450th Bombardment Group

The 450th Bombardment Group was a United States military aviation unit whose principal World War II role was long-range heavy bombing with Consolidated B-24 Liberator aircraft. Constituted on 6 April 1943 and activated on 1 May 1943, it was organized during the rapid wartime expansion of the United States Army Air Forces. The group initially assembled at Gowen Field, Idaho, then moved through Clovis Army Air Field and Alamogordo Army Airfield, New Mexico, where it completed crew formation, technical organization, and operational training. The group deployed to the Mediterranean theater in late 1943 and joined the Fifteenth Air Force in southern Italy. From its base at Manduria Airfield, it conducted operations from January 1944 through the closing months of the European war. Its targets included aircraft factories, assembly works, oil facilities, storage depots, marshalling yards, airfields, bridges, troop concentrations, and defensive positions. Missions extended across Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and other parts of the Balkans. The aircraft carried white-painted vertical stabilizers, giving the unit its informal nickname, “The Cottontails.” The 450th received two Distinguished Unit Citations for especially demanding operations. The first recognized its attack on the Messerschmitt aircraft factory at Regensburg on 25 February 1944 during the Allied heavy-bomber offensive commonly known as Big Week. The second followed the 5 April 1944 mission against the railway marshalling yards at Ploiești, Romania, conducted through determined enemy fighter opposition. The group also supported the Allied invasion of southern France, operated from Poltava in the Soviet Union during Operation Frantic, and assisted the United States Fifth Army and the broader Allied campaign in Italy. After returning to the United States in May 1945, the group was reconstituted at Harvard Army Air Field, Nebraska, and redesignated the 450th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy. It received Boeing B-29 Superfortresses and was considered for employment in the Pacific, but Japan’s capitulation removed the operational requirement. The group was demobilized and inactivated on 15 October 1945. The organization was later revived in the Tactical Air Command era. Redesignated the 450th Fighter-Bomber Group in 1953, it was activated at Foster Air Force Base, Texas, on 1 July 1954, under the 450th Fighter-Bomber Wing. It initially flew North American F-86F Sabres before transitioning to the North American F-100C/D Super Sabre in 1955. Upon that transition it became the 450th Fighter-Day Group and was the first operational Tactical Air Command group equipped with the F-100. The unit was inactivated on 11 December 1957 when its squadrons were assigned directly to the wing under a reorganization known as the Dual Deputate system. Although redesignated again as the 450th Bombardment Group, Heavy, in 1985, it remained inactive and is not a current operating unit.

The 450th Bombardment Group was created during the 1943 expansion of the United States Army Air Forces. It was constituted as the 450th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 6 April 1943 and activated at Gowen Field, Idaho, on 1 May. The organization moved without its full personnel and equipment to Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico, around 21 May, where its headquarters and command structure were assembled. On 5 July it moved to Alamogordo Army Airfield, which served as the principal training location. Personnel arrived progressively, while aircrews and support sections were formed until the group reached operational strength in August. Equipped with Consolidated B-24 Liberators, the group completed training for overseas heavy-bomber operations and moved to southern Italy in December 1943. It was assigned to the Fifteenth Air Force through the 47th Bombardment Wing and began combat missions in January 1944 from Manduria Airfield. Its wartime work concentrated on the strategic and operational infrastructure supporting the Axis war effort. The group attacked aircraft-production facilities, oil refineries and storage areas, rail centers, airfields, bridges, troop concentrations, and defensive positions across a wide area of occupied Europe and Axis-controlled territory. The group’s most prominent actions occurred in 1944. During Big Week, from 20 to 25 February, it participated in attacks intended to damage German aircraft production. Its 25 February strike against the Messerschmitt facility at Regensburg earned the first of two Distinguished Unit Citations, recognizing the group’s performance despite adverse weather, heavy antiaircraft fire, and enemy fighter attacks. On 5 April, it attacked the Ploiești railway marshalling yards in Romania and received a second Distinguished Unit Citation after again penetrating strong aerial opposition to reach its objective. The 450th also performed missions connected with the invasion of southern France and the Allied ground advance in Italy. In support of the Soviet advance in the Balkans, it operated from Poltava Airbase near Kiev as part of Operation Frantic, the Allied shuttle-bombing arrangement involving Soviet territory. These operations placed the group within the wider Fifteenth Air Force effort to disrupt transportation, fuel, aircraft production, and military movement throughout the Mediterranean and central European theaters. Its white-painted tail surfaces led to the nickname “The Cottontails.” The group returned to the United States in May 1945. After personnel were processed and many members demobilized, a reduced cadre was established at Harvard Army Air Field, Nebraska. On 26 July 1945 it was redesignated the 450th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, and assigned Boeing B-29 Superfortresses for a planned Pacific deployment. The Japanese surrender in August made that deployment unnecessary. The group was consequently demobilized and inactivated on 15 October 1945. The organization’s lineage continued in a different operational form during the Cold War. It was redesignated the 450th Fighter-Bomber Group on 23 March 1953 and activated at Foster Air Force Base, Texas, on 1 July 1954. Under the Tactical Air Command and the 450th Fighter-Bomber Wing, it initially operated North American F-86F Sabres. In early 1955 it began receiving North American F-100C/D Super Sabres. The aircraft transition prompted redesignation as the 450th Fighter-Day Group on 8 March 1955, and the group became the first operational Tactical Air Command group equipped with the F-100. The group was inactivated on 11 December 1957 as its operational squadrons were transferred directly to the wing under the Dual Deputate organization. It was redesignated the 450th Bombardment Group, Heavy, on 31 July 1985, but that action did not reactivate it. The group therefore remains a historical, inactive lineage organization rather than a current Air Force formation.

• 1985

  Inactive lineage redesignation

  [1]450th Bombardment Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The inactive organization was redesignated the 450th Bombardment Group, Heavy, on 31 July.

• 1957

  Final inactivation

  [1]450th Bombardment Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was inactivated on 11 December as its squadrons were assigned directly to the wing.

• 1955

  First operational Tactical Air Command F-100 group

  [1]450th Bombardment Groupen.wikipedia.org

  After replacing its F-86F Sabres with F-100C/D Super Sabres, the group became the first operational TAC group equipped with the F-100 and was redesignated Fighter-Day.

• 1954

  Cold War reactivation

  [1]450th Bombardment Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The organization was reactivated at Foster Air Force Base, Texas, as a fighter-bomber group under Tactical Air Command.

• 1945

  B-29 transition

  [1]450th Bombardment Groupen.wikipedia.org

  After returning to the United States, the group was redesignated Very Heavy and equipped with B-29 Superfortresses for a planned Pacific deployment.

• 1945

  World War II inactivation

  [1]450th Bombardment Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was demobilized and inactivated on 15 October after Japan’s surrender made its Pacific deployment unnecessary.

• 1944

  Regensburg mission and first Distinguished Unit Citation

  [1]450th Bombardment Groupen.wikipedia.org

  On 25 February, the group attacked the Messerschmitt aircraft facility at Regensburg during Big Week and received a Distinguished Unit Citation.

• 1944

  Ploiești mission and second Distinguished Unit Citation

  [1]450th Bombardment Groupen.wikipedia.org

  On 5 April, the group bombed railway marshalling yards at Ploiești, Romania, through intense enemy opposition and received a second Distinguished Unit Citation.

• 1943

  Constitution and activation

  [1]450th Bombardment Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The unit was constituted as the 450th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 6 April and activated at Gowen Field, Idaho, on 1 May.

• 1943

  Training at Alamogordo

  [1]450th Bombardment Groupen.wikipedia.org

  After intermediate organization at Clovis Army Air Field, the group moved to Alamogordo Army Airfield, New Mexico, for B-24 Liberator training.

• 1943

  Deployment to Italy

  [1]450th Bombardment Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group arrived at Manduria Airfield in southern Italy in December and joined the Fifteenth Air Force.

A historical United States military aviation unit rather than a commercial brand. Its identity is associated with heavy-bomber operations in the European and Mediterranean theaters during World War II, later followed by tactical fighter operations during the early Cold War.

• Heavy bomber · 1943

  Consolidated B-24 Liberator

  The B-24 Liberator was the 450th’s principal combat aircraft during World War II. The group used it for long-range bombing missions against industrial, transportation, fuel, and military targets throughout the Mediterranean and European theaters from 1943 through 1945.

• Very heavy bomber · 1945

  Boeing B-29 Superfortress

  The group received B-29 Superfortresses after returning to the United States in 1945, following its redesignation as a very-heavy bombardment group. The aircraft were intended for a Pacific deployment that did not occur because Japan surrendered.

• Jet fighter-bomber · 1954

  North American F-86F Sabre

  The F-86F was the group’s initial aircraft after its reactivation at Foster Air Force Base in 1954 as a Tactical Air Command fighter-bomber unit.

• Supersonic fighter-bomber · 1955

  North American F-100C/D Super Sabre

  The F-100C/D replaced the group’s F-86F aircraft beginning in early 1955. The transition led to the unit’s redesignation as the 450th Fighter-Day Group and made it the first operational TAC group equipped with the Super Sabre.

• 1944Big Week

  Europe

  The group took part in the Allied offensive against German aircraft production from 20 to 25 February, including the 25 February attack on the Messerschmitt facility at Regensburg.

  Outcome. The Regensburg mission was recognized with a Distinguished Unit Citation.

  Source
• 1944Operation Frantic

  Soviet Union · Balkans

  Operating from Poltava Airbase near Kiev, the group supported the Allied shuttle-bombing effort and the advance of Soviet forces in the Balkans.

  Outcome. The operation extended the group’s reach against Axis targets and linked its work with Allied operations based in Soviet territory.

  Source
• 1944Invasion of southern France

  Southern France

  The group attacked enemy defenses, troop concentrations, bridges, and railway facilities in support of the Allied invasion and subsequent advance in southern France.

  Outcome. Its bombing supported the movement of Allied ground forces after the invasion.

  Source
• 1944Allied campaign in Italy

  Italy

  From its Italian base, the group supported the United States Fifth Army and other Allied formations by attacking transportation, military infrastructure, and defensive positions.

  Outcome. The group remained part of the Fifteenth Air Force effort in Italy until its redeployment in May 1945.

  Source

• 1955

  Transition from F-86 Sabre to F-100 Super SabreGeneration change

  Background

  The reactivated fighter-bomber group initially operated F-86F Sabres under Tactical Air Command.

  Action taken

  Beginning in early 1955, it replaced the Sabres with F-100C/D Super Sabres and was redesignated the 450th Fighter-Day Group on 8 March.

  Aftermath

  The group became the first operational Tactical Air Command group equipped with the F-100.

  Source

• 1945

  Pacific deployment plan canceled after Japanese surrenderStrategy

  Background

  Following its return from Europe, the group was redesignated Very Heavy and equipped with B-29 bombers for a possible transfer to the Pacific theater.

  Action taken

  The planned deployment was abandoned after Japan capitulated in August 1945, and the group was demobilized and inactivated.

  Aftermath

  The group ceased operations on 15 October 1945.

  Source

1. 1450th Bombardment Groupen.wikipedia.org