20th Air Base Group

20th Air Base Group
Active	1918, 1921-1946
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army Air Corps
Type	Support
Role	Maintenance and Base Administratiion
Part of	Far East Air Force
Engagements	Southwest Pacific Theater
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation

The 20th Air Base Group is a disbanded unit of the United States Air Force. It was part of the Far East Air Force, during World War II. The 20th ABG was based at Nichols Field, in the Philippines. It surrendered to the Japanese in the spring of 1942, but was kept on the rolls as an active unit until April 1946. It was disbanded in 1984.

Lineage

20th Air Base Group

• Authorized on 2 June 1921 as Air Park No. 11 and organized

Redesignated 66th Service Squadron on 25 January 1923

Redesignated Base Headquarters & 20th Air Base Squadron on 1 September 1936 and inactivated

Consolidated with Squadron A, Eberts Field on 16 October 1936 (remained inactive)

Consolidated with Station Complement, Nichols Field (an active unit) on 25 May 1938

Redesignated Base Headquarters & 20th Air Base Squadron (1 Group) on 6 December 1939

Redesignated Base Headquarters & 20th Air Base Squadron (Single) on 1 February 1940

Redesignated 20th Air Base Group (Reinforced) on 1 September 1940

Inactivated on 2 April 1946

• Disbanded on 27 September 1984

Squadron A, Eberts Field

• Organized on 26 April 1918 as 66th Aero Squadron

Redesignated Squadron A, Eberts Field ca. 1 July 1918

• Demobilized 15 November 1918

Reconstituted and consolidated with 66th Service Squadron as Base Headquarters & 20th Air Base Squadron on 16 October 1936

Station Complement, Nichols Field

• Activated ca. 1 March 1935 as Station Complement, Nichols Field

Consolidated with Base Headquarters & 20th Air Base Squadron as Base Headquarters & 20th Air Base Squadron on 25 May 1938

Assignments

• Primary Flying School, 26 April 1918 - 15 November 1918
• 1st Group (later 4th Composite Group), 2 June 1921
• Philippine Department, 1 September 1936
• Philippine Department Air Force (later Far East Air Force, Fifth Air Force), 20 September 1941-2 Apr 1946

Stations

• Kelly Field, Texas, 26 April 1918
• Eberts Field, Arkansas, ca. 1 May 1918 - 15 November 1918
• Clark Field, Commonwealth of the Philippines, 2 June 1921
• Nichols Field, Commonwealth of the Philippines, 21 December 1921 – 1942

Components

• Air Base Squadron, 20th Air Base Group (later 19th Air Base Squadron), 1 September 1940 - 2 April 1946
• 1st Materiel Squadron, 20th Air Base Group (later 27th Material Squadron), 1 September 1940 - 2 April 1946
• 2d Materiel Squadron, 20th Air Base Group (later 28th Material Squadron), 1 September 1940 - 2 April 1946

Honors

• 
• Presidential Unit Citation w/2 OLC's

WD GO 22-42 amended by DA GO 46-48 7 December 1941 - 10 May 1942,

 WD GO 14-42 8–22 December 1941
 WD GO 43-42 6 Jan - 8 Mar 1942 amended by WD GO 40 -43, dated 17 Jul 43

• 
• Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation

7 December 1941 - 10 May 1942, 17 October 1944 - 4 July 1945

• 
• Southwest Pacific Theater
• Campaigns: Philippine Islands, Leyte

See also

4th Composite Group

References

Bibliography

• AF Pamphlet 900-2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC, 15 Jun 71