The group was first activated in June 1943 during World War II as the 409th Bombardment Group. After moving to Europe, it served in combat with Ninth Air Force, flying Douglas A-20 Havoc, and later Douglas A-26 Invaderlight bombers Europe from the spring of 1944 through V-E Day. The group returned to the United States in the summer of 1945 and was inactivated in November 1945.
The 409th was reactivated in 2001 as an air expeditionary unit under USAFE in 2001 at Camp Sarafovo, Bulgaria as a support and air refueling unit in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom using six McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender aircraft[4] deployed from McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey to help keep coalition aircraft fueled and flying on their air routes through Bulgaria and on to the theater of war. The group has subsequently been activated to support several humanitarian operations.
Douglas A/B-26 Invader of the 640th Bomb Squadron.
The group was constituted as the 409th Bombardment Group (Light) on 1 June 1943, activated the same day at Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma and assigned the 640th, 641st, 642d and 643d Bombardment Squadrons flying Douglas A-20 Havocs.[6][7][8][9][10] However, it did not receive manning until 20 June and it was 3 August before the group had sufficient manning or equipment to begin training.[11] The group trained with its A-20s until 10 February 1944 when it moved to RAF Little Walden, England, arriving on 7 March 1944, when it became part of Ninth Air Force.[6] On 13 April, it flew its first combat mission against a target in France.[11]
The 409th was originally trained in low-level attack missions. However, the group was busy flying medium-altitude bombing runs from 10,000 ft.[citation needed] Over 100 missions were flown by the group,[citation needed] attacking coastal defenses, V-1 and V-2 launch sites, airfields and other targets in France in preparation for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy. The group supported ground forces during the Battle of Normandy by hitting gun batteries, rail lines, bridges, communications, and other objectives. During July 1944, it aided the Allied offensive at Caen and Operation Cobra, the breakout at Saint-Lô with attacks on enemy troops, flak positions, fortified villages, and supply dumps.[6]
After V-E Day, the group began its return to the United States in June and gathered at Seymour Johnson Field North Carolina in August. It moved to Westover Field on 6 October 1945 and was inactivated there on 7 November 1945.[6]
Twenty-first Century
F-16s fly observation formation off the wing of a KC-10[note 2]
Later, the group participated in RESCUER/MEDCEUR 03, a regional multinational exercise held in the spirit of "Partnership for Peace" at Vaziani Military Base, Georgia, in September 2003.[12] The United States sponsored the exercise that the Georgians hosted. A U.S. exercise Joint Task Force administered the exercise. It was activated at Vaziani in 2005 for a similar exercise.[13]
The following January saw the group active for three months at Accra, Ghana.[15][16] In 2011, it was activated at Arba Minch in Ethiopia with an air base squadron and with detachments in the Seychelles and Djibouti.[17][18] In March 2012 it added the 324th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron to its strength.[19]
In 2012, United States Air Forces Africa reported that "[t]he 409th Air Expeditionary Group provides the primary intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions across the [command's] entire area of responsibility from multiple locations as required. The objective is to promote regional security and stability, dissuade conflict and protect U.S. and coalition interests." The group has shared a commander during its most recent activations with the 404th Air Expeditionary Group,[20] which provides expeditionary support units in the same area.[21][22]
Lineage
Constituted as the 409th Bombardment Group (Light) on 1 June 1943 and activated
Redesignated 409th Bombardment Group, Light 27 April 1944[11]
Converted to provisional status, redesignated 409th Air Expeditionary Group and allotted to United States Air Forces Europe to activate or inactivate as needed on 5 February 2001[11]
^The C-17 landed at Burgas Airport on its way to deliver humanitarian aid to Iraq. KC-10 Extenders from McGuire AFB were deployed to Burgas Airport and nearby Camp Sarafovo, Bulgaria, to support tanker operations with the 409th Air Expeditionary Group in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
^The F-16s are deployed from Spangdahlem Air Base. KC-10 Extenders were deployed to the 409th Air Expeditionary Group
^The Camp Sarafavo planes included some assigned to Seymour-Johnson Air Force Base. The New Jersey airmen joked casually upon arrival that the tail designator SJ for Seymour Johnson stood for South Jersey instead.[citation needed]
^Components were stationed with group headquarters, except as noted
^Maurer does not give an exact date for the move of the group headquarters, but all four of the group's squadrons moved on 2 October, so this seems the most likely date for the group move. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 690–692.
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxWarnock, A. Timothy, (1 January 2013) Lineage and Honors History of the 409 Air Expeditionary Group (USAFE), Air Force Historical Research Agency, Maxwell AFB, AL (partly updated by Haulman, Daniel L.)
Holmes, Tony (2012). US Navy Hornet Units of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Combat Aircraft. Vol. (Part Two). Oxford, England: Osprey Publications. ISBN978-1841768014.
Watkins, Robert (2008). Battle Colors. Vol. III Insignia and Markings of the Ninth Air Force in World War II. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN978-0-7643-2938-8.
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