90th Operations Group

90th Operations Group
250px Emblem of the 90th Operations Group
Active	1942–1946; 1947–1948; 1951–1952; 1991–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Nickname(s)	"Mighty Ninety"
Motto	"Impavide"

File:MinutemanIII-test-launch.jpg

Minuteman-III (LGM-30G) Test Launch, 2004

The 90th Operations Group (90 OG) is the operational component of the 90th Missile Wing of the United States Air Force. It is stationed at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, and is assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) Twentieth Air Force.

The group is responsible for maintaining and operating on alert the wing's assigned Boeing LGM-30G Minuteman III Intercontinental ballistic missiles, including training missile crew members.

The unit's World War II predecessor unit, the 90th Bombardment Group, operated primarily in the Southwest Pacific Theater as a Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber unit assigned to the Fifth Air Force of the United States Army Air Forces. It was awarded two United States Distinguished Unit Citations and the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for its combat service in China; Netherlands East Indies; New Guinea; the Bismarck Archipelago; the Western Pacific; Leyte, and Luzon.

During the early years of the Cold War, the unit operated as a Strategic Air Command Boeing B-29 Superfortress Operational Training Unit for aircrews being assigned to combat duties during the Korean War.

Overview

The 90th OG has command and control of 15 Missile Alert Facilities and 150 LGM-30G Minuteman-III intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) in a 9,600-square-mile (25,000 km²) area covering three states. More than 1,500 missileers, pilots, maintainers, chefs and facility managers work together to accomplish the mission to provide safe, secure ICBMs, ready to immediately put bombs on target.

History

For additional history and lineage, see 90th Missile Wing

"Jolly Rogers" of the 90th Bombardment Group on a mission, 1943

File:90th Bomb Group B-24J 1944.jpg

B-24J with the distinct nose turret, probably in 1944.

Established in early 1942 as a medium bomb group; assigned to III Bomber Command for training. Primarily trained in the southeastern United States with B-26 Marauders, later B-25 Mitchells.

Redesignated as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomb group in August 1942 and reassigned to Willow Run Airport, Michigan for conversion training on newly manufactured Ford Liberators. Assigned to VII Bomber Command with B-24Ds, the unit was reassigned to the Honolulu modification center at Hickam Field, Hawaii in September where the aircraft were prepared for duty in the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO). During the next two months the group trained on long overwater navigation training and other necessities for operating in the Pacific.

Arrived initially in Northern Queensland, Australia in November 1942 and began long-range strategic bombardment operations almost immediately on arrival. Attacked enemy airfields, troop concentrations, ground installations and shipping in New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, Palau, and the southern Philippines. Received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for operations in Papua, July 1942 – January 1943, participated in the Battle of Bismarck Sea in March 1943, and earned another DUC for strikes through heavy flak and fighter opposition on enemy airfields at Wewak, New Guinea, in September 1943. During 1944, supported the New Guinea Campaign for first six months, then made long-range raids on oil refineries at Balikpapan, Borneo, in Sep and Oct.

From January 1945, supported ground forces on Luzon, attacked industries on Formosa, and bombed railways, airfields, and harbor facilities on the Asiatic mainland. After the war, flew reconnaissance missions over Japan and ferried Allied prisoners of war from Okinawa to Manila. Ceased operations by November 1945. Unit was demobilized in the Philippines; personnel returning to the United States via any available transport with B-24s being sent to reclamation in the Philippines.

Reactivated by Strategic Air Command in 1947, however not equipped or manned until 1951. During the early years of the Cold War, served as operational training unit for B-29 Superfortress aircrews and mechanics of the 376th, 308th, and 310th Bombardment Wings, in turn, 1951–1952; as replacement training unit for B-29 and RB-29 aircrews for Far East Air Forces (1951–1952) prior to the crews being assigned to combat duties during the Korean War. Inactivated June 1952 when operational squadrons assigned directly to parent wing.

Reactivated in September 1991 as the operational component of the 90th Missile Wing as part of the wing's conversion to the Objective Organization. Was assigned operational control of the 90th MW LGM-30G Minuteman III and LGM-118A Peacekeeper ICBM squadrons, responsible for maintaining and operating on alert the wing's assigned missiles, including training missile crew members. Began retiring Peacekeeper missiles in 2001; squadron inactivated in 2005. Maintains Minuteman III squadrons on nuclear alert.

Lineage

• Established as 90 Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 January 1942

Activated on 15 April 1942

Redesignated 90 Bombardment Group, Heavy, on 20 August 1943

Inactivated on 27 January 1946

• Redesignated 90 Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, on 11 June 1947

Activated on 1 July 1947

Inactivated on 6 September 1948

• Redesignated 90 Bombardment Group, Medium, on 20 December 1950

Activated on 2 January 1951.

Inactivated on 16 June 1952

• Redesignated 90 Operations Group on 29 August 1991

Activated on 1 September 1991.

Assignments

• III Bomber Command, 15 April 1942
• VII Bomber Command, 12 September 1942
• V Bomber Command, November 1942

Attached to: 310th Bombardment Wing, 31 May – 3 September 1944; 15 January – 23 November 1945

• Far East Air Forces, 23 November 1945 – 27 January 1946
• Strategic Air Command, 1 July 1947 – 6 September 1948
• 90 Bombardment Wing, Medium, 2 January 1951 – 16 June 1952
• 90 Missile (later, 90 Space, 90 Missile) Wing, 1 September 1991–present

Components

• 10th Reconnaissance (later, 400 Bombardment; 400 Missile) Squadron, 15 April 1942 – 27 January 1946; 1 July 1947-6 September 1948; 2 January 1951 – 16 June 1952; 1 September 1991–19 September 2005
• 319th Bombardment (later, 319 Missile) Squadron, 15 April 1942 – 27 January 1946; 1 July 1947-6 September 1948; 2 January 1951 – 16 June 1952; 1 September 1991–present
• 320th Bombardment (later, 320 Missile) Squadron, 15 April 1942 – 27 January 1946; 1 July 1947-6 September 1948; 2 January 1951 – 16 June 1952; 1 September 1991–present
• 321st Bombardment (later, 321 Missile) Squadron, 15 April 1942 – 27 January 1946; 1 July 1947-6 September 1948; 2 January 1951 – 16 June 1952; 1 September 1991–present

Stations

• Key Field, Mississippi, 15 April 1942
• Barksdale Field, Louisiana, 17 May 1942
• Greenville Army Air Base, South Carolina, 21 June 1942
• Willow Run Airport, Michigan, 9 August 1942
• Camp Stoneman, California, 29 August – 3 September 1942 (ground echelon)
• Hickam Field, Hawaii (Territory), September 1942
• Iron Range Airfield, Australia, November 1942
• Port Moresby Airfield Complex, New Guinea, 10 February 1943
• Dobodura Airfield Complex, New Guinea, 22 December 1943
• Nadzab Airfield Complex, New Guinea, 23 February 1944

• Wakde Airfield, Netherlands East Indies, 22 June 1944
• Mokmer Airfield, Biak, Netherlands East Indies, 10 August 1944
• McGuire Field, Mindoro, Philippines, 26 January 1945
• Ie Shima, Okinawa, c. 10 August 1945
• Fort William McKinley, Luzon, Philippines, December 1945-26 January 1946
• Andrews Field (later, Andrews AFB), Maryland, 1 July 1947 – 6 September 1948
• Fairchild AFB, Washington, 2 January 1951
• Forbes AFB, Kansas, 14 March 1951 – 16 June 1952
• F. E. Warren AFB, Wyoming, 1 September 1991–present

Aircraft and missiles

• B-24 Liberator, 1942–1945
• LGM-30G Minuteman III, 1991–present
• LGM-118A Peacekeeper, 1991–2005

See also

• United States Army Air Forces in Australia

References

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

• 90th Operations Group Factsheet