401st Air Expeditionary Group
 | |
|---|---|
 General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon 81-0788 of the 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron. | |
| Active | 1943–1945; 1947–1951; 1954–1957; 1957–1994; 2001–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Manage deployed forces |
| Motto(s) | Latin: Cælum Arena Nostra – The Sky is Our Arena |
| Engagements | European theater of World War II |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award w/Combat "V" Device Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Wilbur L. Creech, Kenneth North |
| Insignia | |
| 401st Air Expeditionary Group Emblem (approved 9 September 1958)[1] |  |
| ETO Tail Code[2] | Triangle S |
The 401st Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe to be activated or inactivated at any time as needed. It is stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
The group was first activated as the 401st Bombardment Group during World War II. The 401st entered combat with VIII Bomber Command, flying Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses from RAF Deenethorpe. The group earned two Distinguished Unit Citations for missions over Leipzig on 11 January and 20 February 1944. The 401st Bomb Group had the second best rating in bombing accuracy for Eighth Air Force.
The group was activated briefly as an Air Force Reserve unit in 1947, but apparently was minimally manned. It was called to active duty in 1951 for the Korean War, but its personnel were used as fillers for other units and the group was soon inactivated.
The group was again active in the 1950s as the 401st Fighter-Bomber Group at England AFB, Louisiana. It was inactivated in 1957 when Tactical Air Command (TAC) replaced its groups reporting directly to TAC numbered air forces with like numbered wings and its squadrons were transferred to the 401st Fighter-Bomber Wing.
The 401st Fighter-Bomber Wing flew North American F-100 Super Sabres at England for the next nine years. In 1965 and 1966 most of the operational squadrons of the wing were transferred to Pacific Air Forces and moved to Japan or the Republic of Vietnam. The wing and its remaining squadron transferred to Torrejon Air Base, Spain, replacing a Strategic Air Command wing there. In 1984 the group and wing were consolidated into a single unit.
In 1991, United States units departed Spain, and the 401st moved to Aviano Air Base, Italy, where it replaced the 40th Support Wing, originally managing deployed fighter squadrons, but from 1992 was once again assigned its own tactical units. In 1994, it was replaced in turn by the 31st Fighter Wing. The 401st became a provisional unit in 2001 and is assigned to United States Air Forces Europe to activate or inactivate as needed for contingency operations.