450 Expeditionary Flying Training Squadron (ACC)

Lineage. Constituted as 450 Bombardment Squadron, Medium, on 19 Jun 1942. Activated on 17 Jul 1942. Inactivated on 17 Dec 1945. Redesignated 450 Bombardment Squadron, Light, on 3 Jul 1947. Activated in the Reserve on 10 Aug 1947. Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949. Redesignated 450 Fighter-Day Squadron on 24 Mar 1954. Activated on 1 Jul 1954. Inactivated on 18 Nov 1957. Redesignated 450 Flying Training Squadron on 28 Jul 1972. Activated on 1 Apr 1973. Inactivated on 10 Nov 1992. Redesignated 450 Expeditionary Flying Training Squadron, and converted to a provisional status, on 28 Oct 2008. 

Assignments. 322 Bombardment Group, Medium, 17 Jul 1942-15 Dec 1945; unkn, 16-17 Dec 1945. 322 Bombardment Group, Light, 10 Aug 1947-27 Jun 1949. 322 Fighter-Day Group, 1 Jul 1954-18 Nov 1957. 323 Flying Training Wing, 1 Apr 1973; 323 Operations Group, 15 Dec 1991-10 Nov 1992. Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate at any time on or after 28 Oct 2008.
 
Stations. MacDill Field, FL, 17 Jul 1942; Drane Field, FL, 22 Sep 1942; Camp Kilmer, NJ, 15-23 Nov 1942; Rougham Airdrome, Bury St Edmunds, England, 1 Dec 1942; Great Saling (later, Andrews Field), England, 12 Jun 1943; Beauvais/Tille, France, c. 21 Sep 1944; Le Culot, Belgium, 5 Apr 1945; Frankenberg, Germany, 6 Jul 1945; Arolsen, Germany, 10 Sep 1945; Clastres, France, c. 1 Oct-29 Nov 1945; Camp Kilmer, NJ, 16-17 Dec 1945. Phillips Field, MD, 10 Aug 1947-27 Jun 1949. Foster AFB, TX, 1 Jul 1954-18 Nov 1957 (deployed at Wendover AFB, UT, 3 Jan-4 Feb 1957). Mather AFB, CA, 1 Apr 1973-10 Nov 1992.

Commanders. None, not manned, 17 Jul-Aug 1942; Lt Col Othel D. Turner, Aug 1942; Maj Charles W. Hoover, 30 May 1944; Lt Col Jay B. Smith, 20 Jun 1944; Maj John L. Egan, 23 Feb 1945; Capt Robert W. Turkington, 25 Jun 1945-unkn. Lt Col Colin F. Burch Jr., 10 Aug 1947; Maj Albert M. C. Steinbach, c. Jan 1948; Maj Altho Allen, c. Jul 1948; Maj Morton L. Salan, Apr-c. Jun 1949. Lt Col James P. Hagerstrom, 1 Jul 1954; Maj Robert C. Meppen, c. Apr 1955; Capt David E. Martin, 20 Mar 1957; Maj Clyde A. Curtin, 25 Apr-18 Nov 1957. Lt Col William D. Miller, Apr 1973; Maj Patrick Broussard, 1 Sep 1974 (interim); Lt Col Jack Remson, 14 Sep 1974 (interim); Lt Col Jimmy B. Pickens, 1 Oct 1974; Lt Col William J. Porter, 1 Oct 1976; Lt Col Brian O. Kavanaugh, 23 Aug 1978; Lt Col Roy D. Sheetz, 27 May 1980; Lt Col John C. Novak, 1 Jan 1982; Lt Col William J. Ryan III, 29 Apr 1983; Lt Col Thomas A. Whaylen, 1 Mar 1985; Lt Col Timothy T. Timmons, 6 Mar 1987; Lt Col Scott E. Gerhart, 15 Mar 1989; Lt Col W. Stephen Owens, 14 May 1990; Lt Col John M. Weston, 28 Apr-10 Dec 1992. 

Aircraft. B-26, 1942-1945. AT, 1947-1949; AT-11, 1947-1949. F-86, 1954-1955; F-100, 1955-1957. T-29, 1973-1974; T-37, 1974-1992; T-43, 1973-1992. 

Operations. Not operational, Jul-Aug 1942. Trained for combat, 1942-1943. Combat in European Theater of Operations (ETO), 14 May 1943-24 Apr 1945, for which the unit received the Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC). Transferred aircraft and crews to other units, May 1945. Disarmament of German Air Force, Jul-Sep 1945. In the organized Reserve, 1947-1949. Tactical operations as part of Tactical Air Command, 1954-1957. Conducted undergraduate navigator training for USAF, United Stated Navy (USN), United Stated Marine Corps (USMC) and United States allies, 1973-1992.

Service Streamers. None. 

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

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
 
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: European Theater of Operations, 14 May 1943-24 Jul 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Apr-31 Dec 1973; 1 Jan 1976-28 Feb 1977; 1 Jan 1978-30 Apr 1979; 1 Jan 1980-30 Apr 1981; 1 Apr 1990-31 Mar 1992. 

Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 14 Nov 2008. 

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 10 Nov 1992. 

Supersedes statement prepared on 4 Dec 1972. 

Emblem. Approved on 30 May 1973; organization should update emblem to meet the standards of AFI 84-105, Chapter 3. 

Prepared by Patsy Robertson. 

Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.