304th Air Division

The 304th Air Division (304th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Continental Air Command, assigned to Fourth Air Force, being stationed at Long Beach Airport, California. It was inactivated on 24 June 1949.

Lineage

 * Established as 304th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) on 7 December 1943.
 * Activated on 29 December 1943.
 * Redesignated 304th Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 4 May 1945.
 * Inactivated on 13 October 1945.


 * Redesignated 304th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy on 11 March 1947.
 * Activated in the Reserves on 19 April 1947.
 * Redesignated 304th Air Division Bombardment on 16 April 1947.
 * Inactivated on 27 June 1949.

Assignments

 * Fifteenth Air Force, 29 December 1943 – 26 September 1945
 * Army Service Forces, 26 September – 13 October 1945
 * Air Defense Command
 * Fourth Air Force
 * 25 Air Defense (later, 25 Air) Division: 19 April 1947 – 27 June 1949
 * ADC made a subordinate organization of Continental Air Command, 1 December 1948

Stations

 * Cerignola Airfield, Italy, 29 December 1943 – 26 September 1945
 * Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 12–13 October 1945
 * Long Beach Airport, California, 19 April 1947 – 27 June 1949

Components
Groups
 * 448 Bombardment: 19 April 1947 – 27 June 1949
 * 452 Bombardment: 19 April 1947 – 27 June 1949
 * 454 Bombardment: 25 January 1944-c. 19 July 1945
 * 455 Bombardment: 25 January 1944 – 9 September 1945
 * 456 Bombardment: 25 January 1944-c. 18 June 1945
 * 459 Bombardment: 25 January 1944-c. 7 July 1945; 19 April 1947 – 27 June 1949.

Aircraft

 * B-24 Liberator

Operational history
Activated in Italy as a Bombardment wing in December 1943, the 304th participated in the strategic Bombardment of enemy occupied Europe. Targets included harbors, marshalling yards, airdromes, bridges, industrial areas, and troop concentrations in Italy, Austria, Germany, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and Greece.

In May 1944, some subordinate units began an intensive bombing campaign against enemy oil resources, which included refineries at Ploesti, Romania, and oil and storage plants in Austria, Germany, and Hungary. During July and August 1944, subordinate units also prepared for and supported the invasion of southern France. Returned to the United States and inactivated, 13 October 1945.

Activated and assigned to the Reserves in April 1947. Assigned first to Air Defense Command, then to Continental Air Command (ConAC) when ADC was made a subordinate command of ConAC. While active in the Reserve the 304th was redesignated as a division and commanded several B-29 Superfortress-designated groups. It is not clear if these groups were actually manned or equipped. The Division was inactivated on 29 June 1949