Constituted as 483rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 14 Sep 1943 and
activated on 20 Sep. Trained with B-17's. Moved to Italy, Mar-Apr 1944,
and assigned to Fifteenth AF. Began operations in Apr 1944 and served in
combat until late in Apr 1945, hitting such targets as factories, oil
refineries, marshalling yards, storage areas, airdromes, bridges, gun
positions, and troop concentrations in Italy, France, Germany, Poland,
Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Rumania, Yugoslavia, and Greece.
Received a DUC for action on 18 Jul 1944 when, without fighter escort, the
group engaged numerous enemy aircraft in the target area and also bombed
the objective, an airdrome and installations at Memmingen. Assisting the
strategic bombardment of enemy industry the group received another DUC for
braving fighter assaults and antiaircraft fire to bomb tank factories at
Berlin on 24 May 1945. Struck targets in southern France in preparation
for the invasion in Aug 1944. Operated in support of ground force in
northern Italy during the Allied offensive in Apr 1945. After V-E Day,
transported personnel from Italy to North Africa for movement to the US.
Inactivated in Italy on 25 Sep 1945.
Redesignated 483rd Troop Carrier Group (Medium). Activated in Japan on
1 Jan 1953. Assigned to Tactical Air Command but attached to Far East Air
Forces for duty in the Korean War. Used C-119's to transport personnel and
supplies to Korea, receiving a Korean DUC for the missions. Received an
AFOUA for operations during 1953-1954: while transporting supplies to UN
forces in Korea and training with airborne troops, the group also assisted
the French in Indochina by hauling supplies and training personnel for
airlift operations in C-119's. Assigned to Far East Air Forces in
1954.
Squadrons. 815th: 1943-1945; 1953-. 816th: 1943-1945; 1953-. 817th:
1943-1945; 1953-. 840th (formerly 818th): 1943-1945.
Stations. Ephrata AAB, Wash, 20 Sep 1943; MacDill Field, Fla, 7 Nov
1943-2 Mar 1944; Tortorella, Italy, 30 Mar 1944; Sterparone Airfield,
Italy, 22 Apr 1944; Pisa, Italy 15 May-25 Sep 1945. Ashiya AB, Japan, 1
Jan 1953-.
Commanders. Col Paul L Barton, c. 26 Sep 1943; Col Joseph B Stanley, 8
May-c. Sep 1945. Lt Col Ernest W Burton, 1 Jan 1953; Col George M Foster,
1 Mar 1953; Lt Col Kenneth C Jacobs, Jul 1955; Col Horace W Patch, c. Aug
1955-.
Campaigns. World War II: Air Combat, EAME Theater; Air Offensive,
Europe; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; North
Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Po Valley. Korean War: Third Korean
Winter; Korea Summer-Fall, 1953.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Germany, 18 Jul 1944;
Germany, 24 Mar 1945. Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation:
[Jan]-27 Jul 1953. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 6 May 1953-10 Sep
1954.
Insigne. Shield: Azure (sky blue), a sphere encircled with an orbit all
or, latitude and longitude lines azure (deep blue), over the sphere a hand
proper supporting a parachute proper, an aircraft proper, and artillery
proper; encircling the upper section of the sphere, three clouds proper
and an increscent moon and four stars of the second color; on a chief of
the third, thirteen stars argent, the chief fimbriated or. Motto:
Effective Airlift Support. (Approved 2 Feb 1956.) Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986
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