323d Expeditionary Operations Group
Boeing T-43 navigator trainer
Active	1942–1993
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Expeditionary operations
Part of	United States Air Forces Europe
Nickname	White Tails (World War II)[1]
Motto	Vincamus Sine TimorisLatin We Conquer Without Fear
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation
Insignia
323d Air Expeditionary Group emblem	(approved 25 September 1973)[2][note 1]
323d Bombardment Group emblem(Approved 16 February 1943)[3]
Tail marking (World War II)[1]	Horizontal white band

The323d Expeditionary Operations Group is a provisionalUnited States Air Force unit assigned to theUnited States Air Forces in Europe. As a provisional unit, it may be activated or inactivated at any time.

DuringWorld War II, the group's predecessor unit, the323d Bombardment Group was aMartin B-26 Marauder bombardment group assigned to theEighth and laterNinth Air Force. The group served in theEuropean Theater of Operations, earning aDistinguished Unit Citation for its actionsinterdicting German reinforcements during theBattle of the Bulge. AfterVE Day, the group returned to the United States where it was inactivated. From 1947 to 1951 the group was active in theAir Force Reserves. It was called to active duty for theKorean War, but was inactivated after its personnel were used to bring other units up to full strength.

The group was again active during the 1950s as the323d Fighter-Bomber Group, flyingNorth American F-86 Sabres andNorth American F-100 Super Sabres atBunker Hill Air Force Base, Indiana. It remained inactive until 1991, when it became the323d Operations Group atMather Air Force Base, California, where it trained navigators until it was inactivated in 1993.

• Media related to323d Bombardment Group (United States Army Air Forces) at Wikimedia Commons

The unit was first activated in August 1942 atColumbia Army Air Base, South Carolina as the323d Bombardment Group with the453d,454th,455th and456th Bombardment Squadron assigned as its original squadrons.^{[4][5][6][7][8]} It trained underThird Air Force in the southeastern United States withMartin B-26 Marauders. The group moved to England beginning in April 1943. The flight echelons few via the southern ferry route except for that of the 456th Squadron, which flew the northern route. The ground echelon sailed on theRMS Queen Elizabeth.^[4][9]

The group arrived atRAF Horham in Suffolk on 12 May 1943. The group was assigned to theEighth Air Force's3d Bombardment Wing, part ofVIII Bomber Command.^[9]

In June 1943, the group and all other Eighth Air Force B-26 units became part ofVIII Air Support Command and relocated south to bring them closer to the continent of Europe and the area in which it was planned to establish an American tactical Air force.^[10] The group moved toRAF Earls Colne, where it replaced the94th Bombardment Wing.^[4] in June 1943 and inaugurated medium-altitude bombing missions on 16 July 1943, the firstmedium bomber missions flown byEighth Air Force at medium altitude, in contrast to the low altitude attacks the unit had trained for in the States.^[9][10] During the summer of 1943 its principal targets weremarshalling yards,airfields, industrial plants, military installations, and other targets in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.^[4]

Along with other Marauder units of the 3d Wing, the 323d transferred toNinth Air Force in October 1943, which moved from Egypt to absorb the resources of VIII Air Support Command. The group flew missions againstV-1 flying bomb andV-2 rocket sites along the coast of France and attacked airfields atLeeuwarden andVenlo in conjunction with the Allied campaign against theLuftwaffe and aircraft industry duringBig Week, from 20 to 25 February 1944.^[4]

The 323d helped to prepare forOperation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, by bombing coastal defenses, marshalling yards, and airfields in France and struck roads and coastal batteries onD-Day, 6 June 1944.^[4] On 21 July the group moved south toRAF Beaulieu in Hampshire, a move designed to extend its range over western France. The group participated in the aerial attacks supportingOperation Cobra the breakout at Saint Lo and began flying night missions against fuel andammunition dumps.^[4]

Between 16 and 26 August, the 323d moved toLessay Airfield in France, the main movement of aircraft taking place on the 26th. The group struck strong points atBrest and supported the advance on theSiegfried Line. During theBattle of the Bulge, the 323d hit transportation targets to prevent enemy reinforcements from reaching theArdennes, earning aDistinguished Unit Citation for its efforts.^[4]

As Allied forces advanced into Germany, the group struckinterdiction targets in theRuhr. ByVE Day, the group was based atAAF Station Gablingen, Germany and participated in the disarmament program. The group returned to the United States in December and was inactivated at the port of embarkation on 12 December 1945.^[4]

The group was activated in September 1947 in theAir Force Reserve atTinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. The group was equipped with theDouglas A-26 Invader light bombardment aircraft and trained under the supervision of the 177th AF Base Unit (later the 2592d Air Force Reserve Training Center).^[11] In June 1949, whenContinental Air Command implemented thewing base organization, the group was assigned to the323d Bombardment Wing. The wing was manned at 25% of normal strength but the group was authorized four squadrons rather than the three of active duty units.^[12]All reserve combat units were mobilized for the Korean war.^[13] The group and was ordered to active duty in the second wave of reserve mobilizations for theKorean War on 10 March 1951. Its personnel were used as fillers for other units, withStrategic Air Command receiving first choice, and the group was inactivated a week later.^[14][15]

The group was redesignated the323d Fighter-Bomber Group and activated atBunker Hill Air Force Base, Indiana in August 1955. It initially trained withNorth American F-86F Sabres, these were quickly upgraded to the F-86H Sabre and then to theNorth American F-100 Super Sabre The 323d inactivated on 1 September 1957, when the base was transferred toStrategic Air Command.^[14]

On 15 December 1991,Air Training Command implemented the Objective Wing concept atMather Air Force Base and the group was reactivated as the323d Operations Group of the 323d Flying Training Wing. TheBase Realignment and Closure directed that Mather close on 30 September 1993. Group squadrons began to inactivate in early 1992 and the group and its remaining squadrons were inactivated on 31 May 1993,^[4] and its mission and most of itsBoeing T-43 aircraft were reassigned to the12th Operations Group atRandolph Air Force Base, Texas.^{[citation needed]}

In March 2003, the group was converted to provisional status and renamed the323d Expeditionary Operations Group. It was assigned toUnited States Air Forces Europe to activate and inactivated as needed for contingency operations, but there have been no reported activations of the unit.^[4]

• Constituted as the323d Bombardment Group (Medium) on 19 June 1942

Activated on 4 August 1942

• Redesignated323d Bombardment Group, Medium on 5 August 1944

Inactivated on 12 December 1945

• Redesignated323d Bombardment Group, Light

Activated in the reserve on 9 September 1947

Ordered to active duty on 10 March 1951

Inactivated on 17 March 1951

• Redesignated323d Fighter-Bomber Group on 9 May 1955

Activated on 8 August 1955

Inactivated on 1 September 1957

• Redesignated323d Tactical Fighter Group on 31 July 1985 (not active)
• Redesignated323d Operations Group

Activated on 1 September 1991

Inactivated on 31 May 1993

• Redesignated as323d Expeditionary Operations Group and converted to provisional status on 25 March 2003^[4]

• III Bomber Command, 4 August 1942 – 25 April 1943.^[16]
• 3d Bombardment Wing (later98th Combat Bombardment Wing, 98th Bombardment Wing) by Spring 1942.^[17][18]
• IX Air Force Service Command, 15 June 1945
• United States Air Forces Europe, 25 November – 12 December 1945
• 310th Bombardment Wing (later310th Air Division), 9 September 1947
• 323d Bombardment Wing, 10 May 1949 – 17 March 1951
• 323d Fighter-Bomber Wing, 8 August 1955 – 1 September 1957
• 323d Flying Training Wing, 15 December 1991 – 1 October 1993^[19]

• 323d Operations Support Squadron: 15 December 1991 – 31 May 1993
• 450th Flying Training Squadron: 15 December 1991 – 10 November 1992
• 451st Flying Training Squadron: 15 December 1991 – 15 January 1992
• 452d Flying Training Squadron: 15 December 1991 – 31 May 1993
• 453d Bombardment Squadron (later 453d Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 453d Flying Training Squadron): 4 August 1942 – 12 December 1945; 10 May 1949 – 17 March 1951; 8 August 1955 – 1 September 1957; 15 December 1991 – 31 May 1993
• 454th Bombardment Squadron (later 454th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 454th Flying Training Squadron): 4 August 1942 – 12 December 1945; 10 May 1949 – 17 March 1951; 8 August 1955 – 1 September 1957; 15 December 1991 – 31 May 1993
• 455th Bombardment Squadron(later 455th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 455th Flying Training Squadron): 4 August 1942 – 12 December 1945; 10 May 1949 – 17 March 1951; 8 August 1955 – 1 September 1957; 15 December 1991 – 31 May 1993
• 456th Bombardment Squadron: 4 August 1942 – 12 December 1945; 26 September 1947 – 17 March 1951^[4]

Award streamer	Award	Dates	Notes
	Distinguished Unit Citation	24–27 December 1944	323d Bombardment Group[4]

Campaign Streamer	Campaign	Dates	Notes
	Air Offensive, Europe	1 May 1943 – 5 June 1944	323d Bombardment Group[4]
	Normandy	6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944	323d Bombardment Group[4]
	Northern France	25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944	323d Bombardment Group[4]
	Rhineland	15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945	323d Bombardment Group[4]
	Ardennes-Alsace	16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945	323d Bombardment Group[4]
	Central Europe	22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945	323d Bombardment Group[4]
	Air Combat, EAME Theater	1 May 1943 – 11 May 1945	323d Bombardment Group[4]

• List of Douglas A-26 Invader operators
• List of F-86 Sabre units
• List of F-100 units of the United States Air Force
• List of Martin B-26 Marauder operators
• List of United States Air Force Groups

 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.
• Cantwell, Gerald T. (1997).Citizen Airmen: a History of the Air Force Reserve, 1946–1994. Washington, D.C.: Air Force History and Museums Program.ISBN 0-16049-269-6. Retrieved1 October 2014.
• Freeman, Roger A. (1970).The Mighty Eighth: Units, Men and Machines (A History of the US 8th Army Air Force). London, England, UK: Macdonald and Company.ISBN 978-0-87938-638-2.
• 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 29 September 2015.{{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. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 20 December 2016.
• 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. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 20 December 2016.
• 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.
• Rust, Kenn C. (1967).The 9th Air Force in World War II. Fallbrook, CA: Aero Publishers, Inc.LCCN 67-16454.
• 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.

Volume IV, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations

Further reading

• Freeman, Roger A. (1994).UK Airfields of the Ninth: Then and Now. Harlow, England: After the Battle.ISBN 978-0-900913-80-8.
• Freeman, Roger A. (1996) The Ninth Air Force in Colour: UK and the Continent-World War Two. After the BattleISBN 1-85409-272-3
• Rogers, Brian. (2005).United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, UK: Midland Publications.ISBN 1-85780-197-0.

• 323rd Bombardment Group Digital Collection at The University of Akron Archival Services

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• Operations groups of the United States Air Force
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