as the lead tanker unit. The 11th Squadron was inactivated in August 1994, while the group and the 306th Squadron remained active until 1 October 1994. Expeditionary operations The group was converted to provisional status as the 457th Air Expeditionary Group in February 2001 and assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe to activate or inactivate as needed. Operation Iraqi Freedom In the spring of 2003, the group was activated at RAF Fairford to support approximately a dozen Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses deployed from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, operating to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. While at Fairford, the bombers flew 120 sorties, both bombing and leaflet dropping. On a sortie flown on 11 April 2003, a 457th crew deployed from the 917th Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana used the Litening II precision targeting pod system, which uses a laser designator to "paint" targets. Although the system had been used by other platforms, this was its first use in combat by a B-52 The bombers returned to North Dakota on 24 April, but elements of the group remained behind to secure materiel, including unexpended munitions. Tanzania The group was activated for three months in 2008 at Dar es Salaam Tanzania. During this time, it had an air control squadron and an air base squadron assigned. Operation Odyssey Dawn In 2011, the group was briefly active at Naval Station Rota, Spain to support Operation Odyssey Dawn, the enforcement of a no fly zone over Libya. Lineage Established as the 457th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 May 1943 Activated on 1 July 1943 Redesignated 457th Bombardment Group, Heavy c. 1944 Inactivated on 28 August 1945 Redesignated 457th Operations Group and activated on 1 July 1993 Inactivated on 1 October 1994 Redesignated 457th Air Expeditionary Group and converted to provisional status on 5 February 2001 Activated c. 1 February 2003 Inactivated c. 31 May 2003 Activated 30 January 2008 Inactivated 4 May 2008 Activated c. March 2011 Inactivated c. April 2011 Assignments II Bomber Command, 4 July 1943 94th Combat Bombardment Wing, 21 January 1944 VIII Fighter Command, 18 June 1945 Second Air Force, 20 July–28 August 1945 19th Air Refueling Wing, 1 July 1993 – 1 October 1994 United States Air Forces in Europe to activate or inactivate at any time after 5 February 2001 16th Air Expeditionary Task Force, c. 1 February–c. 31 May 2003 Attached to Third