The 407th Air Expeditionary Group, located at Ali Base, Iraq, was activated April 17, 2003. The 407th AEG provides coalition tactical airlift support with aerial port operations.
Ali Base is home to the 407th Air Expeditionary Group and the U.S. Air Force's only major airfield in southern Iraq. It is collocated with the U.S. Army and Coalition Force Contingency Operating Base Adder. The 407th AEG was the first Air Force unit to stand up combat operations within Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom.
MISSION
Tuskegee Airmen providing air operations support for coalition air dominance, battlespace control, and security to advance the stabilization of southern Iraq.
PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES
Approximately 700 active-duty Air Force, Guard and Reserve members are assigned to the 407th AEG during any given Air and Space Expeditionary Force rotation.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The group's forces are organized under six squadrons:
· 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron,
· 407th Expeditionary Communications Squadron,
· 407th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron,
· 407th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron,
· 407th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron and
· 407th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron
HISTORY Located approximately seven miles southwest of the city of An Nasiriyah in south central Iraq, Ali Base has played a crucial role in military operations throughout Iraq. The airfield was built in the 1970s and was the busiest military airfield during the country's war with Iran in the 1980s.
Ali Base was known as Tallil Air Base from the start of the first Gulf War until January 2005 when the Air Force began to use the Iraqi name for the base: Ali Base. The origin of the Tallil name is unknown.
The airfield was heavily bombed and virtually destroyed during the first Gulf War. Ultimately, the base became off limits to Iraqi forces while U.S. and British patrols enforced the no-fly zone over southern Iraq, including Ali Base.
On March 24, 2003, five days after Operation Iraqi Freedom kicked off, a 25-man team of Airmen from Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait, were sent to Ali Base with three R-11 refueling trucks. After several delays, the group reached the captured Iraqi base and began to set up a "gas-and-go" operation designed to give A-10 Thunderbolt aircraft increased capability to provide the Army better close-air support. The first A-10s landed, refueled, and took off for another mission March 29, 2003.
During the first few weeks of the war, Airmen lived in abandoned Iraqi structures as civil engineers prepared to build tent city. Working in concert with British Royal Engineers, Airmen moved thousands of cubic meters of dirt to build the foundation for tent city. Initial plans called for Ali to go operational within two weeks; it was operational in two days. Ali Base became its own detachment April 2, 2003.
On April 13, 2003, the Air Force redesignated the 407th Air Expeditionary Group at Ali Base (then called Tallil Air Base) as a subordinate to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, which was stationed at Al Jaber AB, Kuwait. Throughout the summer of 2003, the mission at Ali Base (Tallil AB) expanded. The flightline became home to A-10s, C-130s and Predators. The 332nd AEW then transferred from Al Jaber AB, Kuwait, to Ali Base Aug. 5, 2003. The 332nd AEW traces its historical lineage back to the famed Tuskegee Airmen of World War II.
During that period, the wing's A-10s destroyed more than 1,100 targets during major combat operations of Operation Iraqi Freedom. It was also here that U.S. Special Forces staged and planned the rescue of Army Private 1st Class Jessica Lynch, and where the private was flown out of Iraq.
On Jan. 30, 2004, the 332nd AEW moved its flag to Balad AB, Iraq, and the 407th AEG once again became the sole Air Force unit at Ali Base, remaining a subordinate of the 332nd AEW.
The 407th AEG traces its history back to the 407th Bombardment Group (Dive) which was established March 23, 1943, at Drew Field, Fla. Its subordinate squadrons at that time included the 632nd, 633rd, 634th and 635th Bombardment (Dive) Squadrons. The air echelon was attached to 11th Air Force in Amchitka, Alaska, from July 19 to Aug. 15, 1943, where it performed combat operations against the Japanese in the Aleutian Islands
The 407th was redesignated the 407th Fighter-Bomber Group Aug. 15, 1943. At that time, the 632nd, 633rd and 634th were redesignated the 515th, 516th and 517th Fighter-Bomber Squadrons, respectively, and the 635th was disbanded.
In 1943, the 407th flew the Douglas A-24 dive bomber, North American A-36 Invader dive bomber, and P-51 Mustang, and flew the P-47 Thunderbolt from 1943 to 1944.
In October 1943 the group moved to Lakeland Army Air Field, Fla., and then to Galveston Army Air Field, Texas, in November where it trained for combat. It functioned as a replacement unit until April 1, 1944, when it was disestablished.
The 407th Strategic Fighter Wing was established March 23, 1953, and activated Dec. 18, 1953, at Great Falls Air Force Base, Mont., now known as Malmstrom Air Force Base. Its subordinate squadrons at that time were the 407th Air Refueling Squadron, and the 515th, 516th, and 517th Strategic Fighter Squadrons flying the F-84Thunderstreak. From December 1954 to July 1955, the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron was attached to the 407th.
From August to November 1954, the 407th deployed to Misawa Air Base, Japan, where it provided air defense of northern Japan. From November 1954 to June 1957 the 407th provided long-range fighter support and refueling for bombers from its home base in Montana. The wing was inactivated in July 1957.
The 407th was redesignated the 407th Air Expeditionary Group and later activated at Tallil Air Base (now Ali Base) in April 2003.
