During the Battle of Normandy, it supported Allied forces at Caen, and participated in the massive blows against the enemy at Saint-Lô on 25 July 1944.

The unit knocked out targets to help clear the Falaise pocket of German forces in August 1944 and hit strong points at Brest during September.

The unit was constituted as the 386th Bombardment Group (Medium) on 25 November 1942, and was activated on 1 December 1942 at MacDill Field, Florida.

Its operational squadrons were the 552d (RG), 553d (AN), 554th (RU) and 555th (YA) After training at several airfields in the United States, the group was deployed to Europe in June 1943 and was assigned initially to the 3rd Bombardment Wing of the Eighth Air Force at RAF Snetterton Heath, England.

The group flew its first mission on 30 July, with operations concentrating on airfields but also attacked marshalling yards and gun positions along the channel coast.

Tactical operations were carried out against V-weapon sites along the coast of France in the winter of 1943–1944, and bombed airfields in the Netherlands and Belgium during Big Week, 20–25 February 1944.

The 386th hammered gun positions, and airfields preceding the invasion of Normandy and made numerous assaults on bridges of the Seinelate in May.

Struck coastal batteries on D-Day and hit bridges, supply and fuel stores, gun positions, and defended areas during the remainder of the Battle of Normandy.

Knocked out targets to help clear the Falaise pocket of German forces in August 1944 and hit strong points at Brest during September.

Having successfully completed their evaluation assignment, the Project Squadron was detached from the 386th and transferred to the 416th Bombardment Group to train their pilots on converting over to the A-26.

On the continent, the 386th BG used the following Advanced Landing Grounds: While the unit was at Beaumont-sur-Oise, they were fully converted from the B-26 Marauder to the A-26 Invader.

Exactly one year later, 74th ACS personnel deployed once again, this time for 120 days in support of Southern Watch and Operation Desert Strike.

When the buildup renewed in November 1998, prior to Operation Desert Fox, the base doubled in size to a population of 1,500.

Approximately one-third of the members assigned to the 729th ACS deployed to here assuming duties as the 386th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron for the next 90 days.

The 386th EACS also conducted field training in the desert environment of Western Utah to practice chemical warfare, security and other combat skills.