| 57th Operations Group | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1940–1968;1991–present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Fighter; Interceptor; Operational Test and Evaluation |
| Garrison/HQ | Nellis Air Force Base |
| Engagements |
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| Decorations | DUC AFOUA FCdG w/ Palm |
The 57th Operations Group (57 OG) is a non-flying component of the 57th Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command. The group is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
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The 57th Operations Group provides direct oversight of the Nellis flying mission through the 57th Operations Support Squadron. They manage the airfield, operate the air traffic control tower, and the Nellis Air Traffic Control Facility providing radar service to local flying operations and the National Airspace System. It is responsible for scheduling, training, life support, weapons, tactics and planning staff functions. In addition to these functions, it also maintains administrative oversight of the 57th ATG staff and the 57th Wing staff.
The 57th OG also directs execution of two of the world's premier combat training exercises, RED FLAG and GREEN FLAG.
The 57th Operations Group was a non-flying organization when on 1 July 2005, the flying squadrons of the 57 OG were split off into the new 57th Adversary Tactics Group; but will change again in September when the 30th Recon Squadron was activated for UAV Sentenals.
Current units assigned to the group are:
Formed as a P-40 Warhawk pursuit group in January 1941 as part of the Army Air Corps Northeast Defense Sector (later I Fighter Command) at Mitchel Field, New York. Trained in New England and provided air defense of the northeast after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Was reassigned to the U.S. Army Middle East Force in Egypt, July 1942, becoming part of IX Fighter Command. Trained with the British Commonwealth Desert Air Force as part of the RAF Western Desert Campaign. In October 1942, it began combat operations. The group took part in the Battle of El Alamein and, as part of Ninth Air Force, supported the Commonwealth Eighth Army's drive across Egypt and Libya, escorting bombers and flying strafing and dive-bombing missions against airfields, communications, and troop concentrations until Axis defeat in Tunisia in May 1943. The unit participated in the reduction of Pantelleria (May–June 1943) and the conquest of Sicily (July–August 1943). For front-line operations in direct support of the Eighth Army from the Battle of El Alamein to the capitulation of enemy forces in Sicily, the group received a Distinguished Unit Citation.
In an aerial battle over the Gulf of Tunis at Cape Bon in April 1943, the group destroyed approximately 74 of the enemy's transport and fighter aircraft while sending an equal number down to the sea and beaches to escape by crash landing. The 57th lost just six aircraft in this melee. Forever known by the 57th as the 18 April 1943 Goose Shoot – "The Palm Sunday Massacre," it received another Distinguished Unit Citation and it added four newly created aces. This action broke the German's aerial supply line and they surrendered Tunisia thirty days later.
The 57th supported the British Eighth Army's landing at Termoli and subsequent operations in Italy, being reassigned to Twelfth Air Force in August 1943. It flew dive-bombing, strafing, patrol, and escort missions. Early
In 1944, the group converted to P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft and flew interdiction operations in Italy. The group moved to Corsica on 30 March 1944 to operate as a separate task force. It flew interdiction missions against railroads, communication targets, and motor vehicles behind enemy lines, providing a minimum of 48 fighter-bomber sorties per day. During 9 days of combat operations during early April 1944, the 57th exceeded 50 sorties per day.
The group earned a third Distinguished Unit Citation c. 14 April 1944 for attacks in the Florence-Arezzo area. The group participated in the French campaign against Elba in June 1944 and in the invasion of Southern France in August. It engaged in interdiction and support operations in northern Italy from September 1944 to May 1945. For its operations in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, the 57th earned the French Croix de Guerre (Cross of War) with Palm (awarded in late 1967).
The group remained in northern Italy after the end of the European War, demobilizing throughout the summer of 1945. It was reassigned to the United States in August 1945 without personnel or equipment and was inactivated at the end of August.
Reactivated in August 1946 as part of Eleventh Air Force (Later Alaskan Air Command) as part of the air defense forces in the northwest Pacific. It provided air defense initially in the Aleutian Islands, then moved in 1947 to Elmendorf Air Force Base. In addition, the wing provided intra-theater troop carrier and airlift support, 1948–1950, using several attached troop carrier squadrons. In January 1951, it's parent 57th Fighter-Interceptor Wing inactivated, although the group remained active as part of the AAC air defense until it also was inactivated on 13 April 1953.
Reactivated and reassigned to Air Defense Command in April 1961 as an Air Defense Group as part of the Seattle Air Defense Sector. Operated F-102 Delta Daggers providing air defense over the Pacific Northwest until inactivated in September 1968.
On 1 November 1991, the 57th Operations Group was activated as a result of the 57th Fighter Wing implementing the USAF objective wing organization. Upon activation, the 57th OG was bestowed the lineage and history of the 57th Fighter Group. The 57 OG was assigned control of the wing's tactical units.
Upon activation, the 57th OG managed Air Force tactical training through Red Flag and Air Warrior exercises. Between July 1995 and March 2002, the group gained the three MQ-1 Predator reconnaissance squadrons. The Group deployed the Predator elements of the 11th and 15th Squadrons in support of operations in Bosnia (April 2000), Kuwait (October 2000), and Pakistan, September 2001 – January 2002 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The 57th Group's 66th Helicopter Squadron also deployed for operations in Northern Watch and Enduring Freedom. While at Nellis, the Group continued to provide air combat units for US and Allies with realistic, large force combat training at Red Flag.
Became a non-flying organization on 1 July 2005, when the flying squadrons of the 57th OG were split off into the new 57th Adversary Tactics Group, which consolidated all Aggressor activities under one group is to provide the Combat Air Forces with the opportunity to train against a realistic, fully integrated threat array during large- and small-scale exercises such as Red Flag – Nellis, Red Flag – Alaska, Maple Flag, Green Flag and dissimilar air combat training deployments.
Note: Became subordinate component of the 57th Fighter Wing on 20 April 1948.
**Was subordinate unit (not attached to wing) of Air Defense Command 24 February 1961, then Seattle Air Defense Sector 1 April 1961 – 30 September 1968
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This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
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