403rd Operations Group

The 403rd Operations Group (403 OG) is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force Reserve 403rd Wing. It is stationed at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi.

403rd Operations Group
A C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 815th Airlift Squadron over Alaska
Active1942–1946; 1949–1953; 1953–1959; 1992–present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleAirlift & Weather Reconnaissance
Part ofAir Force Reserve Command
Garrison/HQKeesler Air Force Base
The WC-130J (right) and C-130J-30 (left) fly over the Bay St. Louis Bridge on 20 May 2007. The 815th Airllift Squadron "Flying Jennies" and the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron "Hurricane Hunters" are part of the Air Force Reserve's 403rd Wing located at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. The bridge was damaged by Hurricane Katrina and will re-open 17 May 2007.

Units

The 403rd Operations Group performs missions including airlift of personnel, equipment and supplies. Additionally, the group is the only unit in the Department of Defense tasked to organize, equip, train and perform all hurricane weather reconnaissance in support of the Department of Commerce.

History

Trained for overseas troop carrier operations from late 1942 to the summer of 1943, when it moved to the South Pacific.

Transported men and supplies to forward areas in the Solomon Islands and flew passenger and cargo routes to New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, and New Caledonia. From August 1943 to July 1944 it was attached to the South Pacific Combat Air Transport Command (SCAT), earning a Navy Unit Commendation.[1] The group also moved personnel of Thirteenth Air Force units to the Southwest Pacific theater. Supported campaigns in New Guinea and the Philippines by transporting men and cargo to combat areas, evacuating casualties, and landing or dropping supplies for guerrilla forces. On 23 February 1945, dropped paratroops at Laguna de Bay, Luzon, to free civilian internees held by the Japanese.

Earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for transporting ammunition, food, and other supplies to Eighth Army forces in Mindanao and for landing on jungle airstrips to evacuate wounded personnel from Apr to Jun. From the Philippines, ferried occupation troops to Japan, evacuated liberated prisoners, and flew cargo and passenger routes to Japan and Australia.

From June 1949 until 1 April 1951, when it was called the active duty, the group trained as a reserve troop carrier unit in Oregon.

In Mar and April 1952, moved to Japan for operations against communist forces in Korea. Using C-119s, the group dropped paratroops and supplies, transported personnel and equipment, and evacuated casualties. On 1 January 1953, relieved from active duty and inactivated in Japan.

It activated again as a reserve unit, training for airlift, air evacuation, and aeromedical evacuation missions until inactivation in 1959. From 1992, the group flew Air Force Reserve airlift and weather reconnaissance missions, including Hurricane Hunter missions.

Lineage
  • Established as 403rd Troop Carrier Group on 7 December 1942
Activated on 12 December 1942
Inactivated on 15 October 1946
  • Redesignated 403rd Troop Carrier Group, Medium on 10 May 1949
Activated in the Reserve on 27 June 1949
Ordered to active service on 1 April 1951
Inactivated on 1 January 1953
  • Activated in the Reserve on 1 January 1953
Inactivated on 14 April 1959
Redesignated: 403rd Military Airlift Group on 31 July 1985 (Remained inactive)
Redesignated: 403rd Operations Group on 1 August 1992
  • Activated in the Reserve on 1 August 1992.

Assignments

Components

Stations

Aircraft
  • C-47, 1942–1946; C/VC-47, 1952; TC-47, 1957–1959
  • C-46, 1945–1946; C/TC-46, 1949–1952
  • C-54, 1952
  • C-119, 1952, 1957–1959
  • C-46, 1953–1957
  • C-130, 1992–present; WC-130, 1992–present

References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

  1. Armstrong, William. (2017). Marine Air Group 25 and SCAT (Images of Aviation). Arcadia. ISBN 1467127434.

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