801st Air Division
801st Air Division | |
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Electronic Warfare | |
Insignia | |
801st Air Division emblem[a][1] |
The 801st Air Division is an inactive
Through most of its existence the division controlled
History
The 801st Air Division was activated at
The division trained and maintained a force capable of conducting worldwide reconnaissance and electronic countermeasures operations.
In May 1953 the
In January 1955 the
In 1956 the 4025th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Light was activated at Lockbourne and assigned directly to the division. This squadron was to be SAC's first high altitude reconnaissance unit and was equipped with Martin RB-57D Canberras. In May 1956 the squadron moved to Turner Air Force Base, Georgia where it was assigned to the newly organized 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing.
In November 1957 the 91st wing was inactivated.
In April of the following year, as Barksdale converted from B-47s to
In July 1962, SAC organized the 4363d Support Squadron at Lockbourne and assigned it to the 801st. The squadron, later renamed the 4363d Post Attack Command Control Squadron, was one of four that provided airborne communications relay to SAC aircraft,
In April 1963 the transformation of the division's air refueling force began when the first
The 801st participated in numerous tactical exercises such as Big Blast, Deep River, Sky Shield, and Purple Mood. The division was inactivated in March 1965[1] when the 376th wing was inactivated[11] as part of the retirement of the B-47, reducing the SAC presence at Lockbourne to a single wing, the 301st, which assumed host base responsibility for Lockbourne until the base transferred to Tactical Air Command in July.[17]
Lineage
- Constituted as 801st Air Division on 9 May 1952
- Activated on 28 May 1952
- Discontinued and inactivated on 15 March 1965[18]
Assignments
- Second Air Force, 28 May 1952
- Eighth Air Force, 1 July 1955 – 15 March 1965[18]
Stations
- Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio, 28 May 1952 – 15 March 1965[18]
Components
Wings
- 26th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 28 May 1952 – 1 July 1958
- 70th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, attached 24 January – c. 19 October 1955
- Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas
- 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 28 May 1952 – 8 November 1957
- 301st Bombardment Wing (later 301st Air Refueling Wing), 15 April 1958 – 15 March 1965
- 376th Bombardment Wing, 3 December 1957 – 15 March 1965[18]
Groups
Squadrons
- 91st Air Refueling Squadron, 8 November 1957 – 1 December 1957
- 100th Air Refueling Squadron, 23 May 1953 – 24 November 1953 (attached to 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing)[5]
- 305th Air Refueling Squadron: 1 July 1964 – 15 March 1965
- McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey
- 4025th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, 8 June 1955 – 1 May 1956
- 4363d Support Squadron (Airborne Communications Relay) (later 4363d Post Attack Command Control Squadron), 20 July 1962 – 15 March 1965 (attached to 376th Bombardment Wing)[11][18]
Aircraft
- Boeing KB-29 Superfortress, 1952 – 1953[6]
- Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1953 – 1954 1958 – 1964
- Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter, 1953 – 1963
- Boeing RB-47 Stratojet, 1952 – 1957
- Martin RB-57D Canberra, 1955 – 1956
- Boeing EB-47 Stratojet, 1957 – 1965
- Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, 1963 – 1965
- Boeing EC-135, 1964 – 1965[18]
See also
- List of United States Air Force air divisions
- List of USAF Bomb Wings and Wings assigned to Strategic Air Command
- List of USAF Reconnaissance Wings assigned to Strategic Air Command
- List of B-29 Superfortress operators
- List of B-47 units of the United States Air Force
- List of B-57 units of the United States Air Force
References
Notes
- Explanatory notes
- ^ Approved 28 August 1952. Description: On a shield quarterly, first quarter azure (light), a castle, triple towered or, windows and ports outlined sable; second quarter argent, a lion rampant gules, armed and langued azure; third quarter vert, a chain of islands or; fourth quarter or, a bend azure, a chief gules.
- Citations
- ^ a b c d e f "Factsheet 801 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 11 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
- ^ a b See "Abstract, History 801 Air Base Group May 1952". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
- ^ a b Ravenstein, pp. 47–49
- ^ Ravenstein, pp. 107-109
- ^ a b c d e Ravenstein, pp. 125-127
- ^ a b "Abstract, History 40 Air Division May 1953". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
- ^ "Abstract, History 91 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing Dec 1952". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
- ^ "Abstract, History 91 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing Jan 1953". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
- ^ "Abstract, History 40 Air Division Nov 1953". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
- ^ Ravenstein, pp. 109-110
- ^ a b c d Ravenstein, pp. 200-202
- ^ Robertson, Patsy (17 January 2008). "Factsheet 91 Air Refueling Squadron (AMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
- ^ a b c Ravenstein, pp. 144-146
- ^ "Abstract, History 376 Bombardment Wing". Air Force History Index. 1 January 1964. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
- ^ a b Ogletree, Greg (n.d.). "A History of the Post Attack Command and Control System (PACCS)". Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
- ^ a b "Abstract, History 376 Bombardment Wing". Air Force History Index. 1 April 1964. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
- ^ "Abstract, Volume 1 History 301 Air Refueling Wing Jul-Dec 1965". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f Lineage, including assignments, stations, components and aircraft in Robertson, "Factsheet 801st Air Division" except as noted
- ^ "Abstract, History 801 Air Division May 1959". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.