98th Operations Group

The 98th Operations Group is a United States Air Force component assigned to Air Combat Command and stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. In its current form, it manages operational activities for the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), one of the United States military's principal environments for advanced air combat testing, weapons evaluation, experimentation, and training. The group also operates the Leach Lake Tactics Range near Barstow, California. Unlike its wartime predecessor, the present-day group is a non-flying organization. Its responsibilities include prioritizing and scheduling range use, coordinating airspace and access, supporting ground-control-intercept functions, providing flight-following and safety deconfliction, managing simulated-threat command-and-control activities, and supporting communications and data-link operations. It coordinates with Air Force, joint-service, multinational, and federal-government users. The organization consists principally of the 98th Operations Support Squadron and the 98th Range Squadron, supported by military, civil-service, and contractor personnel. The unit's lineage reaches back to the 98th Bombardment Group, established in 1942 for World War II service with Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers. The group deployed to the Middle East and North Africa, supported the British Eighth Army, attacked ports, shipping, industrial facilities, airfields, and supply networks, and later operated from Italy under the Fifteenth Air Force. It participated in campaigns across North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and the Balkans. The group flew 417 missions, received two Presidential Unit Citations, and earned 15 battle streamers. Colonel John R. Kane and First Lieutenant Donald Pucket were awarded the Medal of Honor for separate actions during raids against Ploesti, Romania. After World War II, the group was reactivated with Boeing B-29 Superfortresses and became one of the early formations associated with Strategic Air Command. It deployed to Okinawa and the United Kingdom before being sent to Japan after the outbreak of the Korean War. Beginning in August 1950, it flew combat missions against North Korean rail facilities, bridges, oil centers, roads, troop concentrations, airfields, and other military targets. The group was inactivated in 1952 after a reorganization transferred its operational squadrons directly to the wing. The lineage was revived in the Air Force Reserve in 1987 as the 98th Air Refueling Group, Heavy, operating McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extenders. Its later missions included support for troop movements connected with operations in Panama, Gulf War-related air operations, counter-narcotics monitoring, humanitarian flights to Mogadishu, and patrol support for Operation Southern Watch. That incarnation was inactivated in 1994. The 98th Operations Group designation was approved in 2001, and the group was activated at Nellis Air Force Base in October of that year. Its modern role reflects a transition from combat aviation and aerial refueling to range management, test support, operational control, and advanced training infrastructure.

The unit was established as the 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 January 1942 and activated on 3 February 1942. It trained with Consolidated B-24 Liberators before departing for the Middle East in July 1942. Its first combat mission took place on 1 August 1942 against Mersa Matruh in Libya. The group supported the British Eighth Army's advance through Libya and Tunisia and attacked enemy shipping, ports, and supply infrastructure in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Crete, and Greece. It received a Distinguished Unit Citation for operations in the Middle East, North Africa, and Sicily. On 1 August 1943, the group took part in the low-level attack on Axis oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. Heavy losses were suffered during the mission, and group commander Colonel John R. Kane received the Medal of Honor for his leadership. In late 1943 the group moved under Fifteenth Air Force control in Italy and conducted long-range attacks across occupied Europe. Targets included heavy industry, airfields, harbors, oil fields, and transportation centers. It also supported the invasion of southern France, the Soviet advance in the Balkans, and partisan and guerrilla forces in Yugoslavia and nearby areas. During another Ploesti operation on 9 July 1944, First Lieutenant Donald Pucket was killed while attempting to save crewmembers aboard a disabled aircraft; he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The group completed 417 missions during World War II and received 15 battle streamers and two Presidential Unit Citations. After returning to the United States, it was redesignated the 98th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, and prepared for transfer to the Pacific with B-29 Superfortresses. Japan's surrender ended the planned deployment, and the group was inactivated on 10 November 1945. The unit was reactivated on 1 July 1947 at Spokane Army Air Field with B-29 aircraft. It became associated with the early Strategic Air Command structure and conducted overseas deployments to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, and RAF Sculthorpe in England. The group was redesignated medium in 1948. When the Korean War began, it moved to Japan in August 1950 under the provisional Far East Air Forces Bomber Command and flew combat missions over North Korea. It recorded 34 known aircraft losses during the Korean War period. In 1951, an organizational reconfiguration made the group primarily administrative, and it was inactivated on 16 June 1952. The lineage returned to the Air Force Reserve on 1 October 1987 as the 98th Air Refueling Group, Heavy. Based at Barksdale Air Force Base and equipped with KC-10 Extenders, it supported military transport and contingency operations. Its activities included support for troop airlift associated with Panama operations in 1989, Gulf War operations beginning in 1990, a classified counter-narcotics monitoring plan, humanitarian missions to Mogadishu, and Operation Southern Watch. The group was inactivated on 30 September 1994. On 21 September 2001, the unit was redesignated the 98th Operations Group and activated on 29 October 2001. At Nellis Air Force Base, it became the operational organization for the Nevada Test and Training Range. The modern group schedules range activities, supports airspace and safety coordination, operates command-and-control and communications functions, assists test customers, and provides technical infrastructure for advanced Air Force, joint, and multinational missions. Its two principal subordinate organizations are the 98th Operations Support Squadron and the 98th Range Squadron.

• 2001

  Current operations group activated

  [1]98th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Redesignated on 21 September and activated on 29 October, the group assumed operational responsibilities for the Nevada Test and Training Range.

• 1994

  Air refueling group inactivated

  [1]98th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The reserve air-refueling incarnation was inactivated on 30 September.

• 1987

  Air refueling lineage reactivated

  [1]98th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The unit returned in the Air Force Reserve on 1 October as the 98th Air Refueling Group, Heavy, operating KC-10 aircraft.

• 1952

  Bombardment group inactivated

  [1]98th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was inactivated on 16 June after operational squadrons had been assigned directly to the parent wing.

• 1950

  Korean War deployment

  [1]98th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group arrived at Yokota, Japan, in August and began bombing missions over North Korea.

• 1947

  Postwar reactivation

  [1]98th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was reactivated on 1 July with B-29 Superfortresses and became one of the early Strategic Air Command-associated units.

• 1945

  World War II group inactivated

  [1]98th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  After the European war, the group was redesignated for B-29 operations and inactivated on 10 November.

• 1943

  Ploesti raid and first Presidential recognition

  [1]98th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group participated in the 1 August low-level Ploesti refinery raid and received a Distinguished Unit Citation for its wider Middle East, North Africa, and Sicily operations.

• 1942

  98th Bombardment Group established and activated

  [1]98th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The unit was established on 28 January and activated on 3 February as a heavy bombardment group equipped for B-24 operations.

• 1942

  First combat mission

  [1]98th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group attacked Mersa Matruh, Libya, on 1 August during its initial Middle East deployment.

A specialized United States Air Force operational organization supporting complex Air Force, joint, and multinational testing and training through control of major military ranges.

• Military range management · 2001

  Nevada Test and Training Range operations

  The group's principal current function is the day-to-day control and coordination of NTTR activities. It schedules range users, manages access and airspace coordination, supports flight-following and safety deconfliction, and provides command-and-control, communications, data-link, threat-simulation, scoring, and debriefing capabilities for advanced test and training missions.

• Military training range · 2001

  Leach Lake Tactics Range

  The group operates the Leach Lake Tactics Range near Barstow, California, as part of its responsibility for Air Combat Command bombing-range activities and support to Air Force, joint, and multinational training users.

• Historical combat aviation · 1942

  B-24 Liberator bombardment operations

  From 1942 through 1945, the predecessor 98th Bombardment Group operated Consolidated B-24 Liberators in the Middle East, North Africa, Italy, and other European theaters. Its missions targeted supply lines, ports, industrial sites, airfields, and communications infrastructure.

• Historical combat aviation · 1945

  B-29 Superfortress bombardment operations

  The group used Boeing B-29 Superfortresses after its 1945 redesignation and during its 1947 reactivation. It later deployed the aircraft to Japan and flew combat missions over North Korea during the Korean War.

• Historical aerial refueling · 1987

  KC-10 Extender air-refueling operations

  The Air Force Reserve incarnation operated McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extenders from 1987 to 1994, providing aerial refueling and transport-support capacity for contingency, humanitarian, and regional operations.

• 1993Operation Southern Watch

  Southern Iraq

  The group supported patrol and air operations along Iraq's southern border.

  Outcome. The activity continued into January 1993 before the group's later inactivation.

  Source
• 1990Gulf War support

  Middle East

  The reserve air-refueling group was called upon to support operations connected with the Gulf War.

  Outcome. Specific operational results and sortie figures are not provided in the reference material.

  Source
• 1990Mogadishu humanitarian missions

  Somalia

  The group flew humanitarian missions into Mogadishu during a major humanitarian crisis.

  Outcome. The missions delivered 491,610 pounds of relief supplies.

  Source
• 1989Panama troop-airlift support

  Panama

  KC-10 aircraft and crews supported United States transport aircraft moving troops into Panama during preparations for Operation Just Cause.

  Outcome. The group provided aerial-refueling and mobility support for the broader operation.

  Source
• 1950Korean War

  Korean Peninsula

  Operating from Japan, the group attacked North Korean transportation, fuel, military, and communications targets and supported United Nations ground operations.

  Outcome. The group flew combat missions until its 1952 inactivation and recorded 34 known losses.

  Source
• 1944Southern France and Balkans operations

  Southern France · Balkans · Yugoslavia

  The group supported the invasion of southern France, the Soviet advance in the Balkans, and partisan and guerrilla forces in Yugoslavia and neighboring areas.

  Outcome. These operations contributed to the group's World War II campaign record and battle honors.

  Source
• 1943Ploesti oil-refinery raid

  Romania

  The group participated in the low-level attack on Axis oil refineries at Ploesti on 1 August.

  Outcome. The group received a second Distinguished Unit Citation, while Colonel John R. Kane received the Medal of Honor.

  Source
• 1942North Africa campaign

  North Africa

  The B-24 group supported the British Eighth Army and attacked enemy shipping, ports, and supply routes during the Allied advance through Libya and Tunisia.

  Outcome. The group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for its operations in the Middle East, North Africa, and Sicily.

  Source

• 2001

  Reorientation toward range operationsStrategy

  Background

  The Air Force required a dedicated organization to manage and support the Nevada Test and Training Range.

  Action taken

  The lineage was redesignated as the 98th Operations Group and activated at Nellis Air Force Base.

  Aftermath

  The organization became a non-flying range-control unit supporting thousands of annual test and training sorties.

  Source

• 1951

  Administrative reorganizationStrategy

  Background

  Strategic Air Command reorganized its wings using a structure that changed the relationship between groups and operational squadrons.

  Action taken

  The group's operational squadrons were assigned directly to the parent wing, leaving the group primarily administrative.

  Aftermath

  The bombardment group was inactivated in June 1952.

  Source

• 1945

  Transition from B-24 to B-29 operationsGeneration change

  Background

  After the European war, the group prepared for a Pacific deployment and was redesignated for very-heavy bombardment.

  Action taken

  It was equipped with Boeing B-29 Superfortresses, although the planned Pacific redeployment was cancelled after Japan surrendered.

  Aftermath

  The group was inactivated in November 1945 and later reactivated with B-29s in 1947.

  Source

1. 198th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org