96th Air Division
| 96th Air Division | |
|---|---|
European Theater of World War II |
The 96th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Tenth Air Force at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, where it was inactivated on 27 June 1949.
As the 96th Bombardment Wing, the unit was one of the primary
2d Bombardment Division
in World War II.
History
World War II
The
wing's first action took place on 24 February, when the 458th flew a diversionary action to draw German fighters away from the main attacking force.[3]
The 457th was joined the following month by the
466th and 467th Bombardment Groups when they arrived in England.[2][4][5] The three groups flew their first combat missions March and April.[3][4][5] Later in the year, three more bombardment groups joined the wing.[2]
The wing's units entered the
lines of communication. Besides strategic bombardment, they also dropped supplies to Allied troops during Operation Varsity, the airborne assault across the Rhine River in March 1945.[2]
Following
Peterson Field, Colorado, the headquarters of Second Air Force, where it was redesignated as a "Very Heavy" wing, apparently in anticipation of receiving Boeing B-29 Superfortress components, but was not equipped.[6] It remained at Peterson with no combat units assigned until inactivating on 17 October 1945.[2]
Air Force reserve
The wing was again activated in the
351st Bombardment Group, the reserve flying group at Scott, remained directly assigned to Tenth Air Force until June 1948, when it replaced the 381st as the 96th's only flying group.[2][7]
In April 1948, as the regular Air Force implemented the
Lineage
- Established as the 96th Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy) on 8 November 1943
- Activated on 11 January 1944
- Redesignated 96th Combat Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 7 August 1944
- Redesignated 96th Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 9 June 1945
- Redesignated 96th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy on 17 August 1945
- Inactivated on 17 October 1945
- Activated in the reserve on 12 June 1947
- Redesignated 96th Air Division, Bombardment on 16 April 1948
- Inactivated on 27 June 1949[2]
Assignments
- Eighth Air Force, 11 January 1944
- 2d Bombardment Division (later 2d Air Division), 22 February 1944
- VIII Fighter Command, 16 July – 6 August 1945
- Army Service Forces, Port of Embarkation, 6 August – c. 14 August 1945
- Second Air Force, c. 14 August–17 October 1945
- Second Air Force, 12 June 1947
- Tenth Air Force, 1 July 1948 – 27 June 1949[2]
Components
|
|
Stations
- RAF Horsham St Faith (AAF 123),[11] England, 11 January 1944
- Ketteringham Hall, England (AAF 147),[12] c. 1 June–c. 5 August 1945
- Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, c. 14 August 1945
- Peterson Field, Colorado, 16 August–17 October 1945
- Scott Field (later Scott Air Force Base), Illinois, 12 June 1947 – 27 June 1949[2]
Aircraft
- Consolidated B-24 Liberator, 1944–1945
- North American AT-6 Texan, 1948–1949
- Beechcraft AT-11, 1948–1949[2]
See also
References
Notes
- Explanatory notes
- 96th Bombardment Wing, which was activated in 1953.
- Citations
- ^ Freeman [page needed]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Factsheet 96 Air Division, Bombardment". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 5 October 2007. Archived from the original on 28 September 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
- ^ a b Maurer, Combat Units, p. 333
- ^ a b Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 341-342
- ^ a b Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 342-343
- ^ "Abstract, History 96 Combat Bombardment Wing [sic] July-October 1945". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 268-269
- ^ "Abstract, Mission Project Closeup, Continental Air Command". Air Force History Index. 27 December 1961. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
- ^ Ravenstein, pp. 224-225
- ^ See Mueller, p. 516
- ^ Station number in Anderson, p.20
- ^ Station number in Anderson, p.21
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ISBN 978-0-87938-638-2.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. LCCN 61060979.
- Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
