98 Operations Group (ACC)
Lineage. Established as 98 Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 3 Feb 1942. Redesignated as: 98 Bombardment Group, Heavy on 1 Jul 1943; 98 Bombardment Group, Very Heavy on 12 Jul 1945. Inactivated on 10 Nov 1945. Activated on 1 Jul 1947. Redesignated as 98 Bombardment Group, Medium on 12 Jul 1948. Inactivated on 16 Jun 1952. Redesignated as 98 Air Refueling Group, Heavy on 12 May 1987. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Oct 1987. Redesignated as 98 Air Refueling Group on 1 Feb 1992. Inactivated on 30 Sep 1994. Redesignated as 98 Operations Group on 21 Sep 2001. Activated on 29 Oct 2001.
Assignments. Third Air Force, 3 Feb 1942; US Army Middle East Air Force, c. 25 Jul 1942; Ninth Air Force, 12 Nov 1942; Twelfth Air Force, 13 Sep 1943; XII Bomber Command, 19 Sep 1943; 47 Bombardment Wing, 24 Sep 1943; 5 Bombardment Wing, 1 Nov 1943; 47 Bombardment Wing, 17 Nov 1943; Second Air Force, c. 29 Apr-10 Nov 1945. Strategic Air Command, 1 Jul 1947; Fifteenth Air Force, 24 Sep 1947; 98 Bombardment Wing, 10 Nov 1947-16 Jun 1952 (attached to: 92 Bombardment Wing, 10 Nov 1947-24 Aug 1948; 32 Composite Wing, c. 25 Aug-10 Dec 1948; 92 Bombardment Wing, 10 Dec 1948-16 May 1949; 3 Air Division, 17 May-17 Aug 1949; 92 Bombardment Wing, 18 Aug 1949-15 Apr 1950; Far East Air Forces Bomber Command [Provisional], 7 Aug 1950-31 Mar 1951). 434 Air Refueling Wing, 1 Oct 1987; 452 Air Refueling Wing, 1 Aug 1992; 514 Airlift Wing, 1 Oct 1993-30 Sep 1994. 98 Range Wing, 29 Oct 2001-.
Operational Components. Groups. 98 Operations: 1 Aug 1992-30 Sep 1994. Squadrons. 25 Reconnaissance (later, 415 Bombardment): 3 Feb 1942-3 Jul 1945. 78 Air Refueling: 1 Oct 1987-1 Aug 1992. 98 Air Refueling: 16 Aug 1950-16 Jun 1952 (detached). 343 Bombardment: 3 Feb 1942-10 Nov 1945; 1 Jul 1947-16 Jun 1952 (detached c. 1 Apr 1951-16 Jun 1952). 344 Bombardment: 3 Feb 1942-10 Nov 1945; 1 Jul 1947-16 Jun 1952 (detached c. 1 Apr 1951-16 Jun 1952). 345 Bombardment: 3 Feb 1942-10 Nov 1945; 1 Jul 1947-16 Jun 1952 (detached c. 1 Apr 1951-16 Jun 1952).
Stations. MacDill Fld, FL, 3 Feb 1942; Barksdale Fld, LA, 9 Feb 1942; Ft. Myers, FL, 30 Mar 1942; Drane Fld, FL, 17 May-Jul 1942; Ramat David, Palestine, 25 Jul 1942 (air echelon), 21 Aug 1942 (ground echelon); Fayid, Egypt, c. 11 Nov 1942; Baheira, Libya, 29 Jan 1943; Benina, Libya, c. 14 Feb 1943; Berca, Libya, 26 Mar 1943; Benina, Libya, 4 Apr 1943; Hergla, Tunisia, c. 25 Sep 1943; Brindisi, Italy, c. 22 Nov 1943; Manduria, Italy, 19 Dec 1943; Fortunato Cesare Adrm, Lecce, Italy, 17 Jan 1944-19 Apr 1945; Fairmont AAFld, NE, 8 May 1945; McCook AAFld, NE, 25 Jun-10 Nov 1945. Andrews Fld, MD, 1 Jul 1947; Spokane AAFld (later, Spokane AFB, Fairchild AFB), WA, 24 Sep 1947-16 Jun 1952 (deployed at Kadena AB, Okinawa, c. 25 Aug-10 Dec 1948; Sculthorpe, England, 17 May-17 Aug 1949; Yokota AB, Japan, c. 5 Aug 1950-16 Jun 1952). Barksdale AFB, LA, 1 Oct 1987-30 Sep 1994. Nellis AFB, NV, 29 Oct 2001-.
Commanders. Lt Col Frank H. Robinson, 3 Feb 1942; Col Hugo P. Rush, Apr 1942; Col John R. Kane, 29 Dec 1942; Lt Col Julian M. Bleyer, 1 Nov 1943; Col William E. Karnes, 18 Nov 1943; Lt Col Marshall R. Gray, 13 Jan 1944; Col Salvatore E. Manzo, 25 Jul 1944-unkn (at least through 29 Apr 1945); Col John G. Erikson, 25 Jun-Sep 1945; unkn, Sep-10 Nov 1945. None (not manned), 1 Jul-23 Sep 1947; Lt Col Joseph D. White, 24 Sep 1947; Col William D. Cairnes, 12 Apr 1948; Col Richard D. Dick, 20 Jan 1949; Col Richard H. Carmichael, 1 Apr 1950; Col David Wade, 31 Mar 1951 (additional duty after 1 Apr 1951); Col Edwin F. Harding Jr., Sep 1951 (additional duty); Col Lewis A. Curtis, Nov 1951 (additional duty); Col Winton R. Close, May-16 Jun 1952 (additional duty). Col David A. Pasero, 1 Oct 1987; Col Martin M. Mazick, 13 Oct 1992; Col Gerald P. Fitzgerald, 15 Oct 1993-30 Sep 1994. Col James P. Callahan, 29 Oct 2001; Col Kristian D. Skinner, 25 Aug 2003; Col Harvey L. Hammond Jr., 17 Aug 2005; Col Steven G. Seroka, 13 Oct 2006; Col Thomas J. Browning; 15 Jul 2008-.
Aircraft. B-24, 1942-1945; B-29, 1945. B-29, 1947-1951. KC-10, 1987-1994.
Operations. Trained for bombardment missions during the first half of 1942. In the summer of that year, deployed to Palestine. Entered combat on 1 Aug 1942 with an attack on Mersa Matruh, Libya. Supported the British Eighth Army in its westward advance from Egypt into Libya and Tunisia. Bombed shipping and harbor installations in north Africa, Sicily, Italy, Crete, and Greece to cut enemy supply lines to Africa and to prepare for the Allied invasion of Italy. Earned a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for action against the enemy in the Middle East, North Africa, and Sicily from Aug 1942 to Aug 1943. Received a second DUC for participation in a low-level bombing raid on enemy-held oil refineries at Ploesti, Rumania, on 1 Aug 1943. Reassigned to the Fifteenth Air Force and moved to Italy in Nov 1943. Flew many long-range missions to France, Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Rumania to bomb enemy heavy industries, airdromes, harbors, oil fields, and communication centers. Participated in the invasion of southern France, assisted in the Soviet advance into the Balkans, and supported the partisans and guerrillas in Yugoslavia and neighboring countries. After returning to the United States as the war was ending in Europe, the group trained in preparation for movement to the Pacific Theater, but the war with Japan ended before redeployment. Not manned, Jul 1947-Sep 1947. Trained for bombardment missions. Deployed to Okinawa in Aug-Dec 1948 and England, May-Aug 1949. After the outbreak of the Korean War in the summer of 1950, the group deployed to Japan and was placed under the operational control of the Far East Air Forces Bomber Command (Provisional). On 7 Aug 1950, it flew its first Korean combat mission, striking marshalling yards at Pyongyang, capital of North Korea. Attacked enemy communication lines and supported United Nations ground forces. Targets included rail facilities, oil centers, bridges, roads, troop concentrations, airfields, and military installations. Became a paper unit in Apr 1951. Provided aircrews and participated in aerial refueling and strategic airlift operations worldwide, including humanitarian relief missions, 1987-1994. Trained and took part in exercises for such missions and supported unit deployments. Refueled aircraft on the way to Panama during Operation JUST CAUSE in Dec 1989. Refueled aircraft during Operation SOUTHERN WATCH, a no-fly zone over southern Iraq, in 1993 and 1994. Since Oct 2001, supported 98 Range Wing in operation of USAF Air Warfare Center range at Nellis AFB, NV.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Egypt-Libya; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Southern France; North Apennines; Po Valley; Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Korea: UN Defensive; UN Offensive; CCF Intervention; First UN Counteroffensive.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: North Africa and Sicily, Aug 1942-17 Aug 1943; Ploesti, Rumania, 1 Aug 1943. Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: [7 Aug 1950-31 Mar 1951].
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, Commanders, Aircraft, and Honors through 25 Jun 2010.
Emblem. Group will use the wing emblem with the group designation in the scroll.
Supersedes statement prepared on 15 Sep 2005.
Prepared by Robert B. Kane.