387th Air Expeditionary Group

387th Air Expeditionary Group
Active	1942-1945, 2003 -Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Garrison/HQ	Southwest Asia

The 387th Air Expeditionary Group (387 AEG) is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command. As a provisional unit, it may be activated or inactivated at any time. It is currently stationed at an undisclosed location.

Active in 2003 as an A-10 Thunderbolt II unit as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, it was inactivated after the active conflict ended. However, it currently appears to be an active tenant organization of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, stationed at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait associated with Air Mobility Command.

During World War II, the group's predecessor unit, the 387th Bombardment Group (Medium) was a B-26 Marauder bombardment group assigned to the Eighth and later Ninth Air Force.

Units

• 387th Expeditionary Support Squadron

Its units, location, and mission have not been disclosed. During OIF, it was known to have A-10 Attack aircraft.

The task of developing a comprehensive listing of Air Expeditionary units present in Southwest Asia and other combat areas is particularly difficult as the events of 11 September 2001 and the Global War on Terrorism has made such an effort significantly difficult. The USAF seeks to improve operational security (OPSEC) and to deceive potential enemies as to the extent of American operations, therefore a listing of which units deploying where and when is unavailable

History

Lineage

• Constituted as 387th Bombardment Group (Medium) on 25 Nov 1942

Activated on 1 Dec 1942.

Inactivated on 17 Nov 1945

• Redesignated 387th Bombardment Group on 31 Jul 1985 (Remained inactive)
• Redesignated 387th Air Expeditionary Group and converted to provisional status 1 Jan 2003.

Assignments

• III Bomber Command, 1 Dec 1942-10 Jun 1943
• 3d Bombardment Wing, 25 Jun 1943
• IX Bomber Command, 16 Oct 1943
• 98th Combat Bombardment (later, 98th Bombardment) Wing, 5 Dec 1943-Nov 1945
• Army Service Forces, 14-17 Nov 1945
• Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate any time after 1 Jan 2003.

Components

• 556th Bombardment Squadron: 1 Dec 1942-17 Nov 1945
• 557th Bombardment Squadron: 1 Dec 1942-17 Nov 1945
• 558th Bombardment Squadron: 1 Dec 1942-17 Nov 1945
• 559th Bombardment Squadron: 1 Dec 1942-17 Nov 1945
• 131st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 2003

Bases Assigned

• MacDill Field, Florida, 1 Dec 1942
• Drane Field, Florida, 12 Apr 1943
• Godman Field, Kentucky, c. 11 May-10 Jun 1943
• RAF Chipping Ongar (USAAF Station 162), England 25 Jun 1943 162
• RAF Stoney Cross (USAAF Station 452), England 18 Jul 1944 452
• Fliegerhorst Maupertuis (ALG A-15), France, 22 Aug 1944
• Chateaudun Airdrome (ALG A-39), France, 18 Sep 1944

• Clastres Airdrome (ALG A-71), France, 30 Oct 1944
• Maastricht/Beek Airdrome (ALG Y-41) Netherlands, 29 Apr 1945
• Rosieres-en-Santerre Airdrome (ALG B-87), France, 24 May-c. Nov 1945
• Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 14-17 Nov 1945
• Prince Hassan Air Base (H5), Jordan, Mid Jan-1 May 2003
• Southwest Asia 2003-Present

Operational History

Martin B-26B-15-MA Marauder Serial 41-31665 of the 558th Bomb Squadron

Martin B-26B-50-MA Marauder Serial 42-95857 of the 556th Bomb Squadron

The 387th Bombardment Group (Medium) was constituted on 25 Nov 1942, and activated on 1 December 1942 at MacDill Field near Tampa, Florida The group had four operational squadrons, 556th (FW), 557th (KS), 558th (KX), and 559th (TQ) and was equipped with the Martin B-26B/C Marauder. After training at several stateside airfields, the group was deployed to England in June 1943.

In England, the 387th was assigned to the Eighth Air Force 3d Bomb Wing and stationed at RAF Chipping Ongar in Essex. The 387th was the fourth Marauder group to arrive in the UK. The Group began combat on 15 August 1943 by joining with three other B-26 groups attacking coastal defences on the French Coast near Boulogne, and was mounted in thick fog. While taking off, one of the B-26 Bombers crashed at the end of the main runway, killing all of the crew except the tail gunner. The group concentrated its attacks on airfields during the first months of operations. In common with other Marauder units of the 3d Bomb Wing, the 387th was transferred to Ninth Air Force on 16 October 1943.

The group made tactical strikes on V-weapon sites in France in the winter of 1943-1944. Hit airfields at Leeuwarden and Venlo during Big Week, 20-25 Feb 1944, the intensive campaign against the German Air Force and aircraft industry. Helped to prepare for the invasion of Normandy by attacking coastal batteries and bridges in France during May 1944. Bombed along the invasion coast on 6 June 1944 and supported ground forces throughout the month by raiding railroads, bridges, road junctions, defended areas, and fuel dumps.

The 387th Bomb Group moved to RAF Stoney Cross in Hampshire on 21 July 1944 when Ninth Air Force moved the 98th Bomb Wing's four Marauder groups into the New Forest area at the earliest opportunity to place them closer to the French Normandy Invasion beaches. On 27 June the 387th became operational from Stoney Cross, bombing along the invasion coast and supporting ground forces by raiding railways, bridges, road junctions, defended areas, and fuel dumps.

By 1 September the group was able to move across the English Channel to its Advanced Landing Ground at a former Luftwaffe airfield at Maupertus, France (A-15).

The group ended combat operations in Apr 1945. On 24 May the group was sent to Rosieres-en-Santerre Air Base, France for several months. The 387th Bomb Group returned to the US in November and was inactivated at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey on 17 November 1945.

Global War On Terror

The 387th Air Expeditionary Group was activated by Air Combat Command as part of the Global War on Terror in 2003. The 387th AEG was a blend of attack and reconnaissance forces, consisting of close to 500 104th FW personnel and totaling around 1,300. A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft were assigned to the 131st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron from the 131st FS, 104th FW (Massachusetts ANG), Barnes MAP (MA) (11 aircraft) and 118th FS, 103rd FW (Connecticut ANG), Bradley ANGB (CT) (7 Aircraft).

Together, the deployed A-10 pilots logged 1,119 sorties and 3,821 flying hours (3,100 combat hours during 900 sorties) with no combat losses or battle damage. The missions included 35 CSAR sorties, with the rescue of an aircraft crew and numerous medical evacuations to the unit's credit.

All 18 aircraft arrived as formation over Bradley IAP on April 29, 2003. Diverting to the west of the air base, the formation split up. The 104th FW aircraft swung north, the 103rd FW aircraft went on to Hartford for a fly-by salute at the state Capitol before touching down one by one.

It appears that the unit is active somewhere in Southeast Asia in 2009.

References

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

• Freeman, Roger A. (1978) Airfields of the Eighth: Then and Now. After the Battle ISBN 0900913096
• Freeman, Roger A. (1991) The Mighty Eighth The Colour Record. Cassell & Co. ISBN 0-304-35708-1
• Freeman, Roger A. (1994) UK Airfields of the Ninth: Then and Now 1994. After the Battle ISBN 0900913800
• Freeman, Roger A. (1996) The Ninth Air Force in Colour: UK and the Continent-World War Two. After the Battle ISBN 1854092723
• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
• A-10 Units of Operation Iraqi Freedom - Part II