435th Operations Group
Encyclopedia
The 435th Operations Group is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last assignment was with the 435th Airlift Wing, stationed at Rhein-Main Air Base
, Germany. It was inactivated on 1 April 1995.
The unit's World War II
predecessor unit, the 435th Troop Carrier Group was a C-47 Skytrain
transport unit assigned to Ninth Air Force
in Western Europe. The group flew combat paratroopers on airborne assaults on Normandy (Operation Overlord
); Southern France (Operation Dragoon
); Holland (Operation Market-Garden), and Germany (Operation Varsity
). It also flew combat resupply missions in the relief of Bastogne in 1945.
. Moved to England, October–November 1943, and began training for participation in the airborne operation over Normandy. Entered combat on D-Day 1944 by dropping paratroops of 101st Airborne Division near Cherbourg; towed Waco and Horsa gliders carrying reinforcements to that area on the afternoon of D-Day and on the following morning; received a Distinguished Unit Citation for its part in the Normandy invasion.
Began transport services following the landings in France and intermittently engaged in missions of this type until V-E Day; hauled supplies such as serum, blood plasma, radar sets, clothing, rations, and ammunition, and evacuated wounded personnel to Allied hospitals.
Interrupted supply and evacuation missions to train for and participate in three major airborne assaults. A detachment that was sent to Italy in July 1944 for the invasion of Southern France dropped paratroops over the assault area on 15 August and released gliders carrying troops and equipment such as jeeps, guns, and ammunition; flew a resupply mission over France on 16 August; and then transported supplies to bases in Italy before returning to England at the end of the month.
In September 1944 the group participated in the air attack on Holland, dropping paratroops of 82d and 101st Airborne Divisions and releasing gliders carrying reinforcements.
Moved to France in February 1945 for the airborne assault across the Rhine; each aircraft towed two gliders in transporting troops and equipment to the east bank of the Rhine on 24 March; then the group flew resupply missions to Germany in support of ground forces. Transported supplies to occupation forces in Germany and evacuated Allied prisoners of war after V-E Day.
Returned to the US in Aug. Inactivated on 15 November 1945.
Reactivated in 1975 at Rhein-Main AB West Germany as C-130 theater transport unit for MAC in Europe. Also provided logistical and administrative support for special operations organizations at Rhein-Main. Inactivated in June 1980.
The unit may have been redesignated as the 435th Air Expeditionary Operations Group and converted to provisional status, on 5 February 2001, however this has not been confirmed.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit. Its last assignment was with the 435th Airlift Wing, stationed at Rhein-Main Air Base
Rhein-Main Air Base
Rhein-Main Air Base was a U.S. Air Force / NATO military airbase near the city of Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It occupied the south side of Frankfurt International Airport. Its airport codes are discontinued....
, Germany. It was inactivated on 1 April 1995.
The unit's World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
predecessor unit, the 435th Troop Carrier Group was a C-47 Skytrain
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
transport unit assigned to Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
in Western Europe. The group flew combat paratroopers on airborne assaults on Normandy (Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
); Southern France (Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon was the Allied invasion of southern France on August 15, 1944, during World War II. The invasion was initiated via a parachute drop by the 1st Airborne Task Force, followed by an amphibious assault by elements of the U.S. Seventh Army, followed a day later by a force made up...
); Holland (Operation Market-Garden), and Germany (Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...
). It also flew combat resupply missions in the relief of Bastogne in 1945.
Lineage
- Constituted as 435th Troop Carrier Group on 30 January 1943
- Activated on 25 February 1943
- Inactivated on 15 November 1945.
- Allotted to the reserve. Activated on 15 July 1947
- Redesignated 435th Troop Carrier Group (Medium) in June 1949
- Ordered to active service on 1 March 1951
- Relieved from active duty and inactivated, on 1 December 1952
- Allotted to the reserve. Activated on 1 December 1952
- Inactivated on 14 April 1959
- Redesignated: 435th Tactical Airlift Group and activated on 1 July 1975
- Inacivated on 23 June 1978
- Reactivated on 15 September 1978
- Inactivated on 1 June 1980
- Redesignated: 435th Operations Group and activated on 1 April 1992
- Inactivated on 1 April 1995.
Assignments
- 61 Troop Carrier Wing61st Troop Carrier Wing (World War II)The 61st Troop Carrier Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the I Troop Carrier Command, stationed at Sedalia Army Airfield, Missouri It was inactivated on 4 October 1945....
, 25 February 1943 - 60 Troop Carrier Wing60th Troop Carrier Wing (World War II)The 60th Troop Carrier Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the I Troop Carrier Command, stationed at Pope Field, North Carolina It was inactivated on 8 October 1945....
, 2 July 1943 - I Troop Carrier CommandI Troop Carrier CommandThe I Troop Carrier Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the First Air Force, based at Stout Army Air Field, Indiana.Its primary mission was theater troop and logistics transport training...
, 6–13 October 1943 - 53rd Troop Carrier Wing53d Troop Carrier Wing (World War II)The 53d Troop Carrier Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the IX Troop Carrier Command, based at Camp Shanks, New York. It was inactivated on 12 August 1945....
, 3 November 1943 - I Troop Carrier CommandI Troop Carrier CommandThe I Troop Carrier Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the First Air Force, based at Stout Army Air Field, Indiana.Its primary mission was theater troop and logistics transport training...
, 5 August 1945
- Third Air ForceThird Air ForceThe Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
, 13 September – 15 November 1945 - Tenth Air ForceTenth Air ForceThe Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....
, 15 July 1947 - 435th Troop Carrier Wing, 26 June 1949 – 1 December 1952; 1 December 1952 – 14 April 1959
- 435th Tactical Airlift Wing, 1 July 1975 – 23 June 1978; 15 September 1978-1 June 1980
- 435th Airlift Wing, 1 April 1992 – 1 April 1995
Components
- 37 Tactical Airlift Squadron: 1 October 1977 – 15 December 1978
- 55 Aeromedical Airlift Squadron: 31 March 1975 – 15 December 1978
- 58 Tactical Airlift Squadron: 1 September 1977 – 23 June 1978
- 75th Troop Carrier Squadron (SH): 25 February 1943 – 15 November 1945
- 76th Troop Carrier Squadron (CW): 25 February 1943 – 15 November 1945; 15 July 1947-1 December 1952; 1 December 1952 – 14 April 1959
- 77th Troop Carrier Squadron (IB): 25 February 1943 – 15 November 1945; 15 July 1947-1 December 1952; 1 December 1952 – 14 April 1959
- 78th Troop Carrier Squadron78th Air Refueling SquadronThe 78th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 514th Air Mobility Wing at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey. It operates the KC-10 Extender aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions as the reserve associate to the 305th Air Mobility Wing....
(CM): 25 February 1943 – 15 November 1945; 15 July 1947-1 December 1952; 1 December 1952 – 24 March 1954; 1 April 1955 – 15 November 1957
Stations
- Bowman Field, KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, 25 February 1943 - Sedalia Army Air Field, MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, 4 May 1943 - Pope Field, North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, 2 July 1943 - Baer Field, IndianaIndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, 6–13 October 1943 - RAF LangarRAF LangarRAF Station Langar is a former military airfield on the border of Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire near the village of Langar in England. The airfield is located approximately east-southeast of Radcliffe on Trent; about north-northwest of London...
(AAF-490), England, 3 November 1943 - RAF WelfordRAF WelfordRAF Welford is an active Royal Air Force station in Berkshire, England. The airfield is located approximately northwest of Newbury; about west-southwest of London...
(AAF-474), England, 25 January 1944 - Bretigny Airfield (A-48), France, c. 13 February – 25 June 1945
- Baer Field, IndianaIndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, 5 August 1945 - Kellogg Field, MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, 13 September – 15 November 1945 - Morrison Field, Florida, 15 July 1947
- Miami International AirportMiami International AirportMiami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...
, Florida, 26 June 1949 – 1 December 1952; 1 December 1952 – 14 April 1959 - Rhein-Main AB, West Germany (later Germany)GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, 1 July 1975 – 23 June 1978; 15 September 1978-1 June 1980; 1 April 1992 – 1 April 1995
Aircraft
- C-47, 1943–1945
- CG-4A WACO gliders, 1943–1945
- C-119, 1947–1952; 1947–1949
- C-46, 1949–1951; 1952–1957
- C-130, 1975–1980
- C-9, 1992–1993
- VC-135, 1977–1978
- VC-140, 1977–1978
- C-12, 1978
- CT-39, 1978
- C-141, 1994
World War II
Used C-47's and C-53's in preparing for duty overseas with Ninth Air ForceNinth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
. Moved to England, October–November 1943, and began training for participation in the airborne operation over Normandy. Entered combat on D-Day 1944 by dropping paratroops of 101st Airborne Division near Cherbourg; towed Waco and Horsa gliders carrying reinforcements to that area on the afternoon of D-Day and on the following morning; received a Distinguished Unit Citation for its part in the Normandy invasion.
Began transport services following the landings in France and intermittently engaged in missions of this type until V-E Day; hauled supplies such as serum, blood plasma, radar sets, clothing, rations, and ammunition, and evacuated wounded personnel to Allied hospitals.
Interrupted supply and evacuation missions to train for and participate in three major airborne assaults. A detachment that was sent to Italy in July 1944 for the invasion of Southern France dropped paratroops over the assault area on 15 August and released gliders carrying troops and equipment such as jeeps, guns, and ammunition; flew a resupply mission over France on 16 August; and then transported supplies to bases in Italy before returning to England at the end of the month.
In September 1944 the group participated in the air attack on Holland, dropping paratroops of 82d and 101st Airborne Divisions and releasing gliders carrying reinforcements.
Moved to France in February 1945 for the airborne assault across the Rhine; each aircraft towed two gliders in transporting troops and equipment to the east bank of the Rhine on 24 March; then the group flew resupply missions to Germany in support of ground forces. Transported supplies to occupation forces in Germany and evacuated Allied prisoners of war after V-E Day.
Returned to the US in Aug. Inactivated on 15 November 1945.
Cold War
Allocated to the Reserve and activated on 15 July 1947. Ordered to active service on 1 March 1951. Assigned to Tactical Air Command. Trained with C-119's. Relieved from active duty and inactivated, on 1 December 1952. Reactivated as Miami-Based reserve group. By 1956, the wing was capable of flying overseas missions, particularly in the Caribbean area to Central America. Inactivated on 14 April 1959 when parent unit adopted Tri-Deputate organization.Reactivated in 1975 at Rhein-Main AB West Germany as C-130 theater transport unit for MAC in Europe. Also provided logistical and administrative support for special operations organizations at Rhein-Main. Inactivated in June 1980.
Modern era
Activated as 435th Operations Group as part of objective wing organization of 435th Airlift Wing at Rhein-Main on 1 April 1992. Had some C-141s assigned in 1992, however those reassigned and unit managed transient MAC (later USAFE) theater transports as well as tactical, aeromedical and OSA airlift squadrons until aerial port at Rhein-Main was inactivated along with the 435th AW in 1995.The unit may have been redesignated as the 435th Air Expeditionary Operations Group and converted to provisional status, on 5 February 2001, however this has not been confirmed.