458 Air Expeditionary Group (USAFE)

Lineage. Established as 458 Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 May 1943. Activated on 1 Jul 1943. Redesignated as: 458 Bombardment Group, Heavy on 16 Aug 1944; 458 Bombardment Group, Very Heavy on 5 Aug 1945. Inactivated on 17 Oct 1945. Redesignated as 458 Operations Group, and activated, on 1 Jun 1992. Inactivated on 1 Jul 1995. Redesignated as 458 Air Expeditionary Group, and converted to provisional status, on 5 Feb 2001. Activated on 27 May 2004. Inactivated on 11 Jun 2004. Activated on 5 May 2006. Inactivated on 6 Jun 2006. Activated on 3 Sep 2006. Inactivated on 20 Sep 2006. Activated on 26 Jul 2007. Inactivated on 20 Sep 2007. Activated on 11 Oct 2007. Inactivated on 13 Nov 2007. Activated on 26 Nov 2007. Inactivated on 25 Jul 2011.
 
Assignments. Second Air Force, 1 Jul 1943; Eighth Air Force, 28 Jan 1944; 2 Bomb Division, 8 Feb 1944; Second Air Force, 11 Jul-17 Oct 1945. 22 Air Refueling Wing, 1 Jun 1992; 380 Air Refueling Wing, 1 Jul 1993; 438 Airlift Wing, 1 Apr 1994; 305 Air Mobility Wing, 1 Oct 1994-1 Jul 1995. United States Air Forces in Europe to activate or inactivate at any time on or after 5 Feb 2001. 3 Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force, 27 May-11 Jun 2004. United States Air Forces in Europe, (attached to Air Command Europe, 5 May-6 Jun 2006. United States Air Forces in Europe (attached to Air Command, Europe), 3-20 Sep 2006. United States Air Forces in Europe, (attached to Third Air Force, 26 Jul-20 Sep 2007. United States Air Forces in Europe (attached to Third Air Force), 11 Oct-13 Nov 2007. United States Air Forces in Europe (attached to Third Air Force [Air Forces Europe] ), 26 Nov 2007- 25 Jul 2011.
 
Operational Components. Squadrons. 2 Air Refueling: 1 Jun 1992-1 Jul 1995. 32 Air Refueling: 1 Jun 1992-1 Jul 1995. 37 Expeditionary Airlift: 27 May-11 Jun 2004. 71 Air Refueling: 1 Oct 1993-1 Apr 1994. 81 Expeditionary Fighter: 27 May-11 Jun 2004. 86 Expeditionary Air Mobility: 27 May-11 Jun 2004. 492 Expeditionary Fighter: 27 May-11 Jun 2004. 494 Expeditionary Fighter: 27 May-11 Jun 2004. 752 Bombardment: 1 Jul 1943-17 Oct 1945. 753 Bombardment: 1 Jul 1943-17 Oct 1945. 754 Bombardment: 1 Jul 1943-17 Oct 1945. 755 Bombardment: 1 Jul 1943-17 Oct 1945. 788 Air Expeditionary: 26 Jul-20 Sep 2007; 11 Oct-13 Nov 2007; 26 Nov 2007-25 Jul 2011. 789 Air Expeditionary: 26 Jul-20 Sep 2007; 11 Oct-13 Nov 2007; 26 Nov 2007-25 Jul 2011.
 
Stations. Wendover Field, UT, 1 Jul 1943; Gowen Field, ID; 28 Jul 1943; Kearns, UT, 11 Sep 1943; Wendover Field, UT, 15 Sep 1943; Tonopah AAFld, NV, 31 Oct-29 Dec 1943; Horsham St Faith, England, Jan 1944-14 Jun 1945; Sioux Falls AAFld, SD, 12 Jul 1945; Walker AAFld, KS, 25 Jul 1945; March Field, CA, 1 Aug-17 Oct 1945. Barksdale AFB, LA, 1 Jun 1992; McGuire AFB, NJ, 1 Oct 1994-1 Jul 1995. Cherbourg Fld, France, 27 May-11 Jun 2004. Goulmine, Morocco, 5 May-6 Jun 2006. Kaduna, Nigeria, 3-20 Sep 2006. Ramstein AB, Germany, 26 Jul-20 Sep 2007. Ramstein AB, Germany, 11 Oct-13 Nov 2007. Ramstein AB, Germany, 26 Nov 2007-25 Jul 2011.
 
Commanders. Unkn, 1 Jul 1943; Lt Col Robert F. Hardy, 28 Jul 1943; Col James H. Isbell, 16 Dec 1943; Col Allen F. Herzberg, 10 Mar 1945; Capt Patrick Hays, 13 Aug 1945; Maj Bernard Carlos, 17 Aug 1945; Maj V. R. Woodward, 22 Aug 1945; Lt Col Wilmer C. Hardesty, 3 Sep-17 Oct 1945. Col Arthur J. Lichte, 1 Jun 1992; Col Robert D. Glass, 1 Apr 1994; Lt Col James C. Rennie, 24 Jun 1994-30 Jun 1995. Unkn, 27 May-11 Jun 2004. Unkn, 5 May-6 Jun 2006. Unkn, 3-20 Sep 2006. Unkn, 26 Jul-20 Sep 2007. Unkn, 11 Oct-13 Nov 2007. Unkn, 26 Nov 2007; Col John S. Shapland, 5 May 2009; Col Kevin M. Walsh, 10 Jun 2009; Col Brian T. Vaughn, 30 Oct 2009; Col Kevin M. Walsh, 1 Apr 2010; Col John J. Hokaj, 1 May 2010; Col Mark E. Swiney, 19 Oct 2010; Col James S. Wildes Jr., 22 Nov 2010; Col Darrell S. Mosley, 8 Dec 2010; Col Brian T. Vaughn, 10 Feb 2011; Col David W. Barnes, 21 Feb 2011-25 Jul 2011.
 
Aircraft. B-24, 1943-1945; B-29, 1945. KC-10, 1992-1995. None, 2004-2011.

Operations. Combat in the European Theater of Operations (ETO), Jan 1944-25 Apr 1945. Controlled two KC-10 tanker squadrons that supported aerial refueling of aircraft in deployed areas, 1992-1995. Performed Space Shuttle support missions, 2007-2011.
 
Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: [1 Jun 1992]-30 Jun 1993; 1 Jul 1994-1 Jul 1995.
 
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 23 Aug 2011.

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 23 Aug 2011.

Supersedes published information contained in: Maurer Maurer (ed.), Air Force Combat Units of World War II (Washington: USGPO, 1983).

Emblem. None on file. Group may design and request approval of an emblem in accordance with AFI 84-105, Chapter 3.

Prepared by Patsy Robertson.
 
Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.