Misplaced Pages

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (January 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

512th Operations Group
A 709th Airlift Squadron crew boards the wing's first C-5M Super Galaxy
Active	1944–1945; 1949–1951; 1952–1959; 1993–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Airlift
Part of	Air Force Reserve Command
Garrison/HQ	Dover Air Force Base
Engagements	China-Burma-India Theater
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
512th Operations Group emblem (approved 21 December 1993)
512th Troop Carrier Group emblem (Approved 21 January 1958)

The 512th Operations Group is the operational flying component of the 512th Airlift Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Reserve. The group is stationed at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware.

During World War II as the 1st Combat Cargo Group, the group fought in the China-Burma-India Theater transporting supplies and reinforcements to and evacuating casualties flying combat operations in Burma and China assigned to the Tenth Air Force. After the war, the unit was redesignated as the 512th Troop Carrier Group (Medium) and allotted to the reserve.

Overview

The unit is the operational component of the 512th Airlift Wing, and consists of 2 airlift squadrons and 2 support squadrons. Members of the group work side-by-side with their active duty counterparts in the 436th Airlift Wing. The unit flies the C-5M Super Galaxy and the C-17A Globemaster III

• 709th Airlift Squadron C-5 Galaxy
• 326th Airlift Squadron C-17 Globemaster III
• 512th Operations Support Squadron
• 512th Airlift Control Flight

History

For additional history and lineage, see 512th Airlift Wing

Trained in the United States for combat cargo operations between Apr and August 1944. Moved to the CBI theater in August 1944. Began operations in September 1944 by transporting supplies and reinforcements to and evacuating casualties from Imphal, Burma.

Continued to support Allied operations in Burma, flying in men and supplies from India, moving equipment required to construct and operate airstrips, dropping dummy cargoes to lead the enemy away from Allied offensives, dropping paratroops for the assault on Rangoon (May 1945), and evacuating prisoners of war who were freed by Allied advances.

Meanwhile, part of the group had been sent to China, and for a short time (December 1944 – January 1945) the group's headquarters was located there. Operations in China included helping to evacuate the air base at Guilin during a Japanese drive in September 1944, moving Chinese troops, and flying many supply missions, some of which involved ferrying gasoline and materiel over The Hump from India.

The group, partially re-equipped with C-46 Commandos in June 1945, engaged primarily in transporting men, food, arms, and ammunition until the end of the war. Redesignated 512th Troop Carrier Group in September 1945. Returned to the US in December 1945. Inactivated on 24 December 1945.

Activated on 2 September 1949. Equipped with C-46's. Between September 1949 and March 1951, and again from June 1952 – April 1959, trained as a Reserve troop carrier group at bases in Pennsylvania and Delaware. Activated as a result of the Korean War in 1951, personnel and equipment reassigned to active duty units in Far East Air Force to support combat operations. Unit inactivated then reconstituted as a reserve unit in 1952. Inactivated in 1959 when parent wing implemented tri-deputate organization and all operational flying squadrons reassigned directly to the wing.

Activated in 1992 when parent wing implemented objective organization. Since reactivation in August 1992 coordinated operations of C-5 squadrons. Personnel and squadrons of the group participated in various contingency and humanitarian airlift operations, some to Asia and Africa and in support of Global War on Terrorism since 11 September 2001.

Lineage

• Established as 1st Combat Cargo Group on 11 April 1944

Activated on 15 April 1944

Redesignated 512th Troop Carrier Group on 19 September 1945

Inactivated on 24 December 1945

• Redesignated 512th Troop Carrier Group, Medium on 4 August 1949

Activated in the Reserve on 2 September 1949

Ordered to Active Service on 15 March 1951

Inactivated on 1 April 1951

• Activated in the Reserve on 14 June 1952

Inactivated on 14 April 1959

• Redesignated: 512th Military Airlift Group on 31 July 1985 (Remained inactive)
• Redesignated: 512th Operations Group on 1 August 1992

Activated in the Reserve on 1 August 1992.

Assignments

• I Troop Carrier Command, 15 April 1944
• Eastern Air Command, 24 August 1944
• Combat Cargo Task Force, 14 September 1944
• Fourteenth Air Force, 20 December 1944
• Combat Cargo Task Force, 30 January 1945
• Tenth Air Force, 24 August–December 1945
• 512th Troop Carrier Wing, 2 September 1949 – 1 April 1951; 14 June 1952 – 14 April 1959
• 512th Airlift Wing, 1 August 1992–present

Components

• 1st Combat Cargo (later, 326th Troop Carrier; 326th Airlift) Squadron: 15 April 1944 – 16 June 1945; 2 September 1949 – 1 April 1951; 14 June 1952 – 14 April 1959; 1 August 1992–present
• 2d Combat Cargo (later, 327th Troop Carrier; 326th Airlift) Squadron: 15 April 1944 – 10 September 1945 (detached 1 July-10 September 1945); 2 September 1949 – 1 April 1951; 14 June 1952 – 14 April 1959.
• 3d Combat Cargo (later, 328th Troop Carrier;328th Airlift) Squadron: 15 April 1944 – 20 December 1945 (detached 23 June-20 August 1945 and 25 August-10 November 1945); 2 September 1949 – 1 April 1951; 14 June 1952 – 16 November 1957; 25 March 1958 – 14 April 1959
• 4th Combat Cargo (later, 329th Troop Carrier) Squadron: 15 April 1944 – 8 December 1945 (detached 5–24 September 1945); 2 September 1949 – 1 April 1951
• 709th Airlift Squadron: 1 August 1992–present

Aircraft

• C-47 Skytrain, 1944–1945
• C-46 Commando, 1945; 1949–1951; 1952–1957
• C-119 Flying Boxcar, 1957–1959
• C-5 Galaxy, 1992–present

Stations

See also

• Objective, Burma!

References

Notes

1. The aircraft is Lockheed C-5M Galaxy serial 86-25, "The Spirit of Global Reach" The aircraft arrived at Dover Air Force Base on 9 February 2009 and the crew is pictured making its local training mission on 17 February 2009. This plane is the first of three C-5M Super Galaxies the base will receive for operational testing and evaluation.
2. The group uses the wing emblem with the group designation on the scroll

Citations

1. Haulman, Daniel L. (2 January 2008). "Factsheet 512 Operations Group (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
2. Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 20–21
3. Maurer, Maurer (21 September 2010). "Air Force Command Units of World War II" (PDF). Office of Air Force History. 1: 20 – via Defence.gov.

Bibliography

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

• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) . 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.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) . Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.

External links

v t e USAAF Tenth Air Force in World War II
Airfields	Burma Bhamo Myitkyina Namponmao Sahmaw Tingkawk Sakan India Agartala Asansol Barrackpore Chakulia Chittagong Dinjan Dohazari Dudhkundi Dum Dum Fenny Guskhara Hailakandi Hathazari Kalaikunda Karachi Ledo Nagaghuli Nawadih Pandaveswar Panagarh Piardoba Sookerating Sylhet Tezgaon Tezpur Tulihal
Units	Groups Air Commando 1st Air Commando 2d Air Commando Bombardment 7th Bombardment 12th Bombardment 341st Bombardment Combat Cargo 1st Combat Cargo 3d Combat Cargo 4th Combat Cargo Fighter 23d Fighter 33d Fighter 51st Fighter 80th Fighter 81st Fighter 311th Fighter Reconnaissance 8th Reconnaissance Troop Carrier 443d Troop Carrier Squadrons 24th Combat Mapping 426th Night Fighter Squadron 427th Night Fighter Squadron
United States Army Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Fourteenth Fifteenth Twentieth

v t e USAAF First Air Force in World War II
Airfields	First Air Force Group Training Stations First Air Force Replacement Training Stations First Air Force Tactical Airfields Freeman Army Airfield Godman Army Airfield Selfridge Field
Units	Commands I Bomber Command I Fighter Command I Ground Air Support Command Wings 25th Antisubmarine 50th Troop Carrier 52d Troop Carrier 53d Troop Carrier 60th Troop Carrier 61st Troop Carrier Boston Fighter New York Fighter Norfolk Fighter Philadelphia Fighter Groups Bombardment 2d Bombardment 13th Bombardment 22d Bombardment 34th Bombardment 43d Bombardment 45th Bombardment 301st Bombardment 302d Bombardment 400th Bombardment 402d Bombardment 455th Bombardment 459th Bombardment 460th Bombardment 471st Bombardment Combat Cargo 1st Combat Cargo 2d Combat Cargo 4th Combat Cargo Fighter 8th Fighter 31st Fighter 33d Fighter 52d Fighter 56th Fighter 57th Fighter 58th Fighter 59th Fighter 79th Fighter 80th Fighter 83d Fighter 87th Fighter 324th Fighter 325th Fighter 326th Fighter 327th Fighter 332d Fighter 348th Fighter 352d Fighter 353d Fighter 355th Fighter 356th Fighter 358th Fighter 359th Fighter 361st Fighter 362d Fighter 365th Fighter 366th Fighter 368th Fighter 370th Fighter 371st Fighter 373d Fighter 402d Fighter 413th Fighter 476th Fighter Reconnaissance 26th Reconnaissance 73d Reconnaissance Troop Carrier 10th Troop Carrier 60th Troop Carrier 61st Troop Carrier 62d Troop Carrier 63d Troop Carrier 89th Troop Carrier 313th Troop Carrier 314th Troop Carrier 315th Troop Carrier 316th Troop Carrier 317th Troop Carrier 349th Troop Carrier 375th Troop Carrier 403d Troop Carrier 433d Troop Carrier 434th Troop Carrier 435th Troop Carrier 436th Troop Carrier 437th Troop Carrier 438th Troop Carrier 439th Troop Carrier 440th Troop Carrier 441st Troop Carrier 442d Troop Carrier Other 1st Search Attack 477th Composite Incidents Freeman Field Mutiny
United States Army Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Fourteenth Fifteenth Twentieth

• Military units and formations established in 1944
• Operations groups of the United States Air Force