43d Air Mobility Operations Group

43d Air Mobility Operations Group
	C-130 Hercules of the 43d Operations Group [note 1]
Active	1941–1946; 1946-1952; 1992-1994; 1997-present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Garrison/HQ	Pope Field, Fort Bragg
Nickname(s)	Gryphons
Motto(s)	Willing, Able, Ready
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation ; Air Force Outstanding Unit Award ; Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Commanders
Current; commander	Col Kelly Holbert [1]
Insignia
43d Air Mobility Operations Group emblem (as of June 2016)
43d Bombardment Group emblem (approved 31 January 1942) [2]

Last updated March 05, 2019

The 43d Air Mobility Operations Group is an active duty air mobility unit at Pope Field, Fort Bragg, North Carolina (formerly Pope AFB), and is part of the Air Mobility Command (AMC) USAF Expeditionary Center. The unit is composed of five squadrons, including one of the only two active Air Force aeromedical evacuation squadrons based in the United States. The group's primary mission focuses on providing enroute operations and enabling global response and airborne support for Fort Bragg's 82nd Airborne Division.

Pope Field is a U.S. military facility located 12 miles (19 km) northwest of the central business district of Fayetteville, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. Formerly known as Pope Air Force Base, the facility continues to be used by the United States Air Force but is now operated by the U.S. Army as part of Fort Bragg.

Fort Bragg, North Carolina is a military installation of the United States Army and is the largest military installation in the world with more than 50,000 active duty personnel. The installation is located within Cumberland, Hoke, Harnett, and Moore counties. The installation borders the towns of Fayetteville, Spring Lake, and Southern Pines. It was also a census-designated place in the 2000 census, during which a residential population of 29,183 was identified. It is named for Confederate General Braxton Bragg. It covers over 251 square miles (650 km²). It is the home of the Army's XVIII Airborne Corps and is the headquarters of the United States Army Special Operations Command, which oversees the U.S. Army 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) and 75th Ranger Regiment. It is also home to the U.S. Army Forces Command, U.S. Army Reserve Command, and Womack Army Medical Center. Fort Bragg maintains two airfields: Pope Field, where the United States Air Force stations global airlift and special operations assets as well as the Air Force Combat Control School, and Simmons Army Airfield, where Army aviation units support the needs of airborne and special operations forces on post.

Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the U.S. Air Force. It is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, east of St. Louis, Missouri.

The 43rd Airlift Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit last stationed at Pope Field, part of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where it was inactivated in March 2011. The wing performed en route operations support at Pope Field to include mission command & control, aircrew management, aircraft maintenance, aircraft loading, aircraft fueling and supply. Since the wing's inactivation, the 43rd Airlift Group has carried out airlift, maintenance, and base support at Pope Field.

Overview

The 43d Air Mobility Operations Group is part of the air force component of United States Transportation Command. It provides rapid strategic deployment of forces assigned to Joint Special Operations Command, the XVIII Airborne Corps and 82nd Airborne Division. It also provides combatant commanders with Airborne Joint Forcible Entry, combat airlift, aeromedical evacuation, aerial port, command and control, and other enabling capabilities. The 43 AMOG comprises five squadrons:

United States Transportation Command Unified combatant command of the United States Armed Forces responsible for transportation operations

The United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) is one of ten unified commands of the United States Department of Defense. The command is located at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, and was established in 1987.

The Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) is a component command of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and is charged to study special operations requirements and techniques to ensure interoperability and equipment standardization; to plan and conduct special operations exercises and training; to develop joint special operations tactics; and to execute special operations missions worldwide. It was established in 1980 on recommendation of Colonel Charlie Beckwith, in the aftermath of the failure of Operation Eagle Claw. It is located at Pope Field.

The XVIII Airborne Corps is a corps of the United States Army that has been in existence since 1942 and saw extensive service during World War II. The corps is designed for rapid deployment anywhere in the world and is referred to as "America's Contingency Corps". Its headquarters are at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

43d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron
43d Air Base Squadron
43d Air Mobility Squadron
43d Medical Squadron
43d Operations Support Squadron

The 43d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron is a unit of the United States Air Force. It is part of the 43d Air Mobility Operations Group at Pope Army Air Field, North Carolina. It is a component of Eighteenth Air Force and Air Mobility Command of the United States Air Force, and is part of the air force component of United States Transportation Command.

In the postwar era, the 43d Bombardment Group was one of the first USAAF units assigned to the Strategic Air Command on 1 October 1946, prior to the establishment of the United States Air Force as a redesignation of the 444th Bombardment Group due to the Air Force's policy of retaining only low-numbered groups on active duty after the war.

Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense (DoD) Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command (MAJCOM), responsible for Cold War command and control of two of the three components of the U.S. military's strategic nuclear strike forces, the so-called "nuclear triad," with SAC having control of land-based strategic bomber aircraft and intercontinental ballistic missiles or ICBMs.

The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aerial and space warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the five branches of the United States Armed Forces, and one of the seven American uniformed services. Initially formed as a part of the United States Army on 1 August 1907, the USAF was established as a separate branch of the U.S. Armed Forces on 18 September 1947 with the passing of the National Security Act of 1947. It is the youngest branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, and the fourth in order of precedence. The USAF is the largest and most technologically advanced air force in the world. The Air Force articulates its core missions as air and space superiority, global integrated intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, rapid global mobility, global strike, and command and control.

It conducted long-range test missions, including the first nonstop flight around the world (26 February-2 March 1949), accomplished in "Lucky Lady II", a B-50A (46–10) commanded by Capt James G Gallagher.

Lucky Lady II is a United States Air Force Boeing B-50 Superfortress that became the first airplane to circle the world nonstop. Its 1949 journey, assisted by in-flight refueling, lasted 94 hours and 1 minute. The plane later suffered an accident, and today only the fuselage is preserved.

The group became non-operational in February 1951 when its squadrons were attached to the 43d Bombardment Wing headquarters. The group was inactivated in 1952 when the parent wing adopted the Tri-Deputate organization and assigned all of the group's squadrons directly to the wing.

Redesignated as the 43d Operations Group, and activated, in 1992 when the 43d Air Refueling Wing adopted the USAF Objective organization plan. From 1994 to 1997 the group was inactive when the wing was reduced to group size. In 2011, the wing was inactivated, and, the group received its current designation, the 43d Airlift Group. Later, in 2016, the 43d Airlift Group was redesignated the 43d Air Mobility Operations Group as it discontinued airlift operations and reorganized to inherit responsibilities of the 440th Airlift Wing.

History

World War II

The 43d Bombardment Group trained for bombardment operations during most of 1941. From December 1941 to February 1942, it flew antisubmarine patrols along the New England coast.

43d Bombardment Group Boeing B-29A-75-BN Superfortress (44-62310). SAC, 15th Air Force, Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, 1946

It then moved to the Southwest Pacific via Cape Town, South Africa, from February to March 1942. It attacked Japanese shipping in the Netherlands East Indies and the Bismarck Archipelago from bases in Australia, New Guinea, and Owi Airfield, Indonesia between August 1942 and November 1944.

While there it earned a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for missions over Papua, New Guinea from August 1942 to January 1943.

The unit used skip bombing to sink Japanese ships during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, 2–4 March 1943, for which the unit earned a second DUC. It also provided support for ground forces on New Guinea and attacked airfields and other enemy installations in New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, Yap, Palau, and the southern Philippines in 1943 and 1944.

The group conducted long-range raids on oil refineries on Ceram and Borneo late in the war.

After moving to the Philippines in November 1944, the group attacked shipping along the Asiatic coast and struck factories, airfields, and other installations in China and on Formosa. It also supported ground forces on Luzon.

The unit moved to Ie Shima in July 1945, from which it conducted raids against airfields and railways in Japan and against shipping in the Inland Sea and the Sea of Japan. It was moved, on paper, to the Philippines in December 1945 and inactivated in April 1946.

Cold War

The 43d Bombardment Group was again activated in 1946, when it assumed the mission, personnel and equipment of the 444th Bombardment Group, which was inactivated. Until February 1951, the group trained and conducted long-range test missions, including the first nonstop flight around the world (26 February–2 March 1949), accomplished by Capt James G. Gallagher and his crew in a B-50 called Lucky Lady II .

The group deployed to England for training, August to November 1949. It was not operational after 10 February 1951, and, the flying squadrons were attached directly to the 43d Bomb Wing for operations. The group was inactivated on 16 June 1952.

Modern era

On 1 June 1992, the group was redesignated as the 43d Operations Group, and was activated on the same day. Between June 1992 and 1 July 1994, the group flew air refueling missions in training exercises and was then inactivated.

In 1997, it was reactivated and assumed an airlift mission. It cooperated with U.S. Army airborne organizations at nearby Fort Bragg, North Carolina, taking part with them in joint training exercises. Crews and aircraft deployed to Europe, and later to Southwest Asia, to support contingency operations such as enforcement of no-fly zones over Iraq and for expeditionary force rotations.

After terrorist attacks on the United States on 11 September 2001, the group deployed resources in the Global War on Terror. The group was redesignated 43d Airlift Group on 1 March 2011 and 43d Air Mobility Operations Group on 14 June 2016.

Lineage

Constituted as the 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 20 November 1940

Activated on 15 January 1941

Redesignated 43d Bombardment Group, Heavy on 21 September 1943

Inactivated on 29 April 1946

Redesignated 43d Bombardment Group, Very Heavy on 1 October 1946

Activated on 1 October 1946

Redesignated 43d Bombardment Group, Medium on 2 July 1948

Inactivated on 16 June 1952

Redesignated 43d Operations Group and activated on 1 June 1992

Inactivated on 1 July 1994

Activated on 1 April 1997

Redesignated 43d Airlift Group on 1 March 2011

Redesignated 43d Air Mobility Operations Group on 14 June 2016^[4]

Assignments

General Headquarters, Air Force (later, Air Force Combat Command), 15 January 1941
Northeast Air District (later, 1 Air Force), January 1941
I Bomber Command, c. 5 September 1941
United States Army Forces in Australia, c. 28 March 1942
Allied Air Forces, Southwest Pacific Areas, 18 April 1942
Fifth Air Force, 3 September 1942
V Bomber Command, 5 September 1942

Far East Air Forces, 3 December 1945 – 29 April 1946
Fifteenth Air Force, 1 October 1946
Eighth Air Force, 19 November 1946
43d Bombardment Wing, 17 November 1947 – 16 June 1952

Attached to 3rd Air Division, 16 August – 16 November 1949

43d Air Refueling Wing, 1 June 1992 – 1 July 1994
43d Airlift Wing, 1 April 1997
USAF Expeditionary Center, 1 March 2011 – present

Components

2d Airlift Squadron: 1 April 1997 – 14 June 2016
2d Air Refueling Squadron: attached 1 July 1949 – 16 September 1950
3d Aerial Port Squadron: 1 April 1997 – 30 June 2015^[5]
13th Reconnaissance Squadron: attached December 1941
28th Air Refueling Squadron: 1 June 1992 – 15 May 1994
41st Airlift Squadron: 1 April 1997 – 9 April 2007^[6]
43d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron: 1 April 1997 – present
43d Air Base Squadron: 1 July 2015 – present^[5]
43d Air Mobility Squadron: 1 July 2015 – present^[5]
43d Air Refueling Squadron: 19 July 1948 – 16 June 1952 (detached after 10 February 1951)
43d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron: 1 April 1997 - 30 June 2015
63d Bombardment Squadron: 15 January 1941 – 29 April 1946; 1 October 1946 – 16 June 1952 (detached after 10 February 1951)
64th Bombardment Squadron: 15 January 1941 – 29 April 1946; 1 October 1946 – 16 June 1952 (detached after 10 February 1951)
65th Bombardment Squadron: 15 January 1941 – 29 April 1946; 1 October 1946 – 16 June 1952 (detached after 10 February 1951)
91st Air Refueling Squadron: 1 June 1992 – 1 July 1994
97th Air Refueling Squadron: 1 October 1992 – 1 April 1994
307th Air Refueling Squadron: attached 16 September 1950 – 9 February 1951
350th Air Refueling Squadron: 1 October 1993 – 1 July 1994
403d Bombardment Squadron: 15 January 1941 – 29 April 1946
905th Air Refueling Squadron: 1 July – 1 October 1993
906th Air Refueling Squadron: 1 June 1992 – 30 January 1994
917th Air Refueling Squadron: 1 October 1993 – 1 July 1994

Stations

Langley Field, Virginia, 15 January 1941
Dow Field, Maine, 28 August 1941 – 17 February 1942
Sydney Airport, Australia, 28 March 1942
Longreach Airport, Australia, c. 1 August 1942
Port Moresby Airfield Complex, New Guinea 14 September 1942
Dobodura Airfield Complex, New Guinea, 10 December 1943
Nadzab Airfield Complex, New Guinea, 4 March 1944
Owi Airfield, Schouten Islands, 2 July 1944
Tacloban Airfield, Leyte, Philippines, c. 15 November 1944

Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines,16 March 1945
Ie Shima, Okinawa, 26 July 1945
Fort William McKinley, Luzon, Philippines, 10 December 1945 – 29 April 1946
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, 1 October 1946 – 16 June 1952

Deployed at RAF Marham, England, 16 August – 16 November 1949

Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, 1 June 1992 – 1 July 1994
Pope Air Force Base (later Pope Army Airfield), North Carolina, 1 April 1997 – present

Aircraft

B-18 Bolo, 1941
B-25 Mitchell, 1941
PT-17 Stearman, 1941
A-29 Hudson, 1941
LB-30 Liberator 1941
B-17 Flying Fortress, 1941–1943

B-24 Liberator, 1943–1946
B-29 Superfortress, 1946–1948
B-50 Superfortress, 1948–1951
KC-135 Stratotanker, 1992–1994
C-12 Huron, 1994
C-130 Hercules, 1997–2014

References

Notes

↑ Aircraft is Lockheed C-130E-LM Hercules serial 64-499. Taken at Pope AFB circa 2004.

Citations

↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 26 October 2010. Retrieved 2011-07-27.
↑ Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 99-101
↑ Paraglide (February 23, 2011). "Army to assume responsibility for Pope Air Force Base". Fort Bragg-Pope Field Public Affairs. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
1 2 Barnes, Marc. "AMC unit at Pope Army Airfield is renamed". Air Mobility Command. United States Air Force. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
1 2 3 Krause, Marvin (July 10, 2015). "43rd AG stands up air base and air mobility squadrons at Pope Field". Pope Field Public Affairs. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
↑ "New combat squadron stands up at Little Rock". Little Rock Air Force Base Public Affairs. April 9, 2007. Retrieved July 22, 2015.

Bibliography

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/ .

Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
Rogers, Brian. (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, UK: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.

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[1] Aircraft is Lockheed C-130E-LM Hercules serial 64-499. Taken at Pope AFB circa 2004.

[2] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 26 October 2010. Retrieved 2011-07-27.

[Maurer43BG-3] Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 99-101

[4] Paraglide (February 23, 2011). "Army to assume responsibility for Pope Air Force Base". Fort Bragg-Pope Field Public Affairs. Retrieved July 22, 2015.

[UnitRenamed-5] 1 2 Barnes, Marc. "AMC unit at Pope Army Airfield is renamed". Air Mobility Command. United States Air Force. Retrieved 24 June 2016.

[43AGstandsup-6] 1 2 3 Krause, Marvin (July 10, 2015). "43rd AG stands up air base and air mobility squadrons at Pope Field". Pope Field Public Affairs. Retrieved July 22, 2015.

[7] "New combat squadron stands up at Little Rock". Little Rock Air Force Base Public Affairs. April 9, 2007. Retrieved July 22, 2015.