The present day 452d works to maintain a special relationship with the 452d Bomb Group Memorial Association to keep its heritage alive.

The 452 OG mission is to organize, train and equip aircrews to provide air refueling and strategic airlift any time, any place.

The unit was transferred to Rapid City AAB, South Dakota on 15 June 1943 and trained there until early October 1943.

The air echelon began overseas movement in early December 1943 via the southern ferry route.

Throughout combat, engaged primarily in bombardment of strategic targets, including marshalling yards at Frankfurt, aircraft assembly plants at Regensburg, aircraft component works at Kassel, the ball-bearing industry at Schweinfurt, a synthetic rubber plant at Hanover, and oil installations at Bohlen.

Helped prepare for the invasion of Normandy by hitting airfields, V-weapon sites, bridges, and other objectives in France.

Bombed enemy positions in support of the breakthrough at Saint-Lô in July and the offensive against Brest in August and September 1944.

The group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for action on 7 April 1945 when, despite vigorous fighter attacks and heavy flak, it accurately bombed a jet-fighter base at Kaltenkirchen.

The 452d Bomb Group flew its last combat mission of World War II [in Europe] on 21 April, striking marshalling yards at Ingolstadt.

Bombed and strafed buildings, tunnels, rail lines, switching centers, bridges, vehicles, supply dumps, and airfields until May 1952 when its mission was taken over by the regular USAF 17th Bombardment Group (Light).