After training with Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers in the United States, it deployed to the European Theater of Operations, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany.

Following V-E Day, the squadron returned to the United States, where it began training with Boeing B-29 Superfortresses.

It helped prepare for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, by striking artillery batteries, V-1 flying bomb and V-2 rocket launching sites, and airfields in France.

Afterward, it attacked lines of communication to prevent the movement of enemy personnel and materiel from reaching the battlefield.

It attacked enemy troops during Operation Cobra, the breakout from the beachhead through Saint Lo in late July.

[1] It flew support missions during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 and January 1945 and during Operation Varsity, the airborne attacks across the Rhine in April 1945.

Although the group flew more than 450 Truckin' sorties to advanced landing grounds in France and lost two aircraft, these were not considered combat missions.

[5][6] The group had the distinction of being the test squadron for the Army Air Forces' first guided bomb project.

AMC activated the unit on 1 June 1992 as the 458th Operations Group, to control its two McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender tanker squadrons at Barksdale.

From 1 October 1993 until it was inactivated on 1 April 1994, the 71st Air Refueling Squadron, flying Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers was briefly assigned to the group.

In 2003, the group was again brought briefly to life, when it was active at Mihail Kogălniceanu International Airport, 26 km northwest of Constanța, Romania.

The group was active from about March to June 2003, charged with maintaining an airbridge at the base to transport supplies and people to the United States Central Command area of responsibility at the beginning of the U.S. Iraq War - Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the Afghanistan War - Operation Enduring Freedom.

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