14th Air Division

14th Air Division
14th Air Division emblem
Active	19 October 1940–23 January 1942 23 August 1942–7 November 1945 1 February 1951 – 1 September 1991
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Garrison/HQ	see "Stations" section below
Equipment	see "Aircraft / Missiles / Space vehicles" section below
Decorations	see "Lineage and honors" section below

The 14th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Fifteenth Air Force, stationed at Beale AFB, California. It was inactivated on 14 June 1989.

The organization was initially activated in Hawaii as the 14th Pursuit Wing to contribute to the defense of the Hawaiian Islands. Its designation was soon changed to Hawaiian Interceptor Command. The Hawaiian Interceptor Command suffered heavy losses during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (7 December 1941), but airmen managed to shoot down several enemy aircraft. A short time later, it became the VII Fighter Command, which from that point had a separate history.

The wing was reformed as the 14th Bombardment Wing, the unit was one of the primary B-24 Liberator heavy strategic bombardment wings of the Eighth Air Force 2d Bombardment Division in World War II. Its subordinate groups flew bombing missions against German airfields, oil installations, and marshalling yards. Wing components supported the Battle of Normandy in June 1944 by attacking strong points in the beachhead area and transportation targets behind the front lines. Later, in December 1944–January 1945, the wing helped to check the German offensive during the Battle of the Bulge. In March 1945, subordinate units supported Operation Lumberjack.

Reactivated in 1951, the 14th Air Division was an intermediate command echelon of Strategic Air Command. The command provided operational reconnaissance, maintained round the clock radar surveillance to detect sea launched ballistic missiles from the Pacific Ocean area, and provided for crisis management during periods of increased operational readiness. For a brief period, 1962–1965, the division maintained a Titan Intercontinental ballistic missile complex, in addition to its assigned aircraft. The division also supervised all of Strategic Air Command's initial combat crew training for the KC-135, B-52G/H, U-2, and SR-71 aircraft.

Inactivated in 1991 as part of the military drawdown of the USAF after the end of the Cold War.

History

Lineage

• Established as 14th Pursuit Wing on 19 October 1940

Activated on 1 November 1940

Inactivated on 23 January 1942

• Redesignated 14th Bombardment Wing on 23 August 1942

Activated on 1 October 1942

Redesignated: 14th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) on 1 February 1943

Redesignated: 14th Combat Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 7 August 1944

Redesignated: 14th Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 15 June 1945

Inactivated on 7 November 1945

• Redesignated 14th Air Division on 1 February 1951

Organized on 10 February 1951

Discontinued on 16 June 1952

• Activated on 16 June 1952

Redesignated: 14th Strategic Aerospace Division on 1 March 1962

Redesignated: 14th Air Division on 31 March 1972

Inactivated on 1 September 1991.

Assignments

• Hawaiian Air Force, 1 November 1940 – 23 January 1942
• Eighth Air Force, 1 October 1942

Attached to: Third Air Force, 1 October 1942-c. 11 May 1943

• VIII Bomber Command, 4 June 1943
• 2d Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy), August 1943
• 2d Bombardment (later, 2 Air) Division, 13 September 1943

Attached to: 96th Combat Bombardment Wing, Heavy, 5–15 June 1945

• 3d Air Division, 16 June-26 August 1945
• Army Service Forces, 27 August 1945
• Fourth Air Force, 6 September-7 November 1945
• Fifteenth Air Force, 10 February 1951 – 16 June 1952; 16 June 1952 – 1 September 1991

Components

Wings

• 5 Strategic Reconnaissance (later, 5 Bombardment): 10 February 1951 – 25 July 1968 (detached 14 January-12 April 1955)
• 6 Strategic (later, 6 Strategic Reconnaissance): 30 June 1971 – 1 October 1976; 1 October 1985 – 9 August 1990
• 9 Bombardment (later, 9 Strategic Reconnaissance): 10 February 1951 – 1 May 1953; 25 June 1966 – 1 September 1991
• 17 Bombardment: 30 September 1975 – 30 September 1976
• 22 Bombardment (later, 22 Air Refueling): 31 March 1970 – 30 June 1971; 23 January 1987 – 1 July 1988
• 55 Strategic Reconnaissance: 30 June 1971 – 1 October 1976; 1 October 1985 – 1 September 1991
• 92 Strategic Aerospace: attached 15 June-1 July 1968, assigned 2 July 1968 – 31 March 1970
• 93 Bombardment: 1 October 1976 – 1 October 1985
• 100 Strategic Reconnaissance (later, 100 Air Refueling): 30 June 1971 – 1 August 1972; 30 September 1976 – 15 March 1983
• 320 Bombardment: 1 February 1963 – 1 July 1965; 31 March 1970 – 30 June 1971; 1 October 1972 – 1 October 1982
• 456 Strategic Aerospace (later, 456 Bombardment): 1 February 1963 – 30 June 1971; 1 October 1972 – 30 September 1975
• 4126 Strategic: 8 February 1959 – 1 February 1963
• 4134 Strategic: 1 May 1958 – 1 February 1963
• 4200 Strategic Reconnaissance: 1 January 1965 – 25 June 1966

Groups

• 15th Pursuit Group, 1 December 1940 – 23 January 1942
• 18th Pursuit Group, 1 November 1940 – 23 January 1942
• 44th Bombardment Group, 13 September 1943 – 14 June 1945 (detached 19 September-c. 18 October 1943)
• 94th Bombardment Group, 16 June-8 August 1945
• 307th Air Refueling Group, 1 July 1977 – 1 October 1983
• 385th Bombardment Group, 16 June-8 August 1945
• 392d Bombardment Group, 13 September 1943 – 14 June 1945
• 447th Bombardment Group, 16 June-c. 1 August 1945
• 486th Bombardment Group, 16 June–August 1945
• 487th Bombardment Group, 16 June-c. 26 August 1945
• 490th Bombardment Group, c. July–August 1945
• 491st Bombardment Group, 15 August 1944-c. 28 June 1945
• 492d Bombardment Group, 12 March-5 August 1944

Squadrons

• 23 Pursuit: attached 5 October 1941 – 23 January 1942
• 91 Air Refueling: 1 April-1 August 1972
• 916 Air Refueling: 25 July 1968 – 31 March 1970; 1 April 1972 – 1 July 1977

Stations

• Wheeler Field, Territory of Hawaii, 1 November 1940
• Fort Shafter, Territory of Hawaii, 17 December 1941 – 23 January 1942
• MacDill Field, Florida, 1 October 1942-May 1943
• Camp Lynn, High Wycombe, England, 1 June 1943
• RAF Hethel, England, 4 June 1943
• Camp Thomas, Old Patton, England, c. 1 July 1943

• RAF Shipdham, England, 13 September 1943
• RAF Bury St Edmunds, England, 13 June-26 August 1945
• McChord Field, Washington, 6 September-7 November 1945
• Travis AFB, California, 10 February 1951 – 16 June 1952; 16 June 1952 – 25 January 1960
• Beale AFB, California, 25 January 1960 – 1 September 1991

Aircraft and Missiles

• A-12 Shrike, 1940–1941;
• B-12, 1940–1941;
• BT-9, 1940;
• OA-3 Dolphin, 1940;
• OA-8, 1940–1942;
• OA-9 Goose, 1940–1941;
• P-26 Peashooter, 1940–1941;
• P-36 Hawk, 1940–1941;
• P-39 Airacobra, 1940–1942.
• AT-6 Texan, 1941–1942;
• B-18 Bolo, 1941–1942;
• 0-47, 1941–1942;
• P-40 Warhawk, 1941–1942.
• B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945;
• B-17 Flying Fortress, 1945.
• B-29 Superfortress, 1951-1952.
• B-29 Superfortress, 1952–1953;
• RB-29 Superfortress, 1951;

• RB-36 Peacemaker, 1951-1952.
• RB-36 Peacemaker, 1952–1955, 1955–1958;
• B-36 Peacemaker, 1955–1958;
• B-52 Stratofortress, 1958–1971, 1972–1991;
• KC-135 Stratotanker, 1959–1991;
• Titan I (SM-68/LGM-25), 1962–1965;
• T-38 Talon, 1965–1966;
• SR-71 Blackbird, 1966–1991;
• AQM-34 Lightning Bug, 1971–1972;
• CH-3 Sea King, 1971–1972;
• DC-130 Hercules, 1971–1972;
• EC-135 ARIA, 1971–1976, 1986–1991;
• RC-135 Rivet Joint, 1971–1976, 1986–1991;
• U-2 Dragon Lady, 1971–1972, 1976–1991;
• E-4 AACP "Nightwatch", 1975–1976, 1986–1991;
• TR-1 (tactical reconnaissance), 1982–1991;
• TC-135, 1986–1991.

See also

• List of United States Air Force air divisions
• Organization of United States Air Force Units in the Gulf War

References

• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

External links

• Air Force Historical Research Agency: 14th Air Division