Lineage. Established as 434 Troop Carrier Group on 30 Jan 1943. Activated on 9 Feb 1943. Inactivated on 31 Jul 1946. Activated in the Reserve on 15 Mar 1947. Redesignated as 434 Troop Carrier Group, Medium on 1 Jul 1949. Ordered to Active Service on 1 May 1951. Relieved from Active Duty, and inactivated, on 1 Feb 1953. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Feb 1953. Inactivated on 14 Apr 1959. Redesignated as: 434 Tactical Fighter Group on 31 Jul 1985; 434 Operations Group on 1 Aug 1992. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Aug 1992.
Assignments. I Troop Carrier Command, 9 Feb 1943; 50 Troop Carrier Wing, 1 Apr 1943; 53 Troop Carrier Wing, 15 Apr 1943; IX Troop Carrier Command, 16 Oct 1943; 50 Troop Carrier Wing, 18 Oct 1943; 53 Troop Carrier Wing, 3 Mar 1944; I Troop Carrier Command, Jul 1945; 52 Troop Carrier Wing, 4 Oct 1945; 50 Troop Carrier Wing, 5 Feb-31 Jul 1946. Eleventh Air Force, 15 Mar 1947; 323 Troop Carrier Wing (later, Air Division), 17 Oct 1947; 434 Troop Carrier Wing, 1 Jul 1949-1 Feb 1953. 434 Troop Carrier Wing, 1 Feb 1953-14 Apr 1959. 434 Wing (later, Air Refueling Wing), 1 Aug 1992-.
Operational Components. Squadrons. 71 Troop Carrier: 9 Feb 1943-31 Jul 1946; 15 Mar 1947-1 Feb 1953; 1 Feb 1953-14 Apr 1959. 72 Troop Carrier (later, Air Refueling): 9 Feb 1943-31 Jul 1946; 1 Aug 1947-1 Feb 1953; 1 Feb 1953-14 Apr 1959; 1 Aug 1992-. 73 Troop Carrier: 9 Feb 1943-31 Jul 1946; 1 Aug 1947-1 Jul 1948; 1 Jul 1949-1 Feb 1953; 1 Feb 1953-24 Mar 1954; 8 Jun 1957-14 Apr 1959. 74 Troop Carrier (later, Air Refueling): 9 Feb 1943-31 Jul 1946; 15 Mar 1947-2 May 1951; 1 Aug 1992-. 80 Troop Carrier: 1 Jul 1948-27 Jun 1949. 81 Troop Carrier: 1 Jul 1948-27 Jun 1949.
Stations. Alliance AAFld, NE, 9 Feb 1943; Baer Field, IN, 3 Sep-Oct 1943; Fulbeck, England, 7 Oct 1943 (air echelon), c. 13 Nov 1943 (ground echelon); Welford Park, England, Nov 1943 (air echelon), 10 Dec 1943 (ground echelon); Fulbeck, England, 10 Jan 1944; Aldermaston, England, 3 Mar 1944; Mourmelon-le-Grand, France, Mar-24 Jul 1945; Baer Field, IN, 5 Aug 1945; Alliance AAFld, NE, 15 Sep 1945; George Field, IL, 11 Oct 1945; Greenville AAB, SC, 2 Feb-31 Jul 1946. Stout Field, IN, 15 Mar 1947; Atterbury AFB, IN, 1 Jul 1949; Lawson AFB, GA, 23 Jan 1952-1 Feb 1953. Atterbury (later, Bakalar) AFB, IN, 1 Feb 1953-14 Apr 1959. Grissom AFB (later ARB), IN, 1 Aug 1992-.
Service Streamers. World War II American Theater.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: France, [6-7] Jun 1944. Meritorious Unit Award: 1 Oct 2017-30 Sep 2019. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Aug 1992-31 Aug 1993; 1 Sep 1994-31 Aug 1996; 1 Oct 1998-30 Sep 2000; 1 Sep 2000-11 Sep 2002. French Croix de Guerre with Palm: 6-7 Jun 1944; 20-28 Aug 1944. French Fourragere.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 18 Sep 2023.
Supersedes statement prepared in Jun 2012.
Emblem. Approved on 8 Jun 2023.
Prepared by James Musser.
Reviewed by Margaret Ream.