482d Operations Group

482d Operations Group

Emblem of the 482d Operations Group
Active 1943–1945; 1947–1949; 1952; 1955–1957; 1992–present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
General Dynamics Block 30D F-16Cs of the 93rd Fighter Squadron over Biscayne Bay, Florida. Identifiable is F-16C AF Serial No. 86-0267.

The 482d Operations Group (482 OG) is a United States Air Force Reserve unit assigned to the 482d Fighter Wing. It is stationed at Homestead Joint Air Reserve Base, Florida, and is a direct successor to the 482d Bombardment Group.

During World War II, the group was organized and activated as the 482d Bombardment Group (Pathfinder), the only Eighth Air Force radar-equipped "pathfinder" heavy bomber group. Its B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator aircraft were equipped with first generation radar to guide other bombardment groups to targets obscured by cloud cover over Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany ("blind bombing").

Overview

The mission of the 482d Operations Group (Tail Code: FM) is to train and equip reservists to respond to wartime and peacetime taskings as directed by higher headquarters. The group specifically trains for: Mobility, Deployment, and Employment.

Components

The operational squadron of the 482 OG is the 93rd Fighter Squadron "Makos" (F-16C)

History

For additional history and lineage, see 482d Fighter Wing

World War II

B-24H, 44th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, dropping its load on Frankfurt, 29 January 1944, Serial Number 27644 Source: Arco-Aircam Book #11 "Consolidated B-24D - M Liberator"

In the summer of 1943, the Eighth Air Force conducted experiments with radar for high-altitude bombing through clouds. A special organization, the 482d Bombardment Group (Pathfinder), was formed to use this technology and be devoted to pathfinder techniques using the H2S and H2X (APS-15) radars.

The 482d Bomb Group was formed at RAF Alconbury on 20 August 1943, under the command of Lt Col Baskin R. Lawrence, who had been training its 92nd BG cadre since 1 May. The 812th Bomb Squadron arrived from the United States in September with 12 new B-17 aircraft equipped with U.S. manufactured H2S radar. The 813th was a re-designation of the 325th Bomb Squadron, 92nd Bomb Group, which had been training since may in B-17s equipped with British-manufactured H2S and Oboe sets. The 814th flew B-24 Liberator aircraft acquired from the 479th Anti-Submarine Group, commanded by Col Howard Moore. Col Moore assumed command of the 482nd Bomb Group 22 Nov 1943, serving until 15 Dec 1944. The 482d Group was one of two Eighth Air Force groups activated overseas (the other being the 25th Bomb Group (Reconnaissance)). The 482d BG provided a force of radar-equipped aircraft that preceded bomber formations flying from England to Germany and indicated targets such as airfields, submarine installations, and marshalling yards obscured by weather. Eight Air Force dubbed the group with the modifier "Pathfinder" because of its similarity of mission in locating and designating obscured targets that was also the mission of the Pathfinder Force (PFF) of the Royal Air Force.

The 482d BG provided lead aircraft for other bomb groups throughout the winter of 1943/44. As lead aircraft, 482 BG B-17s and B-24s usually flew missions from stations of other groups with some key personnel of the host group flying in the pathfinder aircraft. The group earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for 11 January 1944 mission leading Eighth Air Force bombers to targets such as aircraft factories in central Germany. Although weather prevented effective fighter protection against enemy aircraft, the group bombed assigned targets and destroyed many enemy airplanes. Individual aircraft and crews led Eighth Air Force elements on attacks against factories at Gotha, Brunswick, Schweinfurt, and other German industrial centers during Big Week, 20–25 February

The 482d BG was transferred to Composite Command in February 1944 when emphasis shifted to training radar operators. The 482d began an H2X training school on 21 February 1944, initially using RAF instructors. It graduated a class of 36 radar navigators each month, as the PFF was decentralized first to the air divisions and then to the combat groups, where each assigned one squadron to be its PFF unit. Training and experimentation remained the chief role of the 482d BG for the remainder of war.

In March 1944, the 482d BG was taken off combat operations and became a development unit for various radar devices in addition to its training function, but continued to undertake special operations. With radar, photographed parts of France, the Low Countries, and Germany for training and briefing combat crews. While on experimental flights, often bombed bridges, fuel depots, power plants, and railroad stations. On 6 June, it provided 18 crews to lead bomb groups in support of the Allied invasion of Normandy, on pathfinder missions to bomb coastal defenses and attacks on traffic centers behind the beachhead.

From August 1944 to April 1945, the 482d BG conducted 202 radar scope and 'pickling' sorties over hostile territory without loss, dropping 45 tons of bombs in Nazi controlled territory. In November 1944, the group was re-designated as the 482d Bomb Group (Heavy).

Redeployed to the US in May 1945. The aircraft departed between 27–30 May 1945. The ground unit sailed on the Queen Elizabeth from Gourock on 24 June 1945. The group re-established at Victorville AAF, Ca. on 5 July 1945, but inactivated on 1 September 1945

Cold War

Trained in the Reserve as a heavy bombardment group, June 1947 – June 1949; as a troop carrier group, June–December 1952; and as a fighter-bomber group flying various fighter and trainer aircraft, May 1955 – November 1957. From August 1992 controlled the 482d Fighter Wing's flying and aerial port operations.

Modern era

When Hurricane Andrew devastated Homestead later that month, flying operations moved to Wright-Patterson AFB, September–December 1992 and to MacDill AFB, February 1993 – March 1994, before returning to Homestead.

Lineage

Activated on 20 August 1943
Redesignated 482 Bombardment Group, Heavy on 11 November 1944
Inactivated on 1 September 1945
Activated in the Reserve on 26 June 1947
Inactivated on 27 June 1949
Activated in the Reserve on 14 June 1952
Inactivated on 1 December 1952
Activated in the Reserve on 18 May 1955
Inactivated on 16 November 1957
Activated in the Reserve on 1 August 1992.

Assignments

Components

Stations

Temporarily assigned to: Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, September–December 1992
Temporarily assigned to MacDill AFB, Florida, February 1993 – March 1994

Aircraft

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.


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