a lineage and history. As a result, the 4045th was replaced by the newly constituted 500th Air Refueling Wing on 1 January 1963. The two refueling squadrons were reassigned to the 500th wing. The 4045th's maintenance and security squadrons were replaced by ones with the 500th numerical designation of the newly established wing. Each of the new units assumed the personnel, equipment, and mission of its predecessor. The wing was reassigned to the 40th Air Division on 1 July 1963. The wing supported SAC bombardment and Tactical Air Command fighter aircraft with air refueling and occasionally deployed segments of its tanker force overseas to support unit movements and special operations. The unit was discontinued and inactivated on 15 December 1964. The two units were consolidated in 1984. Expeditionary Operations The consolidated unit was redesignated as the 500th Air Expeditionary Group and activated in 2003 to conduct Operation Deep Freeze activities under Pacific Air Forces, before being replaced by the 13th Air Expeditionary Group. During deployments to support Deep Freeze, the group had controlled ski-equipped Lockheed LC-130 Hercules aircraft of the 139th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron and McDonnell Douglas C-17 Globemaster III aircraft of the 304th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. Lineage 500th Bombardment Group Constituted as 500th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy on 19 November 1943 Activated on 20 November 1943 Inactivated on 17 January 1946 Consolidated with 500th Air Refueling Wing as 500th Air Refueling Wing on 31 January 1984 (remained inactive) 500th Air Expeditionary Group Established as 500th Air Refueling Wing on 15 November 1962 Activated on 15 November 1962 (not organized) Organized on 1 January 1963 Discontinued and inactivated, 15 December 1964 Consolidated with 500th Bombardment Group on 31 January 1984 (remained inactive) Redesignated 500th Air Expeditionary Group and converted to provisional status on 12 June 2002 Activated on 15 August 2003 Inactivated on 1 March 2004 Activated on 15 August 2004 Inactivated on 28 February 2005 Activated on 19 July 2005 Inactivated unknown (probably February 2006). Assignments Second Air Force, 20 November 1943 – 23 July 1944 (attached to 17th Bombardment Operational Training Wing), 16 April – 23 July 1944 73d Bombardment Wing, 18 September 1944 – 21 October 1945 Fifteenth Air Force, 24 October 1945 – 17 January 1946 Strategic Air Command, 15 November 1962 (not organized) 17th Strategic Aerospace Division, 1 June 1963 40th Air Division, 1 July 1963 – 15 December 1964 Air Mobility Command to activate