36th Operations Group
The 36th Operations Group is the operational component of the United States Air Force's 36th Wing at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.
Last updated August 26, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
The 36th Operations Group is a United States Air Force operational unit assigned to the 36th Wing and aligned with Pacific Air Forces. It is based at Andersen Air Force Base on Guam, where it supports and coordinates flying operations and other operational activities associated with aircraft deployed to the installation. Unlike a conventional commercial brand, the group is a military organization whose identity is defined by lineage, mission, honors, command relationships, and operational service rather than by consumer products or commercial positioning. The unit traces its heritage to the 36th Pursuit Group, activated at Langley Field, Virginia, on 1 February 1940. During its early years it trained with Curtiss P-36 Hawks and later operated Bell P-39 Airacobras and Curtiss P-40 Warhawks in Puerto Rico. Its Caribbean assignment included regional defense responsibilities, protection of the Panama Canal area, and antisubmarine patrols. In May 1942 it became the 36th Fighter Group and subsequently trained in the United States with Republic P-47 Thunderbolts. The World War II predecessor deployed to England in April 1944 and served with Ninth Air Force in the European Theater. Operating primarily as a fighter-bomber formation, it conducted strafing, dive-bombing, armed reconnaissance, close air support, interdiction, and selected bomber-escort missions. Its targets included armored vehicles, railways, bridges, industrial sites, troop concentrations, gun positions, and airfields. The group supported the Normandy invasion, the breakout from Saint-Lô, the Third Army's advance, the Battle of the Bulge, the Roer crossing, the Remagen bridgehead, and the airborne assault across the Rhine. It received a Distinguished Unit Citation for attacks on German retreating columns south of the Loire River on 1 September 1944 and a second citation for attacks against airfields in southern Germany on 12 April 1945. After the war, the organization served with the occupation forces in Germany before moving to the Panama Canal Zone in October 1946. It transitioned from piston-engine fighters to jet aircraft, receiving the Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star in 1947. In 1948 it became part of the newly activated 36th Fighter Wing and was reassigned to United States Air Forces in Europe. At Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base it became the first USAFE unit equipped with jet fighters. The group later operated Republic F-84 Thunderjets, North American F-86 Sabres, and North American F-100 Super Sabres, and it controlled the Skyblazers aerial demonstration team during two periods. The group was inactivated in December 1957 when the parent wing adopted an organizational structure that assigned flying squadrons directly to the wing. Its lineage was later revived as the 36th Operations Group in 1992, but the unit was inactivated in 1994 following the closure and force-reduction process affecting Bitburg Air Base. At Andersen Air Force Base, the 36th Wing initially relied on the provisional 36th Expeditionary Operations Group to manage deployed aircraft and personnel. The regular 36th Operations Group was re-established on 14 February 2007, replacing that provisional arrangement. By 2023, the group included the 506th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron as a permanent component supported by rotational Air National Guard aircraft and personnel.
History
The lineage of the 36th Operations Group begins with the 36th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), constituted on 22 December 1939 and activated at Langley Field, Virginia, on 1 February 1940. The organization initially trained with the Curtiss P-36 Hawk. In January 1941 it moved to Losey Field, Puerto Rico, where it received Bell P-39 Airacobras and Curtiss P-40 Warhawks. Its Caribbean mission included defense of the region and the Panama Canal approaches, as well as antisubmarine patrols. Redesignated the 36th Fighter Group in May 1942, the unit returned to the continental United States and trained with Republic P-47 Thunderbolts. After operating from several American airfields, it deployed to RAF Kingsnorth in England in April 1944 as part of Ninth Air Force and the XIX Tactical Air Command. The group flew fighter-bomber missions in support of the Normandy campaign, attacking transport networks, armored forces, bridges, factories, troop concentrations, gun positions, and airfields. It also conducted patrols over the invasion area and occasionally escorted Eighth Air Force heavy bombers. The group moved to France in July 1944 and advanced with Allied ground forces. It supported the Saint-Lô breakthrough and the Third Army's advance toward Germany. On 1 September 1944 it conducted repeated attacks on German columns south of the Loire River, helping disrupt the enemy withdrawal toward Dijon; this action earned the group a Distinguished Unit Citation. After moving into Belgium, it supported Ninth Army during the Battle of the Bulge and the January 1945 fighting. It later assisted the First Army's operations near the Roer River, the Remagen bridgehead, and Operation Varsity, the airborne crossing of the Rhine. A second Distinguished Unit Citation recognized its attacks on southern German airfields on 12 April 1945 despite intense antiaircraft fire. By V-E Day the group was located at Kassel/Rothwesten in Germany. It remained there as part of the occupation forces until February 1946, when it was transferred without personnel or equipment to Bolling Field, Washington, D.C., and its fighter squadrons were inactivated. On 15 October 1946 the headquarters moved to Howard Field in the Panama Canal Zone, where the organization conducted air-defense training. The arrival of the Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star in December 1947 marked its transition to jet operations. The 36th Fighter Wing was activated at Howard Field on 2 July 1948, and the group became its operational component. In the context of the Berlin Blockade and rising Cold War tensions, it moved to Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base in West Germany in August 1948. It became the first USAFE unit equipped with jet aircraft and conducted air defense, tactical exercises, maneuvers, and photographic reconnaissance. The Skyblazers aerial demonstration team was formed under its control in 1949. The group was redesignated the 36th Fighter-Bomber Group in January 1950 after receiving Republic F-84E Thunderjets. It moved to Bitburg Air Base in 1952, transitioned to North American F-86F Sabres in 1953, and was redesignated the 36th Fighter-Day Group in 1954. The unit also became associated with the early operational deployment of the Martin B-61A Matador missile through the 1st Pilotless Bomber Squadron. North American F-100 Super Sabres arrived in 1956, making the associated wing the first USAFE wing to operate supersonic jets. The group was inactivated on 8 December 1957 when the wing assigned its operational squadrons directly to the wing. The lineage was redesignated the 36th Tactical Fighter Group in 1985 while inactive. With the Air Force's objective-wing reorganization, it was redesignated the 36th Operations Group on 1 March 1992 and activated on 31 March 1992 to control the 36th Fighter Wing's operational squadrons. The group and wing were inactivated at Bitburg on 1 October 1994 following post-Cold War force reductions and base-closure decisions. The 36th Wing was reactivated at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, but the operations group initially remained inactive. Instead, it was converted to provisional status as the 36th Expeditionary Operations Group, a structure that could be activated or inactivated as deployed aircraft and mission requirements changed. The permanent 36th Operations Group was re-established on 14 February 2007. In its current Pacific Air Forces role, it supports deployed Air Force units operating from Andersen and provides an enduring operational framework for aviation missions in the Indo-Pacific. By 2023, the 506th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron was identified as a permanent group component, using aircraft and personnel supplied through rotational Air National Guard deployments.
- 2023
Air-refueling component identified
[1]The 506th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron was reported as a permanent group component supported by rotational Air National Guard deployments.
- 2007
Permanent re-establishment at Andersen
[1]The regular 36th Operations Group was re-established on 14 February 2007, replacing the provisional expeditionary structure.
- 1994
Inactivation at Bitburg
[1]The group was inactivated on 1 October 1994 following the closure and force-reduction process affecting Bitburg Air Base.
- 1992
Reactivation as the 36th Operations Group
[1]The lineage was redesignated and activated as the 36th Operations Group during the Air Force's objective-wing reorganization.
- 1957
Inactivation under wing reorganization
[1]The group was inactivated on 8 December 1957 after operational squadrons were assigned directly to the wing.
- 1956
Supersonic fighter transition
[1]The group received North American F-100 Super Sabres, marking a major technology transition for its associated USAFE wing.
- 1948
Reassignment to USAFE
[1]Following the activation of the 36th Fighter Wing, the group moved to Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base and became an early USAFE jet unit.
- 1947
Transition to jet aircraft
[1]The group received Lockheed F-80 Shooting Stars while assigned to Howard Field.
- 1945
Second Distinguished Unit Citation
[1]A second citation recognized the group's attacks on airfields in southern Germany on 12 April 1945 under heavy antiaircraft fire.
- 1944
Deployment to the European Theater
[1]The group arrived at RAF Kingsnorth in April 1944 and conducted fighter-bomber operations in support of the Normandy invasion and subsequent Allied advances.
Products and positioning
A United States Air Force operational group focused on coordinating and supporting deployed airpower at Andersen Air Force Base and preserving a long combat aviation lineage extending from World War II fighter-bomber operations.
World War II combat aviation · 1943
P-47 Thunderbolt fighter-bomber operations
The group's principal World War II combat role was performed with Republic P-47 Thunderbolts. These operations combined fighter protection with low-level attack, dive bombing, armed reconnaissance, interdiction, and close air support for Allied ground forces across France, Belgium, and Germany.
Air defense and tactical aviation · 1947
Jet fighter operations
After World War II, the group operated a succession of jet fighters, including the Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star, Republic F-84 Thunderjet, North American F-86 Sabre, and North American F-100 Super Sabre. These aircraft supported air defense, tactical exercises, maneuvers, and reconnaissance-related missions in the Caribbean and Europe.
Military operational support · 2007
Expeditionary air operations
In its modern Pacific Air Forces role, the group provides an enduring command and coordination structure for deployed aircraft and personnel operating from Andersen Air Force Base. Its activities include operational readiness, deployed-force integration, and support for regional air missions.
Aerial refueling
Air refueling operations
The group's contemporary capabilities include air-refueling support through the 506th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron. The squadron's aircraft and personnel are supplied through rotational Air National Guard deployments, allowing the group to support expeditionary aviation requirements without relying solely on permanently based aircraft.
Brand decisions
2007
Permanent re-establishment at Andersen Air Force BaseStrategyBackground
The temporary expeditionary structure no longer provided the preferred permanent command framework for deployed Air Force units assigned to Andersen.
Action taken
The United States Air Force converted the provisional group back to regular status and re-established the 36th Operations Group on 14 February 2007.
Aftermath
The group became the standing operational component supporting the 36th Wing's aviation mission at Andersen and its Pacific Air Forces commitments.
1994
Transition to a provisional expeditionary structureStrategyBackground
After the 36th Wing was reactivated at Andersen Air Force Base without permanently assigned aircraft, the regular operations group was not immediately activated.
Action taken
The group was converted to provisional status as the 36th Expeditionary Operations Group, allowing it to be activated or inactivated in response to deployed-aircraft and mission requirements.
Aftermath
This provisional arrangement remained the operating framework until the permanent 36th Operations Group was re-established in 2007.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/36th-operations-group · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled