43 Operations Group (AMC)

Lineage. Established as 43 Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Redesignated 43 Bombardment Group, Heavy, on 21 Sep 1943. Inactivated on 29 Apr 1946. Redesignated 43 Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, and activated, on 1 Oct 1946. Redesignated 43 Bombardment Group, Medium, on 2 Jul 1948. Inactivated on 16 Jun 1952. Redesignated 43 Operations Group, and activated, on 1 Jun 1992. Inactivated on 1 Jul 1994. Activated on 1 Apr 1997. 

Assignments. General Headquarters, Air Force (later, Air Force Combat Command), 15 Jan 1941; Northeast Air District (later, 1 Air Force), Jan 1941; I Bomber Command, c. 5 Sep 1941; United States Army Forces in Australia, c. 28 Mar 1942; Allied Air Forces, Southwest Pacific Areas, 18 Apr 1942; Fifth Air Force, 3 Sep 1942; V Bomber Command, 5 Sep 1942; Far East Air Forces, 3 Dec 1945-29 Apr 1946. Fifteenth Air Force, 1 Oct 1946; Eighth Air Force, 19 Nov 1946; 43 Bombardment Wing, 17 Nov 1947-16 Jun 1952 (attached to 3 Air Division, 16 Aug-16 Nov 1949). 43 Air Refueling Wing, 1 Jun 1992-1 Jul 1994. 43 Airlift Wing, 1 Apr 1997-.

Components. Squadrons. 2 Airlift: 1 Apr 1997-. 2 Air Refueling: attached 1 Jul 1949-16 Sep 1950. 41 Airlift: 1 Apr 1997-. 28 Air Refueling: 1 Jun 1992-15 May 1994. 43 Air Refueling: 19 Jul 1948-16 Jun 1952 (detached 10 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952). 63 Bombardment: 15 Jan 1941-29 Apr 1946; 1 Oct 1946-16 Jun 1952 (detached 10 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952). 64 Bombardment: 15 Jan 1941-29 Apr 1946; 1 Oct 1946-16 Jun 1952 (detached 10 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952). 65 Bombardment: 15 Jan 1941-29 Apr 1946; 1 Oct 1946-16 Jun 1952 (detached 10 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952). 91 Air Refueling: 1 Jun 1992-1 Jul 1994. 97 Air Refueling: 1 Oct 1992-1 Apr 1994 . 307 Air Refueling: attached 16 Sep 1950-9 Feb 1951. 350 Air Refueling: 1 Oct 1993-1 Jul 1994. 403 Bombardment: 15 Jan 1941-29 Apr 1946. 905 Air Refueling: 1 Jul-1 Oct 1993. 906 Air Refueling: 1 Jun 1992-30 Jan 1994. 917 Air Refueling: 1 Oct 1993-1 Jul 1994.

Stations. Langley Field, VA, 15 Jan 1941; Bangor, ME, 28 Aug 1941-17 Feb 1942; Sydney, Australia, 28 Mar 1942; Torrens Creek, Australia, c. 1 Aug 1942; Port Moresby, New Guinea, 14 Sep 1942; Dobodura, New Guinea, 10 Dec 1943; Nadzab, New Guinea, 4 Mar 1944; Owi, Schouten Islands, 2 Jul 1944; Tacloban, Leyte, c. 15 Nov 1944; Clark Field, Luzon, 16 Mar 1945; Ie Shima, 26 Jul 1945; Ft William McKinley, Luzon, 10 Dec 1945-29 Apr 1946. Davis-Monthan Field (later AFB), AZ, 1 Oct 1946-16 Jun 1952 (deployed at RAF Station Marham, England, 16 Aug-16 Nov 1949). Malmstrom AFB, MT, 1 Jun 1992-1 Jul 1994. Pope AFB, NC, 1 Apr 1997-.

Commanders. Lt Col Harold D. Smith, 15 Jan 1941; Lt Col Francis B. Valentine, 1 Mar 1941; Maj Conrad H. Diehl Jr., 18 Feb 1942; Col Roger M. Ramey, 21 Oct 1942; Lt Col John A. Roberts, 30 Mar 1943; Col Harry J. Hawthorne, 24 May 1943; Lt Col Edward W. Scott Jr., 18 Nov 1943; Col Harry J. Hawthorne, 8 Feb 1944; Col James T. Pettus Jr., 18 Sep 1944; Maj Paul B. Hansen, 8 Sep 1945-unkn. Col James C. Selser Jr., 5 Oct 1946; Col William E. Eubank Jr., Apr 1948; Col Dalene E. Bailey, Jul 1948; Col Alvan N. Moore, 3 Jan 1949-16 Jun 1952. Col Larry L. Evanoff, 1 Jun 1992; Col Kenneth Mills, by Dec 1993-1 Jul 1994. Col Gordon M. Ettenson, 1 Apr 1997; Col Jimmie L. Simmons Jr., 30 Apr 1999; Col Alexander M. McDowell, 11 Apr 2001-.

Aircraft. B-17, 1941-1942, 1942-1943; B-18, 1941; B-25, 1941; PT-17, 1941; A-29, 1941; LB-30, 1941; B-24, 1943-1946. B-29, 1946-1948; B-50, 1948-1951. KC-135, 1992-1994; C-12, 1994. C-130, 1997-.

Operations. Trained for bombardment operations during most of 1941. From Dec 1941-Feb 1942, flew antisubmarine patrols along New England coast. Moved to Southwest Pacific via Capetown, South Africa, Feb-Mar 1942. Attacked Japanese shipping in the Netherlands East Indies and the Bismarck Archipelago from bases in Australia, New Guinea, and Owi Island between Aug 1942 and Nov 1944. Earned a DUC for missions over Papua, New Guinea from Aug 1942-Jan 1943. Used skip bombing to sink Japanese ships during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, 2-4 Mar 1943, for which the unit earned a second DUC. Provided support for ground forces on New Guinea and attacked airfields and other enemy installations in New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, Yap, Palau, and the southern Philippines in 1943 and 1944. The group conducted long-range raids on oil refineries on Ceram and Borneo late in the war. After moving to the Philippines in Nov 1944, the group attacked shipping along the Asiatic coast and struck factories, airfields, and other installations in China and on Formosa. Supported ground forces on Luzon. The unit moved to Ie Shima in Jul 1945, from which it conducted raids against airfields and railways in Japan and against shipping in the Inland Sea and the Sea of Japan. Moved on paper to the Philippines in Dec 1945 and inactivated in Apr 1946. During the next period of activation, between Oct 1946 and Feb 1951, the group trained and conducted long-range test missions, including the first nonstop flight around the world (26 Feb-2 Mar 1949), accomplished by Capt James G. Gallagher and his crew in a B-50 called "Lucky Lady II". Deployed to England for training, Aug-Nov 1949. Not operational after 10 Feb 1951, with the flying squadrons attached directly to the 43d Wing for operations. Inactivated on 16 Jun 1952. Between Jun 1992 and 1 Jul 1994, the group flew air refueling missions in training exercises. In 1997, assumed an airlift mission. Cooperated with U.S. Army airborne organizations at nearby Fort Bragg, taking part with them in joint training exercises. Crews and aircraft deployed to Europe and later to Southwest Asia to support contingency operations such as enforcement of no-fly zones over Iraq and for expeditionary force rotations. After terrorist attacks on the U.S. on 11 Sep 2001, deployed resources in the global War on Terror.

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Japan; China Defensive; Papua; Guadalcanal; Northern Solomons; New Guinea; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines; China Offensive.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Papua, [Aug] 1942-23 Jan 1943; Bismarck Sea, 2-4 Mar 1943. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jun 1992-30 Jun 1993; 1 Jul 1998-30 Jun 2000; 1 Jul 2001-30 Jun 2002; 1 Jul 2002-31 May 2004. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (WW II).

Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 1 Jun 2005

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 31 Dec 2002.

Supersedes statement prepared on 21 Nov 1997.
 
Emblem. Approved on 31 Jan 1942, current rendition approved 18 May 2016. 

Prepared by Daniel L. Haulman. 

Approved by A. Timothy Warnock.