Lineage. Established as 3 Observation Group, and organized, on 30 Sep 1919. Redesignated as: 6 Group (Observation) on 14 Mar 1921; 6 Group (Composite) in Jun 1922; 6 Composite Group on 25 Jan 1923; 6 Bombardment Group on 1 Sep 1937; 6 Bombardment Group (Medium) on 6 Dec 1939; 6 Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 12 Dec 1940. Disestablished on 1 Nov 1943. Reestablished, and consolidated (29 Jun 1944) with the 6 Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, which was established on 28 Mar 1944. Activated on 1 Apr 1944. Inactivated on 18 Oct 1948. Redesignated as 6 Bombardment Group, Medium on 20 Dec 1950. Activated on 2 Jan 1951. Inactivated on 16 Jun 1952. Redesignated as: 6 Strategic Group on 31 Jul 1985; 6 Operations Group on 1 Jul 1996. Activated on 1 Oct 1996.
Assignments. Panama Canal Department, 30 Sep 1919; 19 Composite Wing (later, 19 Wing; 19 Bombardment Wing), 25 Jan 1933; VI Bomber Command, 25 Oct 1941-1 Nov 1943. Second Air Force, 1 Apr 1944; 313 Bombardment Wing, 23 Apr 1944; 1 Air Division, 1 Jun 1947-18 Oct 1948. 6 Bombardment Wing, 2 Jan 1951-16 Jun 1952. 6 Air Refueling (later, 6 Air Mobility) Wing, 1 Oct 1996-.
Operational Components. Squadrons. 3 Bombardment: 1 Feb 1940-1 Nov 1943. 5 Aero: 24 Oct 1919-24 Mar 1920 (detached entire period). 6 Air Refueling: 10 Apr-1 Aug 1951 (detached entire period). 7 Aero (later, 7 Observation; 7 Reconnaissance; 397 Bombardment): assigned 30 Sep 1919-1 Feb 1940, attached 1 Feb 1940-25 Feb 1942, assigned 25 Feb 1942-1 Nov 1943. 24 Bombardment: 1 Apr 1944-18 Oct 1948; 2 Jan 1951-16 Jun 1952 (detached 2 Jan 1951-16 Jun 1952). 24 Aero (later, 24 Pursuit): assigned 27 May 1922-8 May 1929, attached 8 May 1929-1 Dec 1932. 25 Bombardment: 27 May 1922-12 May 1943. 29 Bombardment: 12 May-1 Nov 1943. 39 Bombardment: 1 Apr 1944-18 Oct 1948; 2 Jan 1951-16 Jun 1952 (detached 2 Jan 1951-16 Jun 1952). 40 Bombardment: 1 Apr 1944-18 Oct 1948; 2 Jan 1951-16 Jun 1952 (detached 2 Jan 1951-16 Jun 1952). 41 Bombardment: 1 Apr-10 May 1944. 44 Observation: 1 Apr 1931-1 Sep 1937. 74 Bombardment: 1 Feb 1940-9 Aug 1942; 12 May-1 Nov 1943. 78 Pursuit: attached 1 Apr 1931-1 Dec 1932. 91 Air Refueling: 1 Oct 1996-. 99 Air Refueling: 1 Oct 2009-. 310 Airlift: 1 Jan 2001-. 395 Bombardment: 9 Aug 1942-12 May 1943. 911 Air Refueling: 12 Apr 2008-.
Stations. France Field, Canal Zone, 30 Sep 1919; Rio Hato AB, Panama, 9 Dec 1941; Albrook Field, Canal Zone, 14 Jan 1943; Howard Field, Canal Zone, Oct-1 Nov 1943. Dalhart AAFld, TX, 1 Apr 1944; Grand Island AAFld, NE, 19 May-18 Nov 1944; North Field, Tinian, 28 Dec 1944; Clark Field, Luzon, c. Feb 1946; Kadena AB, Okinawa, 1 Jun 1947-18 Oct 1948. Walker AFB, NM, 2 Jan 1951-16 Jun 1952. MacDill AFB, FL, 1 Oct 1996-.
Commanders. Lt Col Millard F. Harmon Jr., 30 Sep 1919; Maj Raycroft Walsh, 22 Mar 1921; Maj Follett Bradley, 3 Aug 1923; Maj Roy M. Jones, 10 Jul 1926; Lt Col A. G. Fisher, 24 Aug 1926; Maj Leo G. Heffernan, 4 Jul 1931; Lt Col Lewis H. Brereton, 2 Dec 1931; Lt Col Junius H. Houghton, 20 Jun 1935; Lt Col Richard H. Ballard, 18 Jul 1936; Lt Col William O. Butler, 31 Dec 1936; Lt Col Vernon L. Burge, 22 Jun 1939; Lt Col Edwin J. House, 30 Aug 1939; Maj Samuel M. Connell, c. Sep 1940-Feb 1941; Col Henry K. Mooney, 15 Sep 1941-20 Jan 1943; unkn, 20 Jan-1 Nov 1943. None (not manned), 1-18 Apr 1944; Maj William E. Taylor, 19 Apr 1944; Lt Col Howard D. Kenzie, 28 Apr 1944; Col Kenneth H. Gibson, 17 Jun 1944; Lt Col Theodore W. Tucker, 31 Aug 1945; Col John P. Kenny, 29 Aug 1946; Col Frank P. Sturdivant, 4 Dec 1946-unkn. None (not manned), 15 Jan 1951-16 Jun 1952. Col Patrick T. Sakole, 1 Oct 1996; Col Vern M. Findley II, 2 Aug 1997; Col Timothy D. Gann, 13 May 1998; Col Alfred J. Stewart, 17 Apr 2000; Col Robert C. Kane, 15 Apr 2002; Col Brian Kelly, 22 Jul 2003; Col Scott A. Brumbaugh, 22 Apr 2005; Col Jon D. Klaus, 4 May 2007; Col James Morgan, 17 Jul 2009; Col Matthew C. Molineaux, 13 Jun 2011; Col Brian N. Smith, 14 May 2013-.
Aircraft. During 1919-1931 period, included JN-4, R-3 (R-9), R-4; DH-4, HS2L, OA-1, O-2, NBS-1, P-12, SE-5, MB-3, and PW-9. During 1928-1932 period, included LB-5, LB-6, and LB-7. During 1930-1936 period, included OA-4. O-19, 1930-1937; B-3, 1931-1936; B-6, 1936-1937; B-10, 1936-1939; B-18, 1938-1943; B-17, 1941-1943; LB-30, 1942-1943; B-24, 1942-1943; A-17, 1942-1943; L-4, 1943; RB-17, 1943. B-17, 1944; B-29, 1944-1947. KC-135, 1996-; EC-135, 1997-2003; CT-43, 1997-2001; C-37, 2001-.
Operations. Participated in training exercises, maneuvers, and patrols in defense of the Panama Canal, 1919-1943. During this period, the group also took part in aerial photography missions, aerial reviews, and good will flights to Central and South American countries. In Jan 1939, it flew mercy missions to Santiago, Chile, for the relief of earthquake victims. Antisubmarine patrols, 7 Dec 1941-12 Sep 1943. Trained for heavy bombardment combat operations, first with B-17s and then with B-29s, Apr-Nov 1944. It moved to the Mariana Islands in Nov 1944, from where it raided Iwo Jima, Truk, and Japan. At first the group flew high altitude daylight missions, but in Mar 1945, it began to fly low level night incendiary raids against Japanese cities. Earned a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for a 25 May mission against Tokyo. Earned a second DUC for mining missions around Japan and the Japanese-occupied Korean peninsula in Jul 1945. To support the American invasion of Okinawa in Apr 1945, the group bombed Kamikaze airfields in Kyushu. Immediately after the war, it participated in show-of-force flights over Japan and dropped food and other relief supplies to newly freed Allied prisoners of war. Moved to Philippines between Jan and Mar 1946 and to Ryukyu Islands in Jun 1947. Inactivated in Okinawa in Oct 1948. During a brief period of activation between 2 Jan 1951 and 16 Jun 1952, the group had only one officer and one airman assigned. Activated again on 1 Oct 1996 with an air refueling mission. Elements deployed to Southwest Asia in Jul 1998 to refuel aircraft engaged in no-fly operations over northern Iraq. After Jan 2001, the group also provided airlift for the commanders of U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command. Refueled fighter aircraft providing security over the southeastern United States as part of homeland security after terrorist attacks against the United States in Sep 2001. Since 2001, personnel and aircraft deployed around the world to fulfill air refueling and aeromedical missions.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Japan; Eastern Mandates; Western Pacific.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Tokyo, Japan, 25 May 1945; Japanese Empire, 9-19 Jul 1945. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: [1 Oct] 1996-30 Jun 1998; 1 Jul 1998-30 Jun 2000; 1 Jul 2004-30 Jun 2006; 1 Jul 2007-30 Jun 2009; 1 Jul 2009-30 Jun 2010.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through Oct 2013.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through Sep 2013.
Supersedes statement prepared on 5 Jan 2009.
Emblem. Approved on 11 Apr 2019.
Prepared by Patsy Robertson.
Reviewed by Carl E. Bailey.