It was activated flying the Chase YC-122 Avitruc, then the Fairchild C-123 Provider as the United States Air Force's first assault airlift group.

The wing was first activated in the early expansion of the Army Air Forces during World War II as the 309th Bombardment Group at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona.

[7] The OTU program involved the use of an oversized parent unit to provide cadres to "satellite groups.

It replaced the 16th Troop Carrier Squadron, which was flying the Air Force's fleet of Chase YC-122 Avitrucs.

[2] After training with the 463d Troop Carrier Wing, the group deployed to Dreux-Louvilliers Air Base, France, ferrying its Providers over the north Atlantic.

Although assigned to the 60th Troop Carrier Wing shortly after its arrival in France, the group was operationally controlled by the 322d Air Division.

[15] In November 1956, the group headquarters became non-operational and on 12 March 1957, it was inactivated and its squadrons transferred to the 60th Troop Carrier Wing.

Groups Squadrons This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency