46th Bombardment Group
Encyclopedia
The 46th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. It was last assigned to the Third Air Force
, being stationed at Morris Field
, North Carolina
. It was inactivated on 1 May 1944.
Activated during World War II
as a A-20 Havoc light bomb group assigned to Third Air Force
. Participated in maneuvers in the southeast prior to World War II. After U.S. entry into the war, the group flew some antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico
early in 1942. Not deployed to combat duty, it later served as an operational training unit (OTU) until late in 1943, then became a replacement training unit (RTU). Disbanded on 1 May 1944.
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. It was last assigned to the Third Air Force
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
, being stationed at Morris Field
Charlotte/Douglas International Airport
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is a joint civil-military public international airport located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, in 1954 the airport was renamed Douglas Municipal Airport after former Charlotte mayor Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North 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...
. It was inactivated on 1 May 1944.
Activated during 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...
as a A-20 Havoc light bomb group assigned to Third Air Force
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
. Participated in maneuvers in the southeast prior to World War II. After U.S. entry into the war, the group flew some antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
early in 1942. Not deployed to combat duty, it later served as an operational training unit (OTU) until late in 1943, then became a replacement training unit (RTU). Disbanded on 1 May 1944.
Lineage
- Constituted as 46th Bombardment Group (Light) on 20 November 1940
- Activated on 15 January 1941.
- Disbanded on 1 May 1944
Assignments
- 16th Bombardment Wing16th Bombardment Wing (World War II)The 16th Bombardment Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Continental Air Forces, based at Colorado Springs AAF, Colorado. It was inactivated on 8 October 1948.-Lineage:...
, 15 January 1941 - Southeast Air District (later 3d Air Force)Third 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....
, 20 May 1941 - 2d (later Second) Air ForceSecond Air ForceThe Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
, 23 May 1942 - III Bomber CommandIII Bomber CommandThe III Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.-Lineage:...
, October 1943 – 1 May 1944
Components
- 50th Bombardment Squadron: 1941–1944
- 51st Bombardment Squadron: 1941–1944
- 53d Bombardment Squadron: 1941–1944
- 87th Bombardment Squadron: 1941–1944
Stations
- Hunter Field, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, 15 January 1941 - 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...
, 20 May 1941 - Barksdale Field, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, February 1942 - Galveston Army Airfield, Texas, c. 1 April 1942
- Blythe Army Air Base, California, 23 May 1942
- Will Rogers Field, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, November 1942 - Drew Field, Florida, October 1943
- Morris FieldCharlotte/Douglas International AirportCharlotte Douglas International Airport is a joint civil-military public international airport located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, in 1954 the airport was renamed Douglas Municipal Airport after former Charlotte mayor Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr...
, 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...
, 6 November 1943 – 1 May 1944.