509th Composite Group
See the 509th Operations Group for group history and lineage as part of the United States Air Force
| 509th Composite Group | |
|---|---|
1946 emblem of the 509th Composite Group while part of the 58th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy |
|
| Active | 17 December 1944 – 10 July 1946 |
| Country | USA |
| Branch | United States Army Air Forces |
| Type | Bombardment and aerial transport composite |
| Role | Atomic warfare |
| Size | 1767 personnel, 15 B-29 and 5 C-54 aircraft |
| Part of | 313th Bomb Wing Twentieth Air Force |
| Garrison/HQ | North Field (Tinian), Mariana Islands |
| Engagements |
|
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Paul Tibbets |
The 509th Composite Group (509th CG) was a United States Army Air Forces unit created during World War II, and tasked with operational deployment of nuclear weapons. It conducted the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, in August 1945.
In the postwar era, the 509th Composite Group was one of the original ten USAAF bombardment groups assigned to Strategic Air Command on 21 March 1946, the only one equipped with specially-configured B-29 Superfortress capable of delivering atomic bombs. It was standardized as a bombardment group and redesignated the 509th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, on 10 July 1946.
Read more about 509th Composite Group: Assignments, Depictions, Campaigns, Honors
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