The 455th Air Expeditionary Wing was a provisional United States Air Force unit formerly located at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. It was one of two expeditionary wings in Afghanistan. Most wing personnel were located at the Air Force Village known as Camp Cunningham. The first predecessor of the wing was organized in 1943 as the 455th Bombardment Group. After training in the United States with Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers, the 455th deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, participating in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. It earned two Distinguished Unit Citations for its combat operations. Following V-E Day, it remained in Italy without its flight echelon until inactivating in September 1945. The group was activated in the reserve in 1947. Apparently, it was not fully manned or equipped before inactivating in June 1949 and transferring most of its resources to another unit. It was redesignated the 445th Fighter-Day Group and activated in 1956, but did not become operational before inactivating in July 1957. The wing's second predecessor was established in 1953, but not organized until November 1962 as the 455th Strategic Missile Wing an LGM-30B Minuteman I wing. It was inactivated in June 1968 and transferred its assets to the 91st Strategic Missile Wing. The group and wing were consolidated in 1985. In 2001, the consolidated unit was converted to provisional status as the 455th Air Expeditionary Group. It was activated the following year. Mission The wing's primary mission was to support the Global War on Terrorism by providing aerial support for U.S. and Coalition forces on the ground. Activated in 2002, the 455th had members deployed throughout the country supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. The wing commander reported to the United States Air Forces Central Command commander in Southwest Asia. The commander was supported by a wing staff and oversaw five Air Force groups located at Bagram and one at Kandahar Airfield. The five groups were the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group, the 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Group, the 455th Expeditionary Mission Support Group, 455th Expeditionary Medical Group, and the 455th Expeditionary Base Defense Group. It also oversaw the 451st Air Expeditionary Group at Kandahar Airfield. Units The wing consists of five groups: 455th Expeditionary Operations Group. The group is responsible for all expeditionary flying and aeromedical evacuation operations for the wing. It oversees operations of a General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon close air support squadron, a Lockheed C-130 Hercules airlift squadron,