442nd Operations Group

442d Operations Group
Emblem of the 442d Operations Group
Active	1943–1946; 1949–1951; 1952–1959; 1982–1984; 1992–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force Reserve

The 442d Operations Group is an active United States Air Force Reserve unit. It is the flying component of the Tenth Air Force 442d Fighter Wing, stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.

The unit's World War II predecessor unit, the 442d Troop Carrier Group was a C-47 Skytrain transport unit assigned to Ninth Air Forces in Western Europe. The 442d TCG group carried 82nd Airborne paratroopers into France for the 6 June 1944, D-Day invasion. In September 1944, the 442d flew units of the 101st Airborne into Belgium during Operation Market Garden. After D-Day, the 442d TCG flew resupply missions, hauled freight, and evacuated casualties in support of the Allied efforts in France and Belgium. While continuing its transport duties until V-E Day, it also released gliders filled with troops in the airborne assault across the Rhine River in March 1945, carried supplies to ground forces in Germany during April and May, and evacuated liberated prisoners of war.

The 442d Operations Group (Tail Code: KC), operates A-10 Thunderbolt II Aircraft.

The 442d trained in the United States with C-47 Skytrain and C-53 aircraft, then moved to England in March 1944 for duty with Ninth Air Force. The 442d was a group of Ninth Air Force's 50th Troop Carrier Wing, IX Troop Carrier Command.

The Douglas C-47/C-53 Skytrains of the group did not move in until 12/13 June although elements of the group had visited RAF Weston Zoyland during the precceding weeks. With 50 C-47s on the airfield, there was a shortage of aircraft standings and, while many aircraft were parked on the turf, additional PSP standings were put down in case of wet weather.