Lineage. Established as 452 Bombardment Wing, Light on 10 May 1949. Activated in the Reserve on 27 Jun 1949. Ordered to Active Service on 10 Aug 1950. Inactivated on 10 May 1952. Redesignated as 452 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing on 6 Jun 1952. Activated in the Reserve on 13 Jun 1952. Redesignated as: 452 Bombardment Wing, Tactical on 22 May 1955; 452 Troop Carrier Wing, Medium on 1 Jul 1957; 452 Military Airlift Wing on 1 Jul 1966; 452 Tactical Airlift Wing on 1 Apr 1972; 452 Air Refueling Wing on 1 Oct 1976; 452 Air Refueling Wing, Heavy on 8 Mar 1978; 452 Air Refueling Wing on 1 Feb 1992; 452 Air Mobility Wing on 1 May 1994.
Assignments. Fourth Air Force, 27 Jun 1949; Tactical Air Command, 10 Aug 1950; Fifth Air Force, 15 Nov 1950-10 May 1952 (attached to: 8 Fighter-Bomber Wing, 15-30 Nov 1950; 314 Air Division, 1 Dec 1950-25 May 1951). 4 Air Reserve District, 13 Jun 1952; Fourth Air Force, 1 Dec 1952; Sixth Air Force Reserve Region, 1 Sep 1960; Western Air Force Reserve Region, 31 Dec 1969; Tenth Air Force, 8 Oct 1976; Fourth Air Force, 1 Oct 1993-.
Components. Groups. 98 Air Refueling: 1 Aug 1992-1 Oct 1993. 452 Bombardment (later, 452 Tactical Reconnaissance; 452 Bombardment; 452 Troop Carrier; 452 Operations): 27 Jun 1949-10 May 1952; 13 Jun 1952-14 Apr 1959; 1 Aug 1992-. 507 Air Refueling: 1-15 Apr 1994. 904 Military Airlift (later, 904 Tactical Airlift): 31 Dec 1969-1 Sep 1975. 916 Air Refueling: 1 Oct 1986-1 Jul 1987. 931 Air Refueling: 1 Jul 1978-1 Jul 1987. 939 Tactical Airlift (later, 939 Military Airlift): 26 Jan 1968-15 Jun 1969 (detached entire period). 940 Military Airlift (later, 940 Tactical Airlift; 940 Air Refueling): 26 Jan 1968-1 Oct 1994. 942 Troop Carrier (later, 942 Air Transport; 942 Military Airlift): 17 Jan 1963-1 Jan 1972. 943 Troop Carrier (later, 943 Tactical Airlift): 17 Jan 1963-25 Apr 1969. 944 Troop Carrier (later, 944 Tactical Airlift; 944 Military Airlift): 17 Jan 1963-25 Jul 1969 (attached to 63 Military Airlift Wing, 25 Mar 1968-25 Jul 1969). 945 Troop Carrier (later, 945 Military Airlift): 17 Jan 1963-1 Jul 1972 (detached 15 Feb-1 Jul 1972). Squadrons. 77 Air Refueling: 1 Oct 1985-1 Oct 1986. 78 Air Refueling: 1 Nov 1981-1 Oct 1987. 79 Air Refueling: 1 Sep 1982-1 Aug 1992. 336 Tactical Airlift (later, 336 Air Refueling): 1 Sep 1975-1 Aug 1992. 728 Troop Carrier: 14 Apr 1959-17 Jan 1963. 729 Troop Carrier: 14 Apr 1959-17 Jan 1963. 730 Troop Carrier: 14 Apr 1959-17 Jan 1963. 733 Troop Carrier: 14 Apr 1959-28 Oct 1962; 28 Nov 1962-17 Jan 1963. Reserve Air Refueling Squadron, Provisional, 9500: attached 1 Nov 1980-1 Nov 1981.
Stations. Long Beach Muni Aprt, CA, 27 Jun 1949; George AFB, CA, 10 Aug-Oct 1950; Itazuke AB, Japan, 26 Oct 1950; Miho AB, Japan, c. 10 Dec 1950; Pusan-East AB, South Korea, 23 May 1951-10 May 1952. Long Beach Muni Aprt, CA, 13 Jun 1952; March AFB, CA, 14 Oct 1960; Hamilton AFB, CA, 1 Jan 1972; March AFB (later, March ARB), CA, 12 Jan 1976-.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. Korea: UN Offensive; CCF Intervention; First UN Counteroffensive; CCF Spring Offensive; UN Summer-Fall Offensive; Second Korean Winter; Korea Summer-Fall 1952. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jan 1976-2 Oct 1977; 1 Jul 1991-30 Jun 1993; 1 Sep 1995-31 Aug 1996; 1 Sep 1997-31 Aug 1999; 1 Oct 2002-30 Sep 2004; 1 Oct 2004-30 Sep 2006; 1 Oct 2008-30 Sep 2010; 1 Oct 2014-31 Dec 2015; 1 Jan 2016-31 Dec 2017. Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: 27 Oct 1950-27 Oct 1951. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Jan 1967-31 Dec 1971.
Bestowed Honors. Authorized to display honors earned by the 452 Operations Group prior to 27 Jun 1949. Service Streamers. None. Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Germany, 7 Apr 1945.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 26 Jun 2023.
Supersedes statement prepared on 10 Aug 2000.
Emblem. Approved on 10 Feb 1960.
Prepared by James Musser.
Reviewed by Margaret Ream.