44th Fighter Group The 44th Fighter Group ( 44 FG ) is an Air Reserve Component ( ARC ) of the United States Air Force . It is assigned to the Tenth Air Force , Air Force Reserve Command , stationed at Holloman Air Force Base , New Mexico . The 44th FG is an associate unit of the 49th Wing , Air Combat Command ( ACC ) and if mobilized the wing is gained by ACC . During World War II , its predecessor unit , the 44th Bombardment Group was the first VIII Bomber Command B - 24 Liberator heavy bombardment group stationed in England . It was initially stationed at RAF Cheddington on 11 September 1942 , and moved to RAF Shipdham in October . The 44th operated from England for a longer period than any other B - 24 group ; sustained the highest Aircraft MIA loss of all Eighth Air Force B - 24 groups ; claimed more enemy fighters than any other Eighth Air Force B - 24 group , and was the first group in the VIII Bomber Command to be awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for actions on 14 May 1943 for an extremely hazardous mission against naval installations at Kiel , Germany Colonel Leon W . Johnson , while commander of the 44th Bombardment Group , was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Polesti Raid on 1 August 1943 . In the postwar era , the 44th Bombardment Group was one of the original ten USAAF bombardment groups assigned to Strategic Air Command on 21 March 1946 . Overview . The 44th FG is a component of the AFRC 301st Fighter Wing , based at Carswell Field , Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base , Texas . It ' s official designation is Detachment 1 , 44th Fighter Group . it ' s 301st Fighter Squadron ( 301 FS ) flies the F - 22 Raptor as an associate unit . In August 2012 , the 44th Fighter Group , Detachment 2 , was activated at Tyndall AFB , Florida on 1 October 2012 , forming a classic association with the 325th Fighter Wing under Air Education and Training Command . Det 2 supports the operational F - 22 Raptor combat - coded AETC training unit mission at Tyndall . The Detachment supports operations , flying training and maintenance . The Reservists also support T - 38 Talons , which play the role of adversary aircraft in F - 22 training exercises . With the standup of Detachment 2 , Holloman Air Force Base lost an estimated 250 jobs when the Detachment and its fleet of F - 22 Raptors moved to Tyndall Air Fore Base . History . World War II . Activated 15 January 1941 at MacDill Field Florida . Received first B - 24 , and later B - 24C . Moved Barksdale Field , La . on 16 February 1942 and acted as training unit for 98th , 93rd , and 90th Bomb Groups . During same period took part in anti - submarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico and was credited with the destruction of one U - boat . On 26 July 1942 the moved to Will Rogers Field in Oklahoma , and prepared for overseas movement . Ground echelon left by Queen Mary on 4 September 1942 for Grenier Field in NH , and remained there until the first aircraft left for the United Kingdom late in September 1942 . The 404 Bomb Squadron originally part of the Group was reassigned while in the United States . In England , the group was assigned to the VIII Bomber Command 14th Combat Bombardment Wing , and the group tail code was a " Circle - A " . Initially stationed at RAF Cheddington , the group was moved ot RAF Shipdham in October 1942 . The 44th Bomb Group ' s operations consisted primarily of assaults against strategic targets in France , Belgium , the Netherlands , Germany , Italy , Romania , Austria , Poland , and Sicily . Among the targets attacked were submarine installations , industrial establishments , airfields , harbors , shipyards , and other objectives , November 1942 – June 1943 . The unit received a Distinguished Unit Citation for an extremely hazardous mission against naval installations at Kiel on 14 May 1943 : Its B - 24 ' s flew in the wake of the main formation and carried incendiaries to be dropped after three B - 17 groups had released high explosive bombs , thus the group ' s aircraft were particularly vulnerable , lacking the protection of the firepower of the main force . This vulnerability increased when the group opened its own formation for the attack ; but the 44th blanketed the target with incendiaries in spite of the concentrated flak and continuous interceptor attacks it encountered . Late in June 1943 a large detachment moved to North Africa to help facilitate the Allied invasion of Sicily by bombing airfields and marshalling yards in Italy . The detachment also participated in the famous low - level raid on the Ploesti oil fields on 1 August 1943 . The group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for its part in this raid and its commander , Colonel Leon W . Johnson , was awarded the Medal of Honor for his daring and initiative in leading his men into smoke , flame , and alerted fighter and antiaircraft opposition over the target , which already had been bombed in error by another group . Before returning to England at the end of August , the detachment bombed an aircraft factory in Austria and supported ground forces in Sicily . In September 1943 the group struck airfields in the Netherlands and France and convoys in the North Sea . Also in September , a detachment was sent to North Africa to support the Salerno operations . This proved to be the 44th ' s last detachment and in October when several new B - 24 groups were arriving in Norfolk , the 44th was fully committed to the combined bomber offensive from the UK . From November 1943 to April 1945 , the group carried out operations against targets in western Europe , concentrating on airfields , oil installations , and marshalling yards . The group took part in the intensive campaign of heavy bombers against the German aircraft industry during Big Week , 20 – 25 February 1944 . The group flew support and interdictory missions . Struck airfields , railroads , and V - weapon sites in preparation for the Normandy invasion ; supported the invasion in June 1944 by attacking strong points in the beachhead area and transportation targets behind the front lines . The group aided the Caen offensive and the Saint - Lô breakthrough in July . Dropped food , ammunition , and other supplies to troops engaged in the airborne attack on the Netherlands in September . The group also helped to check the enemy offensive during the Battle of the Bulge , December 1944 – January 1945 , by striking bridges , tunnels , choke points , rail and road junctions , and communications in the battle area . The group attacked airfields and transportation in support of the advance into Germany , and flew a resupply mission during the airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945 . The 44th Bomb Group flew its last combat mission on 25 April 1945 . During the course of hostilities , the 44th flew a total of 343 missions and its gunners were credited with 330 enemy fighters shot down and its own losses . highest of any B - 24 group in the Eighth , were 153 . Redeployed to the US June 1945 . First of the air echelon departed the United Kingdom on 22 May 1945 . Ground echelon sailed on Queen Mary on 15 June 1945 , arriving in New York on 20 June 1945 . Personnel had 30 days R and R with some assembling in Sioux Falls AAFd , South Dakota . SAC Bombardment Group . In July 1945 , On July 1945 the Group was selected for reforming as a B - 29 unit , and in late July 1945 established at Great Bend AAFd , Kansas for training . Aircraft and personnel were transferred to another unit , and then the Group was inactivated on 12 July 1946 . The 44th Bomb Group was one of the SAC bomb groups activated and placed training status when Korean War was 6 months old . Depended on the 22nd Bombardment Group for initial cadre and help in becoming organized . Not manned effective , 10 February 1951 . Inactivated on 16 June 1952 when its parent unit , the 44th Bombardment Wing , converted to the Air Force tri - deputate organization and all assigned units and personnel were assigned directly to the Wing . ICBM Operations Group . Activated as the 44th Operations Group on 1 September 1991 under the " Objective Wing " concept adapted by the Air Force . The ICBM squadrons of the renamed 44th Missile Wing were reassigned to the newly established group , along with the lineage , honors and history of the 44th Bombardment Group . On 28 September 1991 , in response to President Bush ' s directive to stand down the Minuteman II , personnel of the 44 OG worked around the clock to dissipate launch codes and pin safety control switches at 15 launch control facilities . Removal of the first Minuteman II missile assigned to the 44 OG occurred at G - 02 , near Red Owl , South Dakota , on 3 December 1991 . On 6 April 1992 , the first launch control center shut down . On 1 June 1992 , the 44 OG was relieved of its emergency war order mission and its primary focus was deactivation of the Minuteman II weapon system . This day also marked the end of SAC and the beginning of Air Combat Command ( ACC ) The 67th Missile Squadron ( MS ) was inactivated on 15 August 1992 , and the 66 MS was inactivated on 1 September 1993 . On 1 July 1993 its parent unit , the 44 MW changed hands from ACC to Air Force Space Command along with all other ICBM wings . Deactivation of the entire missile complex ended in April 1994 . With its mission complete , the 44th Operations Group formally inactivated on 4 July 1994 . AFRC Fighter Group . On 9 April 2010 , the 44th Fighter Group , Air Force Reserve Command was activated at Holloman AFB , New Mexico . The 44th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and 301st Fighter Squadron also were activated during the ceremony as part of the fighter group . The 44th FG is one of only two Air Force Reserve organization to be selected to fly and maintain the F - 22 Raptor . The FG recently added 44 FG Detachment 1 , which assists in the training of Pilots and Sensor operators for the MQ - 1 Predator and MQ - 9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft .