817th Air Division

The 817th Air Division (817th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, assigned to Second Air Force, being stationed at Pease Air Force Base, New Hampshire. It was inactivated on June 30, 1971.

Activated in 1956 as an intermediate command echelon of Strategic Air Command, initially supervising and directing the organization and training of subordinate B-47 Stratojet wings primarily in the Northeast. It ensured a force capable of immediate and sustained long range offensive bombardment and air-to-air refueling operations anywhere in the world.

With the retirement of the B-47 in 1965, beginning in 1966, the command controlled B-52 Stratofortress heavy bombardment wings and at various times, deployed B-52 and KC-135 aircraft and crews to Strategic Air Command units involved in combat operations during the Vietnam War. The 817th also participated in tactical exercises such as War Dance, Grand Slam, and Blast Off.

Inactivated in 1971 as part of SAC's withdrawal from Southeast Asia and also as a result of budgetary reductions

Lineage

 * Established as 817 Air Division on January 24, 1956
 * Activated on February 1, 1956
 * Inactivated on June 30, 1971

Assignments

 * Eighth Air Force, February 1, 1956
 * Second Air Force, March 31, 1970 – June 30, 1971

Stations

 * Portsmouth (later, Pease) AFB, New Hampshire, February 1, 1956 – June 30, 1971.

Components
Wings
 * 17 Bombardment (Wright-Patterson AFB)
 * July 2, 1968 – July 2, 1969


 * 99 Bombardment (Westover AFB)
 * July 2, 1969 – June 30, 1971


 * 100 Bombardment (Portsmouth (later, Pease) AFB)
 * February 1, 1956 – June 25, 1966
 * Detached December 29, 1957 – April 1, 1958


 * 301 Air Refueling (Lockbourne (later, Rickenbacker) AFB)
 * March 15 – November 15, 1965


 * 380 Strategic Aerospace (Plattsburgh AFB)
 * June 25, 1965 – July 1, 1968
 * July 2, 1969 – June 30, 1971.


 * 416 Bombardment (Griffiss AFB)
 * September 2, 1966 – July 2, 1969.

Squadron
 * 509th Air Refueling Squadron: January 5 – May 1, 1958.

Aircraft and Missiles

 * B-47 Stratojet, 1956–1966
 * KC-97 Stratotanker, 1956–1966
 * EC-135 1065. 1969–1970
 * KC-135 Stratotanker, 1965–1971
 * B-52 Stratofortress, 1966–1971
 * DC-130 1066
 * WU-2, 1966
 * FB-111 1970–1971