The 42nd Air Division was a unit of the United States Air Force. It was established as the 42 Bombardment Wing (Dive) on 8 February 1943. The wing first saw combat in September 1943. It was inactivated in 1991.
Activated in 1943 as the 42nd Bombardment Wing and controlled Martin B-26 Marauder groups as part of Twelfth Air Force. "The wing first saw combat in the invasion of Italy, where its units flew close support missions to stop the German counterattack on the beachhead at Salerno during September 1943. As the Allied forces progressed, the 42nd took a leading part in interdicting Axis road and rail transport, and later in 1944, in the attacks against the monastery at Cassino. In August 1944, it supported the Allied landings in southern France. As the war drew to a close the 42nd attacked German positions along the Siegfried Line and, in support of the Allied forces in their sweep across southern Germany, bombed enemy strong points, and communications and supply facilities."[1]
Reactivated an intermediate command echelon of Strategic Air Command in March 1951, the 42nd Air Division "equipped and trained its assigned units to conduct strategic air warfare using nuclear or conventional weapons anywhere in the world. It also trained and maintained air refueling assets. Tankers from units assigned to the 42nd supported the Eielson Tanker Task Force and, over the years, occasionally deployed to Spain for Spanish Area Support. The division conducted numerous staff assistance visits and simulated no notice inspections, and participated in exercises such as Buy None and Global Shield."[1]
Aircraft and personnel from units assigned to the division, at various times in the late 1960s and early 1970s, deployed to Southeast Asia and took part in Operation Arc Light and Operation Young Tiger missions. Subordinate units of the 42nd deployed aircraft and personnel in support of the Vietnam War.[1]
The division was inactivated in 1991 as part of the post-Cold War reduction of USAF forces.[1]
Lineageedit
Established as the 42nd Bombardment Wing (Dive) on 8 February 1943
Activated on 16 February 1943
Redesignated 42nd Bombardment Wing (Medium) on 31 July 1943
Redesignated 42nd Bombardment Wing, Medium on 23 October 1944
12th Fighter-Escort Wing (later 12 Strategic Fighter Wing, 12 Fighter-Day Wing): 9 April 1951 – 16 June 1952 (detached 20 July – 20 November 1951). 16 June 1952 – 8 January 1958 (detached 18 May – 10 August 1953 and 10 May – 7 August 1954)
27th Fighter-Escort Wing (later 27 Strategic Fighter wing, 27 Fighter Bomber Wing): 6 August 1951 – 16 June 1952. 16 June 1952 – 8 January 1958 (detached 6 October 1952 – 13 February 1953 and 7 May – 17 August 1955)
Per chevron inverted azure and light blue between in chief a fleur de lis or enarched with four mullets of four points above two of same argent, all between two lightning bolts gules fimbriated of the fourth and in base saltirewise a palm and an olive branch of the last, in fess point a cloud formation of the like and over all in pale a winged mace displayed or, all within a diminished border of the last. (Approved 29 December 1965)
^ abcdefghijklmnop. Air Force Historical Research Agency. 5 October 2007. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
^The simultaneous discontinuation and activation on 16 June 1952 represent only a change between a Table of Distribution unit and a Table of Organization unit.
Bibliographyedit
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II(PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN0-912799-12-9.
January 01, 1970
42nd, division, unit, united, states, force, established, bombardment, wing, dive, february, 1943, wing, first, combat, september, 1943, inactivated, 1991, flown, division, wings, 1980sactive1943, 1945, 1951, 1958, 1959, 1969, 1970, 1991country, united, states. The 42nd Air Division was a unit of the United States Air Force It was established as the 42 Bombardment Wing Dive on 8 February 1943 The wing first saw combat in September 1943 It was inactivated in 1991 42nd Air DivisionB 52G as flown by division wings in the 1980sActive1943 1945 1951 1958 1959 1969 1970 1991Country United StatesBranch United States Air ForceRoleCommand of strike forcesDecorationsFrench Croix de Guerre with PalmInsignia42nd Air Division emblem Approved 29 December 1965 1 Contents 1 History 2 Lineage 2 1 Assignments 2 2 Components 2 3 Stations 2 4 Aircraft and missiles 2 5 Decorations 2 6 Emblem 3 See also 4 References 4 1 Notes 4 2 BibliographyHistory editActivated in 1943 as the 42nd Bombardment Wing and controlled Martin B 26 Marauder groups as part of Twelfth Air Force The wing first saw combat in the invasion of Italy where its units flew close support missions to stop the German counterattack on the beachhead at Salerno during September 1943 As the Allied forces progressed the 42nd took a leading part in interdicting Axis road and rail transport and later in 1944 in the attacks against the monastery at Cassino In August 1944 it supported the Allied landings in southern France As the war drew to a close the 42nd attacked German positions along the Siegfried Line and in support of the Allied forces in their sweep across southern Germany bombed enemy strong points and communications and supply facilities 1 The French Bretagne Bombardment Group was attached in 1943 Reactivated an intermediate command echelon of Strategic Air Command in March 1951 the 42nd Air Division equipped and trained its assigned units to conduct strategic air warfare using nuclear or conventional weapons anywhere in the world It also trained and maintained air refueling assets Tankers from units assigned to the 42nd supported the Eielson Tanker Task Force and over the years occasionally deployed to Spain for Spanish Area Support The division conducted numerous staff assistance visits and simulated no notice inspections and participated in exercises such as Buy None and Global Shield 1 Aircraft and personnel from units assigned to the division at various times in the late 1960s and early 1970s deployed to Southeast Asia and took part in Operation Arc Light and Operation Young Tiger missions Subordinate units of the 42nd deployed aircraft and personnel in support of the Vietnam War 1 The division was inactivated in 1991 as part of the post Cold War reduction of USAF forces 1 Lineage editEstablished as the 42nd Bombardment Wing Dive on 8 February 1943 Activated on 16 February 1943 Redesignated 42nd Bombardment Wing Medium on 31 July 1943 Redesignated 42nd Bombardment Wing Medium on 23 October 1944 Inactivated on 25 October 1945 Redesignated 42nd Air Division on 2 March 1951 Organized on 10 March 1951 Discontinued on 16 June 1952 Activated on 16 June 1952 2 Inactivated on 8 January 1958 Activated on 15 July 1959 Redesignated 42nd Strategic Aerospace Division on 1 June 1962 Redesignated 42nd Air Division on 1 July 1963 Inactivated on 2 July 1969 Activated on 1 January 1970 Inactivated on 9 July 1991 1 Assignments edit Third Air Force 16 February 1943 Twelfth Air Force 31 July 1943 Northwest African Strategic Air Force 21 August 1943 XII Bomber Command 1 September 1943 Fifteenth Air Force 1 November 1943 Twelfth Air Force 1 January 1944 XII Tactical Air Command 27 November 1944 First Tactical Air Force Provisional 6 January 1945 XII Tactical Air Command 21 May 1945 United States Air Forces in Europe 26 July 1945 Army Service Forces for inactivation 13 25 October 1945 Eighth Air Force 10 March 1951 16 June 1952 16 June 1952 Second Air Force 1 April 1955 Ninth Air Force 1 July 1957 Eighteenth Air Force 1 October 1957 Twelfth Air Force 1 8 January 1958 Second Air Force 15 July 1959 2 July 1969 Second Air Force 1 January 1970 Eighth Air Force 1 January 1975 9 July 1991 1 Components edit Wings 2nd Bombardment Wing 1 July 1965 2 July 1969 1 December 1982 16 June 1988 12th Fighter Escort Wing later 12 Strategic Fighter Wing 12 Fighter Day Wing 9 April 1951 16 June 1952 detached 20 July 20 November 1951 16 June 1952 8 January 1958 detached 18 May 10 August 1953 and 10 May 7 August 1954 17th Bombardment Wing 1 July 1973 30 September 1975 19th Bombardment Wing later 19 Air Refueling Wing 30 June 1971 16 June 1988 27th Fighter Escort Wing later 27 Strategic Fighter wing 27 Fighter Bomber Wing 6 August 1951 16 June 1952 16 June 1952 8 January 1958 detached 6 October 1952 13 February 1953 and 7 May 17 August 1955 43rd Bombardment Wing 1 31 January 1970 68th Bombardment Wing 30 June 1971 30 September 1982 97th Bombardment Wing 1 July 1963 2 July 1969 1 January 1970 30 June 1971 1 July 1973 16 June 1988 131st Fighter Bomber Wing c 10 March c 31 July 1951 301st Air Refueling Wing 31 March 1970 1 July 1973 1 July 1975 30 September 1979 305th Air Refueling Wing 1 January 1970 1 July 1973 1 December 1982 16 July 1988 306th Bombardment Wing 30 June 1971 1 July 1974 308th Strategic Missile Wing 1 January 31 March 1970 1 April 1973 1 December 1982 319th Bombardment Wing 16 June 1988 9 July 1991 321st Strategic Missile Wing 16 June 1988 9 July 1991 381st Strategic Missile Wing 1 March 1962 1 July 1963 454th Bombardment Wing 1 July 1963 2 July 1969 4347th Combat Crew Training Wing 15 July 1959 15 June 1963 4397th Air Refueling Wing 15 July 1959 15 June 1962 1 Groups 1st Fighter Group 24 August 15 December 1953 17th Bombardment Group 24 August 1943 29 May 1945 31 Bombardment French Air Force attached 6 January c 1 May 1945 34 Bombardment French Air Force attached 6 January c 1 May 1945 68th Air Refueling Group 30 September 1982 16 June 1988 319th Bombardment Group 24 August 1943 10 November 1944 320th Bombardment Group 24 August 1943 29 May 1945 325th Fighter Group 24 August 22 October 1943 1 Squadrons 307th Air Refueling Squadron 1 July 1953 18 November 1953 1 Stations edit Birmingham Army Air Field Alabama 22 February 31 July 1943 Deployed at Anniston Army Airfield Alabama 16 30 June 1943 Ariana Airfield Tunisia 21 August 1943 Elmas Airfield Sardinia 15 November 1943 Borgo Airfield Corsica 21 September 1944 Dijon Longvic Airfield Y 9 France 24 November 1944 Camp Shanks New York 24 25 October 1945 Bergstrom Air Force Base Texas 10 March 1951 8 January 1958 McConnell Air Force Base Kansas 15 July 1959 Blytheville Air Force Base Arkansas 1 July 1963 2 July 1969 Blytheville Air Force Base Arkansas 1 January 1970 McCoy Air Force Base Florida 30 June 1971 Blytheville Air Force Base later Eaker Air Force Base Arkansas 1 September 1973 Grand Forks Air Force Base North Dakota 16 June 1988 9 July 1991 1 Aircraft and missiles edit Curtiss P 40 Warhawk 1940 Martin B 26 Marauder 1943 1945 Lockheed P 38 Lightning 1943 1 Convair B 36 Peacemaker 1951 1957 Republic F 84 Thunderjet 1951 1958 Boeing KB 29 Superfortress 1953 1957 McDonnell F 101 Voodoo 1957 1958 Boeing KC 97 Stratofreighter 1957 1958 1 Boeing B 52 Stratofortress 1963 1969 Boeing KC 135 Stratotanker 1963 1969 LGM 25C Titan II 1963 1969 Boeing EC 135 1966 1969 1 Boeing B 52 Stratofortress 1970 1973 1988 Boeing KC 135 Stratotanker 1972 1988 LGM 25C Titan II 1970 1973 1982 Boeing EC 135 1970 1973 1982 1988 McDonnell Douglas KC 10 Extender 1982 1988 Rockwell B 1 Lancer 1988 1991 Minuteman III LGM 30G 1988 1991 1 Decorations edit This unit earned the following unit decorations French Croix de Guerre with Palm April 1944 June 1944 1 Emblem edit Per chevron inverted azure and light blue between in chief a fleur de lis or enarched with four mullets of four points above two of same argent all between two lightning bolts gules fimbriated of the fourth and in base saltirewise a palm and an olive branch of the last in fess point a cloud formation of the like and over all in pale a winged mace displayed or all within a diminished border of the last Approved 29 December 1965 See also editList of United States Air Force air divisionsReferences editNotes edit a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Factsheet 42 Air Division Air Force Historical Research Agency 5 October 2007 Archived from the original on 20 October 2012 Retrieved 4 April 2014 The simultaneous discontinuation and activation on 16 June 1952 represent only a change between a Table of Distribution unit and a Table of Organization unit Bibliography edit nbsp This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Maurer Maurer ed 1983 1961 Air Force Combat Units of World War II PDF reprint ed Washington DC Office of Air Force History ISBN 0 912799 02 1 LCCN 61060979 Ravenstein Charles A 1984 Air Force Combat Wings Lineage amp Honors Histories 1947 1977 Washington DC Office of Air Force History ISBN 0 912799 12 9 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 42nd Air Division amp oldid 1097599807, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
