386th Air Expeditionary Wing
A B-1B Lancer sits on the "hot ramp" waiting to be refueled by the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing
Active	1942–1945 1956–1957 2002–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Part of	United States Air Forces Central
Garrison/HQ	Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Meritorious Unit Commendation#Air Force[1]
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel Sergio E. Anaya[2]
Notable commanders	Joe W. Kelly
Insignia
386th Air Expeditionary Wing emblem
386h Bombardment Group emblem[3]

The 386th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to United States Air Forces Central. As a provisional unit, it may be activated or inactivated at any time. It is currently stationed at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait in Southwest Asia.

During World War II, the wing, then the 386th Bombardment Group, was a Martin B-26 Marauder bombardment group assigned to the Eighth and later Ninth Air Force. 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.

From 1955 to 1957, as the 386th Fighter-Bomber Group, the wing operated North American F-86 Sabres. It was beginning a conversion to the North American F-100 Super Sabre, when it was inactivated in 1957.

The 386th Air Expeditionary Wing has a diverse mission which canvasses the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility (AOR).^{[expand abbreviation]} The 386th is the primary aerial hub for Operation Inherent Resolve and provides airlift support for various operations around the CENTCOM AOR.

Under the new Air Force Force Generation (AFFORGEN)^{[expand abbreviation]} concept, which is how the Air Force deploys and presents its forces to the combatant commanders, the 386th now has the 386th Expeditionary Air Base Group,^[4] A-staff directorates, the special staff, and various flying units under its command. The 386th EABG is composed of units from Civil Engineering, Security Forces, Logistics, Medical, Communications, Contracting, Force Support and Maintenance. The special staff is composed of legal, public affairs and other helping agencies. The A-staff component is there to provide planning to the operational squadrons and answer requests for information from higher headquarters. The flying units consist of C-130s, MQ-9s and U.S. Army helicopters.

The wing's mission is to partner, deliver and support to provide combat power and increase regional stability. Its vision is through teamwork to enhance cooperation, invest in enduring relationships, and cultivate inclusive and innovative warfighters.

The wing is also home to one of two contingency aeromedical staging facilities (CASF) in the theater. The CASF serves as a gateway for patients airlifted to Germany or the United States for further medical treatment.

The following units are assigned:

• 386th Expeditionary Air Base Group^[5]
• 387th Air Expeditionary Group located at Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base (Cargo City) and Ali Al Salem Air Base^[5]
• 407th Air Expeditionary Group located at Ali Al Salem Air Base and Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base^[5]
• 386th Expeditionary Operations Group^{[citation needed]}

The unit was constituted as the 386th Bombardment Group on 25 November 1942, and was activated on 1 December 1942 at MacDill Field, Florida. The group was equipped with the Martin B-26 Marauder medium bomber. Its operational squadrons were the [[552d Fighter-Bomber Squadron|552d, 553d, 554th Fighter-Bomber Squadron and 555th Bombardment Squadrons

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 remained at Snetterton Heath only a few days, being transferred to RAF Boxted in north Essex on 10 June 1943 where the Martin B-26 Marauder groups were being consolidated for operations and retrained in medium altitude bombing after low level tactics had produced disastrous losses. 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.

The 386th was again transferred to RAF Great Dunmow on 24 September 1943. Missions of the 386th concentrated on airfields but also bombed marshalling yards and gun positions during the first months of combat. In common with all B-26 Marauder units of the Eighth Air Force, the 386th was transferred to Ninth Air Force on 16 October 1943.

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.

Great Dunmow was the first airfield visited by General Eisenhower in his USAAF airfield tour on Tuesday, 11 April 1944, and he arrived in time to see thirty-nine Ninth Air Force Marauders take off at twenty second intervals for a mission to attack the marshalling yards in Charleroi, Belgium.

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. Supported Allied forces at Caen, and participated in the massive blows against the enemy at Saint-Lô on 25 July 1944. Knocked out targets to help clear the Falaise pocket of German forces in August 1944 and hit strong points at Brest during September.

In July 1944, the 553rd Bomb Squadron was selected to host the squadron performing operational testing on the new Douglas A-26 Invader. A special squadron of A-26s was attached to the 386th Bombardment Group by order of "Special Operations Order #205, Project 3AF JY Class TM 0725", which created the "A-26 Combat Evaluation Project Squadron" - or simply, Project Squadron to the crews. This squadron conducted eight combat missions with the 386th between 6 Sep 1944 and 19 Sep 1944. 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 2 October 1944, the 386th Bomb Group moved to Beaumont-sur-Oise Airfield, in Normandy, France. On the continent, the 386th also used the following Advanced Sint-Truiden Airfield, Belgium, 9 April – July 1945.

While the unit was at Beaumont-sur-Oise, they were fully converted from the B-26 Marauder to the A-26 Invader. By March 1945, the 386th Bomb Group was flying Invaders in combat missions and the old B-26s had been retired stateside.

After V-E Day, the group returned to the United States, first to Seymour Johnson Field, then to Westover Field where the unit was inactivated and its aircraft was dispersed. The 386th was inactivated on 7 November 1945.

The 386th Fighter-Bomber Group was activated on 8 April 1956^[c] at Bunker Hill Air Force Base, Indiana as part of the 323d Fighter-Bomber Wing. Assigned to the Tactical Air Command, the group had three squadrons, 552d, 553d and 554th. Initially training with North American F-86F Sabres, these were quickly upgraded to the F-86H and then to the North American F-100A Super Sabre to become proficient in tactical air operations. The group's aircraft wore a band on the tail, and around the nose edged with small black checkers.

In 1955, Strategic Air Command (SAC) began stationing units at the base, and Bunker Hill was transfered to SAC in September 1957. With the turnover of the base to SAC, the 323d was phased down and replaced by the SAC 4041st Air Base Group on 1 September 1957.

In 2002 was redesignated as the 386th Air Expeditionary Group. Effective 12 August, 2002, a few months prior to the start of the Iraq War, the group was redesignated the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing and replaced the 9th Air Expeditonary Group under the 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force.^[5] At the same time, the 363d Air Expeditionary Wing was being inactivated.

During the summer of 2001, Airmen from all over the world were called to participate in Operation Southern Watch's AEF-6, also called the 386th Air Expeditionary Group. From the late spring to early fall, the active duty Airmen were joined by members of the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. Although from different divisions of the same service, they personified the "seamless air force" concept.

Air Expeditionary Force Eight came to a hot start under the desert sun when members of the 729th Air Control Squadron from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, arrived in August 2001. There was a two-thirds changeover of base personnel due to rotations. Approximately one-third of the members assigned to the 729th deployed to here assuming duties as the 386th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron for the next 90 days. The 386th EACS began focused preparations for the deployment about six months earlier. Their wartime mission was to deploy to potentially austere environments, so the base here was not much of a departure. Th

In 2000, the first hardened structures were built here. Hardened structures continue to be built on The Rock.

• Established as 386th Bombardment Group (Medium) on 25 November 1942

Activated on 1 December 1942

Redesignated 386th Bombardment Group, Medium on 20 August 1943

Redesignated 386th Bombardment Group, Light on 23 June 1945

Inactivated on 7 November 1945

Redesignated 386th Fighter-Bomber Group on 31 October 1955

Activated on 8 April 1956

Inactivated on 8 July 1957

Redesignated 386th Tactical Fighter Group on 31 July 1985 (Remained inactive)

Redesignated 386th Air Expeditionary Group and converted to provisional status on 25 July 2000

Activated in 2002

Redesignated 386th Air Expeditionary Wing on 12 August 2002

• III Bomber Command, 1 December 1942
• Eighth Air Force, c. 2 June 1943
• 3d Bombardment Wing, 4 June 1943
• IX Bomber Command, 16 October 1943
• 98th Combat Bombardment Wing (later 98th Bombardment Wing), 5 December 1943
• First Air Force, August-7 November 1945
• Ninth Air Force, 8 April 1956 – 8 July 1957 (attached to 323rd Fighter-Bomber Wing)
• Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate any time after 25 July 2000

United States Air Forces Central, 2002 – present

• 552d Bombardment (later Fighter-Bomber) Squadron, 1 December 1942 – 7 November 1945; 8 April 1956 – 8 July 1957
• 553d Bombardment (later Fighter-Bomber) Squadron, 1 December 1942 – 7 November 1945; 8 April 1956 – 8 July 1957
• 554th Bombardment (later Fighter-Bomber) Squadron, 1 December 1942 – 7 November 1945; 8 April 1956 – 8 July 1957
• 555th Bombardment Squadron, 1 December 1942 – 7 November 1945
• 586th Expeditionary Mission Support [later Air Expeditionary] Group, September 2005 – 17 June 2010^[6]
• 586th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, March 2005 – December 2008
• 586th Expeditionary Support Squadron, ? – 2010
• 886th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, ? – May 2008
• 887th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, ? – December 2009

• Martin B-26 Marauder, 1942–1944
• Douglas A-26 Invader, Aug 1944–1956
• North American F-86F/H Sabre, 1956–1957
• North American F-100 Super Sabre, 1957
• 2003 – January – GR-4, C-130E, RQ-1B, RC-12, MQ-1
• 2003 – December – C-130H, C130E, C-12, UC-35, C-23
• 2004 – April – C-130H, C-12, UC-25, C-23
• 2004 – June–Present – C-130E, C-130H, EC-130

• List of Martin B-26 Marauder operators

Explanatory notes

Citations

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

• Freeman, Roger A. Airfields of the Eighth: Then and Now. After the Battle, 1978. ISBN 0-900913-09-6.
• Freeman, Roger A. The Mighty Eighth: The Colour Record. Cassell & Co., 1991. ISBN 0-304-35708-1.
• Freeman, Roger A. The Ninth Air Force in Colour: UK and the Continent-World War Two. After the Battle, 1996. ISBN 1-85409-272-3.
• Freeman, Roger A. UK Airfields of the Ninth: Then and Now. After the Battle, 1994. ISBN 0-900913-80-0.
• Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 September 2016.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 December 2016.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
• Watkins, Robert (2008). Battle Colors. Vol. III Insignia and Markings of the Ninth Air Force In World War II. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-2938-8.
• Young, Barnett (ed.) The Story of the Crusaders: The 386th Bomb Group (M) in World War II. Fort Myers, Florida: 386th Bomb Group, Inc., 1988 (2nd Edition. Ft. Myers, Florida: 386th Bomb Group Association, 1991).
• Uncredited. The History of a Bombing Outfit: The 386th Bomb Group. St. Truiden, Belgium: De Geneffe, 1945.
• "US Air Force Air Power Directory" World Airpower Journal. Aerospace Publishing: London, 1992. ISBN 1-880588-01-3.

• Official website
• Diary of the 386th Bomb Group