Lineage. Established as 319 Bombardment Group (Medium) on 19 Jun 1942. Activated on 26 Jun 1942. Redesignated as: 319 Bombardment Group, Medium on 20 Aug 1943; 319 Bombardment Group, Light on 3 Feb 1945. Inactivated on 18 Dec 1945. Activated in the Reserve on 27 Dec 1946. Inactivated on 2 Sep 1949. Activated in the Reserve on 10 Oct 1949. Ordered to active duty on 10 Mar 1951. Inactivated on 22 Mar 1951. Redesignated as 319 Fighter-Bomber Group on 12 Apr 1955. Activated in the Reserve on 18 May 1955. Inactivated on 16 Nov 1957. Redesignated as: 319 Bombardment Group, Heavy on 31 Jul 1985; 319 Operations Group on 29 Aug 1991. Activated on 1 Sep 1991. Inactivated on 31 Dec 2010. Activated on 28 June 2019.
Assignments. III Bomber Command, 26 Jun 1942; Eighth Air Force, Sep 1942; XII Bomber Command, Nov 1942; 47 Bombardment Wing, 1 Jun 1943; 2686 Medium Bombardment Wing (Provisional), 7 Jun 1943; 42 Bombardment Wing, Medium, 24 Aug 1943; 57 Bombardment Wing, Medium, 10 Nov 1944; Third Air Force, Jan 1945; First Air Force, 1 Feb 1945; VII Bomber Command, Jul 1945-18 Dec 1945. First Air Force, 27 Dec 1946; 4 Bombardment Wing, 17 Oct 1947; 319 Bombardment Wing, 27 Jun-2 Sep 1949. 319 Bombardment Wing, 10 Oct 1949-22 Mar 1951. 319 Fighter-Bomber Wing, 18 May 1955-16 Nov 1957. 319 Wing (later, 319 Bomb Wing; 319 Air Refueling Wing), 1 Sep 1991-31 Dec 2010. 319 Reconnaissance Wing, 28 Jun 2019-.
Operational Components. Squadrons: 4 Reconnaissance: 23 Jul 2020-. 7 Reconnaissance: 28 Jun 2019-. 12 Reconnaissance: 28 Jun 2019-. 46 Bombardment (later, 46 Bomb): 16 Apr 1947-2 Sep 1949; 10 Oct 1949-22 Mar 1951; 1 Sep 1991-1 Oct 1993. 50 Bombardment: 16 Apr 1947-2 Sep 1949; 10 Oct 1949-22 Mar 1951. 51 Bombardment: 8 Jul 1947-2 Sep 1949; 10 Oct 1949-22 Mar 1951. 59 Bombardment: 8 Jul 1947-2 Sep 1949; 10 Oct 1949-22 Mar 1951. 348 Reconnaissance: 28 Jun 2019-. 437 Bombardment: 26 Jun 1942-18 Dec 1945. 438 Bombardment: 26 Jun 1942-13 Dec 1945. 439 Bombardment: 26 Jun 1942-18 Dec 1945. 440 Bombardment: 26 Jun 1942-18 Dec 1945. 905 Air Refueling: 1 Sep 1991-1 Jun 1992; 1 Oct 1993-31 Dec 2010. 906 Air Refueling: 30 Jan 1994-1 Oct 2009. 911 Air Refueling: 29 Apr 1994-30 Jun 2007. 912 Air Refueling: 1 Apr 1994-1 Oct 2010.
Stations. Barksdale Field, LA, 26 Jun 1942; Harding Field, LA, 8-27 Aug 1942; Shipdham, England, 12 Sep 1942; Horsham St Faith, England, c. 4 Oct 1942; St-Leu, Algeria, c. 11 Nov 1942; Tafaraoui, Algeria, 18 Nov 1942; Maison Blanche, Algeria, 24 Nov 1942; Telergma, Algeria, c. 12 Dec 1942; Oujda, French Morocco, 3 Mar 1943; Rabat/Sale, French Morocco, 25 Apr 1943; Sedrata, Algeria, 1 Jun 1943; Djedeida, Tunisia, 26 Jun 1943; Decimomannu, Sardinia, c. 1 Nov 1943; Serragia, Corsica, c. 21 Sep 1944-1 Jan 1945; Bradley Field, CT, 25 Jan 1945; Columbia AAB, SC, c. 28 Feb-27 Apr 1945; Kadena, Okinawa, c. 2 Jul 1945; Machinato, Okinawa, 21 Jul-21 Nov 1945; Ft Lewis, WA, 17-18 Dec 1945. Mitchel Field, NY, 27 Dec 1946; Reading Muni Aprt, PA, 27 Jun-2 Sep 1949. Birmingham Muni Aprt, AL, 10 Oct 1949-22 Mar 1951. Memphis Muni Aprt, TN, 18 May 1955-16 Nov 1957. Grand Forks AFB, ND, 1 Sep 1991-31 Dec 2010. Grand Forks AFB, ND, 28 Jun 2019-.
Commanders. Lt Col Alvord Rutherford, 26 Jun 1942; Maj David M. Jones, 20 Nov 1942; Lt Col Sam W. Agee Jr., 27 Nov 1942; Maj Joseph A. Cunningham, 5 Dec 1942; Lt Col Wilbur W. Aring, 11 Jan 1943; Col Gordon H. Austin, 6 Jul 1943; Col Joseph R. Holzapple, 13 Aug 1943-c. 18 Dec 1945. Unkn, 27 Dec 1946-2 Sep 1949. Unkn, 10 Oct 1949-22 Mar 1951. Unkn, 18 May 1955-16 Nov 1957. Col Donald D. Karle Jr., 1 Sep 1991; Col John R. Landon, 8 Jun 1992; Col Michael C. McMahan, 11 Sep 1992; Col Leroy Barnidge Jr., 7 Jul 1993; Col Stephen D. MacArthur, 1 Oct 1993; Col Louis L. Descoteaux, 9 Jun 1995; Col Dan R. Goodrich, 9 Aug 1995; Col Frederick F. Roggero, 14 Apr 1997; Col Mark D. Shultz, 14 Aug 1998; Col Anthony L. H. Haney, 16 Jun 2000; Col Jeffrey P. Kaloostian, 3 Nov 2001; Col Cathy C. Clothier, 16 Aug 2002; Col Lee E. DeRemer, 10 Jun 2004; Col Bobby G. Fowler, 29 Aug 2006; Col Henry W. Polczer, 15 Oct 2008-31 Dec 2010.
Aircraft. B-26, 1942-1944; B-25, 1944; A-26, 1945. B-1B, 1991-1993; C-12 1991-1995; KC-135, 1991-1992, 1993-2010.
Operations. The 319 Bombardment Group (BG) trained in Louisiana before moving to England in three echelons in September 1942. In Oct and Nov 1942, it moved to Algeria as the first B-26 unit in that theater, entering combat for the first time on 28 Nov 1942. From then to Mar 1943, the group bombed German and Italian targets in Tunisia and Libya, including railroads, airfields, harbor installations, and enemy shipping along the Mediterranean Coast. The 319 BG trained in French Morocco from Mar, then returned to combat in Jun 1943, attacking enemy targets on Italian islands in the Mediterranean, including Sicily, Sardinia, and Pantelleria. From bases in Algeria and Tunisia, the group supported the Italian invasion of Italy, bombing bridges and marshalling yards during the late summer and early autumn of 1943. In Nov, it moved to Sardinia, to strike Axis targets in central Italy. Early in 1944, the group supported Allied ground forces as they advanced in the Cassino and Anzio areas. Later in the year, the group attacked German supply lines in northern Italy, bombing bridges, marshalling yards, and roads. In March, it earned two Distinguished Unit Citations for raids on marshalling yards in Rome and Florence that damaged enemy communications without destroying cultural monuments. For supporting the Allied ground advance in Italy during Apr, May, and Jun, 1944, the group earned the French Croix de Guerre. During the summer, it bombed bridges over the Po River in northern Italy to block the stream of German supplies and reinforcements going southward. The 319 Bombardment Group supported the invasion of southern France in Aug 1944 by attacking coastal batteries, radar stations, and bridges. From Corsica, it hit railroad bridges in Northern Italy and late in the year attacked railroad lines through the Brenner Pass that connected Germany and Austria with Italy. In Jan 1945, the 319 BG returned to the United States, where it began to train with A-26 aircraft for operations in the Pacific Theater. Between May and Jul 1945, the group moved by ship to Okinawa, and on Jul 16 flew its first mission against Japan. From then until the end of the fighting in early Aug, the group attacked enemy targets such as airfields and industrial centers on Kyushu and occupied the Shanghai area of China, and shipping around the Ryukyu Islands and in the East China Sea. In Nov and Dec 1945, the 319 BG returned to the United States. During the Truman and Eisenhower administrations, the group served three periods in the continental United States as a reserve organization. On 1 Sep 1991, the 319 Operations Group took control of operational units of the 319 Bomb Wing at Grand Forks AFB, ND. At that time it was equipped with B-1B and KC-135 aircraft. For a brief period between Sep 1992 and Oct 1993, the Group lost its refueling mission. However, in Oct 1993, the 319 Wing was redesignated as an Air Refueling Wing and its bombardment squadron was reassigned. Over the next year, the group gained four air refueling squadrons equipped with KC-135R/T aircraft. It supported worldwide Tanker Task Forces, as well as, combat operations in Southwest Asia, Central Europe, and antidrug operations in Central America by constantly deploying elements to provide air refueling for combat aircraft, 1993-2010.
Service Streamers. Global War on Terrorism (GWOT-S).
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Combat, EAME; Algeria-French Morocco; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Southern France; North Apennines; China Offensive; Ryukyus; Air Offensive, Japan.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Rome, Italy, 3 Mar 1944; Florence, Italy, 11 Mar 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Oct 1993-30 Jun 1995; 1 Jul 1995-30 Jun 1997; 1 Jul 2000-30 Jun 2002; 1 Jul 2002-30 Jun 2004; 1 Jul 2004-30 Jun 2005; 1 Jul 2005-30 Jun 2006; 1 Jul 2006-30 Jun 2007; 1 Jul 2007-30 Jun 2009. French Croix de Guerre with Palm: Apr, May, and Jun 1944.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 14 Jan 2021.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 31 Dec 2010.
Supersedes statement prepared in Feb 2011.
Emblem. Approved on 10 Oct 2007.
Prepared by Margaret Ream.