14th Air Division explained

Unit Name:	14th Air Division
Dates:	1940–1942; 1942–1945; 1951–1991
Country:	United States
Battles:	European Theater of Operations
Identification Symbol Label:	14th Air Division emblem (approved 16 November 1962)^[1]

The 14th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Fifteenth Air Force, stationed at Beale Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 14 June 1989.

History

World War II

The organization was initially activated in Hawaii as the 14th Pursuit Wing to contribute to the defense of the Hawaiian Islands. Its designation was soon changed to Hawaiian Interceptor Command. The Hawaiian Interceptor Command suffered heavy losses during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (7 December 1941), but airmen managed to shoot down several enemy aircraft.^[1] A short time later, it was inactivated and its men and equipment became the cadre for VII Fighter Command.

The wing was reformed as the 14th Bombardment Wing, the unit was one of the primary Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy strategic bombardment groups of the Eighth Air Force's 2d Bombardment Division in World War II. Its subordinate groups flew bombing missions against German airfields, oil installations, and marshalling yards. Wing components supported Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, in June 1944 by attacking strong points in the beachhead area and transportation targets behind the front lines. Later, in December 1944 – January 1945, the wing helped to check the German offensive during the Battle of the Bulge. In March 1945, subordinate units supported Operation Lumberjack, the campaign to cross the Rhine River.^[1]

Cold War

Reactivated in 1951, the 14th Air Division was an intermediate command echelon of Strategic Air Command. The command provided operational reconnaissance, maintained round the clock radar surveillance to detect sea launched ballistic missiles from the Pacific Ocean area, and provided for crisis management during periods of increased operational readiness. For a brief period, between 1962 and 1965, the division maintained a SM-68 Titan I intercontinental ballistic missile complex, in addition to its assigned aircraft. The division also supervised all of Strategic Air Command's initial combat crew training for the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, Boeing B-52G Stratofortress and B-52H, Lockheed U-2, and Lockheed SR-71 aircraft.^[1]

It was inactivated in 1991 as part of the military drawdown of the USAF after the end of the Cold War.

Lineage

Established as the 14th Pursuit Wing on 19 October 1940

Activated on 1 November 1940

Inactivated on 23 January 1942

Redesignated 14th Bombardment Wing on 23 August 1942

Activated on 1 October 1942

Redesignated: 14th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) on 1 February 1943

Redesignated: 14th Combat Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 7 August 1944

Redesignated: 14th Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 15 June 1945

Inactivated on 7 November 1945

Redesignated 14th Air Division on 1 February 1951

Organized on 10 February 1951

Discontinued on 16 June 1952

Activated on 16 June 1952

Redesignated: 14th Strategic Aerospace Division on 1 March 1962

Redesignated: 14th Air Division on 31 March 1972

Inactivated on 1 September 1991^[1]

Assignments

Hawaiian Air Force, 1 November 1940 – 23 January 1942
Eighth Air Force, 1 October 1942

Attached to: Third Air Force, 1 October 1942 – c. 11 May 1943

VIII Bomber Command, 4 June 1943
2d Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy), August 1943
2d Bombardment Division (later 2 Air) Division), 13 September 1943

Attached to: 96th Combat Bombardment Wing, Heavy, 5 – 15 June 1945

3d Air Division, 16 June-26 August 1945
Army Service Forces, 27 August 1945
Fourth Air Force, 6 September-7 November 1945
Fifteenth Air Force, 10 February 1951 – 16 June 1952; 16 June 1952 – 1 September 1991^[1]

Components

Wings

5th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (later 5th Bombardment Wing): 10 February 1951 – 25 July 1968 (detached 14 January-12 April 1955)
6th Strategic Wing (later 6th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing): 30 June 1971 – 1 October 1976; 1 October 1985 – 9 August 1990
9th Bombardment Wing (later 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing): 10 February 1951 – 1 May 1953; 25 June 1966 – 1 September 1991
17th Bombardment Wing: 30 September 1975 – 30 September 1976
22d Bombardment Wing (later 22d Air Refueling Wing): 31 March 1970 – 30 June 1971; 23 January 1987 – 1 July 1988
55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing: 30 June 1971 – 1 October 1976; 1 October 1985 – 1 September 1991
92d Strategic Aerospace Wing: attached 15 June-1 July 1968, assigned 2 July 1968 – 31 March 1970
93d Bombardment Wing: 1 October 1976 – 1 October 1985
100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (later 100 Air Refueling Wing): 30 June 1971 – 1 August 1972; 30 September 1976 – 15 March 1983
320th Bombardment Wing: 1 February 1963 – 1 July 1965; 31 March 1970 – 30 June 1971; 1 October 1972 – 1 October 1982
456th Strategic Aerospace Wing (later, 456 Bombardment Wing): 1 February 1963 – 30 June 1971; 1 October 1972 – 30 September 1975
4126th Strategic Wing: 8 February 1959 – 1 February 1963
4134th Strategic Wing: 1 May 1958 – 1 February 1963
4200d Strategic Reconnaissance Wing: 1 January 1965 – 25 June 1966^[1]

Groups

15th Pursuit Group, 1 December 1940 – 23 January 1942
18th Pursuit Group, 1 November 1940 – 23 January 1942
44th Bombardment Group, 13 September 1943 – 14 June 1945 (detached 19 September-c. 18 October 1943)
94th Bombardment Group, 16 June-8 August 1945
307th Air Refueling Group, 1 July 1977 – 1 October 1983
385th Bombardment Group, 16 June-8 August 1945
392d Bombardment Group, 13 September 1943 – 14 June 1945
447th Bombardment Group, 16 June-c. 1 August 1945
486th Bombardment Group, 16 June–August 1945
487th Bombardment Group, 16 June-c. 26 August 1945
490th Bombardment Group, c. July–August 1945
491st Bombardment Group, 15 August 1944-c. 28 June 1945
492d Bombardment Group, 12 March-5 August 1944^[1]

Squadrons

23d Pursuit Squadron: attached 5 October 1941 – 23 January 1942
91st Air Refueling Squadron: 1 April-1 August 1972
916th Air Refueling Squadron: 25 July 1968 – 31 March 1970; 1 April 1972 – 1 July 1977^[1]

Stations

Wheeler Field, Hawaii, 1 November 1940
Fort Shafter, Hawaii, 17 December 1941 – 23 January 1942
MacDill Field, Florida, 1 October 1942 – May 1943
Camp Lynn, High Wycombe, England, 1 June 1943
RAF Hethel, England, 4 June 1943
Camp Thomas, Old Patton, England, c. 1 July 1943

RAF Shipdham, England, 13 September 1943
RAF Bury St Edmunds, England, 13 June-26 August 1945
McChord Field, Washington, 6 September-7 November 1945
Travis Air Force Base, California, 10 February 1951 – 16 June 1952; 16 June 1952 – 25 January 1960
Beale Air Force Base, California, 25 January 1960 – 1 September 1991^[1]

Aircraft and Missiles

A-12 Shrike, 1940–1941;
B-12, 1940–1941;
BT-9, 1940;
OA-3 Dolphin, 1940;
OA-8, 1940–1942;
Grumman OA-9 Goose, 1940–1941;
Boeing P-26 Peashooter, 1940–1941;
Curtiss P-36 Hawk, 1940–1941;
Bell P-39 Airacobra, 1940–1942.
North American AT-6 Texan, 1941–1942;
Douglas B-18 Bolo, 1941–1942;
Republic P-47, 1941–1942;
Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, 1941–1942.
Consolidated B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945;
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1945.
Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1951–1953;
Boeing RB-29 Superfortress, 1951;

Convair RB-36 Peacemaker, 1951–1955, 1955–1958;
Convair B-36 Peacemaker, 1955–1958;
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, 1958–1971, 1972–1991;
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, 1959–1991;
SM-68 (later LGM-25) Titan I, 1962–1965;
Northrop T-38 Talon, 1965–1966;
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, 1966–1991;
Ryan AQM-34 Firebee, 1971–1972;
Sikorsky CH-3, 1971–1972;
Lockheed DC-130 Hercules, 1971–1972;
Boeing EC-135 ARIA, 1971–1976, 1986–1991;
Boeing RC-135 Rivet Joint, 1971–1976, 1986–1991;
Lockheed U-2, 1971–1972, 1976–1991;
Boeing E-4 "Nightwatch", 1975–1976, 1986–1991;
Lockheed TR-1, 1982–1991;
TC-135, 1986–1991^[1]

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: Maurer, Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II. 1969. reprint. 1982. Office of Air Force History. Washington, DC. 0-405-12194-6. 72556. 70605402.
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 14 Air Division . Air Force Historical Research Agency . https://web.archive.org/web/20120929013824/http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=10069 . 4 October 2007. 29 September 2012. 6 April 2014.