13th Air Expeditionary Group


The 13th Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit.

History

World War II

The group was first activated at Langley Field, Virginia in January 1941 as the 13th Bombardment Group, with the 39th, 40th, and 41st Bombardment Squadrons assigned and the 3d Reconnaissance Squadron attached. The group was equipped with a mix of Douglas B-18 Bolos and North American B-25 Mitchells. In June, the group moved to Orlando Army Air Base, Florida.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the group was ordered to search for German U-Boats off the southeast coast. Although the Navy was responsible for long range patrolling, it lacked the aircraft to perform the mission and the Army Air Forces performed the mission, even though its crews lacked proper training. As antisubmarine warfare assets were realigned to meet the growing threat in the North Atlantic, the 13th Group moved to Westover Field, Massachusetts in January 1942. The following month, the 3d Reconnaissance Squadron was assigned to the group, and, in April, became the 393d Bombardment Squadron.
In October 1942, the AAF organized its antisubmarine forces into the single Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command, which established the 25th Antisubmarine Wing the following month to control its forces operating over the Atlantic. Its bombardment group headquarters, including the 13th, were inactivated.

Expeditionary operations

The group was converted to provisional status, redesignated the 13th Air Expeditionary Group and assigned to Pacific Air Forces to activate or inactivate as needed. It has been used primarily to control operations or exercises for Thirteenth Air Force. This has included acting as the air component of Joint Task Force-Support Forces Antarctica. The group commander is dual hatted as the deputy commander, JTF-SFA.

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