834th Airlift Division

The 834th Airlift Division (834 AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Military Airlift Command, assigned to Twenty-Second Air Force, being stationed at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. It was inactivated on 1 April 1992.

History
Initially assumed command and control over two fighter bomber wings and the 834th Air Base Group at England AFB, Louisiana in September 1957. As an intermediate echelon between the wings and Tactical Air Command's Ninth, Twelfth and Eighteenth air forces, the division supervised operations and training, tactical exercises firepower demonstrations, and conducted periodic evaluations and inspections to ensure combat readiness of aircrews and equipment.

Vietnam War
By June 1964, the conflict in Southeast Asia demanded much of the 834th's efforts. Late in 1966 the division was reassigned without personnel or equipment, to Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam, to join Pacific Air Forces Seventh Air Force as the controlling agency for troop carrier, later tactical airlift, operations in South Vietnam. The division included the 315th Air Commando Wing, which operated C-123s, and the 483rd Troop Carrier Wing, which activated in October 1966 as the parent unit for former US Army Caribous which had transferred to the Air Force. The division also included the 2nd Aerial Port Group. In addition, 834th had operational control over 315th Air Division C-130s assigned on temporary duty in South Vietnam. Detachment One, 834th AD, controlled C-130s operating from Tan Son Nhut while Detachment Two controlled operations from Cam Ranh Bay. Through December 1971 it served as a single manager for all tactical airlift operations in South Vietnam, using air transport to haul cargo and troops, which were air-landed or air-dropped, as combat needs dictated. In addition, the 834th supervised transport operations (primarily C-47's) of the Vietnamese Air Force and six A-4 Wallaby transports operated by the Royal Australian Air Force. The 834th's flying components also performed defoliation missions, propaganda leaflet drops, and other special missions. During its last few months, the 834th worked toward passing combat airlift control to Seventh Air Force.

The 834th Air Division was awarded two Presidential Unit Citations, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" and the Fourragere of the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for its heroic achievements in the Vietnam War.

Tactical Air Command
Reassigned back to the United States and TAC as part of the US withdrawal from South Vietnam in 1972. From March 1972 to December 1974 the division supervised Twelfth Air Force C-130 tactical airlift operations and participated in a series of tactical airlift exercises and joint training missions with U.S. Army units. Squadrons and detachment-size elements frequently deployed to points in Europe, the Canal Zone, Africa, Thailand, and elsewhere. The 834th flew many humanitarian missions to such widespread places as Africa, the Philippines, Colombia, and Honduras.

Military Airlift Command
Reassigned to Military Airlift Command in December 1974 as part of TAC's turnover of the theater airlift mission to MAC. Inactivated on 31 December 1974 and assigned airlift units turned over to Twenty-First Air Force.

Reactivated in October 1978, it assumed responsibility for managing Military Airlift Command resources in the Pacific. For this mission, the 834th provided a single commander for MAC airlift units in the Pacific theater; command and control of theater-assigned airlift forces for Pacific Air Forces; theater tactical airlift war planning and Pacific exercise planning; and aerial ports in the Pacific area to support the air movement of personnel, cargo, equipment, patients, and mail. The division participated in tactical exercises such as Team Spirit, Ulchi Focus Lens, and Capstan Dragon.

Inactivated in June 1992 as part of the inactivation of Military Airlift Command.

Lineage

 * Established as 834 Air Division on 30 August 1957
 * Activated on 25 September 1957
 * Inactivated on 1 April 1959


 * Activated on 24 June 1964
 * Organized on 1 July 1964
 * Inactivated on 1 December 1971


 * Activated on 31 January 1972
 * Inactivated on 31 December 1974


 * Redesignated 834 Airlift Division on 23 August 1978
 * Activated on 1 October 1978
 * Inactivated on 1 April 1992.

Assignments

 * Ninth Air Force, 25 September 1957
 * Eighteenth Air Force, 1 October 1957
 * Twelfth Air Force, 1 January 1958 – 1 April 1959
 * Tactical Air Command, 24 June 1964
 * Ninth Air Force, 1 July 1964
 * Seventh Air Force, 15 October 1966 – 1 December 1971
 * Twelfth Air Force, 31 January 1972
 * Twenty-Second Air Force, 1–31 December 1974; 1 October 1978 – 1 April 1992.

Stations

 * England AFB, Louisiana, 25 September 1957 – 1 April 1959; 1 July 1964 – 15 October 1966
 * Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam, 15 October 1966 – 1 December 1971
 * Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, 31 January 1972 – 31 December 1974
 * Hickam AFB, Hawaii, 1 October 1978 – 1 April 1992

Components
Center
 * Pacific Airlift: 1 October 1978 – 15 January 1981.

Wings
 * 3 Tactical Fighter: 1 July 1964 – 8 November 1965
 * 27 Tactical Fighter: attached 15 July 1958 – 18 February 1959
 * 31 Tactical Fighter: 1 January 1965 – 1 August 1966
 * 313 Tactical Airlift: 15 March 1972 – 30 September 1973
 * 314 Tactical Airlift: 15 March 1972 – 31 December 1974
 * 315 Air Commando (later, 315 Special Operations; 315 Tactical Airlift): 15 October 1966 – 1 December 1971
 * 366 Fighter Bomber (later, 366 Tactical Fighter): 25 September 1957 – 1 April 1959
 * 374 Tactical Airlift: 1 October 1978 – 1 April 1992
 * 401 Fighter Bomber (later, 401 Tactical Fighter): 25 September 1957 – 1 April 1959; 1 July 1964 – 27 April 1966
 * 463 Tactical Airlift: 1 June 1972 – 31 December 1974
 * 483 Troop Carrier (later, 483 Tactical Airlift): 15 October 1966 – 1 December 1971
 * 516 Tactical Airlift: 15 March – 1 June 1972.

Group
 * 616 Military Airlift: 9 August 1990 – 1 April 1992.

Aircraft

 * F-84 Thunderstreak, 1957
 * F-100 Super Sabre, 1957–1959; 1964–1966
 * F-101 Voodoo, 1958–1959
 * C-47/EC-47 Skytrain, 1966–1971
 * C-123 Provider, UC-123, 1966–1971
 * C-130 Hercules, 1966–1971, 1972–1974, 1978–1992
 * C-7, 1967–1971, 1972
 * C-5 Galaxy, 1970–1971, 1978–1992
 * A-37, 1971
 * O-2 Skymaster, 1971
 * C-9, 1978–1992
 * C-141 Starlifter, 1978–1992.