118th Operations Group

The 118th Operations Group is an operational unit of the Tennessee Air National Guard based at Joint Base Berry Field in Nashville, Tennessee. Although the supplied subject name is 356th Fighter Group, the authoritative Wikipedia entity is the 118th Operations Group, a successor organization that preserves the lineage of the World War II fighter group. The organization is therefore not a commercial brand or company, but a United States military unit with a long sequence of redesignations and changing missions. The unit was constituted as the 356th Fighter Group in December 1942 and activated at Westover Field, Massachusetts. It initially consisted of the 359th, 360th, and 361st Fighter Squadrons and trained with Republic P-47 Thunderbolts. After deploying to England in 1943, it joined VIII Fighter Command and began combat operations from RAF Martlesham Heath in October of that year. Its early missions focused on escorting heavy bombers, while later operations emphasized bombing and strafing attacks against transportation networks, airfields, maritime facilities, oil installations, radar sites, and other German military targets. The group played a notable role during Operation Market Garden in September 1944. Its aircraft attacked German anti-aircraft positions around Arnhem and used tactics intended to draw enemy fire before following aircraft struck the exposed defenses. The operation earned the group a Distinguished Unit Citation. In late 1944, it transitioned from P-47 Thunderbolts to North American P-51 Mustangs. The group flew its final European combat mission on 7 May 1945, escorting B-17 bombers on a leaflet mission. It remained in Europe after V-E Day before returning to the United States and being inactivated in November 1945. The lineage entered the Air National Guard in 1946 as the 118th Fighter Group. It organized at Berry Field in 1947 and was federally recognized later that year. During the Korean War period, the unit was redesignated first as a composite group and then as the 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Group. It was called to active duty in April 1951 and operated reconnaissance aircraft including RF-51 Mustangs, RF-80 Shooting Stars, and RB-26 Invaders. After returning to the Air National Guard in 1953, it continued reconnaissance work with increasingly modern jet aircraft, including RF-80s and RF-84F Thunderflashes. In 1961, the organization changed from reconnaissance to air transport and became the 118th Air Transport Group. It subsequently operated Boeing C-97 Stratofreighters, Douglas C-124 Globemaster IIs, and Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft. Its designations changed to 118th Military Airlift Group in 1966 and 118th Tactical Airlift Group in 1971. The group was inactivated in 1975 when the Air National Guard eliminated operational groups located alongside their parent wings. The organization was reactivated in 1993 as the 118th Operations Group under the Air Force Objective Wing structure. It initially operated C-130H aircraft, deployed aircraft to Southwest Asia in 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and later exchanged its transport aircraft for WC-130 aircraft as its mission shifted toward international training. Following a 2012 announcement that the unit would lose its piloted-aircraft mission, it transitioned to operating General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles. Its current identity and operational role therefore represent the latest stage in an institutional lineage that has included fighter, reconnaissance, strategic and tactical airlift, weather-related training, and remotely piloted aircraft missions.

The organization’s lineage begins with the constitution of the 356th Fighter Group on 8 December 1942 and its activation at Westover Field, Massachusetts, four days later. The group’s wartime components were the 359th, 360th, and 361st Fighter Squadrons. Equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts, it trained in the United States while also contributing to northeastern air defense. Its ground echelon sailed from Massachusetts aboard the RMS Queen Elizabeth in August 1943 and arrived in England later that month. After preparation at RAF Goxhill, the group moved to RAF Martlesham Heath and entered combat on 15 October 1943 as part of VIII Fighter Command. Its initial role was primarily bomber escort. From early 1944, however, it increasingly conducted ground-attack missions against German airfields, submarine facilities, rail yards, locomotives, barges, vehicles, oil facilities, radar stations, and other targets. During Operation Market Garden, the group flew attacks around Arnhem on 17, 18, and 23 September 1944. Its suppression of anti-aircraft positions helped reduce threats to Allied transport aircraft supporting the airborne operation, and the group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for its performance. The group converted to P-51 Mustangs in November 1944. It continued fighter sweeps, escort missions, and attacks against German forces through the final months of the war, including encounters with Arado 234 jet aircraft. Its last combat sortie took place on 7 May 1945, when it escorted B-17 bombers dropping propaganda leaflets. The group remained in England after the German surrender, transferred its aircraft to depots, and returned most personnel to other assignments. The remaining personnel sailed for the United States in November 1945, and the group was inactivated at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, on 10 November. On 24 May 1946, the lineage was allotted to the National Guard as the 118th Fighter Group. It organized at Berry Field, Tennessee, on 1 September 1947 and received federal recognition on 2 October. The postwar group included Tennessee-based and associated fighter squadrons, including the 105th, 155th, and 156th. In 1950 it became the 118th Composite Group, and in February 1951 it was redesignated the 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Group. The group and its wing were ordered to active duty on 1 April 1951 for the Korean War. At Memphis Municipal Airport and later Shaw Air Force Base, it operated RF-51, RF-80, and RB-26 reconnaissance aircraft and trained reconnaissance personnel. It returned to the Air National Guard on 1 January 1953. Reconnaissance remained the group’s principal mission through the 1950s. It adopted RF-80 jet aircraft in 1955 and RF-84F Thunderflashes by 1957. Some associated Arkansas squadrons were temporarily federalized during the Little Rock School Crisis in September 1957 and returned to state control the following month. In April 1961, the group moved into airlift, becoming the 118th Air Transport Group and operating C-97 Stratofreighters. It later operated C-124 Globemaster IIs and C-130 Hercules aircraft. The organization became the 118th Military Airlift Group in 1966 and the 118th Tactical Airlift Group in 1971. It was inactivated on 26 February 1975 when the Air National Guard removed operational groups that duplicated management functions at parent-wing bases. The group was reactivated on 1 January 1993 as the 118th Operations Group during the Air Force Objective Wing reorganization. It operated C-130H aircraft and deployed much of its fleet to Southwest Asia in 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2007, the group exchanged its C-130Hs for WC-130 aircraft as its mission shifted toward international training. After the 2012 announcement that the group would lose its piloted-aircraft mission, it transitioned to MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft. The active 118th Operations Group is the current organizational form of this lineage.

• 2012

  Transition toward remotely piloted aircraft operations

  [1]118th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Following the announced loss of its piloted-aircraft mission, the group converted to MQ-9 Reaper operations.

• 2007

  Transition from C-130H aircraft to WC-130 aircraft

  [1]118th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group exchanged its C-130H fleet as its mission changed from airlift to international training.

• 2003

  Southwest Asia deployment

  [1]118th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Most of the group’s aircraft deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

• 1993

  Reactivation as 118th Operations Group

  [1]118th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was reactivated on 1 January under the Objective Wing organizational model.

• 1975

  Inactivation under Air National Guard reorganization

  [1]118th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The 118th Tactical Airlift Group was inactivated on 26 February as operational groups at parent-wing bases were eliminated.

• 1961

  Conversion to air transport

  [1]118th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group became the 118th Air Transport Group and began operating Boeing C-97 aircraft.

• 1951

  Conversion to tactical reconnaissance and Korean War activation

  [1]118th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group became the 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Group and was ordered to active duty on 1 April.

• 1947

  Organization in the Tennessee Air National Guard

  [1]118th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The lineage organized at Berry Field on 1 September and received federal recognition on 2 October as the 118th Fighter Group.

• 1945

  World War II combat ends and group is inactivated

  [1]118th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The final combat mission was flown on 7 May; the group returned to the United States and was inactivated on 10 November.

• 1944

  Distinguished Unit Citation during Operation Market Garden

  [1]118th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group attacked German anti-aircraft defenses near Arnhem in support of Allied airborne operations and received a Distinguished Unit Citation.

• 1943

  Deployment to England and entry into combat

  [1]118th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group deployed to England, joined VIII Fighter Command, and began combat operations on 15 October from RAF Martlesham Heath.

• 1942

  356th Fighter Group constituted and activated

  [1]118th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The unit was constituted on 8 December and activated on 12 December at Westover Field, Massachusetts, with the 359th, 360th, and 361st Fighter Squadrons.

A military aviation organization rather than a consumer or corporate brand. Its institutional identity is based on continuity of lineage, operational readiness, and successive mission conversions within the United States Air Force and Air National Guard.

• Fighter aircraft · 1942

  Republic P-47 Thunderbolt

  The 356th Fighter Group trained with and initially conducted combat operations using P-47 Thunderbolts. The aircraft supported bomber escort, fighter sweeps, and increasingly extensive bombing and strafing missions over German-occupied Europe.

• Fighter aircraft · 1944

  North American P-51 Mustang

  The group converted to P-51 Mustangs in November 1944. The Mustang equipped the unit for long-range escort, air-to-air combat, and ground-attack missions during the final months of World War II.

• Military reconnaissance · 1951

  Reconnaissance aircraft

  During its reconnaissance period, the group operated North American RF-51 Mustangs, Lockheed RF-80 Shooting Stars, Republic RF-84F Thunderflashes, and Douglas RB-26 Invaders in training and operational roles.

• Military airlift · 1961

  Air transport aircraft

  The organization operated Boeing C-97 Stratofreighters, Douglas C-124 Globemaster IIs, and Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft after converting from reconnaissance to air transport in 1961.

• Remotely piloted aircraft · 2012

  General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper

  The current group operates MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles. This capability followed the end of the unit’s piloted-aircraft mission and represents its present operational focus.

• 2003Operation Iraqi Freedom

  Southwest Asia

  Most of the group’s C-130 aircraft deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

  Source
• 1944Operation Market Garden

  Netherlands · Western Europe

  The group conducted bombing and strafing attacks around Arnhem on several September dates, targeting German anti-aircraft positions that threatened Allied airborne resupply operations.

  Outcome. The unit’s contribution was recognized with a Distinguished Unit Citation.

  Source

• 2012

  Conversion to MQ-9 Reaper operationsStrategy

  Background

  The group was scheduled to lose its piloted-aircraft mission after a 2012 announcement.

  Action taken

  It converted to operating General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles.

  Aftermath

  The 118th Operations Group became an active remotely piloted aircraft organization based at Joint Base Berry Field.

  Source

• 1961

  Conversion from reconnaissance to airliftStrategy

  Background

  The group’s mission changed as it received Boeing C-97 aircraft.

  Action taken

  It became the 118th Air Transport Group and adopted an airlift role.

  Aftermath

  The unit later operated C-124 and C-130 aircraft under military and tactical airlift designations.

  Source

• 1951

  Conversion to tactical reconnaissanceStrategy

  Background

  The Air National Guard reorganized the group and its parent wing during the Korean War period.

  Action taken

  The organization was redesignated the 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Group and placed on active duty.

  Aftermath

  It operated several reconnaissance aircraft and returned to the Air National Guard in 1953.

  Source

• 1944

  Conversion from P-47 Thunderbolts to P-51 MustangsGeneration change

  Background

  The fighter group transitioned to the Mustang during the later phase of World War II.

  Action taken

  The group replaced its principal P-47 fighter equipment with P-51 aircraft.

  Aftermath

  It continued escort, air-combat, and ground-attack operations through the end of the European war.

  Source

1. 1118th Operations Groupen.wikipedia.org