452nd Operations Group

The 452d Operations Group is the flying component of the 452d Air Mobility Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Reserve. The group is stationed at March Air Reserve Base, California.

During World War II, as the 452d Bombardment Group (Heavy), it was an Eighth Air Force Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress unit in England, stationed at RAF Deopham Green. 1st Lieutenant Donald J. Gott and 2nd Lieutenant William E. Metzger, Jr were both awarded the Medal of Honor for their heroic actions.

The present day 452d works to maintain a special relationship with the 452d Bomb Group Memorial Association to keep its heritage alive.

Mission

The group is to organize, train and equip aircrews to provide air refueling and strategic airlift any time, any place. The Group's aircraft operate under widely varying situations ranging from small movements in battle to large movements over long distances.

The group also has a medical squadron which augments joint forces with aeromedical evacuation aircrews who provide medical care for sick and injured patients transported by air.

Units

The group includes a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III flying squadron and a Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker flying squadron as well as an aeromedical evacuation squadron:

* 336th Air Refueling Squadron (KC-135R)
* 729th Airlift Squadron (C-17)
* 452nd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron
* 452nd Operations Support Squadron
* 452nd Contingency Response Squadron
* 912th Air Refueling Squadron - active duty Associate flying KC-135R

History

World War II

The 452 Bombardment Group (Heavy) was established on 14 May 1943 and activated on 1 June 1943 at Geiger Field, Washington. The unit was transferred to Rapid City AAB, South Dakota on 15 June 1943 and trained there until early October 1943. It had been redesignated as 452 Bombardment Group, Heavy on 20 August 1943. The unit was moved to Pendleton Field Oregon on 11 October 1943 and to Walla Walla AAFd Washington on 4 November 1943.

Ground unit left for Camp Shanks New York on 23 December 1943 and sailed on the Queen Elizabeth on 2 January 1944, and arrived in Clyde on 8 January 1944. The air echelon began overseas movement in early December 1943 via the southern ferry route. Most of the aircraft reached England a few days before the ground units arrived. The 452d was assigned to the 45th Combat Bombardment Wing, and the group tail code was a "Square-L".

the 452d entered combat on 5 February with an attack against aircraft assembly plants at Brunswick. Throughout combat, engaged primarily in bombardment of strategic targets, including marshalling yards at Frankfurt, aircraft assembly plants at Regensburg, aircraft component works at Kassel, the ball-bearing industry at Schweinfurt, a synthetic rubber plant at Hanover, and oil installations at Bohlen.

In addition to strategic missions, the 452d supported ground forces and carried out interdictory operations. Helped prepare for the invasion of Normandy by hitting airfields, V-weapon sites, bridges, and other objectives in France. The group struck coastal defenses on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Bombed enemy positions in support of the breakthrough at Saint-Lô

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