310th Air Division

The 310th Air Division (310th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Continental Air Command, assigned to Twelfth Air Force, being stationed at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. It was inactivated on 27 June 1949.

During World War II, the 310 Bombardment Wing, Medium was a command and control echelon of Fifth Air Force in the Southwest Pacific theater, controlling numerous fighter and bomber groups and squadrons until the Japanese surrender in 1945. Its attached units flew missions against Japanese shipping, coastal installations, gun positions, airdromes, and troop concentrations. Fighting in New Guinea and later the Philippine Islands, attached fighter units flew escort for bombing, supply, and reconnaissance missions. Inactivated in Japan during early 1946.

Activated as part of the Air Force Reserve at Tinker Field, Oklahoma in 1947. The organization was redesignated as an Air Division in April 1948 as part of the realignment of the United States Air Force command echelon structure. It was primarily an administrative organization. It inactivated in 1949.

Lineage

 * Established as 310 Bombardment Wing, Medium on 20 January 1944
 * Activated on 1 February 1944
 * Inactivated on 25 March 1946


 * Redesignated 310 Bombardment Wing, Light on 27 May 1947
 * Activated in the Reserve on 26 July 1947
 * Redesignated 310 Air Division, Bombardment on 16 April 1948
 * Inactivated on 27 June 1949.

Assignments

 * Fifth Air Force, 1 February 1944 – 25 March 1946
 * Tenth Air Force, 26 July 1947
 * Fourteenth Air Force, 1 July 1948
 * Twelfth Air Force, 12 January – 27 June 1949.

Stations

 * Gusap Airfield, New Guinea, 1 February 1944
 * Hollandia, Netherlands East Indies, 6 May 1944
 * Wama Drome, Morotai, Dutch East Indies, 18 September 1944
 * Bayug Airfield, Leyte, Philippines, 14 November 1944


 * McGuire Field, Mindoro, Philippines, 15 December 1944
 * Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines, 23 August 1945
 * Itami Airfield, Japan, 21 October 1945 – 25 March 1946
 * Tinker Field (later, AFB), Oklahoma, 26 July 1947 – 27 June 1949.

Components
Wing
 * 78 Fighter: c. 1 May – c. 16 July 1944.

Groups


 * 3d Bombardment Group: 1 May 1944 – September 1944; 15 January 1945 – 31 May 1946
 * 8th Fighter Group: c. 31 May 1944 – c. 25 March 1946
 * 18th Fighter Group: c. 24 March – 26 April 1945
 * 35th Fighter Group: c 1 February – 1 August 1944; 2 October 1944 – 25 March 1946
 * 38th Bombardment Group: 19 October 1944 – c. 25 March 1946
 * 42d Bombardment Group: c. January–25 March 1946
 * 49th Fighter Group: c. 1 February – 3 September 1944; 9 January – 10 November 1945
 * 58th Fighter Group: 9 January – 7 April 1945
 * 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group: 9 January – 10 November 1945
 * 90th Bombardment Group: 31 May – 3 September 1944; 15 January – 23 November 1945


 * 312th Bombardment Group: 31 May – 3 September 1944; 1 July – 13 October 1945
 * 323d Bombardment Group: 9 September 1947 – 27 June 1949
 * 348th Fighter Group: 1 May – 25 August 1944; 25 September 1945 – 25 March 1946
 * 375th Troop Carrier Group: 24 March – 9 August 1945
 * 380th Bombardment Group: c. 24 March 1945 – unknown
 * 417th Bombardment Group: 9 January – 1 November 1945
 * 475th Fighter Group: 14 May – 16 June 1944

Squadrons


 * 3 Emergency Rescue: 9 January 1945 – unknown
 * 17 Reconnaissance: 29 May – 3 September 1944; c. 24 March – 3 April 1945
 * 25 Liaison: c. 15 January 1945 – unknown
 * 25 Photographic Reconnaissance: c. 9 January 1945 – unknown
 * 26 Photographic Reconnaissance: c. 1 July – 3 September 1944
 * 41 Troop Carrier: c. 17 May – 3 September 1944
 * 65 Troop Carrier: c. 15 January 1945 – unknown
 * 66 Troop Carrier: c. 15 January 1945 – unknown


 * 82 Tactical Reconnaissance: 9 January 1945 – unknown
 * 110 Reconnaissance: c. 1 February – 10 April 1944; c. 9 January 1945 – unknown
 * 318 Troop Carrier: c. 15 January 1945 – unknown
 * 418th Night Fighter Squadron: 15 May – 9 November 1944; 26 December 1944 – 30 January 1945; 22 October – 10 November 1945
 * 421st Night Fighter Squadron: c. 31 May – 3 September 1944
 * 547th Night Fighter Squadron: 9 January 1945 – unknown; 22 October – 10 November 1945.

Operations
Activated in New Guinea in February 1944, the 310th wing maintained operational control over numerous attached groups and squadrons until the Japanese surrender in 1945. Its attached units flew missions against Japanese shipping, coastal installations, gun positions, airdromes, and troop concentrations. Fighting in New Guinea and later the Philippine Islands, attached fighter units flew escort for bombing, supply, and reconnaissance missions.

In October 1945, the wing moved to Japan and served in the occupation force.

The 310th Bomb Wing (Light) was organized as an Reserve unit on 19 February 1947 at Tinker AFB. The 310th Bombardment Wing was officially activated on 10 July 1947 in accordance with 10th Air Force General Order (10 AF GO) #41, 26 June 1947. The 323d Bombardment Group and 456th Bombardment Squadron at Tinker Field, the 340 Bombardment Group, 487th and 488th Bombardment Squadrons at Tulsa, and the 489th Bombardment Squadron at Davis Field were activated between 9 September and 12 November 1947, with requests for activation of up to five more bombardment squadrons pending as of early 1948.

Even before the bomb wing’s activation, it was decided that it should be equipped with the respected Douglas A-26 “Invader” light bombardment aircraft. The bomb wing’s reservists were indeed fortunate to receive several of these light bombers by mid-1948, with the promise of more. Plans were underway soon afterwards to activate the 323d Bombardment Group, and the 455th and 456th Bombardment Squadrons, all subordinate units of the 310th Bombardment Wing.

By April 1948 the 310th Bombardment Wing had grown so large that it was redesignated the 310th Air Division with (by then) Brigadier General Lewis remaining in command. The 323d Bombardment Group became the 323d Bombardment Wing (Light) on the same date, with Lieutenant Colonel R. Ahern commanding. From that point, the 323d Bombardment Wing became the focal point for Air Force Reserve activities in Oklahoma.

The 310th Air Division seemed to have become largely an administrative headquarters, and it slipped into obscurity for the remainder of its existence at Tinker Air Force Base, eventually being inactivated on 27 June 1949.