shipping, while supporting Allied ground forces onNew Guinea andBiak. During that time, it flew courier missions, participated in rescue operations, and hauled passengers and cargo. From November 1944, the group flew reconnaissance missions overLuzon, supported ground forces, photographed and bombed airfields inFormosa and China, and attacked enemy shipping in theSouth China Sea.
MajWilliam A. Shomo earned the CongressionalMedal of Honor for shooting down seven enemy aircraft on 11 January 1945. FromIe Shima in August 1945, the 71st attacked transportation targets onKyushu and flew reconnaissance missions over southern Japan.
From February 1947 to August 1948, the group, equipped with reconnaissance aircraft, flew aerial photographing missions over Japan and southernKorea.
In December 1991, the 71st Operations Group assumed operational control over the71st Flying Training Wing'sT-37,T-38, and later T-1A aircraft, and provided undergraduate pilot training for USAF, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, and allied countries. The group provided initial flight training, and follow-on training for fighter, bomber and airlift/tanker aircraft.
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This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
Previously: Philippine Department Air Force (1941); Far East Air Force (1941-1942) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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