19th Operations Group
Encyclopedia
The 19th Operations Group (19 OG) is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force
19th Airlift Wing, stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base
, Arkansas
.
Equipped with the largest Lockheed C-130 Hercules fleet in the world, the group provides part of Air Mobility Command
's Global Reach capability. Tasking requirements range from supplying humanitarian airlift relief to victims of disasters, to airdropping supplies and troops into the heart of contingency operations in hostile areas.
The 19 OG is one of the oldest organizations in the Air Force, being a successor organization of the 19th Bombardment Group, one of the 15 original combat air groups formed by the Army before World War II.
As part of the Far East Air Force, the unit was stationed at Clark Field in the Philippines
when the Japanese attacked on 8 December 1941, suffering numerous casualties and losing most of its Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses in the attack. A small number of its aircraft escaped to fly combat missions in the Philippines; Netherlands East Indies and Papua New Guinea
during early 1942.
In March 1942, the group was re-established in Australia, as part of the Fifth Air Force
. From far-flung bases in Queensland
, the Northern Territory
and Western Australia, the group carried out missions over Japanese-held areas in New Guinea
and the Dutch East Indies
.
After moving to Guam
in 1944, the group was re-equipped with the Boeing B-29 Superfortress and conducted its first raid with B-29s on 25 February 1945, against Tokyo.
The group has earned the distinction of being one of the most decorated units in the Air Force. Unit honors include eight Presidential Unit Citation
s, one Air Force Meritorious Unit Award, ten Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards, one Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, and one Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.
on 18 October 1927, without personnel or equipment. In 1929 its paper designation was changed to the 19th Bombardment Group, and it came into being with its activation at Rockwell Field
, California, in June 1932. Two of its four squadrons, the 23rd and 72nd Bomb Squadrons, were permanently detached for service in Hawaii with the 5th Composite Group. The two squadrons at Rockwell, the 30th and 32nd Bomb Squadrons, were equipped with Keystone B-3A bombers.
The unit flew training missions along the California coast for coastal defense
between 1932 and 1935. On 1 March 1935, all aviation combat units of the AAC in the United States were reorganized into General Headquarters Air Force, the first centralized control of the air striking arm of the United States. The 19th BG moved to March Field, California as part of the 1st Wing, commanded by Brig. Gen. Henry H. Arnold
.
In 1940, the group was equipped with the new B-17B Flying Fortress, the first production version of the B-17. The unit made aviation history on the night of 13–14 May 1941 when they took 21 B-17s from California to Hawaii to transfer them to the 11th Bomb Group
, landing on schedule within 30 minutes of each other and in the order they took off. The 19th BG redeployed two squadrons (the 30th and 93d) to the Philippines between 16 October and 4 November 1941. The 26 bombers, traveling individually and at night on their longest leg, flew a trans-Pacific route from Hamilton Field
, California; to Hickam Field
, Hawaii; Midway Island; Wake Island
; Port Moresby
, Papua New Guinea; Darwin, Northern Territory
, Australia; and Clark Field, Luzon
, a distance of over 10,000 miles, nearly all of it over water. The route had been pioneered between 5 and 12 September 1941 by the 14th Bombardment Squadron
, which was attached as the group's third squadron after its arrival. The 28th Bombardment Squadron, a squadron that had long been based in the Philippines with the 4th Composite Group (being broken up and disbanded), but now rostered by pilots fresh out of flight training, was also attached to the group as its fourth squadron and began transition training to the B-17. The 19th BG had an inventory of 6 B-17C and 29 B-17D, although one B-17D was out of commission during its entire overseas service when it broke off its tail in a collision with a parked aircraft while landing after its flight from the United States on 12 September.
The unit was stationed at Clark Field as the bomber command of the Far East Air Force when the Japanese attacked on 8 December 1941, inflicting numerous casualties and destroying half of its aircraft in the attack. The 14th and 93d Squadrons, 14 B-17D and two B-17C bombers, had been ordered to Del Monte Airfield on Mindanao just prior to the bombing of Clark Field, and escaped unharmed.
During December 1941, the 19th began reconnaissance
and bombardment operations against Japanese shipping and landing parties until 17 December when badly in need of depot maintenance, it began displacing south to Darwin. By the end of the year, ground personnel joined infantry
units defending the Philippines, while the air echelon in Australia continued operations, including transport of supplies to the Philippines and evacuation of personnel. On 29 December 11 of the survivors moved forward to Singosari Airfield near Malang
, Java
, to continue ncombat operations.
The group flew B-17s, B-24s, and LB-30s from Java
against enemy airfields, shipping, and ground installations during the Japanese offensive against the Netherlands East Indies during early 1942, and was again evacuated on 2 March to Australia. It participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea
, in May 1942, and raided enemy transportation and communications targets as well as troop concentrations during the Japanese invasion of Papua New Guinea
. The group bombed enemy airdromes, ground installations, and shipping near Rabaul
, New Britain
in August 1942. Capt. Harl Pease
, who had been with the group since the start of the war, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor
for a mission flown on 7 August 1942.
It served in the continental United States as a replacement training organization at Pyote Army Airfield
from January to November 1943. The group was largely unmanned from December 1943 to 1 April 1944, when it was inactivated. The group was activated the same date at Great Bend AAF
in Kansas
, at the 19th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) and began training for B-29 combat missions. Between December 1944 and January 1945 the group deployed to North Field on Guam
as part of the 314th Bomb Wing of the Twentieth Air Force
.
From Guam, it conducted its first B-29 bombing raid on 25 February 1945, against Tokyo. The group flew 65 raids on the Japanese home islands, bombing strategic targets in Japan, participating in incendiary
bomb attacks against Japanese cities, and attacked kamikaze
airfields during the invasion of Okinawa in the spring of 1945.
n invasion forces. The first B-29 Superfortress
unit in the war, the group on 28 June attacked North Korean storage tanks, marshalling yards, and armor. In the first two months, it flew more than six hundred sorties, supporting UN ground forces by bombing enemy troops, vehicles, and such communications points as the Han River bridges.
At Kadena, the group was initially under the operational control of Twentieth Air Force
, after 8 July 1950, it was attached to FEAF Bomber Command (Provisional)
. Many of the aircraft flown by the 19th Bomb Group squadrons in combat were refurbished B-29s that were placed in storage after World War II, then brought back into operational service.
In the north, its targets included an oil refinery and port facilities at Wonsan, a railroad bridge at Pyongyang
, and an airfield at Yonpo. After United Nations ground forces pushed the communists out of South Korea, the 19th BG turned to strategic objectives in North Korea, including industrial and hydroelectric facilities. It also continued to attack bridges, marshalling yards, supply centers, artillery and troop positions, barracks, port facilities, and airfields.
In accordance with organizational change within the Strategic Air Command
and later throughout the entire Air Force, the 19th Bomb Group was inactivated on 1 June 1953 and its squadrons assigned directly to the 19th Bomb Wing as part of the Tri-Deputate organization of the wing, which moved its headquarters to Kadena.
From January 1992, it provided an EC-137 and crews to support the United States Special Operations Command
, and from August 1992 the wing supported the Saudi Tanker Task Force. It provided air refueling support to NATO fighters in Bosnia
in September–October 1995. Several KC-135R tankers deployed to Southwest Asia to support Operation Southern Watch
, January–March 1996 and to Turkey
for Operation Provide Comfort
, April–June 1996.
On 1 July 1996, the 19th Air Refueling Wing was inactivated, and its functions turned over to its operations group, redesignated the 19th Air Refueling Group. The 19th ARG consists of four squadrons: 19th Operations Support Squadron (OSS), 19th Maintenance Squadron (MXS), 19th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (AMXS), and the 99th Air Refueling Squadron
(ARS).
The Black Knights returned to Istres
, France, in August 1996 deploying five aircraft and 125 personnel in support of Operation Deny Flight
. In December, the group received an inspection from the Air Mobility Command
's Quality Air Force Assessment Team. During the inspection, the team found the 19th's leadership, support, and maintenance to be among the best in Air Mobility Command.
Black Knight aircraft and personnel deployed to numerous contingency operations and exercises during 1997 and continued the group's record for success. 1998 proved to be another banner year for the 19th. Most notably, the Black Knights supported Operation Northern Watch
, enforcing the United Nation's no-fly zone in northern Iraq
; Operation Desert Thunder
, US action against Iraqi aggression; and Operation Constant Vigil, US antidrug operations in the Caribbean
. The 99th Air Refueling Squadron was named the Air Force Association's Citation of Honor winner for the unit that contributed most to national defense during 1998. Additionally, the 99th won the coveted General Carl A. Spaatz Trophy for 1998—given annually to the "Best Air Refueling Squadron in the US Air Force."
The 19th was off to another record start in 1999 when it earned a rare, perfect "Outstanding" during its Headquarters, Air Mobility Command Operational Readiness Inspection. Additionally, the 19th had just returned from supporting Operation Deliberate Forge and Operation Allied Force
, US support for the NATO's Air War over the Former Republic of Yugoslavia -having deployed over three-fourths of its personnel and aircraft to four forward operating locations throughout Europe.
; and the 19 AGS not only received the Twenty-First Air Force Maintenance Effectiveness Award, but also dominated the 2000 Rodeo Competition as it brought home the "Best KC-135 Maintenance" Trophy. The current 19th Operations Group Commander is Colonel David A. Kasberg.
, logistics
, and combat support
aircraft of the United States and its allies as directed by the Department of Defense.
The 19th Air Refueling Group was deactivated in June 2008 as a result of realignment due to Base Realignment and Closure
(BRAC) 2005.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
19th Airlift Wing, stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base
Little Rock Air Force Base
Little Rock Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately northeast of Little Rock, Arkansas.-Overview:...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
.
Equipped with the largest Lockheed C-130 Hercules fleet in the world, the group provides part of Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
's Global Reach capability. Tasking requirements range from supplying humanitarian airlift relief to victims of disasters, to airdropping supplies and troops into the heart of contingency operations in hostile areas.
The 19 OG is one of the oldest organizations in the Air Force, being a successor organization of the 19th Bombardment Group, one of the 15 original combat air groups formed by the Army before World War II.
As part of the Far East Air Force, the unit was stationed at Clark Field in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
when the Japanese attacked on 8 December 1941, suffering numerous casualties and losing most of its Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses in the attack. A small number of its aircraft escaped to fly combat missions in the Philippines; Netherlands East Indies and Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
during early 1942.
In March 1942, the group was re-established in Australia, as part of the Fifth Air Force
Fifth Air Force
The Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
. From far-flung bases in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
and Western Australia, the group carried out missions over Japanese-held areas in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
and the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
.
After moving to Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
in 1944, the group was re-equipped with the Boeing B-29 Superfortress and conducted its first raid with B-29s on 25 February 1945, against Tokyo.
The group has earned the distinction of being one of the most decorated units in the Air Force. Unit honors include eight Presidential Unit Citation
Presidential Unit Citation
The Presidential Unit Citation is a senior unit award granted to military units which have performed an extremely meritorious or heroic act, usually in the face of an armed enemy...
s, one Air Force Meritorious Unit Award, ten Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards, one Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, and one Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.
Units
The 19th Operations Group is composed of six flying squadrons, flying the Lockheed C-130 Hercules:- 19th Operations Support Squadron
- 30th Airlift Squadron30th Airlift SquadronThe 30th Airlift Squadron is part of the United States Air Force's 19th Airlift Group, and the first active-duty Associate Unit to an Air National Guard unit, working with the 187th Airlift Squadron at Cheyenne Regional Airport, Wyoming...
(Associate unit with the Wyoming Air National GuardWyoming Air National GuardThe Wyoming Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Wyoming. It is, along with the Wyoming Army National Guard, an element of the Wyoming National Guard...
's 153d Airlift Wing153d Airlift WingThe 153d Airlift Wing is a Wyoming Air National Guard unit, part of the United States Air Force. It is located at Cheyenne Air National Guard Base at Cheyenne Regional Airport, in Cheyenne, Wyoming.-History:...
). - 34th Combat Training Squadron
- 41st Airlift Squadron41st Airlift SquadronThe 41st Airlift Squadron is part of the 19th Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. It operates C-130J Super Hercules aircraft.-History:...
- 50th Airlift Squadron50th Airlift SquadronThe 50th Airlift Squadron is one of four operational flying Air Mobility Command squadrons currently stationed at Little Rock AFB in Jacksonville, Arkansas...
- 53d Airlift Squadron53d Airlift SquadronThe 53d Airlift Squadron is part of the 19th Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. It operates C-130 Hercules aircraft for airlift and airdrop operations.-History:...
- 61st Airlift Squadron61st Airlift SquadronThe 61st Airlift squadron is part of the 19th Airlift Wing and operates C-130 Hercules aircraft from Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. The unit predominantly deploys in support of Operation New Dawn and Operation Enduring Freedom....
- 345th Airlift Squadron (Associate unit with the Air Force Reserve CommandAir Force Reserve CommandThe Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
's 403d Wing403d Wing403d Wing is a unit of the United States Air Force assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command. It is located at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi, and employs a military manning authorization of more than 1,400 reservists, including some 250 full-time air reserve technicians.403d Wing performs...
).
Heraldry
The group's emblem, approved in 1936, shows a winged sword in front of the constellation of Pegasus, indicating both the striking force and navigation capability of the unit.Lineage
- Authorized as 19th Observation Group on 18 October 1927
- Redesignated 19th Bombardment Group on 8 May 1929
- Activated on 24 June 1932
- Redesignated: 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 17 October 1939
- Redesignated: 19th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy on 28 March 1944
- Inactivated on 1 April 1944
- Activated on 1 April 1944
- Redesignated 19th Bombardment Group, Medium on 10 August 1948
- Inactivated on 1 June 1953
- Redesignated: 19th Air Refueling Group, Heavy on 31 July 1985 (Remained inactive)
- Redesignated: 19th Operations Group on 29 August 1991
- Activated on 1 September 1991
- Redesignated: 19th Air Refueling Group on 1 July 1996.
- Inactivated on 30 June 2008.
- Redesignated: 19th Operations Group and activated on 1 October 2008
Assignments
- IX Corps Area, 24 June 1932
- 1st Wing (later, 1st Bombardment Wing), 2 March 1935
- IV Bomber CommandIV Bomber CommandThe IV Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Fourth Air Force, based at San Francisco, California. It was inactivated on 31 March 1944.-Lineage:...
, 19 September 1941 - Far East Air Force (United States), c. 23 October 1941
- V Bomber CommandV Bomber CommandThe V Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Fifth Air Force, based at Irumagawa AB, Japan. It was inactivated on 31 May 1946....
, 16 November 1941 - Fifth Air ForceFifth Air ForceThe Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
, Australia, c. March 1942 - V Bomber CommandV Bomber CommandThe V Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Fifth Air Force, based at Irumagawa AB, Japan. It was inactivated on 31 May 1946....
, September 1942 - 15th Bombardment Training Wing15th Bombardment Training Wing (World War II)The 15th Bombardment Training Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Second Air Force, based at Colorado Springs Army Air Base, Colorado...
, 9 December 1942 - 16th Bombardment Wing16th Bombardment Wing (World War II)The 16th Bombardment Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Continental Air Forces, based at Colorado Springs AAF, Colorado. It was inactivated on 8 October 1948.-Lineage:...
, 3 January 1943 - 46th Bombardment Operational Training Wing, 4 September 1943 – 1 April 1944
- Second Air ForceSecond Air ForceThe Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
, 1 April 1944
- Attached to 17th Bombardment Operational Training Wing (Very Heavy), 1 April-19 December 1944
- XXI Bomber CommandXXI Bomber CommandThe XXI Bomber Command was a unit of the Twentieth Air Force in Guam for strategic bombing during World War II.- Lineage:* Constituted as XXI Bomber Command on 1 Mar 1944, and activated the same day.-Assignments:...
, 14 December 1944 - 314th Bombardment (later, 314th Composite) Wing314th Air DivisionThe 314th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Pacific Air Forces, based at Osan AB, South Korea. It was inactivated in September 1986....
, 27 January 1945 - Twentieth Air ForceTwentieth Air ForceThe Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
, 15 May 1946 - North Army Air Base Command (Provisional), 20 December 1947
- 19th Bombardment Wing, 17 August 1948 – 1 June 1953
- Attached to Far East Air Forces Bomber Command [Provisional] for operational control, 8 July 1950 – 1 June 1953)
- 19th Air Refueling Wing, 1 September 1991
- Twenty-First Air ForceTwenty-First Air ForceThe 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the Air Force’s Air Mobility Command. It is headquartered at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey$3...
, 1 July 1996 - Eighteenth Air ForceEighteenth Air ForceEighteenth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force component of the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It was activated on 1 October 2003 and headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois...
, 1 October 2003 – 30 June 2008 - 19th Airlift Wing, 1 October 2008
Components
- 7th Air Refueling Squadron7th Air Refueling SquadronThe 7th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 19th Operations Group, stationed at Robins AFB, Georgia...
: 1 June 1992 – 1 January 1993 - 14th Bombardment Squadron14th Bombardment SquadronThe 14th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. The 14th Bomb Squadron fought in the Battle of the Philippines , much of its aircraft being destroyed in combat against the Japanese...
: attached 2 December 1941-c. 14 March 1942 - 23d Observation: 24 June 1932 – 12 October 1938 (detached entire period)
- 28th Bombardment Squadron: 16 November 1941 – 1 April 1944; 1 April 1944-1 June 1953
- 30th Airlift Squadron30th Airlift SquadronThe 30th Airlift Squadron is part of the United States Air Force's 19th Airlift Group, and the first active-duty Associate Unit to an Air National Guard unit, working with the 187th Airlift Squadron at Cheyenne Regional Airport, Wyoming...
: ???? – - 30th Observation (later Bombardment) Squadron30th Bombardment SquadronThe 30th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 4133d Strategic Wing, stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. It was inactivated on 1 February 1963.-History:...
: 24 June 1932 – 1 April 1944; 1 April 1944-1 June 1953 - 32d Observation (later Bombardment) Squadron32d Air Refueling SquadronThe 32d Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 305th Air Mobility Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. It operates the KC-10 Extender aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-History:...
: 24 June 1932 – 16 December 1941 (detached 22 October-16 December 1941) - 40th Reconnaissance ((later 435th Bombardment) Squadron435th Bombardment SquadronThe 435th Bombardment Squadron, also known as the "Kangaroo" Squadron, is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Eighth Air Force 333d Bombardment Group, based at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa...
: 14 March 1942 – 1 April 1944 (detached c. 17 July-c. 24 September 1942); 1 April-10 May 1944 - 52d Airlift Squadron: ? October 2009 –
- 93d Bombardment Squadron93d Bomb SquadronThe 93d Bomb Squadron is part of the 307th Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. It operates B-52 Stratofortress aircraft providing strategic bombing capability. It is one of two reserve bomber units in the United States Air Force.-History:Established as the 93d Aero Squadron in the...
: 20 October 1939 – 1 April 1944; 1 April 1944-1 June 1953 - 99th Air Refueling Squadron99th Air Refueling SquadronThe 99th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 6th Air Mobility Wing at Birmingham Air National Guard Base, Alabama. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-History:...
: 1 September 1991 – 30 June 2008 - 345th Airlift Squadron: 6 August 2010 –
- 384th Air Refueling Squadron384th Air Refueling SquadronThe 384th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 22d Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-History:...
: 1 June 1992 – 1 January 1994 - 712th Air Refueling Squadron712th Air Refueling SquadronThe 712th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 19th Operations Group, stationed at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. The unit was inactivated on 1 July 1996.-History:...
: 1 April 1994 – 1 July 1996 - 912th Air Refueling Squadron912th Air Refueling SquadronThe 912th Air Refueling Squadron is an "Active Associate" organization, a full-time active duty Regular Air Force squadron located with and assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command's 452nd Air Mobility Wing at March Air Reserve Base, California, while administrative control is maintained by the...
: 1 September 1991 – 1 April 1994.
Stations
- Rockwell FieldNaval Air Station North IslandNaval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island is located at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay and is the home port of several aircraft carriers of the United States Navy...
, California, 24 June 1932 - March Field, California, 25 October 1935
- Albuquerque Field, New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, 7 June-29 September 1941 - Clark Field, Philippines, 26 October 1941
- Batchelor AirfieldBatchelor AirfieldBatchelor Airfield, is an airport located south of Batchelor, Northern Territory, Australia. Currently, it has no commercial air service and is utilised by the Northern Australian Gliding Club.-History:...
, Australia, 24 December 1941 - Singosari FieldSingosariSingosari is a small town in Malang, East Java, Indonesia, on the Java Island. It is situated about 400 m above sea-level, and is therefore quite cool especially from June to August. Temperature hovers around 18–20 degrees celsius at night. It is predominantly occupied by Moslems with a...
, JavaJavaJava is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, 30 December 1941 - Essendon Airport (Melbourne)Essendon AirportEssendon Airport is located at Essendon, in Melbourne's northern suburbs, Victoria, Australia. It is located next to the Tullamarine Freeway on , from the Melbourne Central Business District and from Melbourne Airport.-History:...
, Australia, 2 March 1942 - RAAF Base TownsvilleRAAF Base TownsvilleRAAF Base Townsville is, along with RAAF Base Tindal and RAAF Base Darwin, one of northern Australia's primary defence installations. It is also Headquarters for No...
, Australia, 18 April 1942 - Longreach (Torrens Creek) AirportLongreach AirportLongreach Airport is situated in Longreach, Queensland, Australia. The airport is from the center of the city.-History:Longreach has played a major part in Australian aviation from...
, Australia, 18 May 1942 - Mareeba AirfieldMareeba AirfieldMareeba Airfield is an airfield located near Mareeba, Queensland, Australia. Built in 1942 as a US Army Air Force base during World War II, the airfield had two runways, with a complement of taxiways, hardstands and a containment area...
, Australia, 26 July 1942 - RAAF Base TownsvilleRAAF Base TownsvilleRAAF Base Townsville is, along with RAAF Base Tindal and RAAF Base Darwin, one of northern Australia's primary defence installations. It is also Headquarters for No...
, Australia, 30 November-2 December 1942
- Pocatello AABPocatello Regional Airport-History:In 1943, the Pocatello Army Airfield was built as a Second Air Force heavy bomber training base.In 1949, it became surplus property and was obtained by the city of Pocatello to build a commercial airport....
, IdahoIdahoIdaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, 9 December 1942 - Pyote AABPyote Air Force BasePyote Air Force Base was a World War II United States Army Air Forces training airbase. It was on a mile from the town of Pyote, Texas on Interstate 20, twenty miles west of Monahans and just south of U.S...
, Texas, 3 January 1943 – 1 April 1944 - Great Bend AAFldGreat Bend Municipal AirportGreat Bend Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located four nautical miles west of the central business district of Great Bend, a city in Barton County, Kansas, United States. It is mostly used for general aviation, but is also served by one commercial airline...
, KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, 1 April 1944 - Dalhart AAFldDalhart Municipal AirportDalhart Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located three miles southwest of the central business district of Dalhart, Texas, a city straddling the border of Dallam and Hartley counties in the northwest corner of the Texas Panhandle.The airport is not served by any commercial...
, Texas, 26 May 1944 - Great Bend AAFldGreat Bend Municipal AirportGreat Bend Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located four nautical miles west of the central business district of Great Bend, a city in Barton County, Kansas, United States. It is mostly used for general aviation, but is also served by one commercial airline...
, Kansas, 23 August 1944 - Fort LawtonFort LawtonFort Lawton is a United States Army fort located in the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. The fort was included in the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure list.-History:...
, Washington, 11–19 December 1944 - North Field (later, North Guam AFB; Andersen AFB), Guam, 16 January 1945
- Kadena AB, Okinawa, 5 July 1950 – 1 June 1953
- Robins AFB, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, 1 September 1991 – 30 June 2008 - Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, 1 October 2008–present
Aircraft
- B-3, 1932–1935
- OA-4, 1932–1935
- OA-9, 1932–1935
- B-10, 1935–1937
- B-12, 1935–1937
- B-18, 1937–1940
- B-17, 1940–1944
- B-24, 1942
- LB-30, 1942
- B-29, 1944–1953
- KC-135, 1991–2008
- EC-135, 1991–1997
- EC-137, 1991–1994
- C-130J, C-130E, C-130H3, 2008–present
Origins
The 19th Observation Group was constituted as part of the United States Army Air CorpsUnited States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
on 18 October 1927, without personnel or equipment. In 1929 its paper designation was changed to the 19th Bombardment Group, and it came into being with its activation at Rockwell Field
Rockwell Field
Rockwell Field was an Army air base located in Coronado, California, near San Diego. It shared the area known as North Island with Naval Air Station North Island from 1912 to 1935. Its functions were eventually moved to March Field so that the naval air station could take over the whole area...
, California, in June 1932. Two of its four squadrons, the 23rd and 72nd Bomb Squadrons, were permanently detached for service in Hawaii with the 5th Composite Group. The two squadrons at Rockwell, the 30th and 32nd Bomb Squadrons, were equipped with Keystone B-3A bombers.
The unit flew training missions along the California coast for coastal defense
Coastal defence and fortification
Coastal defence , Coastal defense and Coastal fortification are measures taken to provide protection against attack by military and naval forces at or near the shoreline...
between 1932 and 1935. On 1 March 1935, all aviation combat units of the AAC in the United States were reorganized into General Headquarters Air Force, the first centralized control of the air striking arm of the United States. The 19th BG moved to March Field, California as part of the 1st Wing, commanded by Brig. Gen. Henry H. Arnold
Henry H. Arnold
Henry Harley "Hap" Arnold was an American general officer holding the grades of General of the Army and later General of the Air Force. Arnold was an aviation pioneer, Chief of the Air Corps , Commanding General of the U.S...
.
In 1940, the group was equipped with the new B-17B Flying Fortress, the first production version of the B-17. The unit made aviation history on the night of 13–14 May 1941 when they took 21 B-17s from California to Hawaii to transfer them to the 11th Bomb Group
11th Wing
The 11th Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force District of Washington. It is stationed at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility, Maryland. It is the host unit at Joint Base Andrews....
, landing on schedule within 30 minutes of each other and in the order they took off. The 19th BG redeployed two squadrons (the 30th and 93d) to the Philippines between 16 October and 4 November 1941. The 26 bombers, traveling individually and at night on their longest leg, flew a trans-Pacific route from Hamilton Field
Hamilton Air Force Base
Hamilton Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located along the western shore of San Pablo Bay, south of Novato, California.-History:...
, California; to Hickam Field
Hickam Air Force Base
Hickam Field, re-named Hickam Air Force Base in 1948, was a United States Air Force facility now part of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, named in honor of aviation pioneer Lt Col Horace Meek Hickam.- History :...
, Hawaii; Midway Island; Wake Island
Wake Island
Wake Island is a coral atoll having a coastline of in the North Pacific Ocean, located about two-thirds of the way from Honolulu west to Guam east. It is an unorganized, unincorporated territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior...
; Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
, Papua New Guinea; Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
, Australia; and Clark Field, Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, a distance of over 10,000 miles, nearly all of it over water. The route had been pioneered between 5 and 12 September 1941 by the 14th Bombardment Squadron
14th Bombardment Squadron
The 14th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. The 14th Bomb Squadron fought in the Battle of the Philippines , much of its aircraft being destroyed in combat against the Japanese...
, which was attached as the group's third squadron after its arrival. The 28th Bombardment Squadron, a squadron that had long been based in the Philippines with the 4th Composite Group (being broken up and disbanded), but now rostered by pilots fresh out of flight training, was also attached to the group as its fourth squadron and began transition training to the B-17. The 19th BG had an inventory of 6 B-17C and 29 B-17D, although one B-17D was out of commission during its entire overseas service when it broke off its tail in a collision with a parked aircraft while landing after its flight from the United States on 12 September.
World War II
During December 1941, the 19th began reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
and bombardment operations against Japanese shipping and landing parties until 17 December when badly in need of depot maintenance, it began displacing south to Darwin. By the end of the year, ground personnel joined infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
units defending the Philippines, while the air echelon in Australia continued operations, including transport of supplies to the Philippines and evacuation of personnel. On 29 December 11 of the survivors moved forward to Singosari Airfield near Malang
Malang
Malang is the second largest city in East Java province, Indonesia. It has an ancient history dating back to the Mataram Kingdom. The city population at the 2010 Census was 819,708. During the period of Dutch colonization, it was a popular destination for European residents. The city is famous for...
, Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, to continue ncombat operations.
The group flew B-17s, B-24s, and LB-30s from Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
against enemy airfields, shipping, and ground installations during the Japanese offensive against the Netherlands East Indies during early 1942, and was again evacuated on 2 March to Australia. It participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea
Battle of the Coral Sea
The Battle of the Coral Sea, fought from 4–8 May 1942, was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II between the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied naval and air forces from the United States and Australia. The battle was the first fleet action in which aircraft carriers engaged...
, in May 1942, and raided enemy transportation and communications targets as well as troop concentrations during the Japanese invasion of Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
. The group bombed enemy airdromes, ground installations, and shipping near Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
, New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
in August 1942. Capt. Harl Pease
Harl Pease
Harl Pease, Jr., was a United States Army Air Forces officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest award, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during World War II...
, who had been with the group since the start of the war, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for a mission flown on 7 August 1942.
It served in the continental United States as a replacement training organization at Pyote Army Airfield
Pyote Air Force Base
Pyote Air Force Base was a World War II United States Army Air Forces training airbase. It was on a mile from the town of Pyote, Texas on Interstate 20, twenty miles west of Monahans and just south of U.S...
from January to November 1943. The group was largely unmanned from December 1943 to 1 April 1944, when it was inactivated. The group was activated the same date at Great Bend AAF
Great Bend Municipal Airport
Great Bend Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located four nautical miles west of the central business district of Great Bend, a city in Barton County, Kansas, United States. It is mostly used for general aviation, but is also served by one commercial airline...
in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, at the 19th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) and began training for B-29 combat missions. Between December 1944 and January 1945 the group deployed to North Field on Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
as part of the 314th Bomb Wing of the Twentieth Air Force
Twentieth Air Force
The Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
.
From Guam, it conducted its first B-29 bombing raid on 25 February 1945, against Tokyo. The group flew 65 raids on the Japanese home islands, bombing strategic targets in Japan, participating in incendiary
Incendiary device
Incendiary weapons, incendiary devices or incendiary bombs are bombs designed to start fires or destroy sensitive equipment using materials such as napalm, thermite, chlorine trifluoride, or white phosphorus....
bomb attacks against Japanese cities, and attacked kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
airfields during the invasion of Okinawa in the spring of 1945.
Post/Cold War
In the late 1940s, the 19th conducted sea-search, photographic mapping, and training missions in the western Pacific.When the Korean War broke out in late June 1950, the 19th Bombardment Group was immediately detached from the Wing for combat operations from Kadena AB, Okinawa. From Kadena, the squadrons (28th, 30th 93d) attacked North KoreaNorth Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
n invasion forces. The first B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
unit in the war, the group on 28 June attacked North Korean storage tanks, marshalling yards, and armor. In the first two months, it flew more than six hundred sorties, supporting UN ground forces by bombing enemy troops, vehicles, and such communications points as the Han River bridges.
At Kadena, the group was initially under the operational control of Twentieth Air Force
Twentieth Air Force
The Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
, after 8 July 1950, it was attached to FEAF Bomber Command (Provisional)
Fifth Air Force
The Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
. Many of the aircraft flown by the 19th Bomb Group squadrons in combat were refurbished B-29s that were placed in storage after World War II, then brought back into operational service.
In the north, its targets included an oil refinery and port facilities at Wonsan, a railroad bridge at Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
, and an airfield at Yonpo. After United Nations ground forces pushed the communists out of South Korea, the 19th BG turned to strategic objectives in North Korea, including industrial and hydroelectric facilities. It also continued to attack bridges, marshalling yards, supply centers, artillery and troop positions, barracks, port facilities, and airfields.
In accordance with organizational change within the Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
and later throughout the entire Air Force, the 19th Bomb Group was inactivated on 1 June 1953 and its squadrons assigned directly to the 19th Bomb Wing as part of the Tri-Deputate organization of the wing, which moved its headquarters to Kadena.
Modern era
Reactivated in 1991 as the 19 Operations Group when the 19 Air Refueling Wing implemented the Objective Wing organization.From January 1992, it provided an EC-137 and crews to support the United States Special Operations Command
United States Special Operations Command
The United States Special Operations Command is the Unified Combatant Command charged with overseeing the various Special Operations Commands of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps of the United States Armed Forces. The command is part of the Department of Defense...
, and from August 1992 the wing supported the Saudi Tanker Task Force. It provided air refueling support to NATO fighters in Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
in September–October 1995. Several KC-135R tankers deployed to Southwest Asia to support Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
, January–March 1996 and to Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
for Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II were military operations by the United States and some of its Gulf War allies, starting in April 1991, to defend Kurds fleeing their homes in northern Iraq in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War and deliver humanitarian aid to them.-Operation...
, April–June 1996.
On 1 July 1996, the 19th Air Refueling Wing was inactivated, and its functions turned over to its operations group, redesignated the 19th Air Refueling Group. The 19th ARG consists of four squadrons: 19th Operations Support Squadron (OSS), 19th Maintenance Squadron (MXS), 19th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (AMXS), and the 99th Air Refueling Squadron
99th Air Refueling Squadron
The 99th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 6th Air Mobility Wing at Birmingham Air National Guard Base, Alabama. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-History:...
(ARS).
The Black Knights returned to Istres
Istres
Istres is a commune in southern France, some 60 km northwest of Marseille. It is in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture...
, France, in August 1996 deploying five aircraft and 125 personnel in support of Operation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight was a North Atlantic Treaty Organization operation that began on April 12, 1993 as the enforcement of a United Nations no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina...
. In December, the group received an inspection from the Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
's Quality Air Force Assessment Team. During the inspection, the team found the 19th's leadership, support, and maintenance to be among the best in Air Mobility Command.
Black Knight aircraft and personnel deployed to numerous contingency operations and exercises during 1997 and continued the group's record for success. 1998 proved to be another banner year for the 19th. Most notably, the Black Knights supported Operation Northern Watch
Operation Northern Watch
Operation Northern Watch, the successor to Operation Provide Comfort, was a US European Command Combined Task Force charged with enforcing its own no-fly zone above the 36th parallel in Iraq...
, enforcing the United Nation's no-fly zone in northern Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
; Operation Desert Thunder
Operation Desert Thunder
Operation Desert Thunder was a response to threats by Iraq's president Saddam Hussein to shoot down U-2 spy planes, and violate the no-fly zone set up over his country. The operation was designed to bring stability to the region by bringing in a military presence during the negotiations between...
, US action against Iraqi aggression; and Operation Constant Vigil, US antidrug operations in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. The 99th Air Refueling Squadron was named the Air Force Association's Citation of Honor winner for the unit that contributed most to national defense during 1998. Additionally, the 99th won the coveted General Carl A. Spaatz Trophy for 1998—given annually to the "Best Air Refueling Squadron in the US Air Force."
The 19th was off to another record start in 1999 when it earned a rare, perfect "Outstanding" during its Headquarters, Air Mobility Command Operational Readiness Inspection. Additionally, the 19th had just returned from supporting Operation Deliberate Forge and Operation Allied Force
Operation Allied Force
The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted from March 24, 1999 to June 10, 1999...
, US support for the NATO's Air War over the Former Republic of Yugoslavia -having deployed over three-fourths of its personnel and aircraft to four forward operating locations throughout Europe.
21st Century
Even after the war, the new millennium brought the 19th many new challenges. The Black Knights, although the last home, were the first to reconstitute its forces and prepare for its role as the first on-call expeditionary force for the Air Force's newest Expeditionary Aerospace Force concept. Furthermore, the recognition continued as the 19th received the AMC nomination for USSTRATCOM's Omaha Trophy for DoD's unit that best supported the Single Integrated Operational Plan. Also, the 99 ARS repeated its role as it won the 1999 Spaatz Trophy as well as the AMC nomination for the Citation of Honor Award; the 19 OSS earned the honors of the Best OSS in Twenty-First Air ForceTwenty-First Air Force
The 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the Air Force’s Air Mobility Command. It is headquartered at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey$3...
; and the 19 AGS not only received the Twenty-First Air Force Maintenance Effectiveness Award, but also dominated the 2000 Rodeo Competition as it brought home the "Best KC-135 Maintenance" Trophy. The current 19th Operations Group Commander is Colonel David A. Kasberg.
19th Air Refueling Group
The group's last designation, the 19th Air Refueling Group, stationed at Robins AFB, Georgia provided worldwide in-flight refueling for combatCombat
Combat, or fighting, is a purposeful violent conflict meant to establish dominance over the opposition, or to terminate the opposition forever, or drive the opposition away from a location where it is not wanted or needed....
, logistics
Logistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
, and combat support
Combat support
In the United States Army, the term combat support refers to units that provide fire support and operational assistance to combat elements. Combat support units provide specialized support functions to combat units in the areas of chemical warfare, combat engineering, intelligence, security, and...
aircraft of the United States and its allies as directed by the Department of Defense.
The 19th Air Refueling Group was deactivated in June 2008 as a result of realignment due to Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
(BRAC) 2005.
See also
- United States Army Air Forces in AustraliaUnited States Army Air Forces in AustraliaDuring World War II, the United States Army Air Forces established a series of airfields in Australia for the collective defense of the country, as well as for conducting offensive operations against the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy...