page_title: 462d Air Expeditionary Group
hierarchical_section_title: 462d Air Expeditionary Group
caption_attribution_description: English: Boeing B-52E-85-BO (SN 56-0635) is refueled by Boeing KC-135A (SN 57-1467)
context_page_description: The 462d Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional unit of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to Air Mobility Command to activate or inactivate as needed to meet operational requirements. Its last assignment was at Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory.
  The unit began during World War II when the United States Army Air Forces activated the 462d Bombardment Group as one of the first Boeing B-29 Superfortress units in 1943. It served in the Pacific Ocean theater and China Burma India Theater of World War II as part of Twentieth Air Force. The 462d engaged in strategic bombing campaign against Japan. The group earned three Distinguished Unit Citations. It returned to the United States in November 1945 and was inactivated in March 1946.
  In 1962 the 462d Strategic Aerospace Wing was activated by Strategic Air Command to perpetuate the lineage of inactive bombardment units with illustrious World War II records. It conducted strategic bombardment training operations flying Boeing B-52D Stratofortresses and maintained intercontinental ballistic missile readiness with LGM-25 Titan I missiles to meet SAC commitments.
context_section_description: The 462d Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional unit of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to Air Mobility Command to activate or inactivate as needed to meet operational requirements.  Its last assignment was at Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory.
  The unit began during World War II when the United States Army Air Forces activated the 462d Bombardment Group as one of the first Boeing B-29 Superfortress units in 1943.  It served in the Pacific Ocean theater and China Burma India Theater of World War II as part of Twentieth Air Force. The 462d engaged in strategic bombing campaign against Japan. The group earned three Distinguished Unit Citations.  It returned to the United States in November 1945 and was inactivated in March 1946.
  In 1962 the 462d Strategic Aerospace Wing was activated by Strategic Air Command (SAC) to perpetuate the lineage of inactive bombardment units with illustrious World War II records. It conducted strategic bombardment training operations flying Boeing B-52D Stratofortresses and maintained intercontinental ballistic missile readiness with LGM-25 Titan I missiles to meet SAC commitments. The wing served as a deterrent force and also supported SAC's global mission until inactivated in 1966 due to the closing of Larson Air Force Base.
  The group and wing were consolidated into a single unit in 1984, remaining in inactive status.  In 2002, the consolidated unit was converted to provisional status as the 462d Air Expeditionary Group and assigned to Air Mobility Command, which activated the group at Diego Garcia.  Its inactivation date has not been determined.
caption: SAC B-52 refueling from a KC-135A tanker
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