Lineage. Established as 416 Bombardment Group (Light) on 25 Jan 1943. Activated on 5 Feb 1943. Redesignated as 416 Bombardment Group, Light on 20 Aug 1943. Inactivated on 24 Oct 1945. Consolidated (31 Jan 1984) with the 416 Bombardment Wing, Heavy, which was established, and activated, on 15 Nov 1962. Organized on 1 Feb 1963. Redesignated as: 416 Wing on 1 Sep 1991; 416 Bomb Wing on 1 Jun 1992. Inactivated on 30 Sep 1995. Redesignated as 416 Air Expeditionary Group, and converted to provisional status, on 3 May 2002. Redesignated as 416 Air Expeditionary Wing on 23 Feb 2010.
Assignments. III Air Support Command, 5 Feb 1943; III Bomber Command, 6 Aug 1943-Jan 1944 (attached to II Tactical Air Division, 1-22 Nov 1943); IX Bomber Command, c. 1 Feb 1944; 97 Combat Bombardment (later, 97 Bombardment) Wing, 4 Feb 1944 (under operational control of 99 Combat Bombardment Wing, c. 4 Feb-c. 20 Mar 1944; IX Bomber Command, 11-18 Sep 1944; and 99 Combat Bombardment Wing, 19-28 Sep 1944); Assembly Area Command, c. 27 Jul-Oct 1945. Strategic Air Command, 15 Nov 1962; 6 Air Division, 1 Feb 1963; 57 Air Division, 2 Jul 1966; 817 Air Division, 2 Sep 1966; 45 Air Division, 2 Jul 1969; 40 Air Division, 30 Jun 1971; 45 Air Division, 1 Jul 1973; 40 Air Division, 1 Dec 1982; Eighth Air Force, 8 Jun 1988; Ninth Air Force, 1 Jun 1992-30 Sep 1995. Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate at any time after 3 May 2002.
Components. Groups. 416 Operations: 1 Sep 1991-1 Jan 1995. Squadrons. 41 Air Refueling: 1 Feb 1963-1 Sep 1991. 509 Air Refueling: 1 Jul 1990-1 Sep 1991. 668 Bombardment: 5 Feb 1943-11 Oct 1945; 1 Feb 1963-1 Sep 1991. 669 Bombardment: 5 Feb 1943-11 Oct 1945. 670 Bombardment: 5 Feb 1943-11 Oct 1945. 671 Bombardment: 5 Feb 1943-12 Oct 1945. Detachments: Det 1, Hq 416 Bombardment Wing (Otis AFB, MA): 2 Apr 1969-31 Dec 1971.
Stations. Will Rogers Field, OK, 5 Feb 1943; Lake Charles AAFld, LA, c. 4 Jun 1943; Laurel AAFld, MS, 1 Nov 1943-1 Jan 1944; Wethersfield, England, 1 Feb 1944; Melun, France, 23 Sep 1944; Laon/Athies, France, c. 12 Feb 1945; Cormeilles-en-Vexin, France, 24 May 1945; Cambrai, France, c. 15 Jul 1945; Camp Chicago (near Laon), France, 27 Jul-Sep 1945; Camp Myles Standish, MA, 23-24 Oct 1945. Griffiss AFB, NY, 1 Feb 1963-30 Sep 1995.
Commanders. None (not manned), 5-14 Feb 1943; Lt Col Richard D. Dick, 15 Feb 1943; Col Harold L. Mace, 22 Oct 1943; Col Theodore R. Aylesworth, 3 Aug 1944; Lt Col James W. Townsend, 22 Jul 1945-unkn. None (not manned), 15 Nov 1962-31 Jan 1963; Col Robert G. David, 1 Feb 1963; Col William M. Shy, 31 Jul 1964; Col Clifford W. Hargrove, 8 Jul 1966; Col Eugene Q. Steffes Jr., 12 Jul 1966; Col Salvador E. Felices, 28 Jun 1967; Col Hilding L. Jacobson Jr., 24 May 1968; Col William A. Temple, 10 Apr 1969; Col Charles L. Britton, 21 Apr 1970; Col Bruce K. Brown, 23 Jun 1972; Col Richard Y. Newton Jr., 30 Apr 1973; Col William B. Maxson, 11 Jun 1973; Col Caryl W. Calhoun, 30 May 1974; Col Jack L. Watkins, 3 Jul 1974; Col George P. Tynan, 1 Aug 1975; Col Richard J. Kiefer, 15 Jul 1977; Col Harry G. Rudolph Jr., 1 Mar 1979; Col Frank R. Wink, 14 Mar 1980; Col Frederick J. Tillman, 28 Sep 1981; Col Walter E. Webb III, 9 May 1983; Col Brett M. Dula, 2 Jul 1985; Col James L. Vick, 20 Jan 1987; Col James M. Richards III, 5 Aug 1988; Col Michael F. Loughran, 11 Sep 1990; Col Michael S. Kudlacz, 27 Jul 1993; Col William E. Thiel, 12 May-30 Sep 1995.
Aircraft. A-20, 1943, 1944-1945; A-26, 1944-1945. KC-135, 1963-1991; B-52, 1963-1994.
Operations. Activated on 5 Feb 1943 as a replacement training unit. Trained with A-20s and changed to an operational training unit in Sep 1943. Sailed to England, arriving at Wethersfield, England, on 1 Feb 1944. Assigned to Ninth Air Force, entered combat in early March, and during the next several weeks directed most of its attacks against V-weapon sites in France. Flew a number of missions against airfields and coastal defenses to help prepare for the invasion of Normandy. Supported the invasion in Jun 1944 by striking road junctions, marshalling yards, bridges, and railways. Assisted ground forces at Caen and St Lo in July and Brest later in the summer, hitting transportation facilities, supply dumps, radar installations, and other targets. In spite of intense resistance, the group bombed bridges, railways, rolling stock, and a radar station to disrupt the enemy's retreat through the Falaise Gap, 6-9 Aug 1944, and received a Distinguished Unit Citation for the missions. Assisted the airborne attack on Holland in September. Supported the assault on the Siegfried Line by attacking transportation targets, warehouses, supply dumps, and defended villages in Germany. Moved to France in late Sep 1944 and began receiving A-26s. Used both types of aircraft until Feb 1945, after which only A-26s were used. Attacked transportation facilities, strong points, communications centers, and troop concentrations during the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944-Jan 1945. Aided the Allied thrust into Germany by continuing strikes against transportation, communications, airfields, storage depots, and other objectives, Feb-May 1945. Bombed flak positions in support of the airborne assault across the Rhine in Mar 1945. Flew its last operational mission of WW II against the Stod ammunitions dump in Czechoslovakia on 3 May 1945. Following the end of hostilities with Germany, trained for a move to the Pacific Theater. In late Jul 1945, ferried A-26 aircraft to US, intending to receive new aircraft and meet the ground echelon in the Pacific, but the end of the war with Japan resulted in a change in the Group's plans. The Group headquarters left France on 9 Oct 1945, inactivating at Camp Myles Standish, MA, on 24 Oct 1945. The 416 Bombardment Wing replaced, and absorbed the resources of the 4039 Strategic Wing at Griffiss AFB, NY, on 1 Feb 1963. Conducted strategic bombardment training and air refueling operations on a global scale to meet Air Force commitments, Feb 1963-Sep 1994. Supported SAC operations in the Far East and Southeast Asia with tankers and crews, Dec 1964-Dec 1975, and with B-52 crews, Jun 1968-1975. Assumed host wing responsibility at Griffiss AFB on 1 Jul 1970. Began preparing for a conventional warfare role in 1988, but maintained a standing B-52 alert force until Sep 1991. Deployed KC-135 tankers to Seeb IAP, Oman, Aug 1990-Apr 1991 and B-52s to Spain, Diego Garcia, and England and flew combat missions in Southwest Asia, Jan-Apr 1991. Ended worldwide refueling tanker support in Sep 1991. Prepared Griffiss AFB for realignment and closure 1994-1995. Inactivated on 30 Sep 1995.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat EAME Theater. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: France, 6-9 Aug 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 15 Sep 1981-31 Oct 1982; 1 Jul 1984-30 Jun 1986; 1 Jul 1989-30 Jun 1991.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, Commanders, Aircraft, Operations, and Honors through 24 Mar 2010.
Emblem. Approved on 2 Mar 1964.
Supersedes statement prepared on 3 May 2002.
Prepared by Robert B. Kane.
Reviewed by Daniel L. Haulman.