Lineage. Established as 366 Fighter Group on 24 May 1943. Activated on 1 Jun 1943. Inactivated on 20 Aug 1946. Redesignated as 366 Fighter-Bomber Group on 15 Nov 1952. Activated on 1 Jan 1953. Inactivated on 25 Sep 1957. Redesignated as 366 Tactical Fighter Group on 31 Jul 1985. Redesignated as 366 Operations Group, and activated, on 1 Mar 1992.
Assignments. First Air Force, 24 May 1943; I Fighter Command, 1 Jun 1943 (attached to Philadelphia Air Defense Wing, 1 Jun-20 Nov 1943); Ninth Air Force, 8 Jan 1944; IX Air Support Command, 15 Feb 1944; IX Tactical Air Command, 5 May 1944; XXIX Tactical Air Command (Prov), 1 Oct 1944; IX Tactical Air Command, 22 Oct 1944; IX Fighter Command, 28 Jan 1945 (attached to XXIX Tactical Air Command, 28 Jan-21 Jun 1945); XIX Tactical Air Command, 28 Jun 1945; XII Tactical Air Command, 4 Jul 1945-20 Aug 1946. 366 Fighter-Bomber Wing, 1 Jan 1953-25 Sep 1957. 366 Wing (later, 366 Fighter Wing), 1 Mar 1992-.
Operational Components. Squadrons. 22 Air Refueling: 1 Oct 1992-30 Aug 2002. 34 Bomb: 1 Jul 1992-19 Sep 2002. 388 Electronic Combat: 15 Dec 2004-27 Sep 2010. 389 Fighter (later, 389 Fighter-Bomber; 389 Fighter): 1 Jun 1943-20 Aug 1946; 1 Jan 1953-25 Sep 1957; 11 Mar 1992-. 390 Fighter (later, 390 Fighter-Bomber; 390 Electronic Combat; 390 Fighter; 390 Electronic Combat): 1 Jun 1943-20 Aug 1946; 1 Jan 1953-25 Sep 1957; 1 Mar 1992-. 391 Fighter (later, 391 Fighter-Bomber; 391 Fighter): 1 Jun 1943-20 Aug 1946; 1 Jan 1953-25 Sep 1957; 11 Mar 1992-. 428 Fighter: 18 May 2009-. 429 Electronic Combat: 11 Sep 1992-22 Jun 1993.
Stations. Richmond AAB, VA, 1 Jun 1943; Bluethenthal Field, NC, 9 Aug 1943; Richmond AAB, VA, 6 Dec 1943; Camp Myles Standish, MA, 17-28 Dec 1943; Membury, England, 10 Jan 1944; Thruxton, England, 1 Mar 1944; St. Pierre du Mont, France, 17 Jun 1944; Dreaux/Vermouillet, France, 24 Aug 1944; Laon/Couvron, France, 8 Sep 1944; Asch, Belgium, 19 Nov 1944; Munster/Handorf, Germany, 11 Apr 1945; Bayreuth/Bindlach, Germany, 25 Jun 1945; Fritzlar, Germany, 14 Sep 1945-20 Aug 1946. Alexandria (later, England) AFB, LA, 1 Jan 1953-25 Sep 1957. Mountain Home AFB, ID, 1 Mar 1992-.
Commanders. Maj Morris C. Crossen, 1 Jun 1943; Col Dyke F. Meyer, 11 Jul 1943; Lt Col James P. Tipton, 19 Apr 1944; Lt Col Donald K. Bennett, 30 Apr 1944; Col Harold N. Holt, 22 May 1944; Col Ansel J. Wheeler, 28 Apr 1945; Col Clarence T. Edwinson, May 1946-20 Aug 1946. Col Harold J. Whiteman, by Jan 1953; Lt Col Carroll B. McElroy, 9 Jul 1953; Col Timothy F. O’Keefe, 8 Aug 1953; Col Gerald J. Dix, 1 Sep 1954; Col Clyde B. Slocumb Jr., 16 Feb 1955-25 Sep 1957. Col Jerrold K. Callen, 1 Mar 1992; Col Robin E. Scott, 12 Jul 1993; Col John J. Catton Jr., 20 Jun 1994; Lt Col Jeffrey A. Remington, 28 Aug 1995; Col Douglas M. Fraser, 28 Jul 1997; Col Dennis A. Rea, 15 Jan 1999; Col William F. Andrews, 8 Aug 2000; Col David L. Goldfein, 16 Aug 2002; Col William E. Schaal Jr., 13 Jul 2004; Col John K. McMullen, 10 Aug 2006; Col James J. McGovern, 12 May 2008; Col Kyle W. Robinson, 16 Jun 2010-.
Aircraft. P–47, 1943–1946. F–51, 1953; F–86, 1953–1955; F–84, 1954–1957. F-15, 1992-; F-16, 1992-2007; EF-111, 1992-1993; KC-135, 1992-2002; B–52, 1992-1994; B-1, 1994-2002; EA-6, 2004-.
Operations. Group trained in P-47s in preparation for overseas duty. Entered combat from England in March 1944 with fighter sweeps over the Bayeaux-St. Aubin area of France. Participated in attacks on targets in France, Belgium, and Germany in preparation for the invasion of the Continent. Flew fighter sweeps over Normandy on 6 June 1944; targets included motor vehicle convoys, buildings, and gun emplacements. Moved to the Continent soon after D-Day. Received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for three missions flown in support of ground forces on 11 July 1944: on a mission to destroy pillboxes near St. Lo, Normandy, France, discovered and destroyed portion of an enemy tank column unknown to Allied infantry; after rearming, the group returned to attack the tank column and prevented the enemy from accomplishing their mission. During the third mission, despite heavy rainfall, successfully attacked another Panzer battalion from minimum altitude. Group also supported Allied ground forces during the breakthrough at St. Lo in July 1944. In August 1944 attacked tanks, trucks, and troop concentrations as enemy retreated; provided armed reconnaissance for advancing Allied armored columns. During September 1944, attacked flak positions near Eindhoven during airborne landing in Holland; bombed enemy communications and transportation lines in western Germany. Flew armed reconnaissance missions over Battle of the Bulge during December 1944-January 1945; group flew 600 sorties from 17-27 December 1944 that resulted in the destruction of 43 enemy aircraft, 37 tanks, 328 trucks, 18 armored vehicles, four gun positions, and 15 half-tracks. Provided cover for VII Corps in January 1945 and during action destroyed over 1,000 enemy vehicles. Flew missions against enemy transportation systems including motor vehicles, bridges, trains, railway bridges, and marshalling yards during February and March 1945. Moved to Germany in April 1945. On group’s last mission of the war, attacked harbors at Kiel and Flensbury on 3 May 1945. Served in occupational status in Germany from May 1945 until group inactivated. In January 1953 assumed a tactical air support mission. Group's squadrons became first Tactical Air Command (TAC) units to perform six-month TDY rotations with NATO at Aviano AB, Italy, with rotations continuing until group inactivated in September 1957. Upon activation in 1992, assumed control of 366 Wing’s operational units. Deployed assets to Southwest Asia throughout the 1990s support to OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH; elements participated in OPERATIONS PROVIDE COMFORT I and PROVIDE COMFORT II in Turkey. Group’s squadrons directly participated in OPERATIONS ENDURING FREEDOM and NOBLE EAGLE following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks. 366 Operations Group was responsible for planning, operations, intelligence, weapons training and airfield services for squadrons assigned to 366 Fighter Wing, 2007-.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Global War on Terrorism: GWOT-E.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Normandy, 11 Jul 1944. Meritorious Unit Award: 1 Jan 2007-31 May 2008. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Mar 1992-28 Feb 1994; 1 Jun 1996-31 May 1998; 1 Jun 2001-31 May 2002; 1 Jun 2003-31 May 2005; 1 Jun 2005-31 May 2006; 1 Jun 2011-31 May 2012. Citations in the Order of the Day, Belgian Army: 6 Jun-30 Sep 1944; 1 Oct-17 Dec 1944; 18 Dec 1944-15 Jan 1945. Belgian Fourragere.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 12 Aug 2016.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 10 Nov 2010.
Supersedes statement prepared on 10 Nov 2011.
Emblem. Approved 24 Oct 2023.
Prepared by TSgt David Dollman.