4th Operations Group
The 4th Operations Group is the flying component of the United States Air Force's 4th Fighter Wing and operates and trains crews for the F-15E Strike Eagle.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The 4th Operations Group, commonly abbreviated as 4 OG, is a United States Air Force operational flying organization assigned to the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina. The wing and group belong to Air Combat Command. Unlike a consumer-facing commercial brand, the group is a military organizational identity whose significance rests on lineage, unit heritage, operational capability, and the public reputation of its squadrons. The group traces its institutional lineage to the 4th Fighter Group, which was created in 1942 from American volunteer pilots who had served in the Royal Air Force's Eagle Squadrons before the United States entered the Second World War. RAF Nos. 71, 121, and 133 Squadrons were transferred into the United States Army Air Forces and became the 334th, 335th, and 336th Fighter Squadrons. The newly constituted American group initially operated Supermarine Spitfires in Britain, later transitioned to P-47 Thunderbolts, and then became one of the Eighth Air Force's leading P-51 Mustang formations. During the European campaign, the unit escorted heavy bomber formations, conducted counter-air and interdiction missions, attacked airfields and transportation networks, and supported major Allied operations. It participated in the air campaign known as Big Week, the Normandy invasion, the airborne operation in the Netherlands, the Battle of the Bulge, and the crossing of the Rhine. The group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for its sustained attacks against German aircraft and air bases in 1944. Its Second World War identity remains central to the present group's heritage. After the war, the 4th Fighter Group was inactivated, reactivated during the early Cold War, and successively operated or trained with F-80 Shooting Star and F-86 Sabre aircraft. Its Sabre-equipped successor was among the first United States fighter organizations to enter the Korean War's jet combat. The group became associated with major air victories in that conflict before being inactivated in 1957 as the Air Force reorganized its wings and subordinate units. The modern 4th Operations Group was activated on 22 April 1991 under the Air Force objective-wing structure and retained the lineage and honors of the 4th Fighter Group. It was initially equipped with F-15E Strike Eagles and included the 334th, 335th, and 336th Fighter Squadrons. The group later incorporated the 333d Fighter Squadron to support the Air Force's F-15E formal training mission. Today, the organization includes operational and training fighter squadrons together with support elements responsible for airfield operations, air traffic control, weather, aircrew support, weapons and tactics training, airspace scheduling, range operations, and flying-hour management. The group's present role combines combat readiness with specialized aircraft and aircrew instruction. Its operational squadrons provide F-15E combat capability, while its training squadrons qualify crews for worldwide assignments. The group has also supported homeland defense and overseas campaigns. Following the September 11 attacks, it flew Operation Noble Eagle sorties. In 2002 it deployed to Kuwait for missions associated with Operations Southern Watch and Enduring Freedom, including close air support during Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan. Its aircraft and personnel subsequently supported the opening phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. The 4 OG remains an active United States military unit rather than a commercial enterprise, with no publicly traded ownership, consumer product portfolio, or conventional corporate headquarters.
History
The organization's lineage begins with the 4th Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces. In 1942, American pilots serving in the Royal Air Force Eagle Squadrons were transferred into the USAAF as the United States expanded its own air forces in Britain. RAF Nos. 71, 121, and 133 Squadrons became the 334th, 335th, and 336th Fighter Squadrons of the new group. The group was activated in September 1942 and initially flew Spitfires. In March 1943, the group converted to P-47 Thunderbolts. It later transitioned to P-51 Mustangs in early 1944, a change that enabled it to conduct long-range escort and fighter-sweep missions deep into German-held territory. Under the wartime leadership associated with Donald Blakeslee, the group developed a strong counter-air reputation. It escorted B-17 and B-24 formations attacking industrial facilities, submarine installations, V-weapon sites, and other targets, while also conducting strafing and dive-bombing attacks against airfields, railways, bridges, roads, trains, troops, and supply depots. The unit participated in the intensive Big Week offensive against the German aircraft industry in February 1944. It received a Distinguished Unit Citation for operations from 5 March through 24 April 1944, a period characterized by aggressive attacks on enemy aircraft and bases. It later flew interdiction and counter-air missions during the Normandy invasion, supported the airborne operation in the Netherlands, fought during the Battle of the Bulge, and provided cover for the Allied airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945. The wartime group was inactivated at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, on 10 November 1945. The 4th Fighter Group was reactivated at Selfridge Field, Michigan, in September 1946. It trained with F-80 Shooting Stars and converted to F-86 Sabres in 1949. During the Korean War, the group's Sabres entered combat as part of the 4th Fighter Wing's fighter-interceptor organization. Its pilots engaged MiG-15s in some of the earliest and most consequential all-jet fighter combat. The unit was credited in the reference history with 502 enemy aircraft destroyed by the end of the war and with producing 24 fighter aces. After the armistice, the group moved with the wing to Japan and continued training and Korean contingency duties. It was inactivated on 8 December 1957. The Air Force redesignated the inactive lineage as the 4th Tactical Fighter Group in 1985 and then as the 4th Operations Group in April 1991. The group was activated on 22 April 1991 as part of the objective-wing reorganization and assigned to the 4th Wing at Seymour Johnson. Its initial modern squadrons were the 334th, 335th, and 336th, all operating F-15E Strike Eagles. During the early 1990s, the wing's broader reorganization included assets associated with air refueling, while the F-15E formal training mission moved to Seymour Johnson. The 333d Fighter Squadron returned to the base to support training, and the 334th became a dedicated training squadron in January 1996. The group adopted an expeditionary response role in 1999. Following the September 11 attacks, it conducted Noble Eagle homeland-defense sorties. In early 2002, it deployed to Kuwait for missions connected with Southern Watch and Enduring Freedom and supported Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan. Its crews provided close air support during the Roberts Ridge battle and helped protect forces engaged in the operation. In early 2003, the group's F-15E squadrons deployed to Southwest Asia, first supporting Southern Watch and then the initial phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The unit returned to Seymour Johnson in April 2003. In the contemporary Air Force structure, the 4th Operations Group commands and coordinates the flying activity of operational and training F-15E squadrons. Its support squadrons manage the infrastructure and specialist functions required to generate combat-ready sorties. The group therefore combines an operational combat role, formal aircraft and aircrew training, and the preservation of a lineage extending from the RAF Eagle Squadrons through the Second World War, Korea, and modern expeditionary operations.
- 2003
Operation Iraqi Freedom deployment
[1]The group's fighter squadrons supported the opening coalition campaign in Iraq.
- 2002
Operation Anaconda support
[1]The group deployed to the Middle East and supported close-air-support operations in Afghanistan.
- 2001
Noble Eagle homeland-defense operations
[1]The group began flying homeland-defense sorties after the September 11 attacks.
- 1999
Expeditionary response mission begins
[1]The group became one of the Air Force's on-call aerospace expeditionary organizations.
- 1996
334th Fighter Squadron becomes a training squadron
[1]The 334th assumed a dedicated F-15E training role to help meet the Air Force's aircrew qualification requirements.
- 1991
Modern 4th Operations Group activated
[1]The group was activated at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, retaining the lineage of the 4th Fighter Group and operating F-15E aircraft.
- 1957
Second inactivation
[1]The group was inactivated after postwar reorganization of the Air Force wing structure.
- 1950
Korean War jet combat
[1]The fighter-interceptor group entered the Korean War with F-86 Sabres and became a prominent United States jet-fighter organization.
- 1946
Cold War reactivation
[1]The group was reactivated at Selfridge Field as the United States rebuilt its air forces after the war.
- 1945
Postwar inactivation
[1]The wartime 4th Fighter Group was inactivated at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey.
Products and positioning
An operational and training organization built around F-15E Strike Eagle combat readiness, expeditionary response, and the historic lineage of the 4th Fighter Group.
combat aviation
F-15E Strike Eagle operational missions
The group's operational fighter squadrons employ the two-seat F-15E Strike Eagle for air-to-air, air-to-ground, counter-air, interdiction, close-air-support, and expeditionary missions. The aircraft gives the group a long-range strike and air-superiority capability suited to both deployed combat operations and homeland-defense tasking.
military training
F-15E Strike Eagle formal training
Training squadrons qualify F-15E aircrews for worldwide combat-ready assignments. The training enterprise covers aircraft employment, weapons and tactics, aircrew procedures, and the operational skills required by crews entering frontline Air Force units.
military support
Operations support
The 4th Operations Support Squadron provides the enabling functions behind the group's flying program, including airfield operations, air traffic control, weather, aircrew life support, training support, weapons and tactics instruction, airspace scheduling, range operations, and flying-hour management.
Marketing campaigns
- 2003Operation Iraqi Freedom
Iraq and Southwest Asia
Two F-15E squadrons deployed to Southwest Asia and supported the initial United States-led coalition invasion of Iraq.
Outcome. The deployed personnel returned to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in April 2003 after contributing to the opening campaign.
- 2002Operation Anaconda
Afghanistan
The group deployed through Kuwait and provided close air support during the Afghanistan campaign, including the Roberts Ridge fighting.
Outcome. Its F-15E crews helped suppress hostile fire and support the recovery of isolated and fallen personnel.
- 2001Operation Noble Eagle
United States
The group flew coastal and homeland-defense sorties after the September 11 attacks.
Outcome. The missions expanded the group's post-Cold War role from expeditionary combat readiness to domestic air defense.
- 1945Rhine airborne assault
Germany
The group provided cover for the Allied airborne crossing of the Rhine in March 1945.
Outcome. The operation formed part of the final Allied advance into Germany.
- 1944Big Week
Western Europe
The 4th Fighter Group participated in the Allied campaign against the German aircraft industry and Luftwaffe from 20 to 25 February 1944, combining bomber escort and fighter operations.
Outcome. The campaign intensified pressure on German air power and reinforced the group's reputation for aggressive counter-air operations.
- 1944Normandy campaign
France
The group flew interdiction and counter-air missions in support of the Allied invasion of Normandy.
Outcome. It contributed fighter cover and attacks against German air power and ground communications during the invasion period.
- 1944Operation Market Garden
Netherlands
The group supported the Allied airborne operation in the Netherlands with fighter and ground-attack missions.
Outcome. The unit continued its role in protecting Allied forces and disrupting opposing movement during the operation.
- 1944Battle of the Bulge
Belgium and Germany
The group flew missions during the German winter offensive and the Allied response from December 1944 into January 1945.
Outcome. Its aircraft supported ground forces and attacked enemy transport and tactical targets.
Brand decisions
1999
Adopt an on-call expeditionary response roleStrategyBackground
The Air Force introduced the expeditionary aerospace force concept to organize, train, deploy, and sustain forces for changing global commitments.
Action taken
The 4th Operations Group became one of two on-call rapid-response aerospace expeditionary groups and was the first to assume the on-call mission.
Aftermath
The group gained a formal rapid-deployment role that shaped its later homeland-defense and overseas campaign activity.
1996
Expand the F-15E training structureStrategyBackground
The Air Force needed additional capacity to qualify F-15E aircrews for worldwide operational assignments.
Action taken
The 334th Fighter Squadron was converted to a training squadron.
Aftermath
The group operated a larger formal training function alongside its two operational fighter squadrons.
1991
Activate a dedicated operations group under the objective wingStrategyBackground
The Air Force reorganized wings around functional groups to improve the alignment of operational flying, support, and command responsibilities.
Action taken
The 4th Operations Group was activated and assigned the lineage of the former 4th Fighter Group, with F-15E squadrons as its core flying elements.
Aftermath
The group became the principal flying organization of the 4th Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
Recent events
- 2003
4th Operations Group supports initial Operation Iraqi Freedom campaign[1]
Other
F-15E squadrons from the group deployed to Southwest Asia and supported the opening coalition campaign in Iraq before returning to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in April.
- 2002
4th Operations Group supports Operation Anaconda[1]
Other
The group deployed to the region and provided close air support during Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan, including actions associated with the fighting at Roberts Ridge.
- 2001
4th Operations Group flies Noble Eagle homeland-defense sorties[1]
Other
After the September 11 terrorist attacks, the group began flying coastal protection and homeland-defense missions under Operation Noble Eagle.
- 1999
4th Operations Group assumes rapid-response expeditionary role[1]
Other
The group became one of the Air Force organizations assigned an on-call aerospace expeditionary response mission as the service prepared for 21st-century global operations.
- 1991
4th Operations Group activated under the objective-wing structure[1]
Other
The modern 4th Operations Group was activated at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and received the lineage of the historic 4th Fighter Group.
Sources1 sources
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