SAC's Original Bomb Groups

     SAC was formed on March 21, 1946, and was assigned ten bomb groups and one reconnaissance group.  All of the bomb wings except for the 93rd and the 509th were inactivated in 1946.   The 40th, 44th, and 449th designations were later assigned to newly activated Bombardment Wings.  This permitted the new unit to enjoy the honors won by its predecessor group. 
    Unless otherwise stated, the patches shown below are from the modern bomb wings, not the original groups.
40th Bomb Wing Patch 40th Bombardment Group
The group flew B-29s in the Pacific Theater and after the war, it was relocated to Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona.  It turned in it's aircraft and was inactivated on Oct. 1, 1946.   Established as the 40th Bombardment Wing, Medium on May 9, 1952.  Activated at Schilling Air Force Base, (then Smoky Hill) on May 28, 1952.
See 40th Bomb Wing for SAC History
44th Bombardment Group
The group flew B-24s in Europe during World War II.  It was inactivated on July 12, 1946.  Reactivated and assigned to SAC on July 1, 1947, but was not manned.  Reactivated again on Sept. 6, 1948.Established as the 44th Bombardment Wing, Medium, on December 20, 1950.  Activated
January 2, 1951 at March AFB.  Moved to Lake Charles (later Chennault) AFB on August 1, 1951.
See 44th Bomb Wing for SAC History
  58th Bombardment Group
The Eighth Air Force of World War II fame in the European Theater of Operations was relocated to Okinawa on July 16, 1945 into prepared for the final assault on the Japan.  The Japanese surrendered and the assault never took place  On June 7, 1946, Eight Air Force Headquarters was moved to MacDill Field, Florida in a paper move without the transfer of personnel and equipment.  Eighth Air Force Headquarters was actually manned chiefly by personnel from the 58th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy, which was stationed at Fort Worth.  Eighth Air Force was assigned to SAC on Nov 30, 1946.
The 58th Bomb Group was inactivated the next day..  
93rd Bombardment Group
The 93rd Bomb Group flew B-24s with the 8th Air Force and was instrumental in the defeat of Nazi Germany.  At the end of the war, it was assigned to the 15th Air Force, which was assigned to the newly formed Strategic Air Command on March 31, 1946.  The 93rd was one of SAC's first ten bomb groups.  All but it and the 509th Bombardment Wing  were deactivated in 1946.
See 93rd Bomb Wing for SAC History
  311 Reconnaissance Group / Wing
     The 311 Reconnaissance Wing was a World II unit that continued after the war.  It flew B-29/F-13 Superfortress.   The 311th was SAC's first major reconnaissance organization.  It's components were so scattered around the world that SAC apparently did not know what to do with it's headquarters.  It was moved to MacDill Field around April 17, 1946, but only stayed a month before being transferred to Andrews AFB.   It moved to Topeka AFB Kansas on July 20, 1948 and a month later to Barksdale AFB, Louisiana.  The 311th was Inactivated on November 1, 1949
     The 311th had five squadrons: 1st, 12th, 16th, 91st, and 46th/72nd recon squadrons.  

No SAC Patch

444th Bombardment Group
    
The 444th Bomb group flew B-29s in the Pacific Theater.  On May 6, 1946, it relocated to Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona and turned in it's aircraft.  It was inactivated on Oct. 1, 1946.
 

 

 

No SAC Patch

 

448th Bombardment Group
During World War II, the 448th Bomb group flew B-24s with the Eighth Air Force in Europe.  It received B-29s and transferred to the Pacific Theater in 1945.  The 448th was inactivated Aug 4, 1946.  The following year, it was reactivated as a light bombardment group in the reserves. 
The 449th Bombardment Group
The 449th Bomb Group flew B-17s, B-24s and B-25s in the European Theater of Operations during World War II.  It was inactivated August 4, 1946. Established as the 449th Fighter-Bomber Wing on March 23, 1953. Redesignated 449th Bombardment Wing, Heavy and activated on Nov. 15, 1962. 
See
449th Bomb Wing for SAC History

No SAC Patch

467th Bombardment Group
During World War II, the group flew B-24s with the Eighth Air Force in Europe. It was inactivated Aug 4, 1946.

No SAC Patch

485th Bombardment Group
During World War II, the 485th Bomb Group flew B-24s with the Eighth Air Force in Europe.  At the time it was assigned to SAC, it was stationed at Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico and was training in B-17s and B-29s.  It was inactivated Aug 4, 1946.

No SAC Patch

498th Bombardment Group
During World War II, the group flew B-29s with the Twentieth Air Force in the Pacific.  At the time it was assigned to SAC, it was stationed at MacDill Field Army Air Field, Florida.  Inactivated Aug 4, 1946.  
509th Composite Group
During World War II, the 509th Composite Group was established in the states and flew extensive training missions for some unknown mission.  It was then assigned to the Twentieth Air Force in the Pacific and became the group that dropped the atomic bombs on Japan.  Of the ten original groups, all but the 93rd and the 509th were inactivated in 1946.  At the time SAC was formed, the 509th was the only unit to have experience with nuclear weapons.  Many historians regard it as the foundation on which SAC was built.
See
509th Bomb Wing for SAC History.