World War II and Occupation of Germany

The earliest predecessor of the 501st Combat Support Group was the 501st Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, which was organized in 1943 as the headquarters for Great Bend Army Air Field, Kansas, a World War II very heavy bombardment training base. Great Bend was one of the original bases where Boeing B-29 Superfortress units received their training^[2] before deploying to the China Burma India Theater. However, the Army Air Forces (AAF) found that standard military units, based on relatively inflexible tables of organization were proving themselves less well adapted to the training mission. Accordingly, a more functional system was adopted in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit.^[3] This resulted in the 501st, along with other units at Great Bend, being disbanded and its personnel, equipment and functions transferred to the 243d AAF Base Unit (Operational Training Unit, Very Heavy).^[4]

The 501st Air Service Group was established toward the end of World War II to provide support for flying units in Germany and Austria from 1945 to 1948 as part of a reorganization of AAF support groups in which the AAF replaced service groups that included personnel from other branches of the Army and supported two combat groups with air service groups including only Air Corps units. It was designed to support a single combat group.^[5] Its 919th Air Engineering Squadron provided maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 743rd Air Materiel Squadron handled all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron provided other support.^[5] The group moved to Wiesbaden Air Base, Germany, where it replaced the 97th Airdrome Squadron as the primary support unit for the airfield.^[6] It briefly supported the Berlin Airlift before inactivation in 1948.^[7] It was replaced by elements of the 7150th AF Composite Wing in the Air Force wing base reorganization in 1948.^[8] which was adopted to unify control at air bases^[9] The group was disbanded later in 1948.^[10]

Air Defense of the United States

During the Cold War, the group was reconstituted, redesignated as the 501st Air Defense Group, and activated by Air Defense Command (ADC) at O'Hare International Airport on 16 February 1953^[11] with responsibility for air defense in the Great Lakes area. It was assigned the 62d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which was already stationed at O'Hare, flying North American F-86 Sabres^[12] as its operational component.^[13] The 62d had been assigned directly to the 4706th Defense Wing prior to the activation of the 501st Group.^[13] The group replaced the 83rd Air Base Squadron as USAF active duty host organization at O'Hare. It was assigned three squadrons to perform its support responsibilities.^[14]

The group added a second operational unit, the 42d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which was activated at O'Hare eight days after the group headquarters,^[15] and also Flew F-86s.^[16] In March 1953, the 62d Squadron converted to newer radar equipped and Mighty Mouse rocket armed North American F-86Ds.^[16] The group was inactivated^[11] and replaced by the 56th Fighter Group in 1955^[17][18] as part of ADC's Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars.^[19]

Ground Launched Cruise Missile Support

In the early 1980s USAF began deploying Ground Launched Cruise Missiles in the European theater. The 501st Tactical Missile Wing was organized at RAF Greenham Common as the first USAF wing equipped with the BGM-109 Tomahawk missile.^[20] The 501st group was redesignated the 501st Combat Support Group and activated as the headquarters for organizations supporting the wing and hosted all USAF organizations at Greenham Common. As the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was implemented, the USAF withdrew its missiles from Europe and the wing and group were inactivated.^[20]

Assignments

• Second Air Force, 26 January 1943 – 1 April 1944
• Unknown (probably European Air Transport Service) 1 June 1945 – ca. June 1946
• Headquarters Command, United States Air Forces Europe ca. June 1946 – 1 July 1948
• 4706th Defense Wing (later 4706th Air Defense Wing), 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955^[11]
• 501st Tactical Missile Wing, 1 October 1982 – 31 May 1991

Stations

• Great Bend Army Air Field, Kansas, 26 January 1943 – 1 April 1944
• Bensheim, Germany, c. 1 June 1945
• Tulln Air Base, Austria 25 August 1945^[22]
• Wiesbaden Air Base, Germany 1 June 1946 – 1 July 1948^[23]
• O'Hare International Airport, Illinois, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955
• RAF Greenham Common, England, United Kingdom, 1 October 1982 – 31 May 1991^[21]

Components

Operational Squadrons

• 42d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 24 February 1953 – 18 August 1955
• 62d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955^[24]

Support Squadrons

Aircraft

• North American F-86A Sabre, 1953
• North American F-86D Sabre, 1953–1955
• North American F-86F Sabre, 1953–1955

Awards and campaigns

Award streamer	Award	Dates	Notes
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 July 1982 – 30 June 1984	501st Combat Support Group[26]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 July 1987 – 31 May 1989	501st Combat Support Group[26]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 June 1989 – 31 May 1991	501st Combat Support Group[26]

Service Streamer	Service	Dates	Notes
	American Theater of World War II	26 January 1943 – 1 April 1944	501st Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron
	World War II Army of Occupation	6 May 1945 – 1 July 1948	501st Air Service Group

Notes

Explanatory nots

Citations

Bibliography

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

• Buss, Lydus H.(ed), Sturm, Thomas A., Volan, Denys, and McMullen, Richard F., History of Continental Air Defense Command and Air Defense Command July to December 1955, Directorate of Historical Services, Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, (1956)
• Coleman, John M (1950). The Development of Tactical Services in the Army Air Forces. New York, NY: Columbia University Press.
• Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980 (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 February 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
• Goss, William A. (1955). "The Organization and its Responsibilities, Chapter 2 The AAF". In Craven, Wesley F.; Cate, James L. (eds.). The Army Air Forces in World War II (PDF). Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. LCCN 48003657. OCLC 704158. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.