The
335th Bombardment Group was activated on 17 July 1942 at
Barksdale Field, Louisiana. Its original components were the
474th, 475th,
476th and
477th Bombardment Squadrons, and the
group was equipped with
Martin B-26 Marauders. It became part of
Third Air Force, which was responsible for the majority of
medium bomber training for the
Army Air Forces (AAF). The group drew its
cadre from the
17th Bombardment Group, which was in the process of converting to the B-26 from the
North American B-25 Mitchell. The 355th acted as a
Replacement Training Unit (RTU) for the B-26. The RTU was an oversized unit which trained individual
pilots and
aircrews, after which they would be assigned to operational units. As this reorganization was implemented in the spring of 1944, he 335th Group, its components and supporting units at Barksdale, were disbanded on 1 May and replaced by the 331st AAF Base Unit (Medium, Bombardment). Group
headquarters became Section N of the new base unit, while the four squadrons became Sections O, P, T and U. The reorganization also resulted in the addition of Section F, which trained
Free French aviators on the Marauder. The group was reconstituted in inactive status on 31 July 1985 and designated the
335th Air Refueling Wing. In addition, three of the group's four squadrons were consolidated with post-war
fighter squadrons. ==Lineage==