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448th Supply Chain Management Group

(Redirected from448th Fighter-Bomber Group)

The448th Supply Chain Management Groupis an inactiveUnited States Air Forceunit. Its last assignment was to the448th Supply Chain Management WingatTinker Air Force Base,Texas, where it was inactivated on 30 June 2010.

448th Supply Chain Management Group (formerly 448th Bombardment Group)
713th Bomb Squadron B-24H Liberator[note 1]
Active1943–1946; 1947–1951; 1955–1957; 2005-2010
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Air Force
Rolelogistics management
Motto(s)"Destroy" (World War II)[1]
EngagementsEuropean Theater of Operations[2]
Insignia
448th Supply Chain Management Group emblem[note 2]
448th Bombardment Group emblem[1]
World War II Tail Marking (December 1943-May 1944)[1]Circle I
World War II Tail Marking (May 1944-June 1945)[1]Yellow tail with black diagonal stripe

Thegroupwas first organized duringWorld War II,as the448th Bombardment Group.The group engaged in thestrategic bombing campaign against GermanywithEighth Air Force,flyingConsolidated B-24 LiberatorsfromRAF Seething.The group flew its last combat mission on 25 April 1945, attacking amarshalling yardatSalzburg,Austria.

It returned to the United States in July 1945, and was assigned toSecond Air ForceforBoeing B-29 Superfortressconversion and training atMcCook Army Air Field.It moved toFort Worth Army Air Field,where it became one of the original ten B-29 bombardment groups assigned toStrategic Air Command.The group was inactivated on 4 August 1946 and its aircraft and personnel were reassigned another unit.

Reactivated in 1947 in theAir Force reserve,in 1949 it was reorganized as alight bombergroup, It wasmobilizedin 1951 with its personnel and aircraft being used to bring other units up to full strength before inactivating. The group was again active in the reserve from 1955 to 1957 as the448th Fighter-Bomber Group.

The group was redesignated the448th Combat Sustainment Groupand activated atTinker Air Force Base,Oklahoma in 2006, but was inactivated as the448th Combat Sustainment Groupin 2010.

History

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World War II

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B-24J Liberator of the 713th Bomb Squadron[note 3]

Initial organization and training in the United States

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Thegroupwas first activated as the448th Bombardment Groupon 1 May 1943 atGowen Field,Idaho. Its original components were the712th,[3]713th,[4]714th,[5]and715th Bombardment Squadrons[6][2]After completing initial training withConsolidated B-24 Liberators,it moved toWendover Field,Utah for Phase 2 training, and toSioux City Army Air Base,Iowa for final training. The ground echelon moved toCamp Shanks,New York and sailed for England aboard theRMSQueen Elizabethon 23 November. The air echelon completed final processing atHerington Army Air Field,Kansas and deployed with their Liberators via the southern ferry route.[5][7]

Combat in Europe

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The group was established atRAF Seethingin early December 1943 and flew its first combat mission on 22 December 1943. it was primarily engaged in thestrategic bombing campaignagainst Germany, attacking ball bearing plants inBerlin,marshalling yardsatCologne,aV-1 flying bombassembly plant atFallersleben,aircraft factories inGotha,anairfieldatHanau,a chemical plant atLudwigshafen,syntheticoil refineriesnearPölitz,aircraft engine plants atRostock,among other strategic targets. The squadron participated inBig Week,an intensive campaign against German aircraft manufacturing plants from 20 to 25 February 1944.[2]

The squadron was occasionally diverted from its strategic bombing mission to flyinterdictionandclose air supportmissions. It bombed V-weapon launch sites, airfields and transportation facilities to supportOperation Overlord,the invasion of Normandy, and onD-Dayattackedcoastal defensesand choke points on Germanlines of communication.It struck enemy positions to assist theallied attacks on CaenandOperation Cobra,the breakout at Saint Lo. It dropped supplies toallied troopsduringOperation Market Garden,the attempt to seize a bridgehead across theRhinein the Netherlands. During theBattle of the Bulge,it attacked transportation and communications targets in December 1944 and January 1945. In the spring of 1945, it again dropped supplies to airborne troops inOperation Varsity,the airborne assault across the Rhine nearWesel.The squadron flew its last combat mission on 25 April 1945, an attack on a railroad yard nearSalzburg,Austria.[2]The group flew 262 combatmissions,on which it lost 101 bombers, while claiming the destruction of 44 enemyfighters.Joseph C. McConnellthe leadingUnited States Air Forcefighter aceduring theKorean War,served as a navigator with the group.[7]

Cold War

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Strategic Air Command

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The air echelon began returning to the United States with their planes in June 1945, while the ground echelon sailed fromGreenockon theRMSQueen Maryon 6 July. Squadron members were given leave upon arrival in the States and the squadron began to assemble atSioux Falls Army Air Field,South Dakota in the middle of the month. After training with theBoeing B-29 Superfortress,the squadron moved toFort Worth Army Air Field,Texas in December 1945. At Fort Worth, it became one of the first units ofStrategic Air Commandin March 1946. Although B-29 groups were organized with three squadrons, the squadron maintained its four squadron strength until May 1946, when the 715th Bombardment Squadron transferred to the control of the509th Composite Groupand moved to join the 509th the following month.[6][note 4]However, in August the group was inactivated and its personnel and equipment were transferred to the92nd Bombardment Group,which was simultaneously activated.[2][7][8]

Air Force reserve

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Main article:448th Supply Chain Management Wing

The group was reactivated as areserveunit underAir Defense Command(ADC) atLong Beach Army Air Field,California in April 1947, where its training was supervised by the 416th AAF Base Unit (later the 2347th Air Force Reserve Training Center).[9]Although nominally a B-29 unit, it is not clear whether or not the group was fully staffed or equipped.[10]In 1948Continental Air Command(ConAC) assumed responsibility for managing reserve andAir National Guardunits from ADC.[11]In June 1949 ConAC reorganized its reserve units under thewing base organization,and the group became aDouglas B-26 Invaderunit of the448th Bombardment Wing.[12]It replaced its41st Bombardment Squadronwith the711th Bombardment Squadron.[13][14]However, its operational squadrons were staffed at 25% of normal strength.[15]

In August 1950, the 448th Wing's companion reserve unit at Long Beach, the452d Bombardment Wing,wasmobilizedforKorean Warservice. In order to bring the 452d Wing to combat strength, skilled reservists and reservists who required 60 or fewer days training to qualify them as fully skilled assigned to the 448th Wing were transferred to the 452d Wing.[16]The group itself was called to active duty in the second wave of mobilization in March 1951 and its personnel who had not been transferred to the 452d Wing were used as fillers for other Air Force organizations, while the squadron was inactivated four days later.[2][17]

The reserve mobilization for the Korean War left it without aircraft, and the reserve did not again receive aircraft until July 1952.[18]When aircraft were assigned, six reserve pilot training wings were activated. However, the Air Force desired that all reserve units be designed to augment the regular forces in the event of a national emergency. Because the pilot training wings had no mobilization mission they were discontinued on 18 May 1955, and replaced by fighter-bomber and troop carrier wings.[19]The group was redesignated the448th Fighter-Bomber Groupand again activated as a reserve unit atHensley Field,Texas when the 448th Fighter-Bomber Wing replaced the 8709th Pilot Training Wing. The group took over theNorth American T-28 Trojanaircraft of the 8709th, but soon re-equipped withLockheed F-80 Shooting Stars.

Despite itsfighter bomberdesignation, the squadron was gained on mobilization by Air Defense Command upon mobilization. The group flew the F-80 until 1957, when it began converting to theNorth American F-86 Sabre.[12]

However, theJoint Chiefs of Staffwere pressuring the Air Force to provide more wartime airlift. At the same time, about 150Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcarsbecame available from the active force. Consequently, in November 1956 the Air Force directedContinental Air Commandto convert three reserve fighter bomber wings to the troop carrier mission by September 1957. In addition, within the Air Staff was a recommendation that the reserve fighter mission given to theAir National Guardand replaced by the troop carrier mission.[20]As a consequence in November 1957, the 448th[14]and the remainder of the 448th Wing were inactivated[12]when reserve operations at Hensley converted to theairliftmission.

Logistics management

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Main article:448th Supply Chain Management Wing

In 2005,Air Force Materiel Command(AFMC) implemented the AFMC Transformation project, which replaced the staff agencies at air logistics centers with wings, groups, and squadrons. The group was redesignated the448th Eagle Propulsion Sustainment Groupand activated atTinker Air Force Base,Oklahoma on 18 February 2005. It was assigned three newly organized combat sustainment squadrons, the 540th, 541st, and 542nd.[21]A little over a year later, AFMC removed the specific systems from the new groups' designations and the 448th became the448th Combat Sustainment Group.[22]In 2008, it became the448th Supply Chain Management Groupand its subordinate squadrons were inactivated.[23]In 2010, AFMC returned some supply management functions to logistics complex staffs, and the group was inactivated.[24]

Lineage

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  • Constituted as the448th Bombardment Group(Heavy) on 6 April 1943
Activated on 1 May 1943
Redesignated448th Bombardment Group,Heavy on 20 August 1943
Redesignated448th Bombardment Group,Very Heavy on 5 August 1945
Inactivated on 4 August 1946
  • Activated in the reserve on 19 April 1947
Redesignated448th Bombardment Group,Light on 27 June 1949
Ordered to active duty on 17 March 1951
Inactivated on 21 March 1951
  • Redesignated448th Fighter-Bomber Groupon 12 April 1955
Activated on 18 May 1955[25]
Inactivated on 16 November 1957
Redesignated448th Tactical Fighter Groupon 31 July 1985[26](remained inactive)
  • Redesignated448th Eagle Propulsion Sustainment Groupon 31 January 2005
Activated on 18 February 2005[21]
Redesignated448th Combat Sustainment Groupon 14 April 2006[22]
Redesignated448th Supply Chain Management Groupon 1 April 2008[23]
Inactivated on 30 June 2010[24]

Assignments

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Components

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  • 41st Bombardment Squadron, 12 July 1947 – 27 June 1949[13]
  • 540th Combat Sustainment Squadron, 14 April 2006 – 28 April 2008[22][23]
  • 541st Combat Sustainment Squadron, 14 April 2006 – 28 April 2008[22][23]
  • 542d Combat Sustainment Squadron, 14 April 2006 – 28 April 2008[22][23]
  • 546th Combat Sustainment Squadron, 28 Sep 2007 – 28 April 2008[29][23]
  • 711th Bombardment Squadron (later 711th Fighter-Bomber Squadron): 27 June 1949 – 21 March 1951; 18 May 1955 – 16 November 1957[14]
  • 712th Bombardment Squadron: 1 May 1943 – 4 August 1946; 19 April 1947 – 21 March 1951[3]
  • 713th Bombardment Squadron (later 713th Fighter-Bomber Squadron): 1 May 1943 – 4 August 1946; 19 April 1947 – 21 March 1951; 18 May 1955 – 16 November 1957[4]
  • 714th Bombardment Squadron: 1 May 1943 – 4 August 1946; 19 April 1947 – 21 March 1951[5]
  • 715th Bombardment Squadron: 1 May 1943 – 6 May 1946[6]

Stations

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Aircraft assigned

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  • Consolidated B-24 Liberator: (1943–1946)
  • Douglas B-26 Invader: (1949–1951)
  • North American T-28 Trojan: (1955)
  • Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star: (1955–1957)
  • North American F-86 Sabre: (1957)[30]

References

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Notes

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Explanatory notes
  1. ^Aircraft is Ford built Consolidated B-24H-25-FO Liberator, serial 42-95185 "Do Bunny". This aircraft was shot down by aMe 262on 25 March 1945 over Soltau, Germany.
  2. ^While assigned to the 448th Wing, the group uses the wing emblem with the group designation on the scroll. AF Instruction 84-105, Organizational Lineage, Honors and History, 27 April 2017, paragraph 3.3.3
  3. ^Aircraft is North American built Consolidated B-24J-1-NT Liberator, serial 42-78491 "Egress U-Uncle" (foreground). One of only three (of eight total) B-24s built byNorth American Aviationto survive hostilities in World War II.
  4. ^The 715th Squadron continued to be associated with the 509th through 2005.
Citations
  1. ^abcdWatkins, p.94
  2. ^abcdefMaurer,Combat Units,pp. 322-323
  3. ^abMaurer,Combat Squadrons,p. 713
  4. ^abMaurer,Combat Squadrons,pp. 713-714
  5. ^abcMaurer,Combat Squadrons,p. 714
  6. ^abcMaurer,Combat Squadrons,p. 715
  7. ^abcdFreeman, pp. 257–258
  8. ^Maurer,Combat Units,pp. 158-160
  9. ^SeeRavenstein, p. 244
  10. ^SeeMaurer,Combat Units,pp. 322–323 (no aircraft listed as assigned)
  11. ^"Abstract, Mission Project Closeup, Continental Air Command".Air Force History Index. 27 December 1961.Retrieved24 March2014.
  12. ^abcdeRavenstein, p. 244
  13. ^abMaurer,Combat Squadrons,pp. 189–190
  14. ^abcMaurer,Combat Squadrons,pp.712-713
  15. ^Cantwell, p. 74
  16. ^Cantwell, pp. 92–93
  17. ^Cantwell, p. 137
  18. ^Cantwell, p. 139
  19. ^Cantwell, p. 146
  20. ^Cantwell, p. 168
  21. ^abcdResearch Division, Air Force Historical Research Agency, Air Force Organization Change Status Report, February 2005, Maxwell AFB, AL
  22. ^abcdeResearch Division, Air Force Historical Research Agency, Air Force Organization Change Status Report, April 2006, Maxwell AFB, AL
  23. ^abcdefResearch Division, Air Force Historical Research Agency, Air Force Organization Change Status Report, April 2008, Maxwell AFB, AL
  24. ^abcdResearch Division, Air Force Historical Research Agency, Air Force Organization Change Status Report, June 2010, Maxwell AFB, AL
  25. ^abLineage and station information through 1956 in Maurer,Combat Units,pp. 322-323
  26. ^Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 648q, 31 July 1985, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Organizations
  27. ^"Factsheet 96 Air Division, Bombardment".Air Force Historical Research Agency. 5 October 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 28 September 2012.Retrieved1 April2014.
  28. ^"Factsheet 304 Air Division, Bombardment".Air Force Historical Research Agency. 5 October 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 29 September 2012.Retrieved28 March2014.
  29. ^Research Division, Air Force Historical Research Agency, Air Force Organization Change Status Report, September 2007, Maxwell AFB, AL
  30. ^Maurer,Combat Squadrons,pp. 712-716

Bibliography

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This article incorporatespublic domain materialfrom theAir Force Historical Research Agency

Further reading
  • Brett, Jeffrey E.The 448th Bomb Group(H): Liberators over Germany in World War II.Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, 2002.ISBN0-7643-1464-5.
  • Freeman, Roger A.(1978).Airfields of the Eighth: Then and Now.Harlow, England: After the Battle.ISBN0-900913-09-6.
  • Freeman, Roger A.The Mighty Eighth: The Colour Record.Cassell & Co., 1991ISBN0-304-35708-1.
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