839th Air Division
839th Air Division | |
---|---|
316th Tactical Airlift Wing[a] | |
Active | 1957–1974 |
Country | ![]() |
Branch | ![]() |
Role | Command of airlift forces |
Insignia | |
839th Air Division emblem[b][1] | ![]() |
The 839th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Military Airlift Command, assigned to Twenty-First Air Force at Sewart Air Force Base, Tennessee, although except for the last month of its existence it was assigned to Tactical Air Command. It was inactivated on 31 December 1974.
The division was activated at Sewart in 1957. Except for a short period following its activation and two years during the Vietnam War when it had squadrons flying the Fairchild C-123 Provider, the division's operational units were equipped with the Lockheed C-130 Hercules. In addition to its airlift mission, the division supervised combat crew training and developed tactics for assault airlift operations.
History
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/Hill_AFB_museum_double_rotor_helicopter.jpg/220px-Hill_AFB_museum_double_rotor_helicopter.jpg)
The 839th Air Division was first activated at
The 513d Wing flew Fairchild C-123 Providers, while the 314th was re-equipping with Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft. In November 1958, the 513d Wing was inactivated, but two squadrons of Providers were not inactivated with the group, but were instead reassigned to the 314th Wing.[2][3] During 1958 the 839th's components airlifted forces deploying during the Lebanon crisis and Second Taiwan Strait Crisis.[1]
Six weeks after the inactivation of the 513th Wing, the
The 839th supported forces deployed during the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, the Cuban Missile Crisis in October through November 1962 and the Dominican Civil War from April 1965 to September 1966.[1]
Although the 463d Wing moved from Sewart to
As American participation in the
From 1966 to 1971, the division continued to provide "worldwide airlift, aeromedical evacuation, and C-130 Hercules crew training."[1] The 839th also provided C-123 Provider combat crew training from September 1969 until August 1971 for both United States and Republic of Vietnam aircrews.[1] The command was inactivated in December 1974[1] in conjunction with the transfer of TAC C-130 units to Military Airlift Command.[11]
Lineage
- Established as the 839 Air Division on 26 September 1957
- Activated on 8 October 1957
- Inactivated on 31 December 1974[1]
Assignments
- Ninth Air Force, 8 October 1957
- Twelfth Air Force, 1 July 1963
- Ninth Air Force, 9 November 1964
- Twenty-First Air Force, 1 – 31 December 1974[1]
Components
Wings
- 64th Troop Carrier Wing (later 64 Tactical Airlift Wing): 1 July 1966 – 9 March 1970[12]
- 313th Troop Carrier Wing: 1 October – 9 November 1964
- Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas[10]
- 314th Troop Carrier Wing: 8 October 1957 – 27 January 1966 (attached to 315th Air Division after 22 January 1966)[3]
- 316th Tactical Airlift Wing: 31 March 1970 – 31 December 1974
- Langley Air Force Base, Virginia[13]
- 317th Tactical Airlift Wing: 31 March 1970 – 31 December 1974
- Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina[14]
- 463d Troop Carrier Wing: 15 January 1959 – 1 July 1963
- 464th Troop Carrier Wing (later 464th Tactical Airlift Wing): 9 November 1964 – 31 August 1971[15][d]
- Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina
- 513th Troop Carrier Wing: 8 October 1957 – 1 December 1958[2]
- 516th Troop Carrier Wing: 1 July 1963 – 9 November 1964
- Troop Carrier Wing, Provisional, 4413th: 1 December 1965 – 1 July 1966 (attached)[8]
- 4442d Combat Crew Training Wing: See 4442d School Squadron[16]
- Groups
- 314th Air Base Group: 1 December 1965 – 1 July 1967[17]
- 839th Air Base Group (later 839th Combat Support Group): 8 October 1957 – 1 October 1964[18]
- 4442d Combat Crew Training Group: See 4442d School Squadron[1]
Squadrons
- 61st Troop Carrier Squadron: 1 December 1965 – 1 July 1966[1](attached to Troop Carrier Wing, Provisional, 4413th)
- 62d Troop Carrier Squadron: 1 December 1965 – 1 July 1966[1](attached to Troop Carrier Wing, Provisional, 4413th)
- 4442d School Squadron (later 4442d Combat Crew Training Squadron, 4442d Combat Crew Training Group, 4442d Combat Crew Training Wing): 1 July 1962 – 26 February 1970[1]
Stations
- Sewart Air Force Base, Tennessee, 8 October 1957[1]
- Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, 1 July 1969 – 31 December 1974[e]
Aircraft
- Piasecki H-21 Shawnee, 1957–1959[f]
- Fairchild C-123 Provider, 1957, 1958–1961
- Lockheed C-130 Hercules, 1957–1974[1]
See also
References
Notes
- Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center on 8 July 2008. Baugher, Joe (26 July 2023). "1963 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 18 August 2023. Photo taken at RAF Abbingdon.
- ^ Approved 16 June 1958. Description: Azure, bendwise striking to sinister base a lightning flash or, garnished gules, overall a North Pole projection of the globe of the [color of the] field fimbriated dark blue with land masses vert segmented argent throughout, between two eagles volant of the fourth [color mentioned], head and tail of the sixth [color mentioned], armed of the second [Color mentioned]], the one in base bearing a laurel branch in its beak of the fifth [color mentioned], all within a diminished border gold.
- ^ The 513th Wing replaced the 513th Troop Carrier Group, which had been at Sewart since June 1955. Maurer, Combat Units, p. 53.
- ^ The AFHRA 839 Air Division Factsheet gives dates of 8 October 1957 – 1 December 1958. It appears that a line was omitted from the Factsheet. These are the dates that the 513th Troop Carrier Wing, located at Sewart, was assigned to the division. Ravenstein, pp. 279–281. The 513th is not on the list of assigned wings in the Factsheet.
- ^ The AFHRA Factsheet does not reflect the division move to Pope. However, Sewart closed in 1970. See "Abstract, 4442 Combat [Crew] Training Wing History Jan–Jun 1969". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 24 March 2019. (planning for base closing) See also "Abstract, 839 Air Division History Fiscal Year 1973, including 839 AD Brochure, Welcome to Pope AFB". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 24 March 2019..
- ^ The AFHRA 839 Air Division Factsheet gives starting date of 1955, but the Factsheet shows that the division was not activated until 1957.
Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Factsheet 839 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 11 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ a b c Ravenstein, pp. 279–281
- ^ a b c Ravenstein, pp, 161–163
- ^ a b Ravenstein, pp. 256–258
- ^ "Abstract, History 4442 Combat Crew Training Wing Jul–Dec 1965". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
- ^ "Abstract, History 4442 School Squadron Jul–Dec 1962". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
- ^ "Abstract, History 4442 Combat Training Wing [sic] Jan–Jul 68". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
- ^ a b "Abstract, History 4413 Troop Carrier Wing". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
- ^ Ravenstein, pp. 102–103
- ^ a b Ravenstein, pp. 160–161
- ^ See Mets, David R. (2002). "Between Two Worlds: Fodder for your Professional Reading on Global Reach and Air Mobility" (PDF). Air & Space Power Journal. XVI (1). Air University. Retrieved 21 March 2016. (Transfer of tactical airlift).
- ^ Components stationed at Sewart Air Force Base except as noted.
- ^ Ravenstein, pp. 165–167
- ^ Ravenstein, pp. 167–169
- ^ Ravenstein, p. 258-260
- ^ Assignment data in AFHRA 839 Air Division Factsheet, except as noted
- ^ "Abstract, Vol. 1, History 64 Tactical Airlift Wing Jul–Dec 1967". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
- ^ "Abstract, History 839 Air Division Jul–Dec 1957". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
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.
- Further reading
- McGowan, Sam (2011). Anything, Anywhere, Anytime: Tactical Airlift in the US Army Air Forces and US Air Force from World War II to Viet Nam. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse. ISBN 978-1-4685-0563-4.
- McGowan, Sam (2011). Trash Haulers: The Story of the C-130 Troop Carrier/Tactical Airlift Mission. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse. ISBN 978-1-4685-0190-2.