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366th Operations Group | |
|---|---|
 391st Fighter SquadronF-15 Eagle formation[a] | |
| Active | 1943–1946; 1952–1957; 1992–2017; 2022–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Fighter |
| Part of | Air Combat Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Mountain Home Air Force Base |
| Motto | Audentes Fortuna Juvat (Latin for 'Fortune Favors the Bold') |
| Engagements | |
| Decorations | |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Col Travis H. Stephens |
| Insignia | |
| 366th Operations Group emblem[b] |  |
| 366th Fighter Bomber Group[c] |  |
| 366th Fighter Group emblem(World War II) |  |
The366th Operations Group is the flying component of the366th Fighter Wing, assigned to theUnited States Air ForceAir Combat Command. Thegroup is stationed atMountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.
The 366th Operations Group is responsible for planning, operations, intelligence, weapons training, and airfield services for six squadrons assigned to the366th Fighter Wing. It develops airspace and range schedules for more than 20,000 flying hours and 13,000 sorties annually. Their mission is also to stay ready for short-notice worldwideAir Expeditionary Force and contingency operations.[2]
The 366th Operations Group (Tail Code: MO) comprises six squadrons: the390th Electronic Combat Squadron, 389th, 391st and428th Fighter Squadrons, 366th Operations Support Squadron and 266th Range Squadron.[2]
Media related to366th Fighter Group (United States Army Air Forces) at Wikimedia Commons
Group trained in P-47s in preparation for overseas duty. Entered combat from England in March 1944 with fighter sweeps over theBayeux-Saint-Aubin area of France. Participated in attacks on targets in France, Belgium, and Germany in preparation for the invasion of the Continent. Flew fighter sweeps over Normandy on 6 June 1944; targets included motor vehicle convoys, buildings, and gun emplacements. Moved to the Continent soon after D-Day. Received a DUC for three missions flown in support of ground forces on 11 July 1944: on a mission to destroy pillboxes near St. Lo, Normandy, France, discovered and destroyed portion of an enemy tank column unknown to Allied infantry; after rearming, the group returned to attack the tank column and prevented the enemy from accomplishing their mission. During the third mission, despite heavy rainfall, successfully attacked another Panzer battalion from minimum altitude. Group also supported Allied ground forces during the breakthrough at St. Lo in July 1944. In August 1944 attacked tanks, trucks, and troop concentrations as enemy retreated; provided armed reconnaissance for advancing Allied armored columns. During September 1944, attacked flak positions near Eindhoven during airborne landing in the Netherlands; bombed enemy communications and transportation lines in western Germany. Flew armed reconnaissance missions overBattle of the Bulge during December 1944 – January 1945; group flew 600 sorties from 17 to 27 December 1944 that resulted in the destruction of 43 enemy aircraft, 37 tanks, 328 trucks, 18 armored vehicles, four gun positions, and 15 half-tracks. Provided cover for VII Corps in January 1945 and during action destroyed over 1,000 enemy vehicles. Flew missions against enemy transportation systems including motor vehicles, bridges, trains, railway bridges, and marshalling yards during February and March 1945. Moved to Germany in April 1945. On group's last mission of the war, attacked harbors at Kiel and Flensbury on 3 May 1945. Served in occupational status in Germany from May 1945 until group inactivated.
The group was activated on 1 January 1953 atAlexandria Air Force Base, Louisiana. It replaced the FederalizedIowa Air National Guard132d Fighter-Bomber Group which was being returned to state control after a twenty-one-month period of activation as a result of theKorean War. The group was composed of the 389th, 390th, and 391st Fighter Squadrons. Initially using the 132nd'sNorth American F-51D Mustangs, the 366th receivedNorth American F-86F Sabres which were returned from Korea in the summer of 1953, then received new swept-wingRepublic F-84F Thunderstreaks in early 1954. On 18 March 1954, theBoeing KB-29 equipped420th Air Refueling Squadron was attached to the wing to provide air refueling for the Thunderstreaks. The B9s were later replaced withBoeing KB-50 aerial tankers.
The group's squadrons became first TAC units to perform six-month temporary duty rotations withNATO atAviano Air Base, Italy, with rotations continuing until group inactivated in September 1957 when parent wing adopted the dual deputate organization and assigned operational squadrons directly to the wing.
Upon activation in 1992, assumed control of 366th Wing's operational units. Deployed assets to Southwest Asia throughout the 1990s support to Operation SOUTHERN WATCH; elements participated in Operations PROVIDE COMFORT I and PROVIDE COMFORT II in Turkey. The group's squadrons directly participated inOperation Enduring Freedom andOperation Noble Eagle following the11 September 2001 terrorist attacks.[1]
After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the consolidation of the Air Force'sBoeing KC-135 Stratotanker andRockwell B-1 Lancer force led to the reallocation of the unit's bombers and tankers toMcConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, andEllsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota The group was also home toGeneral Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft from 1992 to March 2007. The F-16CJs left the base in another effort to consolidate from multiple airframes to one at Air Force installations across the country. In 2007, the group became responsible for planning, operations, intelligence, weapons training and airfield services for squadrons assigned to the 366th Wing.[1]
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This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) Air Combat Command (ACC) | |||||||||
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