The 302d Operations Group is the operational flying component of the

302d Airlift Wing The 302d Airlift Wing is an Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to Twenty-Second Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, stationed at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. The wing's mission is tactical airlift ...

of the

United States Air Force Reserve The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commis ...

. It is stationed at

Peterson Air Force Base Peterson Space Force Base, previously Peterson Air Force Base, Peterson Field, and Army Air Base, Colorado Springs, is a United States Space Force base that shares an airfield with the adjacent Colorado Springs Municipal Airport and is home t ...

, Colorado. The group was activated during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

as the 302d Bombardment Group, a

Consolidated B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models desi ...

replacement training unit (RTU). It was originally a

Second Air Force The Second Air Force (2 AF; ''2d Air Force'' in 1942) is a USAF numbered air force responsible for conducting basic military and technical training for Air Force enlisted members and non-flying officers. In World War II the CONUS unit defended ...

unit, it was reassigned to

First Air Force The First Air Force (Air Forces Northern & Air Forces Space; 1 AF-AFNORTH & AFSPACE) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. Its primary mission i ...

in 1943. The group was inactivated in 1944 when the

Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

reorganized its training units to make more efficient use of its manpower. The group was redesignated the 302d Troop Carrier Group and activated in the

Air Force Reserve The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commis ...

in 1949. The group was called to active duty in June 1951 and its personnel used as fillers for other units before the 302d was inactivated a week later. The group was again activated in the reserves in 1952 and trained as an airlift unit until it was inactivated in 1958 when

Continental Air Command Continental Air Command (ConAC) (1948–1968) was a Major Command of the United States Air Force (USAF) responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. During the Korean War, ConAC provided the necessary aug ...

converted its operational wings to the dual deputy system in which squadrons reported directly to wing

headquarters Headquarters (often referred to as HQ) notes the location where most or all of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. The term is used in a wide variety of situations, including private sector corporations, non-profits, mil ...

. The group was activated again when

Air Force Reserve Command The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a MAJCOM, major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of ...

reorganized under the Combat Wing reorganization.

Mission

The 302 OG consists of one

C-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 w ...

squadron, the

731st Airlift Squadron The 731st Airlift Squadron is a flying unit of the United States Air Force assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command and part of the 302d Airlift Wing at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. It operates Lockheed C-130H Hercules aircraft providing ...

, which has the

Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System The Modular Airborne FireFighting System (MAFFS) is a self-contained unit used for aerial firefighting that can be loaded onto both military cargo transport Lockheed C-130 Hercules and Embraer C-390 Millennium, which then allows the aircraft to ...

mission. The group's personnel take part in tactical

airlift An airlift is the organized delivery of Materiel, supplies or personnel primarily via military transport aircraft. Airlifting consists of two distinct types: strategic and tactical. Typically, strategic airlifting involves moving material lo ...

training

exercises Exercise or workout is physical activity that enhances or maintains fitness and overall health. It is performed for various reasons, including weight loss or maintenance, to aid growth and improve strength, develop muscles and the cardiovasc ...

and contingency and humanitarian airlift operations, both at home and abroad.

History

The group was activated during

as the 302d Bombardment Group, a

replacement training unit (RTU). It was originally a

unit, it was reassigned to

in 1943. The group was inactivated in 1944 when the

reorganized its training units to make more efficient use of its manpower. The group was redesignated the 302d Troop Carrier Group and activated in the

converted its operational wings to the dual deputy system in which squadrons reported directly to wing

. The group was activated again in 1992 when

reorganized under the Combat Wing reorganization.

Lineage

* Constituted as the 302d Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 January 1942 : Activated on 1 June 1942 : Inactivated on 10 April 1944 * Redesignated 302d Troop Carrier Group, Medium on 16 May 1949 : Activated in the reserve on 27 June 1949 * Redesignated 302d Troop Carrier Group, Heavy on 28 January 1950 : Ordered to active service on 1 June 1951 : Inactivated on 8 June 1951 * Redesignated 302d Troop Carrier Group, Medium on 26 May 1952 : Activated in the reserve on 14 June 1952 : Inactivated on 14 April 1959 * Redesignated 302d Tactical Airlift Group on 31 July 1985 (Remained inactive) * Redesignated: 302d Operations Group on 1 August 1992 and activated in the reserve

Assignments

, 1 June 1942 * 16th Bombardment (later, 16th Bombardment Operational) Training Wing, 1 April 1943 * 46th Bombardment Operational Training Wing, 1 September 1943 *

, 17 December 1943 – 10 April 1944 *

302d Troop Carrier Wing 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious and cultural significance in many societies ...

, 27 June 1949 – 8 June 1951; 14 June 1952 – 14 April 1959 *

, 1 August 1992 – present

Components

7th Space Operations Squadron The United States Air Force's 7th Space Operations Squadron is an Air Force reserve space operations unit located at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado. Mission The 7th Space Operations Squadron is a reserve associate unit that is integrated w ...

: 1 May 1993 – 1 September 1997 * 302d Operations Support Squadron (later 302d Operations Support Flight, 302d Operations Support Squadron): 1 August 1992 – present * 302d Airlift Control Flight, 1 August 1992 - c. 1997 * 355th Bombardment (later Troop Carrier) Squadron: 1 June 1942 – 10 April 1944; 27 June 1949 – 8 June 1951; 14 June 1952 – 14 April 1959 * 356th Bombardment (later Troop Carrier) Squadron: 1 June 1942 – 10 April 1944; 27 June 1949 – 28 January 1950; 14 June 1952 – 14 April 1959 * 357th Bombardment (later Troop Carrier) Squadron: 1 June 1942 – 10 April 1944; 14 June 1952 – 16 November 1957 *

420th Bombardment Squadron The 420th Bombardment Squadron was unit in the United States Army Air Forces. Its last assignment was with 382d Bombardment Group stationed at Camp Anza, California. It was inactivated on 4 January 1946 without seeing combat. History The squadro ...

: 1 June 1942 – 10 April 1944 *

: 1 August 1992 – present

Stations

Geiger Field Spokane International Airport is a commercial airport in Spokane, Washington, United States, located approximately west-southwest of Downtown Spokane. It is the primary airport serving the Inland Northwest, which consists of 30 counties and ...

, Washington, 1 June 1942 * Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 1 June 1942 *

Wendover Field Wendover is a town and civil parish at the foot of the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, England. It is situated at the point where the main road across the Chilterns between London and Aylesbury intersects with the once important road along t ...

, Utah, 30 July 1942 *

Pueblo Army Air Base Pueblo Memorial Airport is a public airport located six miles east of Pueblo, in Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. It is primarily used for general aviation. Federal Aviation Administration records say the airport had 4,345 passenger boar ...

, Colorado, 30 September 1942 * Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 1 December 1942 *

Clovis Army Air Field Cannon Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base, located approximately southwest of Clovis, New Mexico. The host unit at Cannon is the 27th Special Operations Wing (27 SOW) also known as "The Steadfast Line". It is under the jurisdic ...

, New Mexico, 29 January 1943 *

Langley Field Langley may refer to: People * Langley (surname), a common English surname, including a list of notable people with the name * Dawn Langley Simmons (1922–2000), English author and biographer * Langley Wakeman Collyer (1885–1947), one ...

, Virginia, 17 December 1943 * Chatham Army Air Field, Georgia, 9 March – 10 April 1944 *

McChord Air Force Base McChord Field (formerly and still commonly known as McChord Air Force Base) is a United States Air Force base in the northwest United States, in Pierce County, Washington. South of Tacoma, McChord AFB is the home of the 62nd Airlift Wing, ...

, Washington, 27 June 1949 – 8 June 1951 *

Clinton County Air Force Base Wilmington Air Park, effective 2009-08-27. is a public-use airport located two nautical miles (3.7 km) southeast of the central business district of Wilmington, a city in Clinton County, Ohio, United States. While DHL had privately owned ...

, Ohio, 14 June 1952 – 14 April 1959 *

, Colorado, 1 August 1992–present

Aircraft

* B-18, 1942 * C-78, 1942 * B-24, 1942–1943, 1943–1944 * C-82, 1949 * C-54, 1949–1950 * C-46, 1952–1957 * C-119, 1956–1959 * C-130, 1992–present

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

{{USAAF 1st Air Force World War II Operations groups of the United States Air Force Military units and formations in Colorado Military units and formations of the United States Air Force Reserves