47th Operations Group

The 47th Operations Group (47 OG) is the flying component of the 47th Flying Training Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command. The group is stationed at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas.

Overview

The 47th Operations Group contains five flying squadrons, one support squadron, and a maintenance flight. The Operations Group is responsible for training US Air Force and allied nation pilots under the Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Program (SUPT).

The group provides management, control, and standardization/evaluation of all aspects of flying training operations, aircraft maintenance, and airfield management at Laughlin AFB, Texas.

Components

Squadrons of the 47th Operations Group (Tail Code: XL) are:

47th Operations Support Squadron

434th Fighter Training Squadron, T-6 Texan II, Red Tail Stripe, "Red Devils"

85th Flying Training Squadron, T-6 Texan II, Yellow Tail Stripe, "Tigers"

86th Flying Training Squadron, T-1 Jayhawk, Black Tail Stripe, "Rio Lobos"

87th Flying Training Squadron, T-38 Talon, "Red Bulls"

96th Flying Training Squadron, T-1A, T-6, T-38 (AFRES)

History

See 47th Flying Training Wing for additional history and lineage information

World War II

Constituted as 47th Bombardment Group (Light) on 20 November 1940, and activated on 15 January 1941. Operational squadrons of the group were:

84th Bombardment Squadron 1941–1949

85th Bombardment Squadron 1941–1949

86th Bombardment Squadron 1941–1949

97th Bombardment Squadron 1941–1946

Initially based at McChord Field, Washington, the group's mission was to perform anti-submarine patrols along the Pacific coast with the Douglas B-18 Bolo as its primary aircraft. This was a short-lived mission, however, as after the Empire of Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the group began training for duty overseas when it was assigned Douglas A-20Cs which were taken over by the USAAF from Lend-Lease contracts.

Training at several bases in the midwest and southeast, it was first believed that the 47th would be sent to the South Pacific. However shortly after Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of North Africa in November 1942, the 47th became the first USAAF A-20 group to participate in large-scale combat in the North African Campaign, being assigned to Twelfth Air Force.