View source for 458th Air Expeditionary Group

{{Use American English|date=July 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name= 458th Air Expeditionary Group
|image=DF-SD-05-01465.jpg
|image_size=300
|caption=A [[C-17A Globemaster III]] of the 458th Air Expeditionary Group at [[Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base]]
|dates={{unbulleted list|1943–1945 | 1992–1995 | 2004 | 2006 (twice) | 2007 (twice) | 2007–2011 }}
|country={{flag|United States|23px}}
|branch={{air force|USA}}
|type=
|role=Air Expeditionary
|size=
|command_structure= [[United States Air Forces in Europe]]
|current_commander=
|garrison=
|nickname=
|motto=
|colors=
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=[[European Theater of Operations]]
|anniversaries=
|decorations=[[Air Force Outstanding Unit Award]]
<!-- Insignia -->
|identification_symbol=
|identification_symbol_label=
|identification_symbol_2=
|identification_symbol_2_label=
}}

The '''458th Air Expeditionary Group''' is a provisional [[United States Air Force]] unit assigned to [[United States Air Forces in Europe]] to activate or inactivate as needed.  The most recent known activation of the unit was at [[Ramstein Air Base]], Germany in 2011.

The [[group (military aviation unit)|group]] was first activated during [[World War II]] as the '''458th Bombardment Group'''.  After training with [[Consolidated B-24 Liberator]] heavy bombers in the United States, it deployed to the [[European Theater of Operations]], where it participated in the [[strategic bombing during World War II#US bombing in Europe|strategic bombing campaign]] against Germany.   Following [[V-E Day]], the squadron returned to the United States, where it began training with [[Boeing B-29 Superfortress]]es. It was inactivated in October 1945.

The squadron was activated as the '''458th Operations Group''' in 1992, when the [[air refueling]] mission was transferred from [[Strategic Air Command]] to [[Air Mobility Command]] in 1992.  It was inactivated once its assets were reassigned to air mobility units in 1994.  In 2001, the group was converted to provisional status.

==History==
===World War II===
====Training in the United States====
The 458th Bombardment Group was activated at [[Wendover Field]], Utah on 1 July 1943, with the [[752d Bombardment Squadron|752d]], [[753d Bombardment Squadron|753d]], [[754th Bombardment Squadron|754th]] and [[755th Bombardment Squadron]]s assigned.  In July, the [[group (military aviation unit)|group]] moved to [[Gowen Field]], Idaho to begin organizing, drawing its initial [[cadre (military)|cadre]] from the [[29th Bombardment Group]].  The air echelon of the group's cadre immediately departed for [[Orlando Army Air Base]], where they spent the next two months participating in specialized tactical training.  In September 1943, the air and ground echelons of the group were united at [[Kearns Army Air Base]], Utah, before proceeding to Wendover to begin the first phase of training with the [[Consolidated B-24 Liberator]].<ref name=Maurer458BG>Maurer, ''Combat Groups'', p. 333</ref><ref name=training>{{cite web |url= https://www.458bg.com/training-1943 |title=Operations: Training, July - December 1943|publisher=458th Bombardment Group|access-date=4 June 2019}}</ref>

At Wendover, most of the initial combat crews were assigned to the group.<ref name=training/> By the end of 1943, the 458th completed its training and began moving to the [[European Theater of Operations]].<ref name=Maurer458BG/><ref>Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 736-738</ref> The ground echelon departed its final training base, [[Tonopah Army Air Field]], Nevada, where it had been the first heavy bomber group to train, for the port of embarkation at [[Camp Shanks]], New York, on 1 January 1944.{{efn|Freeman says the ground echelon left on 29 December.<ref> Freeman, p.259.</ref>  Maurer says 1 January,{{cn|date=January 2024}} while the group's history gives the 29th as the date the group's advance party left, while the rest of the group's ground echelon departed Wendover by troop train on 1 January.{{cn|date=January 2024}}}} They sailed to England on the {{USS|Florence Nightingale (AP-70)}}. The air echelon assembled at [[Hamilton Army Airfield|Hamilton Field]], then ferried its Liberators to England via the southern ferry route.<ref name=training/><ref name=Freeman259>Freeman, p. 259</ref>

====Combat in Europe====
[[File:B-24s 458th BG with P-51s.jpg|thumb|B-24 Liberators of the 458th Bombardment Group over the North Sea{{efn|The fighter escorts are [[North American P-51 Mustang]]s of the [[352d Fighter Group]] }}]]
The group arrived at its combat station, [[RAF Horsham St. Faith]] near [[Norwich]] in eastern England on 1 February 1944. Aircrews had begun arriving on 24 January. The last bombers of the 458th arrived on 16 February.<ref name=Maurer458BG/><ref name=Freeman259/> It entered the [[Combined Bomber Offensive|strategic bombing campaign against Germany]] during [[Big Week]]. Its first missions, flown on 24 and 25 February 1944, were diversionary missions, not strikes against the German aircraft manufacturing industry.<ref name=Maurer458BG/>

On 2 March it began flying strategic bombardment missions.  Its targets included an aircraft manufacturing plant at [[Brandenburg an der Havel]], an airfield near [[Braunschweig]], a fuel depot at [[Dulmen]], oil refineries near [[Hamburg]], marshalling yards at [[Hamm, North Rhine-Westphalia|Hamm]], an aircraft engine manufacturing factory at [[Magdeburg]], the shipping canal at [[Minden]], aircraft factories at [[Oschersleben]] and the industrial area of [[Saarbrücken]].<ref name=Maurer458BG/>

[[File:752d Bombardment Squadron - B-24 Liberator.jpg|thumb|A 458th Group B-24J Liberator on the bomb run over [[Bielefeld]], Germany on 24 February 1945{{efn|Aircraft is Consolidated B-24J-165-CO Liberator, serial 44-40475 "Jolly Roger".  Taken on 24 February 1945.}} ]]
The group was occasionally diverted from the strategic bombing campaign to conduct [[air interdiction]] and [[close air support]] missions.  It helped prepare for [[Operation Overlord]], the invasion of Normandy, by striking [[artillery battery|artillery batteries]], [[V-1 flying bomb]] and [[V-2 rocket]] launching sites, and [[military air base|airfields]] in France.  On [[D-Day]], it attacked [[Atlantic Wall|coastal defenses]] to support the amphibious landings. Afterward, it attacked [[lines of communication]] to prevent the movement of enemy personnel and materiel from reaching the battlefield.  It attacked enemy troops during [[Operation Cobra]], the breakout from the beachhead through [[Saint Lo]] in late July.<ref name=Maurer458BG/>

It flew support missions during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 and January 1945 and during [[Operation Varsity]], the airborne attacks across the [[Rhine]] in April 1945.  The group stopped its bombing in September 1944, to transport gasoline to airfields in France to supply the [[Third Army (United States)|Third Army]], which had outrun its supply lines, called Operation Truckin'.  Although the group flew more than 450 Truckin' sorties to [[advanced landing ground]]s in France and lost two aircraft, these were not considered combat missions.  The group flew its last combat mission on 24 April 1945.<ref name=Maurer458BG/> The group flew 240 combat missions, claiming the destruction of 28 enemy aircraft, while losing 47 Liberators.<ref name=Freeman259/><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.458bg.com/truckin.htm |title=Operations: Truckin'|publisher=458th Bombardment Group|access-date=5 June 2019}}</ref>

The group had the distinction of being the test squadron for the [[Army Air Forces]]' first [[guided bomb]] project.<ref name=Freeman259/> In May 1944, ten modified B-24s capable of launching [[Azon]] bombs were delivered to the 458th Group.  On 31 May 1944, the group conducted a raid against several bridges in Normandy.<ref>Freeman, p. 146</ref>

====Return and inactivation====
In May 1945, the group flew 105 "Trolley" missions.  These missions transported ground personnel of the group over target areas on the continent to permit them to see the results of their contributions to the group mission.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.458bg.com/trolley-missions |title=Operations: Trolley Missions|publisher=458th Bombardment Group|access-date=5 June 2019}}</ref> The group returned to the United States in June 1945, with aircraft beginning to depart for [[Bradley Air National Guard Base|Bradley Field]], Connecticut on 14 June.  The ground echelon sailed on the {{RMS|Queen Mary}} on 6 July.<ref name=Freeman259/> The group assembled at [[Sioux Falls Army Air Field]], South Dakota in July.  At Sioux Falls, all personnel who had not been discharged were transferred to other units.<ref name=JunSep45>{{cite web |url= https://www.458bg.com/june-september-1945 |title=Operations: Group History June-September 1945|publisher=458th Bombardment Group|access-date=5 June 2019}}</ref>

The group reformed at [[Walker Army Air Field]], Kansas. It moved to [[March Field]], California in August, once it had achieved 20% manning.  At March Field, it trained with the [[Boeing B-29 Superfortress]] very heavy bomber, but never approached 60% of its manning.  It was inactivated there in October 1945.<ref name=Maurer458BG/><ref name=JunSep45/>

===Air Mobility Command air refueling===
In 1992, [[Strategic Air Command]] was inactivated. Its bomber and reconnaissance mission was transferred to [[Air Combat Command]] (ACC).  [[Barksdale Air Force Base]], Louisiana became an ACC base. Its [[air refueling]] squadrons were transferred to [[Air Mobility Command]] (AMC).  AMC activated the unit on 1 June 1992 as the '''458th Operations Group''', to control its two [[McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender]] tanker squadrons at Barksdale.  The group was assigned to the [[22d Air Refueling Wing]] at [[McConnell Air Force Base]], Kansas. From 1 October 1993 until it was inactivated on 1 April 1994, the [[71st Air Refueling Squadron]], flying [[Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker]]s was briefly assigned to the group.  While assigned to the group, these squadrons frequently deployed personnel and aircraft worldwide.<ref name=458AEGfacts>{{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/432178/458-air-expeditionary-group-usafe/ |last1=Robertson|first1=Patsy|title=Factsheet 458 Air Expeditionary Group (USAFE)|date=11 July 2011|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=1 February 2014}}</ref>

In October 1994, the group and its [[2d Air Refueling Squadron|2d]] and [[32d Air Refueling Squadron]]s moved to [[McGuire Air Force Base]], New Jersey.  The group was inactivated on 1 July 1995.<ref name=458AEGfacts/> It's KC-10s were reassigned to the [[305th Operations Group]], when [[Air Mobility Command]] consolidated its tanker force.

[[File:A US Air Force (USAF) C-130 Hercules aircraft assigned to the 458th Air Expeditionary Group (AEG) taxis onto the parking ramp at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base (AB), Romania, during O - DPLA - 52d809de8623796376a79f2c77b2ee7e.jpeg|thumb|A C-130 Hercules assigned to the 458th Air Expeditionary Group taxis onto the parking ramp at [[RoAF 57th Air Base|Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base]]]]

===United States Air Forces in Europe expeditionary operations===
The unit was converted to provisional status in February 2001 and assigned to [[United States Air Forces in Europe]]. In September 2002 the group deployed to Air Force Base Waterkloof, South Africa to participate in the first bilateral exercise between the air forces of South Africa and the United States. More than 200 airmen from Royal Air Force Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath in England, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., and the Oklahoma Air National Guard participated in the exercise.

In 2003, the group was again brought briefly to life, when it was active at [[Mihail Kogălniceanu International Airport]], 26&nbsp;km northwest of [[Constanța]], Romania. The group was active from about March to June 2003, charged with maintaining an [[airbridge (logistics)|airbridge]] at the base to transport supplies and people to the [[United States Central Command]] area of responsibility at the beginning of the U.S. [[Iraq War]] - Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|Afghanistan War]] - Operation Enduring Freedom.

==Lineage==
* Constituted as the 458th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 May 1943, activated on 1 July 1943
* Redesignated 458th Bombardment Group, Heavy on 16 August 1944
* Redesignated 458th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy 5 August 1945, inactivated on 17 October 1945
* Redesignated 458th Operations Group on 1 July 1992 and activated. Inactivated on 1 July 1995
* Redesignated as 458th Air Expeditionary Group and converted to provisional status on 5 February 2001
: Activated on 27 May 2004, Inactivated on 11 June 2004
: Activated on 5 May 2006, Inactivated on 6 June 2006
: Activated on 3 September 2006, Inactivated on 20 September 2006
: Activated on 26 July 2007, Inactivated on 20 September 2007
: Activated on 11 October 2007, Inactivated on 13 November 2007
: Activated on 26 November 2007, Inactivated on 25 July 2011<ref name=458AEGfacts/>

===Assignments===
* [[Second Air Force]], 1 July 1943
* [[Eighth Air Force]], 28 January 1944
* [[2d Bombardment Division]], 8 February 1944
* Second Air Force, 12 July 1944 – 17 October 1945
* [[22d Air Refueling Wing]], 1 June 1992 – 1 July 1995
* [[United States Air Forces in Europe]] to activate or inactivate at any time after 5 February 2001
:: 3d Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force, 27 May 2004 – 11 June 2004
:: Attached to [[Air Command, Europe]], 5 May 2006 – 6 June 2006
:: Attached to Air Command, Europe, 3 September 2006 – 20 September 2006
:: Attached to [[Third Air Force]], 26 July 2007 – 20 September 2007
:: Attached to Third Air Force, 11 October 2007 – 13 November 2007
:: Attached to Third Air Force, 26 November 2007 - 25 July 2011<ref name=458AEGfacts/>

===Components===
* 458th Bombardment Group 
** 752d Bombardment Squadron, 1 July 1943 – 17 October 1945<ref name="Maurer458BG" />
** 753d Bombardment Squadron, 1 July 1943 – 17 October 1945<ref name="Maurer458BG" />
** 754th Bombardment Squadron, 1 July 1943 – 17 October 1945<ref name="Maurer458BG" />
** 755th Bombardment Squadron, 1 July 1943 – 17 October 1945<ref name="Maurer458BG" />
* 458th Operations Group
** 2d Air Refueling Squadron, 1 June 1992 – 1 July 1995<ref name="458AEGfacts" />
** 32d Air Refueling Squadron, 1 June 1992 – 1 July 1995<ref name="458AEGfacts" />
** 458th Operations Support Squadron, 1 June 1992 – 1 July 1995
** 71st Air Refueling Squadron, 1 October 1993 – 1 April 1994<ref name="458AEGfacts" />
* 458th Air Expeditionary Group
** 37th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, 27 May 2004 – 11 June 2004<ref name="458AEGfacts" />
** 81st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 27 May 2004 – 11 June 2004<ref name="458AEGfacts" />
** 86th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron, 27 May 2004 – 11 June 2004<ref name="458AEGfacts" />
** [[492d Expeditionary Fighter Squadron]], 27 May 2004 – 11 June 2004<ref name="458AEGfacts" />
** 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 27 May 2004 – 11 June 2004<ref name="458AEGfacts" />
** 435th Expeditionary Medical Operations Squadron, 3 September 2006 – 20 September 2006
** [[786th Air Expeditionary Squadron]], 3 September 2006 – 20 September 2006
** [[788th Air Expeditionary Squadron]], 26 July 2007 – 20 September 2007; 11 October 2007 - 13 November 2007; 26 November 2007 – 25 July 2011<ref name="458AEGfacts" />
:: [[Istres Air Base]], France
* [[789th Air Expeditionary Squadron]], 11 October 2007 – 13 November 2007; 26 November 2007 - 25 July 2011<ref name=458AEGfacts/>
:: [[Zaragoza Air Base]], Spain

===Stations===
{{div-col}}
* Wendover Field, Utah 1 July 1943
* Gowen Field, Idaho, 28 July 1943
* [[Kearns Army Air Base]], Utah, 11 September 1943
* Wendover Field, Utah, 15 September 1943
* Tonopah Army Air Field, Nevada, 31 October to 29 December 1943
* RAF Horsham St. Faith (Station 123),<ref> Anderson.</ref> England, January 1944 to 14 June 1945
* Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, 12 July 1945
* Walker Army Air Field, Kansas, 25 July 1945
* March Field, California, 21 August – 17 October 1945.
* Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, 1 June 1992
* McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, 1 October 1994 – 1 July 1995
* [[Cherbourg – Maupertus Airport]], France, 27 May 2004 – 11 June 2004
* [[Goulmima]], Morocco, 5 May 2006 – 6 June 2006
* [[Kaduna (city)|Kaduna]], Nigeria, 3 September 2006 – 20 September 2006
* [[Ramstein Air Base]], Germany, 26 July 2007 – 20 September 2007
* Ramstein Air Base, Germany, 11 October 2007 – 13 November 2007
* Ramstein Air Base, Germany, 26 November 2007 - 25 July 2011<ref>Robertson, Factsheet 485 Air Expeditionary Group, except as noted.</ref>
{{div-col-end}}

===Aircraft===
* Consolidated B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945
* Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1945
* McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender, 1992–1995<ref name=458AEGfacts/>
* Boeing C-17 Globemaster III and Lockheed C-130 Hercules, 2003

===Awards and campaigns===
{{unit awards table
|award_image1=AF OUA
|award_name1=[[Air Force Outstanding Unit Award]]
|award_date1=1 June 1992-30 June 1993
|award_notes1=458th Operations Group<ref name=458AEGfacts/>
|award_image2=AF OUA
|award_name2=Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
|award_date2=1 July 1994-1 July 1995
|award_notes2=458th Operations Group<ref name=458AEGfacts/>
}}

{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#efefef;"
! Campaign Streamer
! Campaign
! Dates
! Notes
|-
|[[Image:Streamer EAMEC.PNG|200px]]||Air Offensive, Europe||1 February 1944 – 5 June 1944|| rowspan="7" |458th Bombardment Group<ref name=Maurer458BG/>
|-
|[[Image:Streamer EAMEC.PNG|200px]]||Air Combat, EAME Theater||1 February 1944 – 11 May 1945
|-
|[[Image:Streamer EAMEC.PNG|200px]]||Normandy||6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944
|-
|[[Image:Streamer EAMEC.PNG|200px]]||Northern France||25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944
|-
|[[Image:Streamer EAMEC.PNG|200px]]||Rhineland||15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945
|-
|[[Image:Streamer EAMEC.PNG|200px]]||Ardennes-Alsace||16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945
|-
|[[Image:Streamer EAMEC.PNG|200px]]||Central Europe||22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945
|}

==See also==

* [[B-24 Liberator units of the United States Army Air Forces]]
{{-}}

==References==
===Notes===
; Explanatory notes
{{notelist}}
{{reflist|group=note}}

; Citations
{{reflist|40em}}

===Bibliography===
{{Air Force Historical Research Agency}}
* {{cite book|last=Anderson|first=Capt. Barry|title= Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II|url=http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-081010-027.pdf |year=1985|publisher=Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center|location=Maxwell AFB, AL|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160123155923/http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-081010-027.pdf |archive-date=23 January 2016|access-date=28 June 2017}}
* {{cite book|last=Freeman|first = Roger A. |author-link1=Roger A. Freeman|title=The Mighty Eighth: Units, Men and Machines (A History of the US 8th Army Air Force)|year=1970 |publisher=Macdonald and Company|location=London, England, UK |isbn= 978-0-87938-638-2}}
* {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Air Force Combat Units of World War II|orig-year= 1961|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161220180735/http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf|url-status= dead|archive-date= 20 December 2016|access-date= 17 December 2016|edition=reprint|year=1983|publisher= Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-02-1|lccn=61060979}}
* {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Air Force Combat Units of World War II|orig-year= 1961|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161220180735/http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf |url-status= dead |archive-date= 20 December 2016 |edition=reprint|year=1983|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-02-1|lccn=61060979}}
* {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II|orig-year=1969|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161220180455/http://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf|url-status= dead|archive-date= 20 December 2016|edition= reprint|year=1982|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-405-12194-6|oclc=72556|lccn=70605402}}
* {{cite book|last=Watkins|first=Robert|title=Battle Colors: Insignia and Markings of the Eighth Air Force in World War II |volume=I (VIII) Bomber Command|year=2008|publisher=Shiffer Publishing Ltd.|location=Atglen, PA|isbn=978-0-7643-1987-7}}

; Further reading
* Freeman, Roger A. (1978) ''Airfields of the Eighth: Then and Now''. After the Battle {{ISBN|0-900913-09-6}}
* Freeman, Roger A. (2001) ''The Mighty Eighth: The Colour Record''. Cassell {{ISBN|0-304-35708-1}}

==External links==
* {{cite web |url= http://www.458bg.com/ |last1=Scorza|first1=Darin|title=458th Bombardment Group (H)|date=2013}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.heritageleague.org/groups/458bg.htm |title=458th Bombardment Group |publisher=Heritage League |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303172431/http://www.heritageleague.org/groups/458bg.htm |archive-date=3 March 2016 |url-status=dead }} 
* {{cite web |url= https://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/140494/air-force-participates-in-south-africa-exercise.aspx |last1=Bushey|first1=2d Lt Rosaire|title=Air Force participates in South Africa exercise|date=18 September 2002|publisher=United States European Command}}
* {{cite web |url= http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2003/04/mil-030409-usafe04.htm |last1=Watt|first1=1st Lt Chris|title=AF members build friendships, bridges in Romania|date=9 April 2003|publisher=United States Air Forces Europe (Global Security.org mirror site)}}

{{USAF Air Forces in Europe}}
{{USAF Air Mobility Command}}
{{USAAF 8th Air Force UK}}
{{USAAF 2d Air Force World War II}}

[[Category:Air expeditionary groups of the United States Air Force|458]]