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| Note: As much of the tasking of the units listed in this section was maintenance-related, the following explanation of the various levels of maintenance is offered: During the war, maintenance was divided into four echelons, distinguished from one another by the amount of work, equipment, and manpower required. AAF Regulation 65-1, 14 August 1942, defined and discussed the echelons of aircraft maintenance as follows: 1st Echelon: That maintenance performed by the air echelon of the combat unit. 2d Echelon: That maintenance performed by the ground echelon of the combat unit, air base squadrons, and airways detachments. 3d Echelon: That maintenance performed by service groups and subdepots. 4th Echelon: That maintenance performed by air depots groups and at depots. First echelon maintenance will normally consist of servicing airplanes and airplane equipment, preflight and daily inspections, and minor repairs, adjustments, and replacements. All essential tools and equipment must be transportable by air. Second echelon maintenance will normally consist of servicing airplanes and airplane equipment, performance of the periodic preventative inspections and such adjustments, repairs, and replacements as may be accomplished by the use of hand to the combat unit. This includes engine change when the organization concerned is at the location where the change is required, Most of the tools and equipment for 2d echelon can be transported by air; but certain items, such as transportation, radio, etc., necessitate ground means of transportation. Third echelon of maintenance embraces repairs and replacements requiring mobile machinery and other equipment of such weight and bulk that ground means of transport is necessary. Units charged with this echelon of maintenance require specialized mechanics. This echelon includes field repairs and salvage, removal and replacement of major unit assemblies, fabrication of minor parts and minor repairs to aircraft structures and equipment. Normally, this echelon embraces repairs which can be completed within a limited time period, this period to be determined by the situation prevailing. Fourth echelon of maintenance includes all operations necessary to completely restore worn or damaged aircraft to a condition of tactical serviceability and the periodic major overhaul of engines, unit assemblies, accessories, and auxiliary equipment; the fabrication of such parts as may be required in an emergency or as directed in technical instructions; the accomplishment of technical compliance changes as directed; replacement, repair, and service checking of auxiliary equipment; and the recovery, reclamation, or repair and return to service of aircraft incapable of flight. -- Army Air Forces in WWII, Volume Six, pp 388-389; Craven & Cate, editors. |
Source: Mr. Bernie Shearon
Air Depot Group inactivation and disbandment dates are from DAF/MPM Ltr 575q, 27 Sep 84 -- for the 80 Air Depot Wg DAF/MPM Ltr 498q, 23 Jun 83. (In the 1983/1984 time frame USAF disbanded a huge amount of types of units that had not been active for some time, brought up to date the designations of others and redesignated and consolidated mostly flying units, but some support units, too. Within 10 years, some of these actions were reversed. For example, all the old Maintenance & Supply Groups were disbanded. When the Air Force adopted the Objective Wing structure in 1991, many of these were reconstituted as Logistics Groups (today Maintenance Groups).
Air Depot Group activation dates extracted from Air Service Command historical reports reviewed in the early 80's at the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center historian's office and syncronised with dates contained in Mueller ed., Air Force Bases, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States GPO 1989.
Organizational information concerning reserve units generally extracted from Continental Air Command annual histories reviewed in the early 80's at the Air Force Reserve historian's office.
 NOTE: The book ("Tactical Services in the Army Air Forces" by John M. Coleman, Columbia University Press, 1950) states that in 1943, overseas commands indicated a need for more repair squadrons and fewer supply squadrons. From 1 to 80 depot groups started with their like numbered supply & repair squadrons, but that is not necessarily true for squadrons numbered 81-336 (repair) or 81-331 (supply). Also a large number of depot groups numbered under 80 were disbanded in 1943, but their repair squadrons were not always disbanded with them. Once they got overseas, depot units (including ASWAAF units) tended to get reassigned directly to depots, as well, or to the "main" depot group assigned to the depot. The plan (by AAF and Air Service Command) was one Service Group for every 2 combat groups and one Air Depot Group for every 2 Service Groups, but overseas commanders didn't necessarily use depot groups in this manner. |
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48th Air Depot Group Source: Mr. Mark Boland Lineage: 48th Air Depot Gp, Depot Repair Sq, Depot Supply Sq authorized and constituted at Duncan Field, TX per AG 320.2, 31 Jan 42; activated 13 Mar 42; Stationed at Duncan Field (combined with Kelly Field, 2 Mar 43) 13 Mar 42-15 Jun 43; inactivated 9 Apr 46; disbanded 27 Sep 84.
 99th Depot Supply Sq., 48th Air Depot Gp. - Mooklbari, India (1944)  Original Assam Air Depot Staff Office - Mooklbari, India (1944) (TSgt Herb Holzmann, right)  Our eventual higher ground GI tents - Mooklbari, India (1944)  New Assam Air Depot Staff Office near ATC Air Field - Chabua, India (1945) (Seated L-R: Lt. Sands, MSgt Bowman, Maj. Kelly - Depot Supply Officer, Assam Air Depot, TSgt Herb Holzmann, 5th from left, top row.) |
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Source: Army Air Forces in WWII Series, Volume Five (See reference in Credits & References)
"In the Calcutta area, the 28th, 47th, and 83d Air Depot Groups, all operating within a few miles of each other and collectively known as the Bengal Air Depot, were provided with a supervising headquarters on 4 December 1943, designated the 5317th Air Depot Headquarters (Provisional)."
28th Air Depot Group Source: Mr. Mark Boland & Mr. Bernie Shearon Lineage: 28th Air Depot Gp, Depot Repair Sq, Depot Supply Sq authorized and constituted at Brookley Field, AL per AG 320.2, 5 Jan 42; activated 20 Jan 42; inactivated 13 Mar 46. Activated in the reserves on 13 Jul 48 at Bedford AFB, MA as the 28th Air Depot and assigned to the XIX Air Service Command, later assigned to the XVI Air Service Command. Inactivated 27 Jun 49. Disbanded 27 Sep 84.
Source: USAFE/HO (supplied by Mr. Bernie Shearon) Lineage and Honors History of the 428 Air Base Group (USAFE)
Lineage: Constituted as 28 Air Depot Group on 5 Jan 1942. Activated on 20 Jan 1942. Inactivated on 13 Mar 1946. Redesignated 28 Air Depot on 11 Mar 1947. Activated on 13 Jul 1948. Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949. Disbanded on 27 Sep 1984. Reconstituted, and redesignated 428 Air Base Group, on 22 Mar 2005. Activated on 18 Apr 2005.
Assignments: Air Service Command, 20 Jan 1942; San Antonio Air Service Command, 4 Jul 1942; China-Burma-India (later, India-Burma) Air Service Command, 10 Sep 1943; India-Burma Theater, 17 Oct 1945-13 Mar 1946. First Air Force, 13 Jul 1948-27 Jun 1949. 38 Combat Support Wing, 18 Apr 2005-.
Stations: Brookley Field, AL, 20 Jan 1942; Stinson Field, TX, 4 Jul 1942-11 Jul 1943; Barrackpore, India, 26 Sep 1943-13 Mar 1946. Hanscom Aprt, MA, 13 Jul 1948-27 Jun 1949. Stuttgart Vaihingen, Germany, 18 Apr 2005-.
Service Streamers: World War II American Theater; World War II Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
Campaign Streamers: None.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers: None.
Decorations: None.
Emblem: Group may design and on approval use its unique emblem, in accordance with AFI 84-105, Paragraph 3.3.4.1.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 23 May 2005.
Prepared by Daniel L. HaulmanReviewed by A. Timothy Warnock
47th Air Depot Group (See CBI Unit Histories)
Source: Mr. Henry Gates, 14th DRS: Our organization, the 14th Air Depot Group was shipped to India in early 1945, and the main part of the group was stationed at the Bengal Air Depot, just outside Calcutta, but the Repair Squadron and the Signal company were placed on detached service to the 47th Air Depot Group at Panagarh, 100 miles or so northwest of Calcutta, to supply additional repair manpower to that group, which was a major processing facility in Eastern India. New aircraft would be shipped by sea into Calcutta, and then floated up the river on barges to a landing, where they could be easily moved a few short miles to our base. We would then reassemble them, check them out, test fly them, and then deliver them to the base at Ondal, which was the distribution center for that part of the theater. The Bengal Air Depot was mainly involved in the warehousing of aircraft parts and supplies that were shipped to all of the various bases in the theater as needed to maintain the aircraft on those bases. If an aircraft suffered major damage or wear and tear in normal use such that the local organizations were not staffed and trained to perform the maintenance, then it would be flown to a facility such as Ondal, where it would be exchanged for another that was either brand new, or had been already completely overhauled at a facility such as ours, and then turned over to Ondal for reassignment to another organization. ...In those days, I spent most of my time flying supplies and personnel around the theater . . . just a kind of sophisticated taxi driver, you might say! When I wasn't doing that, I would be delivering planes to Ondal as fast as our repair facilities could get them ready. I did make a number flights to Calcutta to transport personnel back and forth who had business at headquarters, but I was rarely involved in more than that, and usually never did more than drop them off at the nearest airport and then return to my home base. I made a number of flights to Agra and to New Delhi, which I really enjoyed, but mostly to Calcutta.
83d Air Depot Group Source: Mr. Bernie Shearon Lineage: The 83d Air Depot Gp was assigned to the 5317th Air Depot Hq (P) (and probably to the Bengal Air Depot subsequently) from Dec 43. It was activated c. fall 1942. It was stationed at Gura, Titagarh, and Karachi, was inactivated on 19 Feb 46, disbanded 27 Sep 84.
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3d Air Depot Group (See CBI Unit Histories)
Source: Ex-CBI Roundup July 1997 Issue Mr. Walt Neidert The Third Air Depot Group was formed at Duncan Field, Texas. March 1941. It was the first Air Depot Group to be assigned overseas. We arrived in Agra, India, in May 1942. Fifty men were assigned to the STEEL GANG who immediately started erecting 14 Butler buildings, 40' x 80', to be used for shops and warehouse buildings. Two HANGARS were constructed, all by December 1942. The temperature averaged 130 degrees during the eight-month period. According to the records of the Air Depot Groups at Maxwell A.F.B. Historical Library, the Third Air Depot Group was the only ADG. who had to erect their own buildings in order to perform their mission. Members of the Third Repair Sqdn who were responsible for the ALLISON IN-LINE Engine Overhaul were sent to Bangalore, India, which formed the nucleus of the 84th Air Depot Group there.
26th Air Depot Group
Source: Military.com, Mr. Charles Aresta Shield: Azure, two swords palewise, points to chief, between six bees volant to chief also palewise two (2) two (2) two (2). Crest: None. Motto: SURGAM (I SHALL RISE). Symbolism: Blue and golden orange are the colors of the Army Air Force. The six bees represent honest effort and a good work ethic while the swords allude to the unit being prepared for combat. The charges, 2 swords and 6 bees also represent the unit designation (26). Source: CBIVA Sound-off, Winter 1993 & Summer 1996 Issues The 26th Group was activated on 1/20/42 at Brookley Field, Mobile, AL. On November 1, 1942, it arrived at Deversoir, Egypt, and in January 1944 it set up base on the outskirts of Karachi, India. Later that year, affiliated groups were transferred elsewhere and the 26th Depot Repair Squadron was absorbed within the 80th Group, relocated in July 1944 to Agra, India and attached to the 3rd Air Depot Group. After VJ Day, it was transferred to Ramgarh and finally inactivated on 3/28/46 at the Indian Army Eastern India Air Depot in Panagarh, India. 
 Photos courtesy of Mr. Jim Baker, 26th DRS
82nd Air Depot Group
Source: "United States Army in World War II", Center of Military History Chapter VII: Aircraft Assembly and Delivery "In January 1943 the 82d Air Depot Group arrived at Abadan for a period of orientation before taking over from Douglas (Aircraft) in April." Chapter XIII: The Air Corps Takes Over Aircraft Assembly "On 12 August 1944, with assembly operations at Abadan entering their last lap, came official recognition that the function of Abadan Air Base had shifted from assembly to air operations. On that date the 82d Air Depot Group and the 18th Depot Repair Squadron were disbanded, and their personnel and equipment transferred to Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Abadan Air Base, with an aggregate strength of 26 officers and 502 enlisted men, plus 100 enlisted men attached additionally as Air Corps unassigned."
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14th Air Depot Group  "Shanghai Air Depot Weekly", March 1946 Lineage: 14th Air Depot Gp, Depot Repair Sq, Depot Supply Sq authorized and constituted at Duncan Field, TX per AG 320.2, 5 Jan 42; activated 28 Jan 42; Stationed at Duncan Field (combined with Kelly Field, 2 Mar 43) 28 Jan 42-16 Apr 43; inactivated 25 Apr 46; disbanded 27 Sep 84.
Source: Mr. Henry Gates, 14th DRS: "Our organization, the 14th Air Depot Group was shipped to India in early 1945, and the main part of the group was stationed at the Bengal Air Depot, just outside Calcutta, but the Repair Squadron and the Signal company were placed on detached service to the 47th Air Depot Group at Panagarh, 100 miles or so northwest of Calcutta, to supply additional repair manpower to that group, which was a major processing facility in Eastern India. New aircraft would be shipped by sea into Calcutta, and then floated up the river on barges to a landing, where they could be easily moved a few short miles to our base. We would then reassemble them, check them out, test fly them, and then deliver them to the base at Ondal, which was the distribution center for that part of the theater. The Bengal Air Depot was mainly involved in the warehousing of aircraft parts and supplies that were shipped to all of the various bases in the theater as needed to maintain the aircraft on those bases. If an aircraft suffered major damage or wear and tear in normal use such that the local organizations were not staffed and trained to perform the maintenance, then it would be flown to a facility such as Ondal, where it would be exchanged for another that was either brand new, or had been already completely overhauled at a facility such as ours, and then turned over to Ondal for reassignment to another organization. "...In those days, I spent most of my time flying supplies and personnel around the theater...just a kind of sophisticated taxi driver, you might say! When I wasn't doing that, I would be delivering planes to Ondal as fast as our repair facilities could get them ready. I did make a number flights to Calcutta to transport personnel back and forth who had business at headquarters, but I was rarely involved in more than that, and usually never did more than drop them off at the nearest airport and then return to my home base. I made a number of flights to Agra and to New Delhi, which I really enjoyed, but mostly to Calcutta. 
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| From Mr. Frank Polaski: I thought that it might be interesting to you to see pictures of the EIAD flight line when I was there and a Google Earth picture of how it looks now. My son Greg, who is retired USAF, discovered the satellite pictures several years ago. This was quite a thrill for me, because I never knew what happened since I flew out of there in 1946. Apparently the Indian Air Force still uses the landing strip, but the rest of the base appears to have been sitting there unused for the past 62 years. We had a huge ramp which is partially overgrown with jungle now. After the war ended, we were the central site for disposal of theatre aircraft. We had over 900 planes there at one time. |
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22nd Air Depot Group
80th Air Depot Group (See CBI Unit Histories) Source: Mr. Mark Boland & Mr. Bernie Shearon Lineage: 80th Air Depot Gp, Depot Repair Sq, Depot Supply Sq authorized and constituted at McClellan Field, CA per AG 320.2, 31 Jan 42. Stationed at Karachi, India (now Pakistan) Mar 42-Feb 45. Redesignated 80th Air Depot Wg and activated about 10 Jan 51 at Kelly AFB, TX. Moved to Nouasseur AB, Morocco 13 July 1951 and inactivated 8 Jun 53. Disbanded 15 Jun 83.
Source: CBIVA Sound-off, Winter 1993 Issue The 80th Group's history is incomplete and difficult to reconstruct but it was activated in 1942 out of two squadrons of the 51st Service Group of Morrison Field, Florida. On 1/12/43 it was activated at Karachi, India, as the 80th Air Depot Group. Among the original personnel were men who had been among the first contingent of U.S. troops in India in March and May of 1942 (ed: these personnel were from the 51st Service Gp). It was relocated to Agra, India, in the latter part of 1944 and was still there in September 1945, but this writer has no listing after that date.
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84th Air Depot Group Source: Mr. Bernie Shearon Lineage: The 84th Air Depot Gp was activated 21 Jan 43 and assigned to CBI Air Svc Cmd, then to the Bangalore Air Depot/Southern Air Depot. Stationed at Bangalore and Titagarh, inactivated 14 Feb 46, disbanded 27 Sep 84, reconstituted about 28 Aug 91 as the 384th Logistics Group, activated 1 Sep 91, assigned to the 384th Wing/Bomb Wg at McConnell AFB. Probable date of inactivation was 1 Jan 93. (1991 reactivation of 84 Air Depot Gp from review in mid 1990s of complete set of DAF organizational letters issued in 1991 obtained under FOIA request.)
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23d Air Depot Group 
24th Air Depot Group Source: Mr. Mark Boland & Mr. Bernie Shearon Lineage: 24th Air Depot Gp, Depot Repair Sq, Depot Supply Sq authorized and constituted at Brookley Field, AL per AG 320.2, 5 Jan 42. Located at Brookley Field from c. 8 Feb 42 before moving to Kelly Field, TX 30 Nov 43-27 Sep 44.
25th Air Depot Group 
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55th Air Depot Group Source: Mr. Mark Boland & Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA) Lineage: 55th Air Depot Gp, Depot Repair Sq, Depot Supply Sq authorized and constituted at Patterson Field, OH per AG 320.2, 31 Jan 42. Activated on 16 Feb 1942. Inactivated on 28 Dec 1945. Disbanded on 27 Sep 1984. Reconstituted, and redesignated 555 International Group, on 22 Sep 2005. Activated on 8 Nov 2005. Assignments: Air Service Command, 16 Feb 1942; I Air Service Area Command, by 22 May 1942; Fairfield Air Depot Control Area Command (later, Fairfield Air Service Command), by 1 Feb 1943; Warner Robins Air Service Command, c. 16 Aug 1943; San Antonio Air Service Command, c. 12 Feb 1944; Seventh Air Force, c. 2 Jun 1944; VII Air Force Service Command, 5 Jun 1944; Army Air Forces Pacific Ocean Areas, 15 Aug 1944; VI Air Service Area Command, 1 Sep 1944; Twentieth Air Force, 18 Sep-28 Dec 1945. Air Force Security Assistance Center (AFSAC), 8 Nov 2005-. Stations: Patterson Field, OH, 16 Feb 1942; Robins Field, GA, 16 Aug 1943; Kelly Field, TX, 10 Feb 1944-4 May 1944; Oahu, Hawaii, 2 Jun 1944; Wheeler Field, Hawaii, by 31 Jul 1944; Guam, c. 1 Sep 1944-12 Dec 1945; Camp Anza, CA, 27-28 Dec 1945. Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, 8 Nov 2005-. Service Streamer: World War II American Theater. Campaign Streamer: World War II: Western Pacific. Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers: None. Decoration: Meritorious Unit Citation, 27 Jan-18 Apr 1945. Emblem: None on file. Group may design and request approval of an emblem in accordance with AFI 84-105, Chapter 3. Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 8 Nov 2005.
56th Air Depot Group Source: Mr. Mark Boland Lineage: 56th Air Depot Gp, Depot Repair Sq, Depot Supply Sq authorized and constituted at Patterson Field, OH per AG 320.2, 31 Jan 42. Stationed at Patterson Field, OH 16 Feb 42-5 Mar 43; unknown 6 Mar 43-5 Dec 43; Tinker Field, OK 6 Dec 43-10 Oct 44. Decorations: Meritorious Unit Commendation, 9 Nov 44-21 Jan 45, Hq AAF GO 115, 1945.
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| Source: Lineage: Constituted 31 Jan 42 and activated on 8 Feb 42 at Brookley Fld, AL as part of the 69th Air Depot Gp. Transferred to 301st ADG July 43 (??). Inactivated 20 Mar 46. Disbanded 15 Jun 83. Stations: San Bernardino AAF, CA (later Norton AFB) 20 Jul 43-12 Feb 44; Kelly Field, TX 29 Jun 44-16 Feb 45; Kunming May-Aug 45; possibly Shanghai area (Hsingching Afld) -unknown. |
| Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron |
| 2 Service Squadrons |
| 1 Finance Detachment |
| 1 Medical Detachment |
| 1 Military Police Company (Avn) |
| 2 Ordnance Companies (Supply & Maint) |
| 2 Quartermaster Truck Companies (Avn) |
| 1 Quartermaster Company (Serv Gp) (Avn) |
| 1 Signal Company (Serv Gp) (Avn) |
| 1 Headquarters and Base Services Squadron |
| 1 Air Materiel Squadron |
| 1 Air Engineering Squadron |
| Air Force History Index Mr. Mark Boland & Mr. Bernie Shearon |
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Other Sites of Interest: Society of Oral History on Modern China |
| 25th Air Service Group Narrative History of the 25th Air Service Group (from New York Public Library microfilm, courtesy of Mrs. Billie Conrad) Mr. Bernie Shearon |
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Source: 444th Bomb Group Association The 87th ASG was formed when the 20th AAF split the 25th & 28th Service Groups into the 80th & 87th Air Service Groups. These groups were know to be two of the most proficient, and technically trained of the AAF's Air Service Groups. Veteran personnel from the 589th Material Squadron, and the 355th Air Engineering Squadron were the basis of the new units. Just as in the case of the aircrew members, group members in the top 10% of their respective training classes were to be assigned to the B-29 Program. Assigned to the 58th BW on 01/25/1944, the 28th ASG left the U.S. in March of 1944. Departing Fort Dix, NJ by ship. They passed through the Panama Canal, stopping in Australia. Then on to Bombay, and finally Chakulia, India arriving on 05/01/1944. They were attached to the 444th BG(VH) & 40th BG (VH), 58th BW. Redesignated as the 87th ASG in July 1944, they had the distinction of being the first unit to supply and maintain the B-29 Superfortress' combat operations. This included the June 15, 1944 strike- the first bombing of mainland Japan since the Doolittle Raid in 1942. |
Courtesy of Mr. Thomas Evans, 52nd ASG Newsletter Editor
| While at Tezgaon, a detachment of approximately 200 officers and men was send to Hailakandi to support "Project 9" (1st Air Commando Gp.) 10 Feb-May 1944. |
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Source: Mr. John Collier The 68th was stationed in Kunming, China from February 1944 until March 1945 under the 5308th Air Service Area Command. And later under China Air Service Command, Sector #1. In March they moved to Chengkung, where they were at the end of the war. |
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Source: 444t |
