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The 325th Operations Group (325 OG) is the flying component of the 325th Fighter Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Air Combat Command. The group is stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.
The 325th Operations Group (OG) is responsible for directing the flying and support operations two F-22 Raptor fighter squadrons and an operations support squadron.
The 325 OG (Tail Code: TY) commands one flying squadron, one air control and one operations support squadron.
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The 325th was activated in 1942 with the 317th,[1] 318th,[2] and 319th Fighter Squadrons[3] assigned. It trained in the U.S. with Curtiss P-40 Warhawk aircraft[4] before moving to North Africa by ship and transport planes, January–February 1943. It entered combat in April 1943 and began escorting medium bombers, flying strafing missions, and conducting sea sweeps from bases in Algeria and Tunisia.[4] The group participated in the defeat of Axis forces in Tunisia, the reduction of Pantelleria, and the conquest of Sicily.[4] The 325th received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for action over Sardinia on 30 July 1943 when the group, using diversionary tactics, forced a superior number of enemy planes into the air and destroyed more than half of them.[4] The group did not fly combat missions from the end of September to mid-December 1943 as the 325th converted to Republic P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft and moved to Italy.[4]
The 325th began operations with Fifteenth Air Force in December 1943, and primarily engaged in bomber escort operations.[4] It received a second DUC for a mission on 30 January 1944 when the group flew more than 300 miles at very low altitude to surprise the enemy fighters that were defending German airfields near Villaorba, Italy; by severely damaging the enemy's force, the 325th enabled heavy bombers to strike vital targets in the area without encountering serious opposition.[4] The group converted to North American P-51 Mustang aircraft in May 1944 and provided the fighter escort on the first shuttle bombing mission from Italy to Russia in early June 1944, and became the first American group to score a victory while flying from a Russian baase.[5] It escorted heavy bombers during long-range missions to attack the Messerschmitt factory at Regensburg, the Daimler-Benz tank factory at Berlin, oil refineries at Vienna, and other targets, such as airfields, marshalling yards, and communications targets in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Yugoslavia. It also covered operations of reconnaissance aircraft and strafed such targets as trains, vehicles, and airfields. The group continued combat operations until May 1945.[4] The group moved back to the U.S. and was inactivated after V-E Day.[4]
The group was inactive from 1945 until 1947, when it was activated as an all weather fighter group equipped with Hobson Plan. As a result, the 325th Fighter Wing became the parent for the 325th Group and three other supporting groups[11]
Beginning in Spring 1949, it conducted the All Weather Combat Crew Training School, while participating in air defense operations exercises and training.[12] In 1951, as ADC expanded its mission, the Federalized 123d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, flying World War II era F-51Ds, was attached to the group.[13] Although the 123d FIS received some day fighter F-86 Sabres in July, it continued to fly Mustangs while attached to the 325th.[13] Meanwhile, the other three squadrons of the 325th converted from their Twin Mustangs to early model Lockheed F-94 Starfires in June and December 1951.[14]
In December 1951, [16] Its operational squadrons were transferred to the 4704th Defense Wing at McChord AFB and the 4703d Defense Wing at Larson AFB, WA.
In 1955 the personnel and equipment of the inactivating [20][21][22] At the same time it conducted air defense operations.[12]
The group became subordinate to the 325th Fighter Wing again in October 1956 and was non-operational as all group headquarters personnel were used to man the wing headquarters until about June 1957.[12] The squadrons upgraded to Convair F-102 Delta Daggers, the 317th FIS in December 1956 and the 318th FIS in March 1957.[14] In August 1957, the 317th FIS moved to Alaska and was reassigned from the group,[1] while the 64th FIS simultaneously moved from Alaska to McChord.[23] The group regained control over its tactical squadrons in June 1957 and continued air defense operations of the wing, with annual squadron deployments to Tyndall AFB, FL, for firing practice.[12] Just before the group was discontinued, the 64th FIS moved to Paine Field, WA, where it was reassigned to the 326th Fighter Group.[23] The group was in the process of converting to Convair F-106 Delta Darts[14] when it was discontinued in March 1960, with its remaining tactical squadron being transferred directly to the 325th Fighter Wing control.[12]
On 1 September 1991, the group was redesignated the 325th Operations Group (OG) and activated as a result of the 325th Fighter Wing implementing the USAF Objective Wing organization.[12] The 325 OG was assigned control of the wing's tactical units.[12]
Operational Squadrons
Support Units
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
Further Reading
World War II, Foggia, B-24 Liberator, Italy, Royal Air Force
Cold War, Battle of Stalingrad, Nazi Germany, Battle of the Atlantic, Second Sino-Japanese War
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United States Air Force, Air National Guard, Military Airlift Command, Strategic Air Command, Iraq
Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Morocco
World War II, Tyndall Air Force Base, North American P-51 Mustang, Fighter aircraft, 325th Operations Group
World War II, Foggia Airfield Complex, United States Air Force, Royal Air Force, Tunisia
World War II, United States Air Force, United States Army Air Forces, Twelfth Air Force, First Air Force
World War II, United States Air Force, Egypt, United States Army Air Forces, Twelfth Air Force
Foggia Airfield Complex, World War II, United States Air Force, United States Army Air Forces, Royal Air Force