12th Air Division explained

Unit Name:	12th Air Division
Dates:	1940–1942; 1942–1944; 1947–1949; 1951–1990
Country:	United States
Role:	Command of Strategic strike forces
Identification Symbol Label:	12th Air Division emblem (approved 30 December 1988)^[1]
Identification Symbol 2 Label:	12th Air Division emblem (approved c. December 1986)^[2]
Identification Symbol 3 Label:	Patch with 12th Strategic Missile Division emblem ^[3]
Identification Symbol 4 Label:	12th Air Division emblem (approved 16 April 1952)^[4]

The 12th Air Division an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Eighth Air Force, based at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. It was inactivated on 31 July 1990.

History

The division was established as the 12th Pursuit Wing in the Panama Canal Zone on 20 November 1940. The organization commanded pursuit groups and squadrons for Sixth Air Force until 6 March 1942.^[1]

It was reassigned to Eighth Air Force in England during November 1942 as a bombardment wing, but never made operational . All personnel and equipment were withdrawn in January 1943, and the organization did not serve in combat.^[1]

Reactivated in 1951, the 12th Air Division was an intermediate command echelon of Strategic Air Command. It conducted training for worldwide bombardment operations. From 1963–1984 and 1988–1990. It maintained an intercontinental ballistic missile capability, conducted staff assistance visits, and monitored programs such as retention, domestic actions, and medical capabilities of its subordinate units.

Its mission was to assure unit Emergency War Order (EWO) capability and combat crew training conducted at Castle and Dyess Air Force Bases, continually evaluate qualification training, direct correction or improvement when appropriate, and represent training concerns to higher headquarters.

It was inactivated in 1990 as part of the military drawdown of the USAF after the end of the Cold War.^[1]

Lineage

Established as the 12th Pursuit Wing on 19 October 1940

Activated on 20 November 1940

Inactivated on 6 March 1942

Redesignated: 12th Bombardment Wing on 23 August 1942

Activated on 8 September 1942

Disestablished on 9 October 1944

Reestablished and redesignated 12th Bombardment Wing, Light on 3 July 1947

Activated in the Reserve on 3 August 1947

Redesignated: 12th Air Division, Bombardment on 16 April 1948

Inactivated on 27 June 1949

Redesignated: 12th Air Division on 1 February 1951

Organized on 10 February 1951

Discontinued on 16 June 1952

Activated on 16 June 1952

Redesignated: 12th Strategic Aerospace Division on 1 June 1962

Redesignated: 12th Strategic Missile Division on 30 June 1971

Redesignated: 12th Air Division on 1 March 1973

Inactivated on 31 July 1990^[1]

Assignments

Unknown, 20 November 1940
6th Interceptor Command, 25 October 1941 – 6 March 1942
Eighth Air Force, 8 September 1942
VIII Bomber Command (later, Eighth Air Force), c. December 1942 – 9 October 1944
Eleventh Air Force, 3 August 1947
First Air Force, 1 July 1948
Ninth Air Force, 23 February – 27 June 1949
Fifteenth Air Force, 10 February 1951 – 16 June 1952
Fifteenth Air Force, 16 June 1952
Eighth Air Force, 1 July 1989 – 31 July 1990^[1]

Components

Wings

6th Strategic Aerospace Wing (later 6th Strategic Wing): 1 July 1965 – 25 March 1967; 2 July 1968 – 30 June 1971
22d Bombardment Wing (later 22d Air Refueling Wing): 10 February 1951 – 1 January 1962 (detached 5 September – 4 December 1951, 7 December 1953 – 5 March 1954, 1 April – 5 July 1957); 1 August 1972 – 1 October 1985
28th Bombardment Wing: 15 July 1988 – 31 July 1990
44th Bombardment Wing (later 44 Strategic Missile Wing): 10 February – 4 August 1951; 15 July 1988 – 31 July 1990
55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing: 2 July 1966 – 30 June 1971; 1 October 1982 – 1 October 1985
93d Bombardment Wing: 1 October 1985 – 15 July 1988
95th Bombardment Wing: 1 July 1964 – 25 June 1966
96th Bombardment Wing: 1 July 1973 – 15 July 1988
99th Strategic Weapons Wing: 10 August 1989 – 31 July 1990
100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (later 100 Air Refueling Wing): 25 June 1966 – 30 June 1971; 1 August 1972 – 30 September 1976
106th Bombardment Wing: by September 1951 – 1 December 1952
303d Bombardment Wing: 15 March 1960 – 15 June 1964
308th Strategic Missile Wing: 30 June 1971 – 1 April 1973
320th Bombardment Wing: 1 December 1952 – 15 September 1960 (detached 3 June – 4 September 1954, 5 October 1956 – 11 January 1957); 23 January 1987 – 15 July 1988
330th Bombardment Wing: attached 1 May – 16 June 1951 (not operational for entire period)
381st Strategic Missile Wing: 30 June 1971 – 1 July 1973
384th Air Refueling Wing: 1 December 1972 – 1 July 1973
390th Strategic Missile Wing: 1 January 1962 – 31 July 1984
4080th Strategic Wing: 12 July 1963 – 25 June 1966^[1]

Groups

16th Pursuit Group: c. 1 December 1940-c. 6 March 1942
32d Pursuit Group: c. 1 January 1941-c. 6 March 1942
37th Pursuit Group: c. 1 February 1940 – 6 March 1942
53d Pursuit Group: c. 1 January – 6 March 1942
321st Bombardment Group: 17 October 1947 – 27 June 1949
322d Bombardment Group: 17 October 1947 – 27 June 1949^[1]

Stations

Albrook Field, Panama Canal Zone, 10 November 1940 – 6 March 1942
MacDill Field, Florida, 8 September – 28 November 1942
Gourock, Scotland, 15 – 16 December 1942
RAF Chelveston (AAF-105), England, c. 17 December 1942 – 12 January 1943
Marks Hall (AAF-160), England, 12 January 1943 – 9 October 1944
Cleveland Municipal Airport, Ohio, 3 August 1947 – 27 June 1949
March Air Force Base, California, 10 February 1951 – 16 June 1952
March Air Force Base, California, 16 June 1952
Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, 1 January 1962
Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, 30 September 1976
Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, 15 July 1988 – 31 July 1990^[1]

Aircraft and Missiles

Boeing P-26 Peashooter, 1941–1942
Curtiss P-36 Hawk, 1941–1942
Lockheed P-38 Lightning, 1941–1942
Bell P-39 Airacobra, 1941–1942
Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, 1941–1942
Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1951–1953
Douglas C-47 Skytrain, 1951
Boeing TB-29 Superfortress, 1951
Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter, 1952–1962
Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1953–1964
Boeing YRB-47 Stratojet, 1953–1954
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, 1963–1967, 1972–1988
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, 1963–1971, 1972–1988
LGM-25C Titan II, 1963–1984
Sikorsky CH-3, 1966–1971, 1972–1976
Lockheed DC-130 Hercules, 1966–1971, 1972–1976
Boeing EB/RB-47 Stratojet, 1966–1967
Ryan AQM-34 Firebee (drone), c. 1966–1971, 1972–1976
Boeing RC-135, 1966–1971
Lockheed U-2, 1966–1971, 1972–1976
Lockheed WU-2, 1966-c. 1969
Convair T-29 Flying Classroom, 1973
McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender, 1982–1985
Boeing NKC-135 Stratotanker (test configured), 1983–1985
Rockwell B-1 Lancer, 1985–1990
LGM-30F Minuteman II, 1988–1990^[1]

Heraldry

Or, a globe azure grid lined of the first between in dexter an airplane palewise ascending argent, exhaust gules and in sinister a missile palewise of the like, overall a gauntlet of the third, grasping an olive branch vert and a lightning flash of the fourth bend sinisterwise and two lightning flashes of the last bendwise, on a chief of the second per chevron inverted seme of mullets argent; all within a diminished bordure of argent (silver gray).

References

Bibliography

Book: Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. 1961. reprint. 1983. Office of Air Force History. Washington, DC. 0-912799-02-1. 61060979.
Book: Ravenstein, Charles A.. Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. 1984. Office of Air Force History. Washington, DC. 0-912799-12-9. registration.

Notes and References

Web site: Factsheet 12 Air Division . Air Force Historical Research Agency . https://web.archive.org/web/20121030115707/http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=10067 . 4 October 2007 . 30 October 2012 . 6 April 2014 . dead .
Web site: Approved insignia for: 12th Air Division. 3 December 1986. National Archives Catalog. 1 January 2018.
Replaced 16 April 1952 emblem
Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 381–382