448th Supply Chain Management Group

The 448th Supply Chain Management Group was a United States Air Force unit with a lineage spanning strategic bombing, the Air Force Reserve, tactical aviation, and materiel sustainment. It was constituted in 1943 as the 448th Bombardment Group and activated at Gowen Field, Idaho, during World War II. After training with Consolidated B-24 Liberators, the group deployed to RAF Seething in England and joined the Eighth Air Force strategic bombing campaign against German targets. Its missions included attacks on industrial facilities, transportation networks, airfields, aircraft production, oil installations, and V-weapon infrastructure. It also supported the Normandy invasion, the fighting around Caen and Saint-Lô, the Battle of the Bulge, Operation Market Garden, and Operation Varsity. The group completed 262 combat missions and flew its final wartime mission against a railroad yard near Salzburg, Austria, on 25 April 1945. After returning to the United States, the organization converted to Boeing B-29 Superfortress operations and became one of the early bombardment groups associated with Strategic Air Command. It was inactivated at Fort Worth Army Air Field in August 1946, with its personnel and equipment transferred to another bombardment organization. The group returned in 1947 as an Air Force Reserve unit. It was redesignated a light-bomber group in 1949 and operated in the Douglas B-26 Invader structure. During the Korean War mobilization, its personnel were used primarily to strengthen other organizations, and the group was inactivated in March 1951. The unit returned to the reserve in 1955 as the 448th Fighter-Bomber Group at Hensley Field, Texas. It initially operated North American T-28 Trojan aircraft and then Lockheed F-80 Shooting Stars, with a planned transition to North American F-86 Sabres. The reserve’s fighter-bomber role was short-lived, however. Broader Air Force plans favored expanding reserve airlift capacity, and the 448th was converted out of the fighter-bomber structure and inactivated in November 1957. A later redesignation as the 448th Tactical Fighter Group was recorded while the organization remained inactive. The lineage was revived in the twenty-first century for logistics work at Tinker Air Force Base. As part of Air Force Materiel Command’s transformation of air logistics centers, the group was activated in February 2005 as the 448th Eagle Propulsion Sustainment Group. It was renamed the 448th Combat Sustainment Group in 2006 and the 448th Supply Chain Management Group in 2008. Its later responsibilities concerned supply-chain and combat-sustainment management rather than flying operations. Following further changes that returned some supply functions to logistics-complex staff organizations, the group was inactivated on 30 June 2010.

The organization began as the 448th Bombardment Group, constituted on 6 April 1943 and activated on 1 May at Gowen Field, Idaho. Its initial squadrons were the 712th, 713th, 714th, and 715th Bombardment Squadrons. After B-24 Liberator training at locations including Wendover Field and Sioux City Army Air Base, its ground echelon crossed the Atlantic aboard the RMS Queen Elizabeth, while the air echelon ferried aircraft to England by a southern route. The group assembled at RAF Seething in late 1943 and entered combat with the Eighth Air Force on 22 December. Its principal wartime function was daylight strategic bombardment. Targets included German ball-bearing and aircraft plants, marshalling yards, chemical and synthetic-fuel facilities, airfields, aircraft-engine works, and V-weapon installations. The group participated in the concentrated February 1944 attacks known as Big Week. Its missions also broadened into interdiction, close air support, and airborne resupply. It attacked coastal defenses and transport links during the Normandy campaign, supported Allied ground operations in France, dropped supplies during Operation Market Garden, struck communications and transportation targets during the Battle of the Bulge, and supported Operation Varsity in the spring of 1945. Its final combat mission took place on 25 April 1945 against a rail yard near Salzburg. Across the war it flew 262 combat missions, lost 101 bombers, and was credited with 44 enemy fighters destroyed. The group returned to the United States during the summer of 1945 and undertook B-29 conversion and training. It moved to Fort Worth Army Air Field in December and became one of the early bombardment groups assigned to Strategic Air Command in 1946. The group was inactivated on 4 August 1946, with its aircraft and personnel reassigned. It was reactivated in the Air Force Reserve at Long Beach Army Air Field in April 1947. In 1949 it became a light-bomber group within the 448th Bombardment Wing and was associated with the Douglas B-26 Invader. Its reserve staffing was limited, and the Korean War mobilization led to personnel transfers intended to bring the 452d Bombardment Wing to combat strength. The 448th itself was called to active duty in March 1951 and inactivated shortly afterward, with remaining personnel used to fill other organizations. Reserve operations resumed in 1955 when the group was redesignated the 448th Fighter-Bomber Group and activated at Hensley Field, Texas. It inherited T-28 aircraft and soon transitioned to the Lockheed F-80. Although a move toward the F-86 Sabre began in 1957, Air Force plans increasingly prioritized reserve airlift. The 448th and the rest of its wing were consequently inactivated in November 1957 as the reserve operation shifted toward troop-carrier work. The group was later redesignated the 448th Tactical Fighter Group in 1985, but it remained inactive. A new phase began in 2005 under Air Force Materiel Command’s transformation of air logistics centers. The lineage was activated at Tinker Air Force Base as the 448th Eagle Propulsion Sustainment Group, with subordinate combat-sustainment squadrons. In 2006 the organization became the 448th Combat Sustainment Group, and in 2008 it received the 448th Supply Chain Management Group designation. Its mission centered on supply-chain and sustainment management rather than combat flying. It was finally inactivated on 30 June 2010 after Air Force Materiel Command reorganized logistics functions and returned some supply-management responsibilities to logistics-complex staffs.

• 2010

  Final inactivation

  [1]448th Supply Chain Management Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was inactivated at Tinker Air Force Base on 30 June 2010.

• 2008

  Adoption of the supply-chain management designation

  [1]448th Supply Chain Management Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The organization became the 448th Supply Chain Management Group as its mission shifted toward logistics management.

• 2005

  Reactivation for sustainment work

  [1]448th Supply Chain Management Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was activated at Tinker Air Force Base as the 448th Eagle Propulsion Sustainment Group during Air Force Materiel Command restructuring.

• 1955

  Return as a fighter-bomber reserve group

  [1]448th Supply Chain Management Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The organization was redesignated and activated as the 448th Fighter-Bomber Group at Hensley Field, Texas.

• 1946

  Inactivation after Strategic Air Command assignment

  [1]448th Supply Chain Management Groupen.wikipedia.org

  After B-29 training and assignment to Strategic Air Command, the group was inactivated at Fort Worth Army Air Field on 4 August.

• 1945

  Final World War II combat mission

  [1]448th Supply Chain Management Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group attacked a railroad yard near Salzburg, Austria, on 25 April 1945, its last combat mission of the war.

• 1943

  Activation as a World War II bombardment group

  [1]448th Supply Chain Management Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The 448th Bombardment Group was activated at Gowen Field, Idaho, on 1 May 1943 and began training for B-24 Liberator operations.

• 1943

  Deployment to RAF Seething

  [1]448th Supply Chain Management Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group arrived in England and began Eighth Air Force combat operations in December 1943.

A United States Air Force operational and logistics organization whose identity changed over time from wartime bomber formation to reserve aviation unit and, ultimately, supply-chain management group.

• Strategic bomber · 1943

  Consolidated B-24 Liberator

  The B-24 Liberator was the group’s principal aircraft during World War II. From RAF Seething, the group used it for daylight strategic bombing against industrial, transportation, fuel, aircraft-production, and weapons-related targets in German-occupied Europe, while also performing interdiction, close-support, and supply missions.

• Strategic bomber · 1945

  Boeing B-29 Superfortress

  After World War II, the group was assigned to B-29 conversion and training. It moved to Fort Worth Army Air Field and became one of the early bombardment groups connected with Strategic Air Command before its 1946 inactivation.

• Light bomber · 1949

  Douglas B-26 Invader

  The reserve group was reorganized as a light-bomber unit in 1949 and operated within the B-26 Invader structure. Its reserve staffing was limited, and its personnel were later affected by Korean War mobilization requirements.

• Jet fighter-bomber · 1955

  Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star

  The 448th Fighter-Bomber Group soon replaced its inherited T-28 aircraft with F-80 Shooting Stars after returning to reserve service at Hensley Field in 1955.

• 1945Operation Varsity

  Germany

  In the spring of 1945, the group dropped supplies to airborne forces during the Allied assault across the Rhine near Wesel.

  Outcome. The operation supported the final Allied advance into Germany.

  Source
• 1944Big Week

  Europe

  The group participated in the Eighth Air Force’s concentrated attacks on German aircraft manufacturing and related industrial targets in February 1944.

  Outcome. The operation intensified pressure on German aircraft production and air infrastructure.

  Source
• 1944Normandy campaign

  France · Western Europe

  The group attacked coastal defenses, transportation facilities, and communications targets in support of Operation Overlord and subsequent Allied ground operations.

  Outcome. Its missions supported the invasion and the Allied advance through France.

  Source
• 1944Operation Market Garden

  Netherlands

  The group performed aerial resupply missions for Allied airborne and ground forces during the attempt to establish a bridgehead across the Rhine.

  Outcome. The group contributed logistical support to the airborne operation.

  Source

• 2010

  Return of supply functions to logistics-complex staffsStrategy

  Background

  Air Force Materiel Command adjusted the organization of supply-management responsibilities within its logistics structure.

  Action taken

  Some supply functions were returned to logistics-complex staff organizations, and the 448th Supply Chain Management Group was inactivated.

  Aftermath

  The group ceased to operate on 30 June 2010.

  Source

• 2005

  Reorganization into a sustainment groupStrategy

  Background

  Air Force Materiel Command transformed air logistics-center staff agencies into wings, groups, and squadrons.

  Action taken

  The lineage was reactivated at Tinker Air Force Base as the 448th Eagle Propulsion Sustainment Group.

  Aftermath

  The group later became the 448th Combat Sustainment Group and then the 448th Supply Chain Management Group.

  Source

• 1957

  Conversion away from the fighter-bomber missionStrategy

  Background

  Air Force planners sought to expand reserve airlift capacity and make greater use of available Fairchild C-119 aircraft.

  Action taken

  The 448th reserve operation was converted from fighter-bomber activity toward the troop-carrier mission, leading to the group’s inactivation in November 1957.

  Aftermath

  The organization remained inactive until its later logistics-related reactivation.

  Source

1. 1448th Supply Chain Management Groupen.wikipedia.org