363d Air Expeditionary Operations Group

The 363d Air Expeditionary Operations Group is a designation carried by a United States Air Force unit whose lineage traces back to the 363rd Fighter Group, activated on 1 August 1943 at Hamilton Field, California. During World War II the group trained with Bell P-39 Airacobras before moving to England in December 1943, where it re-equipped with North American P-51 Mustangs and entered combat with the Ninth Air Force in February 1944. It escorted bombers and fighter-bombers over France, Germany and the Low Countries, and supported the D-Day invasion of Normandy in June 1944. During operations from the United Kingdom the group was credited with 41 victories but lost 43 of its own aircraft. In late 1944 the pressing need for tactical aerial photo-reconnaissance during the Normandy Campaign led to the group's conversion to the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Group at Le Mans Airfield, France. Flying Lockheed F-5 Lightning and F-6 Mustang photo-reconnaissance aircraft, it supported Allied ground operations, directed fighter-bombers against targets, adjusted artillery fire and assessed bombardment results. It received two Belgian citations for its reconnaissance work, including support of the assault on the Siegfried Line and participation in the Battle of the Bulge. The group returned to the United States after V-E Day and was inactivated on 11 December 1945 at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. Reactivated in 1946 and redesignated the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Group in 1948, the unit flew photographic, electronic and electronic intelligence missions during the early Cold War, supporting American and Allied air and ground forces. It was inactivated in 1958 when its parent wing reorganized under the dual deputy system and its squadrons were reassigned directly to wing headquarters. The unit was reactivated in 1992 as the 363rd Operations Group under the USAF Objective Wing organization, but was inactivated the following year and its assets transferred to another unit. From 1998 to 2003 it served as a provisional unit in Southwest Asia as the 363rd Expeditionary Operations Group, flying a variety of fighter aircraft including the F-16, A-10 and F-15. In February 2015 the unit was activated as the 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group, stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis and assigned to the 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing. In this current role it is part of the United States Air Force's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance enterprise.

The 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group was first organized as the 363rd Fighter Group, activated on 1 August 1943 at Hamilton Field, California. Its original fighter squadrons (380th, 381st and 382nd) trained with Bell P-39 Airacobras at Hamilton and other airfields in California and served as part of the air defense force. The group moved to England in December 1943 for duty with the Ninth Air Force. At RAF Keevil, the group was re-equipped with North American P-51 Mustang in January 1944 and entered combat in February. The group escorted bombers and fighter-bombers to targets in France, Germany, and the Low Countries; strafed and dive-bombed trains, marshalling yards, bridges, vehicles, airfields, troops, gun positions, and other targets on the Continent. The 363rd supported the D-Day invasion of Normandy in June 1944 by escorting troop carriers and gliders and by attacking enemy positions near the front lines, and moved to the European Continent at the end of June to take part in the Allied drive to the German border. In the two weeks following D-Day, the 363rd experienced the most fruitful period of its service in the European Theater of Operations when patrols over France brought it actions with a total of 19 confirmed victories. However, a similar number of Mustangs were lost, albeit mostly to ground fire. During operations from the United Kingdom, the group was credited with 41 victories but lost 43 of its own aircraft in the process. On the continent, the 363rd was reorganized into a reconnaissance group flying the Lockheed F-5 Lightning photographic reconnaissance version of the P-38 and the F-6 photo-reconnaissance version of the P-51 Mustang at Le Mans Airfield, France. The 380th, 381st and 382nd Squadrons were redesignated as the 160th, 161st and 162nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadrons respectively. The group flew photographic missions to support both air and ground operations; directed fighter-bombers to railway, highway, and waterway traffic, bridges, gun positions, troop concentrations, and other opportune targets; adjusted artillery fire; and took photographs to assess results of Allied bombardment operations. It received two Belgian citations for reconnaissance activities, including the group's support of the assault on the Siegfried Line and its participation in the Battle of the Bulge (December 1944 – January 1945). The 363rd assisted Ninth Army's drive across the Rhine and deep into Germany during the period from February 1945 to V-E Day, eventually being stationed at Wiesbaden, Germany (Y-80) at the end of hostilities in May. The 363rd returned to the United States in December 1945 and was inactivated on 11 December 1945 at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. The 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Group was reactivated on 29 July 1946 at Brooks Field, Texas. Initially assigned two squadrons (161st and 162nd) flying Lockheed FP-80 Shooting Stars for daylight (161st Squadron) and Douglas FA-26 Invaders (162nd Squadron) for night reconnaissance. The FA-26C was an A-26 with all guns removed and cameras installed throughout the aircraft. Additionally, aircraft intended for night reconnaissance were equipped with photo flash bombs. Some aircraft were also modified for electronic reconnaissance with the installation of radar and signal intelligence gathering equipment. The FP-80A was a P-80A, with a longer and deeper nose to house cameras in place of the guns in the nose of the aircraft. After the end of the Korean War, the RF-80As were partially brought up to F-80C standards. These RF-80Cs had improved camera installations in a nose of modified contour. The group was placed under the newly activated 363rd Reconnaissance Wing on 15 August 1947 as part of the experimental Wing Base Organization, which placed all tactical and support units on a base under a single wing. It moved to Langley Field, Virginia in December 1947 by the newly established USAF. It was redesignated the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Group on 27 August 1948. For budgetary reasons the wing was inactivated on 26 April 1949, however it was again activated on 1 September 1950 at Langley. Due to the pressing needs of the Far East Air Forces in Japan the 162nd Squadron, flying RB-26s, and the photo-processing 363rd Reconnaissance Technical Squadron moved to Japan. The unit was reactivated in 1992 as part of the USAF Objective Wing organization as the 363rd Operations Group, but was inactivated the following year and its assets transferred to another unit. It served as a provisional unit in Southwest Asia as the 363rd Expeditionary Operations Group, flying a variety of fighter aircraft (F-16, A-10, F-15 and others) from 1998 to 2003. It was activated in February 2015 as the 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group, after having been returned to regular service after operating as a provisional unit. The group is stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis and is assigned to the 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing.

• 363rd Fighter Group activated at Hamilton Field, California.

• Group moved to England for duty with the Ninth Air Force.

• Re-equipped with North American P-51 Mustang at RAF Keevil and entered combat in February.

• Supported the D-Day invasion of Normandy.

• Converted to the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Group at Le Mans Airfield, France.

• Inactivated at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey.

• Reactivated as the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Group at Brooks Field, Texas.

• Placed under the newly activated 363rd Reconnaissance Wing.

• Moved to Langley Field, Virginia.

• Redesignated the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Group.

• Wing inactivated for budgetary reasons.

• Reactivated at Langley.

• Inactivated when parent wing reorganized under the dual deputy system.

• Reactivated as the 363rd Operations Group under the USAF Objective Wing organization.

• Inactivated and assets transferred to another unit.

• Served as a provisional unit in Southwest Asia as the 363rd Expeditionary Operations Group.

• Activated as the 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group.

1. 1363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Groupen.wikipedia.org
2. 2363d Air Expeditionary Operations Groupwikidata.org