44 Fighter Group (AFRC)

Lineage.  Established as 44 Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Redesignated as: 44 Bombardment Group, Heavy, on 20 Aug 1943; 44 Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, on 5 Aug 1945.  Inactivated on 12 Jul 1946. Activated on 1 Jul 1947. Inactivated on 6 Sep 1948. Redesignated as 44 Bombardment Group, Medium, on 20 Dec 1950. Activated on 2 Jan 1951. Inactivated on 16 Jun 1952. Redesignated as 44 Operations Group on 29 Aug 1991.  Activated on 1 Sep 1991. Inactivated on 1 Jul 1994. Redesignated as 44 Fighter Group on 7 Jan 2010. Activated on 1 Feb 2010.

Assignments.  3 Bombardment Wing, 15 Jan 1941; III Bomber Command, 5 Sep 1941; Eighth Air Force, c. 10 Sep 1942; 2 Bombardment Wing, Sep 1942 (attached to 201 Provisional Combat Wing, 25 Mar-12 Sep 1943); 2 Bombardment Division, 13 Sep 1943; 14 Combat Bombardment Wing, Sep 1943; Second Air Force, c. 26 Jun 1945; 17 Bombardment Operational Training Wing, Jul 1945; Strategic Air Command, 21 Mar 1946; Fifteenth Air Force, 31 Mar-12 Jul 1946. Strategic Air Command, 1 Jul 1947-6 Sep 1948. 44 Bombardment Wing, Medium, 2 Jan 1951-16 Jun 1952. 44 Missile Wing, 1 Sep 1991-1 Jul 1994. 301 Fighter Wing, 1 Feb 2010-.

Operational Components. Squadrons. 66 Bombardment (later, 66 Missile): 15 Jan 1941-12 Jul 1946; 1 Jul 1947-6 Sep 1948; 2 Jan 1951-16 Jun 1952; 1 Sep 1991-1 Sep 1993. 67 Bombardment (later, 67 Missile): 15 Jan 1941-12 Jul 1946; 1 Jul 1947-6 Sep 1948; 2 Jan 1951-16 Jun 1952; 1 Sep 1991-15 Aug 1992. 68 Bombardment (later, 68 Missile): 15 Jan 1941-12 Jul 1946; 1 Jul 1947-6 Sep 1948; 2 Jan 1951-16 Jun 1952; 1 Sep 1991-1 Jul 1994.  301 Fighter: 1 Feb 2010-. 404 Bombardment: attached, 15 Jan 1941; assigned 25 Feb-12 Jul 1942. 506 Bombardment: Oct 1942-6 Mar 1946 (detached 1 Oct 1942-16 Jan 1943).

Stations. MacDill Field, FL, 15 Jan 1941; Barksdale Field, LA, Feb 1942; Will Rogers Field, OK, 26 Jul-c. 28 Aug 1942; Cheddington, England, 10 Sep 1942 (ground echelon); Shipdham, England, 10 Oct 1942 (ground echelon), 11 Oct 1942 (air echelon); Benina, Libya, 28 Jun 1943; Shipdham, England, c. 28 Aug 1943-15 Jun 1945; Sioux Falls AAfld, SD, 26 Jun 1945; Great Bend AAFld, KS, 24 Jul 1945; Smoky Hill AAFld, KS, 14 Dec 1945-12 Jul 1946. Andrews Field (later, Andrews AFB), MD, 1 Jul 1947-6 Sep 1948. March AFB, CA, 2 Jan 1951; Lake Charles AFB, LA, 1 Aug 1951-16 Jun 1952. Ellsworth AFB, SD, 1 Sep 1991-1 Jul 1994. Holloman AFB, NM, 1 Feb 2010; Eglin AFB, FL, 18 Jun 2020-.

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Combat, EAME Theater; Air Offensive, Europe; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe. 

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Kiel, Germany, 14 May 1943; Ploesti, Rumania, 1 Aug 1943. Meritorious Unit Award: 1 Jun 2010-31 May 2011.  Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Sep 1991-29 May 1992; 6 Jul 1992-1 Jul 1994; 1 Jun 2011-31 May 2013.

Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 1 Jun 2022.

Supersedes statement prepared on 17 Feb 2010.

Emblem. Approved on 15 May 1951; latest rendering, 12 Mar 2010.

Prepared by Melissa Lahue.

Reviewed by Margaret Ream.