93rd Operations Group

The 93rd Operations Group was a United States Air Force unit whose lineage began with the 93rd Bombardment Group, activated in March 1942 for operations with Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers. During World War II, the group became the first B-24-equipped bomber group assigned to the Eighth Air Force to conduct combat operations. From bases in England, it attacked targets in occupied France and Germany, including submarine facilities, industrial plants, transportation centers, and military infrastructure. Detachments also served in the Mediterranean theater, supporting Operation Torch, the invasion of Sicily, the Salerno landings, and the August 1943 attack on the oil facilities at Ploiești, Romania. The group received Distinguished Unit Citations for operations in North Africa and at Ploiești. The unit supported a broad range of Allied operations during the later war. Its missions included attacks connected with the Normandy invasion, the Saint-Lô breakthrough, the Battle of the Bulge, and the airborne assault across the Rhine. It also transported supplies to advancing Allied forces and dropped equipment and provisions to airborne troops in the Netherlands. After Germany’s defeat, the group returned to the United States and prepared to transition to Boeing B-29 Superfortresses, but the planned Pacific deployment was cancelled when the war ended. The wartime group was subsequently inactivated. The lineage was revived in the postwar strategic-bomber force. In 1946, the 93rd Bombardment Group became one of the first ten bombardment groups assigned to Strategic Air Command. It operated B-29 aircraft and later Boeing B-50 Superfortresses, deployed to Okinawa in 1948, and participated in the early strategic-bomber posture of the United States. During the Korean War period, the group conducted combat missions over Korea with the Far East Air Forces. It was inactivated in June 1952 when Strategic Air Command reorganized its wings and transferred squadron-level responsibilities directly to the wing. The group designation returned in 1991 under the Air Force objective-wing structure. The reactivated organization operated B-52G Stratofortresses as part of the 93rd Wing, but this phase was brief: the unit moved from Strategic Air Command to Air Combat Command in 1992, and the bomber group was placed on non-operational status before being inactivated in October 1994. It was reactivated in January 1996 at Robins Air Force Base as the operational component of the 93rd Air Control Wing. In this form, it operated Boeing E-8 Joint STARS aircraft and supported surveillance and command-and-control missions. The late-period group deployed aircraft and personnel to Bosnia-Herzegovina during Operation Joint Endeavor, to Southwest Asia during the dispute over Iraqi compliance with United Nations weapons inspections, and to Germany in 1999 to monitor Serbian forces during the Kosovo crisis. The 93rd Operations Group was finally inactivated on 1 October 2002, after which the Georgia Air National Guard’s 116th Air Control Wing assumed responsibility for the Joint STARS mission. It was therefore not a commercial brand or business, but a military organizational designation representing several successive operational formations.

The organization was constituted as the 93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) in January 1942 and activated on 1 March of that year. It trained with B-24 Liberators and initially performed antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean under III Bomber Command. It moved to England during August and September 1942 and joined the Eighth Air Force at RAF Alconbury. The group’s first combat mission occurred on 9 October 1942 against industrial facilities at Lille, France. Its early missions concentrated on submarine pens and other targets along the French Atlantic coast. In December 1942, most of the group moved to North Africa to support Operation Torch. Operating under difficult desert conditions and with limited supplies, the detachment attacked enemy shipping and communications and later received a Distinguished Unit Citation. The detachment returned to England in February 1943, while the remainder of the group operated from RAF Hardwick in Norfolk. During 1943, the group attacked ports, power stations, engine works, and other facilities across France, the Low Countries, and Germany. Mediterranean detachments supported the invasion of Sicily, the landings at Salerno, and the Ploiești oil raid. The unit’s distinctive wartime nickname, “Ted’s Traveling Circus,” referred to its first commander, Colonel Edward J. Timberlake. From late 1943 through April 1945, the group focused on strategic and tactical targets in Germany and occupied Europe. It attacked marshalling yards, aircraft factories, refineries, chemical facilities, bridges, gun positions, and troop concentrations. It also conducted supply missions in support of Allied ground forces, including deliveries during the advance across France and supply drops to airborne troops in the Netherlands. After combat ended, the group returned to the United States, trained for a possible B-29 deployment to the Pacific, and was eventually inactivated in December 1945 when that deployment was no longer required. The group was reactivated in June 1946 at Merced Field, California, as one of Strategic Air Command’s first ten bombardment groups. It initially operated B-29s and subsequently received B-50 aircraft. In 1948, it deployed as a complete unit to Kadena Air Base on Okinawa, becoming the first SAC bomb group to make a full-strength deployment to the Far East. During the Korean War, it flew combat missions with the Far East Air Forces. Strategic Air Command inactivated the group in June 1952 after adopting a dual-deputy wing structure. The designation was revived on 1 September 1991, when the 93rd Bombardment Wing became the 93rd Wing and its flying elements were assigned to the new 93rd Operations Group. The organization operated B-52G aircraft, transferred from SAC to Air Combat Command in 1992, and was placed on non-operational status before inactivation in October 1994. It was reactivated at Robins Air Force Base in January 1996 as the operational arm of the 93rd Air Control Wing. Equipped with E-8 Joint STARS aircraft, it supported surveillance and command-and-control operations in Bosnia during Operation Joint Endeavor, Southwest Asia during the Iraq–United Nations weapons-inspection dispute, and Germany during the 1999 Kosovo crisis. The group was permanently inactivated on 1 October 2002.

• 2002

  Final inactivation

  [1]93rd Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was inactivated on 1 October, and its Joint STARS command responsibility passed to the 116th Air Control Wing.

• 1996

  Joint STARS mission begins

  [1]93rd Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was reactivated at Robins Air Force Base and received its first production E-8 Joint STARS aircraft on 11 June.

• 1991

  Reactivation as an operations group

  [1]93rd Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The 93rd Operations Group was activated on 1 September under the Air Force objective-wing structure.

• 1952

  Post-Korean War inactivation

  [1]93rd Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The bombardment group was inactivated on 16 June after Strategic Air Command reorganized its wings.

• 1948

  Full-strength Far East deployment

  [1]93rd Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group deployed to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, as a complete SAC bomb group.

• 1946

  Assignment to Strategic Air Command

  [1]93rd Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group became one of SAC’s first ten bombardment groups and began operating B-29 aircraft.

• 1943

  Ploiești oil-field raid

  [1]93rd Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  A detachment participated in the 1 August low-level attack on Ploiești and received a Distinguished Unit Citation.

• 1942

  Activation of the wartime bombardment group

  [1]93rd Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The 93rd Bombardment Group was activated on 1 March 1942 and began training for B-24 Liberator operations.

• 1942

  First Eighth Air Force B-24 combat mission

  [1]93rd Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  On 9 October, the group attacked industrial targets at Lille, France, becoming the first Liberator-equipped Eighth Air Force bomber group to enter combat.

A United States Air Force operational unit distinguished by a long lineage spanning heavy bombardment, strategic deterrence, combat support, and airborne battlefield surveillance.

• Heavy bomber · 1942

  Consolidated B-24 Liberator

  The B-24 was the group’s principal World War II aircraft. It carried out long-range bombing against industrial, naval, transportation, and military targets in Europe and the Mediterranean, as well as supply missions supporting Allied ground and airborne forces.

• Strategic bomber · 1945

  Boeing B-29 Superfortress

  B-29 aircraft were used during the group’s postwar transition and Strategic Air Command service. The aircraft supported the group’s early strategic-bomber role and its deployment preparations during the period following World War II.

• Strategic bomber · 1949

  Boeing B-50 Superfortress

  The B-50, an improved development of the B-29, became the group’s principal aircraft after the late 1940s. It was used for strategic operations and during the group’s Korean War-era service.

• Strategic bomber · 1991

  Boeing B-52G Stratofortress

  B-52G aircraft equipped the reactivated operations group during its 1991–1994 period. The group’s bomber role ended after organizational changes and the placement of its wing and group on non-operational status.

• Airborne command-and-control and surveillance aircraft · 1996

  Boeing E-8 Joint STARS

  E-8 Joint STARS aircraft formed the basis of the group’s final mission at Robins Air Force Base. The system provided airborne battlefield surveillance and command-and-control support for operations in the Balkans and Southwest Asia.

• 1999Kosovo monitoring mission

  Germany · Kosovo

  Aircraft and personnel deployed to Ramstein Air Base from 23 February through 28 June 1999 to help monitor the withdrawal of Serbian forces from Kosovo.

  Outcome. The group supported surveillance of the withdrawal and broader regional security operations.

  Source
• 1998Southwest Asia weapons-inspection support

  Southwest Asia

  The group deployed between 18 February and 3 June 1998 in response to Iraq’s refusal to cooperate with United Nations weapons inspectors.

  Outcome. The deployed force supported regional monitoring and surveillance requirements.

  Source
• 1996Operation Joint Endeavor

  Bosnia-Herzegovina

  E-8 Joint STARS aircraft and personnel deployed from Robins Air Force Base to support the multinational peacekeeping operation in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

  Outcome. The group provided airborne surveillance and command-and-control support.

  Source
• 1950Korean War operations

  Korea

  The postwar bombardment group deployed aircraft and crews in support of Far East Air Forces during the Korean War.

  Outcome. The group flew combat missions over Korea before its 1952 inactivation.

  Source
• 1944Normandy and Saint-Lô operations

  France

  The group attacked gun positions, bridges, transport choke points, and troop concentrations in support of the Normandy invasion and the Saint-Lô breakthrough.

  Outcome. The missions supported the Allied advance through northern France.

  Source
• 1944Operation Market Garden support

  Netherlands

  On 18 September 1944, the group dropped supplies to Allied airborne troops in the Netherlands.

  Outcome. The operation contributed aerial resupply during the Allied airborne campaign.

  Source
• 1943Ploiești raid

  Romania

  A Mediterranean detachment participated in the low-level attack on Axis oil installations at Ploiești on 1 August 1943.

  Outcome. The group bombed its assigned vital oil targets despite heavy opposition and received a Distinguished Unit Citation.

  Source
• 1942Operation Torch

  North Africa

  A large detachment supported the Allied landings in North Africa by attacking enemy shipping, communications, and related targets under difficult desert operating conditions.

  Outcome. The detachment received a Distinguished Unit Citation and returned to England in February 1943.

  Source

• 2002

  Transfer of Joint STARS command responsibilityStrategy

  Background

  The Air Force inactivated the 93rd Operations Group as part of a broader organizational transition.

  Action taken

  Responsibility for the Joint STARS mission at the end of the group’s service passed to the Georgia Air National Guard’s 116th Air Control Wing.

  Aftermath

  The 93rd Operations Group ceased to exist as an active unit on 1 October 2002.

  Source

• 1996

  Transition to the Joint STARS missionProduct launch

  Background

  The group was reactivated as the operational component of the newly designated 93rd Air Control Wing.

  Action taken

  It accepted its first production E-8 Joint STARS aircraft and shifted from bomber operations to airborne surveillance and command-and-control.

  Aftermath

  The group deployed Joint STARS aircraft and personnel to Bosnia, Southwest Asia, and Germany during several late-1990s operations.

  Source

• 1991

  Adoption of the objective-wing structureStrategy

  Background

  The Air Force reorganized its wing structure to group operational functions under dedicated operations groups.

  Action taken

  The 93rd Bombardment Wing was redesignated the 93rd Wing, and its flying elements were assigned to the reactivated 93rd Operations Group.

  Aftermath

  The group temporarily operated B-52G bombers before its bomber-era organization was discontinued.

  Source

• 2002

  93rd Operations Group inactivated[1]93rd Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change · Other

  The group was inactivated on 1 October 2002, with the Georgia Air National Guard’s 116th Air Control Wing assuming responsibility for the Joint STARS mission.

• 1996

  93rd Operations Group resumes operations with Joint STARS[1]93rd Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Other

  Reactivated at Robins Air Force Base as part of the 93rd Air Control Wing, the group accepted its first production E-8 Joint STARS aircraft on 11 June 1996.

• 1943

  93rd Bombardment Group participates in the Ploiești raid[1]93rd Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  A Mediterranean detachment took part in the low-level attack on Romanian oil installations at Ploiești on 1 August 1943 and received a Distinguished Unit Citation despite severe enemy resistance and losses.

• 1942

  93rd Bombardment Group begins combat operations from England[1]93rd Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The group became operational with B-24 Liberators on 9 October 1942 by attacking industrial targets at Lille, France, marking the first combat operation by a Liberator-equipped Eighth Air Force bomber group.

1. 193rd Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org