461 Operations Group (ACC)

Lineage.  Established as 461 Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 May 1943.  Activated on 1 Jul 1943.  Inactivated on 28 Aug 1945.  Redesignated as 461 Bombardment Group, Light, on 11 Dec 1953.  Activated on 23 Dec 1953.  Redesignated as 461 Bombardment Group, Tactical, on 1 Oct 1955.  Inactivated on 8 Jan 1958.   Redesignated as 461 Operations Group on 1 Sep 2011.  Activated on 1 Oct 2011.     

Assignments.  Second Air Force, 1 Jul 1943; Fourth Air Force, 30 Oct 1943; IV Fighter Command, 7 Nov 1943; 55 Bombardment Wing, 5 Feb 1944; 49 Bombardment Wing, 14 Mar 1944-Jul 1945; Second Air Force, c. 22 Jul-28 Aug 1945.  461 Bombardment Wing, 23 Dec 1953-8 Jan 1958.  461 Air Control Wing, 1 Oct 2011-. 

Operational Components.  Squadrons.  12 Airborne Command and Control: 1 Oct 2011-.  16 Airborne Command and Control: 1 Oct 2011-.  330 Combat Training: 1 Oct 2011-.  764 Bombardment: 1 Jul 1943-28 Aug 1945; 23 Dec 1953-8 Jan 1958. 765 Bombardment: 1 Jul 1943-28 Aug 1945; 23 Dec 1953-8 Jan 1958. 766 Bombardment: 1 Jul 1943-28 Aug 1945; 23 Dec 1953-8 Jan 1958.  767 Bombardment: 1 Jul 1943-28 Aug 1945.

Stations.   Wendover Field, UT, 1 Jul 1943; Gowen Field, ID, 29 Jul 1943; Kearns AAB, UT, 11 Sep 1943; Wendover Field, UT, 30 Sep 1943; Hammer Field, CA, 30 Oct 1943-Jan 1944; Torretto Airfield, Italy, c. 20 Feb 1944-Jul 1945; Sioux Falls AAFld, SD, 22 Jul-28 Aug 1945.  Hill AFB, UT, 23 Dec 1953; Blytheville AFB, AR, 8 Feb 1956-8 Jan 1958.  Robins AFB, GA, 1 Oct 2011-.

Commanders.   Unkn, 1 Jul-11 Aug 1943; Lt Col William G. Carter, 12 Aug 1943; Col Frederic E. Glantzberg, 25 Oct 1943; Col Philip R. Hawes, 22 Sep 1944; Col Brooks A. Lawhon, 20 Dec 1944; Col Craven C. Rogers, 16 Apr 1945-unkn.   Maj Gordon Baker, 11 Dec 1953; Lt Col Donald F. Blake, 4 Feb 1954; Lt Col Robert F. Price, 20 Feb 1954; Col Maxwell W. Roman, 14 Jul 1954; Lt Col John A. McVey, 1 Jul 1955; Lt Col William F. Furman, c. 1 Aug 1955; Col Robert W. Paulson, 1 Jul 1956; Lt Col Lawrence M. McNally, 10 Jun 1957; Maj William K. Bush, 12 Jun 1957; Col John D. Bridges, 20 Jun 1957; Maj Charles F. Wolfe, 21 Jun 1957; Col John D. Bridges, 29 Jun 1957; Lt Col Charles Cook, 16 Sep 1957; Col John D. Bridges, 25 Sep 1957-8 Jan 1958.  Col Troy R. Stone, 1 Oct 2011; Col Daniel B. Talati, 29 Jun 2012; Col Thomas W. Nicholson, 27 Jun 2014; Col Karl R. Schrader, 1 Jul 2016; Col Walter C. Hattemer, c. Jun 2018; Col Jeffrey T. Jennings, 19 Jun 2020-.

Aircraft.  B-24, 1943-1945.  B-26, 1953-1955; B-57, 1955-1958.  E-8, 2011-.

Operations.  Combat in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) and the European Theater of Operations (ETO), Apr 1944-Apr 1945.  Received two Distinguished Unit Citations (DUCs): on 13 Apr 1944 for attacking an aircraft components factory in Budapest, Hungary; and on 15 Jul 1944 for attacking oil facilities at Ploesti, Rumania.  Dropped supplies to prisoner of war (POW) camps in Austria, May 1945.  Conducted combat training in B-26s before converting to B-57s, 1953-1958.  Since Oct 2011, flew JSTARS aircraft surveilling moving ground targets to support tactical military operations. 

Service Streamers.  Global War on Terrorism-Service (GWOT-S).

Campaign Streamers. World War II:  Air Combat, EAME Theater; Air Offensive, Europe; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Po Valley.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers.  None.

Decorations.  Distinguished Unit Citations:  Budapest, Hungary, 13 Apr 1944; Ploesti, Rumania, 15 Jul 1944.  Meritorious Unit Awards: [1 Oct 2011]-31 Mar 2012; 1 Apr 2012-31 May 2013; 1 Jun 2014-31 May 2015; 1 Jun 2015-31 May 2016; 1 Jun 2016-31 May 2017; 1 Jun 2018-31 May 2019.  Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 1 Jun 2013-31 May 2014; 1 Jun 2017-31 May 2018.

Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, Aircraft, Operations, and Honors through 27 Jan 2021.

Commanders through 27 Jan 2021.

Supersedes statement prepared 13 Jun 2019.

Emblem.  Approved 29 Mar 2012.

Prepared by Margaret Ream.