18th Air Support Operations Group


The 18th Air Support Operations Group is a combat support group of the United States Air Force. It is located at Pope Field, North Carolina. The group was originally the 18th Air Support Communications Squadron and served in the Mediterranean and European Theaters of Operations during World War II as an air communications squadron.
The 18th ASOG provides tactical command and control of air power assets for the U.S. Army's XVIII Airborne Corps. In this role its subordinate squadrons provide tactical combat command and control to the Joint Forces Air Component Commander and Joint Forces Land Component Commander.

History

The organization was originally activated in April 1943 as the 18th Air Support Communication Squadron. The squadron trained in the southeastern United States under Third Air Force until February 1944, when it deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations and was assigned to XII Air Support Command. The unit was redesignated the 18th Tactical Air Communications Squadron and moved to Italy in April. It was disbanded in Italy in June 1944.
The squadron was reconstituted and activated in Germany on 15 April 1945, where it became part of Ninth Air Force. It returned to the United States in July and was inactivated in the summer of 1946. The squadron was disbanded while inactive in October 1948.
In June 1992, the unit was reconstituted and redesignated as the 18th Air Support Group. It assumed much of the responsibilities of the inactivating 507th Air Control Wing. It was redesignated 18th Air Support Operations Group on 1 July 1994.

Organization

In addition to group headquarters, the 18th ASOG includes a number of subordinate squadrons. These units are located at Pope Field except as indicated and include the following.

Lineage