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91st Operations Group

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91st Operations Group
Emblem of the 91st Operations Group
Active1942-Present
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Air Force

The 91st Operations Group (91 OG) is the operational component of the 91st Missile Wing, assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command Twentieth Air Force. It is stationed at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota.

The 91 OG is one of three USAF operational missile units, equipped with the LGM-30G Minuteman-III. Its mission is to defend the United States with safe and secure Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs); ready to immediately put bombs on target.

The unit has a long and distinguished history, beginning with the World War II 91st Bombardment Group (Heavy). An Eighth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortress unit assigned to England, it was one of the first USAAF heavy bomb groups deployed to Europe in 1942. The 91st Bomb Group was stationed at RAF Bassingbourn and is most noted as the unit in which the bomber Memphis Belle flew, and for having suffered the greatest number of losses of any heavy bomb group in World War II.

As part of Strategic Air Command in the early years of the Cold War, the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Group provided worldwide surveillance. Inactivated in 1952, the group was reactivated as the 91 OG in 1991. Its three missile squadrons, however, have no traditional link to the 91st Bombardment Group and were previously part of the 455th Strategic Missile Wing and 455th Bomb Group.

Units

Through its five squadrons, the group remains a key facet of our nation's deterrent force. The five squadrons assigned to the group are the:

  • 740th Missile Squadron
  • 741st Missile Squadron
  • 742d Missile Squadron
  • 91st Operations Support Squadron
  • 54th Helicopter Squadron

The Missile Squadrons include missile crewmembers, alert facility chefs and facility managers. These squadrons vigilantly maintain the missile force around-the-clock. Each squadron controls 50 launch facilities and five missile alert facilities. Missile squadrons are divided into missile operations flights and an operation support flight.

The missile operations flights are comprised of officer crewmembers who, when on alert, are responsible for day-to-day operations, maintenance and security of the missiles within their control and are prepared to launch their missiles at all times. Facility managers are responsible for and ensure the readiness of the missile alert facilities. The alert facility chefs are responsible for providing meals to missile alert facility personnel.

History

For additional lineage and history, see 91st Missile Wing

Lineage

  • Established as 91st Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942
Activated on 15 Apr 1942
Redesignated 91st Bombardment Group, Heavy on 20 Aug 1943
Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945
  • Redesignated 91st Reconnaissance Group on 11 Jun 1947
Activated on 1 Jul 1947
Redesignated: 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Group on 10 Nov 1948
Redesignated: 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Group, Medium on 6 Jul 1950
Inactivated on 28 May 1952
  • Redesignated 91st Operations Group on 29 Aug 1991
Activated on 1 Sep 1991
Inactivated on 1 Jul 1994
  • Activated on 1 Feb 1996.

Assignments

Components

Stations

Aircraft and missiles

Operations

World War II

For additional World War II history, see 91st Bombardment Group
Emblem of the 91st Bombardment Group
401st Bomb Squadron Boeing B-17G-50-BO Fortress 42-42-102509 *The Liberty Run* shot down by AAA over Leipzig, Germany Jul 20, 1944. Crew POW

Trained with B-17s before moving to England, Aug-Oct 1942. Entered combat in Nov 1942, bombing such targets as submarine pens, airdromes, factories, communication targets, shipbuilding yards, harbors, and dock facilities until mid-1943. When Eighth Air Force heavy bombers first penetrated Germany on 27 Jan 1943, the group attacked the navy yard at Wilhelmshaven. Earned a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for bombing marshalling yards at Hamm on 4 Mar 1943, despite adverse weather and heavy opposition. From the middle of 1943 until the war ended, attacked aircraft factories, airfields, oil facilities, chemical industries and ball-bearing factories. Earned a second DUC for attacking vital aircraft factories in central Germany on 11 Jan 1944 despite inadequate fighter cover, heavy enemy opposition, and bad weather. In Jun 1944, contributed to the Allied invasion of Normandy by bombing gun emplacements and troop concentrations near the beachhead area. Supported the St. Lo breakthrough by attacking enemy troop positions, 24-25 Jul 1944. In Dec 1944-Jan 1945, participated in the Battle of the Bulge by attacking enemy communication targets. The group supported the Allied crossing of the Rhine River in the spring of 1945 by striking airfields, bridges, and railroads near the front lines.

After the war ended, evacuated prisoners from German camps. Returned to the United States, Jun-Jul 1945

Cold War

Emblem of the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Group
North American RB-45C Tornado 48-037, 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Group. Only 33 RB-45s were ever built and the 91st SRG was the main operating unit for this airframe.
Flight of three Convair RB-36D Peacemakers used to fly high altitude reconnaissance over Manchuria.

Activated as a long-range photographic reconnaissance group under Strategic Air Command in Jul 1947, but was not fully manned until after Jul 1948. Combat in Korea, Nov 1950-Jul 1953 and conducted surveillance over Sea of Japan. During the Korean War, the 91st SRG eventually flew the largest number of different airframes in the Korean War and had more assigned personnel than any other flying unit in the Korean War. With over 800 assigned personnel, they had six different types of aircraft assigned, to include: the RB-29, RB-50, RB-45, WB-26, KB-29 and RB-36. Throughout the conflict though, the RB-29 and RB-50s were the workhorses of the unit. The RB-50 was a modification of the high altitude bomber built towards the end of World War II to bomb Japan.

The 91st worked a number of different missions during the Korean War. In addition to bomb damage assessment, targeting and aerial photography for the Bomber Command and FEAF, the 91st conducted ELINT and “ferret” missions in theater. It conducted the first ferret missions ever conducted by the USAF. Overflights of Soviet-controlled Far East islands began in 1951. An example of this type of work was reconnaissance missions which were conducted over Karafuto following reports that the Soviets had built extensive underground installations and missile-launching facilities on the island. In Project 51, 91st SRW RB-45s took off from Yokota AB, Japan to conduct reconnaissance over the southern portions of Sakhalin Island. Photographic and radar reconnaissance overflight missions were also flown over the Murmansk-Kola inlet and Siberia.

The unit was also called upon to conducted psychological leaflet drops with its assigned RB-29 aircraft. Not only did the 91st drop Korean “Psyops” leaflets throughout the Korean peninsula and into Manchuria and China but Russian language leaflets were also committed to air bases in the Far East where Russian pilots were suspected of flying from

In addition to these missions. 91st aircraft also provided the Air Force’s first air-to-air refueling capability and is credited with the very first refueling conducted in combat. In Feb 1951, lost most of its personnel when assigned to the parent wing, and was inactivated in May 1952 as part of the Tri-Deputation reorganization.

Modern era

Between Sep 1991 and Jul 1994, and since Feb 1996, maintained intercontinental ballistic missiles on alert at Minot AFB, ND.

References

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

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