512 Operations Group (AFRC)

Lineage. Established as 1 Combat Cargo Group on 11 Apr 1944. Activated on 15 Apr 1944. Redesignated 512 Troop Carrier Group on 19 Sep 1945. Inactivated on 24 Dec 1945. Redesignated 512 Troop Carrier Group, Medium on 4 Aug 1949. Activated in the Reserve on 2 Sep 1949. Ordered to Active Service on 15 Mar 1951. Inactivated on 1 Apr 1951. Activated in the Reserve on 14 Jun 1952. Inactivated on 14 Apr 1959. Redesignated: 512 Military Airlift Group on 31 Jul 1985; 512 Operations Group on 1 Aug 1992. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Aug 1992.

Assignments. I Troop Carrier Command, 15 Apr 1944; Eastern Air Command, 24 Aug 1944; Combat Cargo Task Force, 14 Sep 1944; Fourteenth Air Force, 20 Dec 1944; Combat Cargo Task Force, 30 Jan 1945; Tenth Air Force, 24 Aug-Dec 1945. 512 Troop Carrier Wing, 2 Sep 1949-1 Apr 1951. 512 Troop Carrier Wing, 14 Jun 1952-14 Apr 1959. 512 Airlift Wing, 1 Aug 1992-.

Components. Squadrons. 1 Combat Cargo (later, 326 Troop Carrier; 326 Airlift): 15 Apr 1944-16 Jun 1945; 2 Sep 1949-1 Apr 1951; 14 Jun 1952-14 Apr 1959; 1 Aug 1992-. 2 (later, 327): 15 Apr 1944-10 Sep 1945 (detached 1 Jul-10 Sep 1945); 2 Sep 1949-1 Apr 1951; 14 Jun 1952-14 Apr 1959. 3 (later, 328): 15 Apr 1944-20 Dec 1945 (detached 23 Jun-20 Aug 1945 and 25 Aug-10 Nov 1945); 2 Sep 1949-1 Apr 1951; 14 Jun 1952-16 Nov 1957; 25 Mar 1958-14 Apr 1959. 4 (later, 329): 15 Apr 1944-8 Dec 1945 (detached 5-24 Sep 1945); 2 Sep 1949-1 Apr 1951. 709 Airlift: 1 Aug 1992-.

Stations. Bowman Fld, KY, 15 Apr 1944; Baer Fld, IN, 5-13 Aug 1944; Sylhet, India, 29 Aug 1944; Tulihal, India, 30 Nov 1944; Tsuyung, China, 20 Dec 1944; Dohazari, India, 30 Jan 1945; Hathazari, India, 15 May 1945; Myitkyina, Burma, Jun 1945; Liuchow, China, 30 Aug 1945; Kiangwan, China, 9 Oct-3 Dec 1945; Camp Anza, CA, 23-24 Dec 1945. Reading Muni Aprt, PA, 2 Sep 1949; New Castle County Aprt, DE, 1 May 1950-1 Apr 1951. New Castle County Aprt, DE, 14 Jun 1952; Willow Grove NAS, PA, 20 Jul 1958-14 Apr 1959. Dover AFB, DE, 1 Aug 1992-.

Commanders. Lt Col Robert J. Rentz, 21 Apr 1944; Lt Col Walter P. Briggs, 28 Apr 1945; Maj Samuel B. Ward, 18 Aug 1945; Maj Maurice D. Watson, 9 Sep 1945; Maj Wilbur B. Sprague, 18 Sep 1945; Col J. H. Snyder, 24 Nov 1945; Capt Dixon M. Jordan, 29 Nov-24 Dec 1945. Col Edgar S. Davis, 2 Sep 1949-1 Apr 1951. Unkn, 14 Jun 1958-1958; Col Carl F. Hynek Jr, by Jan 1959-14 Apr 1959. Lt Col Thomas C. W. Keitel, 1 Aug 1992-.

Aircraft. C-47, 1944-1945; C-46, 1945. C-46, 1949-1951; AT-7, 1949-1951; AT-11, 1949-1951. C-46, 1952-1957; C-119, 1957-1959. C-5, 1992-.

Operations. Trained in the United States for combat cargo operations between Apr and Aug 1944. In Sep, it began transporting troops and supplies to support Allied forces in Burma. Missions included dropping paratroops, moving equipment to construct and operate airstrips, evacuating casualties and liberated prisoners of war, towing gliders, and dropping dummy cargoes to lead enemy forces away from Allied offensives. Beginning in late 1944, the group also flew missions in China, transporting Chinese troops and their supplies and evacuating the air base at Kweilin during a Japanese offensive. Some missions ferried gasoline and materiel over the Hump (Himalaya Mountains) from India to China. Between Sep 1949 and Mar 1951, and again from Jun 1952-Apr 1959, trained as a Reserve troop carrier group at bases in Pennsylvania and Delaware. In Aug 1992, activated in the Reserve to coordinate operations of C-5 squadrons. Personnel and squadrons of the group participated in various contingency and humanitarian airlift operations, some to Asia and Africa.

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: India-Burma; China Defensive; Central Burma; China Offensive

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 1 Jul 1993-30 Jun 1995; 1 Sep 1996-31 Aug 1998. 

Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 7 Jun 2001.

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 30 Sep 1998.

Supersedes statement prepared on 5 Aug 1996. 

Emblem. Approved on 8 Dec 2022. 

Prepared by Daniel L. Haulman.

Approved by Judy G. Endicott.