98th Operations Group

98th Operations Group
Emblem of the 98th Operations Group
Active	1942-1945; 1947-1952; 1992-1994; 2001-Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Part of	98th Range Wing
Garrison/HQ	Nellis Air Force Base

The 98th Operations Group (98 OG) is a component unit of the 98th Range Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Air Combat Command. The group is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

Overview

The 98th OG is a non-flying unit that commands two squadrons with 55 military and civil service personnel and has functional responsibility for approximately 300 contract personnel. It provides day-to-day control of the NTTR, directly supports Air Force, joint and multi-national test and training activities, and operates two Air Combat Command bombing ranges, NTTR and Leach Lake Tactics Range, near Barstow, Calif.

It prioritizes and schedules all range activities for all range users, provides ground control intercept operations, flight-following safety deconfliction, simulated threat command and control operations, communications, data link operations, and range access control. It also assists test customers by coordinating support activities, and coordinates airspace issues with military and federal agencies.

Components

• 98th Operations Support Squadron

The 98th OSS is the scheduling, command and control and project support authority for NTTR operations. The Weapons and Tactics Flight provides qualified ground control intercept and Link 16 operations for more than 5,000 test and training sorties per year on the NTTR. The Current Operations Flight is responsible for range scheduling, range monitoring and advisory control (Blackjack), and provides a comprehensive debrief tool for combat air forces aircrews. The Operations Plans Flight coordinates all exercise, test and experimentation customer assistance.

• 98th Range Squadron

The 98th RANS is responsible for technical support of Air Force, joint and multinational aircrew training on the NTTR. The Communications Flight provides small computer hardware and software support and all communications. The Operations and Maintenance Flight provides operation, maintenance and deployment of threat systems, mission control and debriefing systems, time-space-position indicator/scoring systems and Roulette (Red Forces Command and Control). The Engineering Flight conducts research, engineers, develops and manages hardware and software projects.

History

Lineage

• Established as 98 Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942

Activated on 3 Feb 1942

Redesignated: 98 Bombardment Group, Heavy on 1 Jul 1943

Redesignated: 98 Bombardment Group, Very Heavy on 12 Jul 1945

Inactivated on 10 Nov 1945

• Activated on 1 Jul 1947

Redesignated 98 Bombardment Group, Medium on 12 Jul 1948

Inactivated on 16 Jun 1952

• Redesignated 98 Air Refueling Group, Heavy on 12 May 1987

Activated in the Reserve on 1 Oct 1987

Redesignated: 98 Air Refueling Group on 1 Feb 1992

Inactivated on 30 Sep 1994

• Redesignated: 98 Operations Group on 21 Sep 2001

Activated on 29 Oct 2001.

Assignments

• Third Air Force, 3 Feb 1942
• US Army Middle East Air Force, c. 25 Jul 1942
• Ninth Air Force, 12 Nov 1942
• Twelfth Air Force, 13 Sep 1943
• XII Bomber Command, 19 Sep 1943
• 47 Bombardment Wing, 24 Sep 1943
• 5 Bombardment Wing, 1 Nov 1943
• 47 Bombardment Wing, 17 Nov 1943
• Second Air Force, c. 29 Apr-10 Nov 1945
• Strategic Air Command, 1 Jul 1947
• Fifteenth Air Force, 24 Sep 1947

• 98 Bombardment Wing, 10 Nov 1947-16 Jun 1952

Attached to: 92 Bombardment Wing, 10 Nov 1947-24 Aug 1948

Attached to: 32 Composite Wing, c. 25 Aug-10 Dec 1948

Attached to: 92 Bombardment Wing, 10 Dec 1948-16 May 1949

Attached to: 3 Air Division, 17 May-17 Aug 1949

Attached to: 92 Bombardment Wing, 18 Aug 1949-15 Apr 1950

Attached to: Far East Air Forces Bomber Command [Provisional], 7 Aug 1950-31 Mar 1951

• 434 Air Refueling Wing, 1 Oct 1987
• 452 Air Refueling Wing, 1 Aug 1992
• 514 Airlift Wing, 1 Oct 1993-30 Sep 1994
• 98 Range Wing, 29 Oct 2001-Present

Components

Groups

• 98 Operations: 1 Aug 1992-30 Sep 1994

Squadrons

• 25 Reconnaissance (later, 415 Bombardment): 3 Feb 1942-3 Jul 1945
• 78 Air Refueling: 1 Oct 1987-1 Aug 1992
• 98 Air Refueling: 16 Aug 1950-16 Jun 1952 (detached)
• 343 Bombardment: 3 Feb 1942-10 Nov 1945; 1 Jul 1947-16 Jun 1952 (detached c. 1 Apr 1951-16 Jun 1952)
• 344 Bombardment: 3 Feb 1942-10 Nov 1945; 1 Jul 1947-16 Jun 1952 (detached c. 1 Apr 1951-16 Jun 1952)
• 345 Bombardment: 3 Feb 1942-10 Nov 1945; 1 Jul 1947-16 Jun 1952 (detached c. 1 Apr 1951-16 Jun 1952)

Stations

• MacDill Fld, FL, 3 Feb 1942
• Barksdale Fld, LA, 9 Feb 1942
• Ft. Myers, FL, 30 Mar 1942
• Drane Fld, FL, 17 May-Jul 1942
• Ramat David, Palestine, 25 Jul 1942 (air echelon), 21 Aug 1942 (ground echelon)
• Fayid, Egypt, c. 11 Nov 1942
• Baheira, Libya, 29 Jan 1943
• Benina, Libya, c. 14 Feb 1943
• Berca, Libya, 26 Mar 1943
• Benina, Libya, 4 Apr 1943
• Hergla, Tunisia, c. 25 Sep 1943
• Brindisi, Italy, c. 22 Nov 1943

• Manduria, Italy, 19 Dec 1943
• Fortunato Cesare Adrm, Lecce, Italy, 17 Jan 1944-19 Apr 1945
• Fairmont AAFld, NE, 8 May 1945
• McCook AAFld, NE, 25 Jun-10 Nov 1945
• Andrews Fld, MD, 1 Jul 1947
• Spokane AAFld (later, Spokane AFB, Fairchild AFB), WA, 24 Sep 1947-16 Jun 1952

Deployed at Kadena AB, Okinawa, c. 25 Aug-10 Dec 1948

Deployed at Sculthorpe, England, 17 May-17 Aug 1949

Deployed at Yokota AB, Japan, c. 5 Aug 1950-16 Jun 1952

• Barksdale AFB, LA, 1 Oct 1987-30 Sep 1994
• Nellis AFB, NV, 29 Oct 2001-Present

Aircraft assigned

• B-24, 1942-1945
• B-29, 1945; 1947-1951
• KC-10, 1987-1994.

Operational History

World War II

Trained for bombardment missions during the first half of 1942. In the summer of that year, deployed to Palestine. Entered combat on 1 Aug 1942 with an attack on Mersa Matruh, Libya. Supported the British Eighth Army in its westward advance from Egypt into Libya and Tunisia. Bombed shipping and harbor installations in north Africa, Sicily, Italy, Crete, and Greece to cut enemy supply lines to Africa and to prepare for the Allied invasion of Italy. Earned a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for action against the enemy in the Middle East, North Africa, and Sicily from Aug 1942 to Aug 1943. Received a second DUC for participation in a low-level bombing raid on enemy-held oil refineries at Ploesti, Rumania, on 1 Aug 1943. Reassigned to the Fifteenth Air Force and moved to Italy in Nov 1943. Flew many long-range missions to France, Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Rumania to bomb enemy heavy industries, airdromes, harbors, oil fields, and communication centers. Participated in the invasion of southern France, assisted in the Soviet advance into the Balkans, and supported the partisans and guerrillas in Yugoslavia and neighboring countries. After returning to the United States as the war was ending in Europe, the group trained in preparation for movement to the Pacific Theater, but the war with Japan ended before redeployment. Not manned, Jul 1947-Sep 1947. Trained for bombardment missions. Deployed to Okinawa in Aug-Dec 1948 and England, May-Aug 1949.

Korean War

After the outbreak of the Korean War in the summer of 1950, the group deployed to Japan and was placed under the operational control of the Far East Air Forces Bomber Command (Provisional). On 7 Aug 1950, it flew its first Korean combat mission, striking marshalling yards at Pyongyang, capital of North Korea. Attacked enemy communication lines and supported United Nations ground forces. Targets included rail facilities, oil centers, bridges, roads, troop concentrations, airfields, and military installations. Became a paper unit in Apr 1951.

Modern era

Provided aircrews and participated in aerial refueling and strategic airlift operations worldwide, including humanitarian relief missions, 1987-1994. Trained and took part in exercises for such missions and supported unit deployments. Refueled aircraft on the way to Panama during Operation JUST CAUSE in Dec 1989. Refueled aircraft during Operation SOUTHERN WATCH, a no-fly zone over southern Iraq, in 1993 and 1994.

Since Oct 2001, supported 98 Range Wing in operation of Air Warfare Center range at Nellis AFB, NV.

References

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

• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799129.