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14th Air Division (United States)
Encyclopedia
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 Japan
ese attack on Pearl Harbor
(7 December 1941), but airmen managed to shoot down several enemy aircraft.
A short time later, it became the 7th Fighter Command. Then, 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
.
Groups
Squadrons
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit. Its last assignment was with Fifteenth Air Force
Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
, stationed at Beale AFB, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It was inactivated on 14 June 1989.
The organization was initially activated in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
as the 14th Pursuit Wing to contribute to the defense of the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
. Its designation was soon changed to Hawaiian Interceptor Command. The Hawaiian Interceptor Command suffered heavy losses during the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
(7 December 1941), but airmen managed to shoot down several enemy aircraft.
A short time later, it became the 7th Fighter Command. Then, as the 14th Bombardment Wing, the unit was one of the primary B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
heavy strategic bombardment wings of the Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
2d Bombardment Division in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Its subordinate groups flew bombing missions against German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
airfields, oil installations, and marshalling yards. Wing components supported the Battle of Normandy
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
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
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
. In March 1945, subordinate units supported Operation Lumberjack
Operation Lumberjack
Operation Lumberjack was a military operation conducted in the last stages of the war in Europe during World War II. It was launched by the First United States Army in March 1945 to capture strategic cities in Germany such as Cologne, and to give the Allies a foothold along the Rhine River.With the...
.
Reactivated in 1951, the 14th Air Division was an intermediate command echelon of Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
. The command provided operational reconnaissance, maintained round the clock radar surveillance to detect sea launched ballistic missiles from the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
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
Intercontinental ballistic missile
An intercontinental ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a long range typically designed for nuclear weapons delivery...
complex, in addition to its assigned aircraft. The division also supervised all of Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
'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
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
.
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 ForceEighth Air ForceThe Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
, 1 October 1942
- Attached to: Third Air ForceThird Air ForceThe Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
, 1 October 1942-c. 11 May 1943- VIII Bomber CommandVIII Bomber CommandThe VIII Bomber Command is an inactive United States Army Air Forces unit that is better known as the later appellation Eighth Air Force, as was popularized in post-World War II filmsand is frequently called the First Eighth Air Force by its veterans and successors in the services.The command was...
, 4 June 1943 - 2d Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy), August 1943
- 2d Bombardment (later, 2 Air) Division, 13 September 1943
- VIII Bomber Command
- Attached to: 96th Combat Bombardment Wing, Heavy, 5–15 June 1945
- 3d Air Division, 16 June-26 August 1945
- Army Service ForcesArmy Service ForcesThe Army Service Forces were one of the three autonomous components of the Army of the United States during World War II, the others being the Army Air Forces and Army Ground Forces. They were created on February 28, 1942 by Executive Order Number 9082 "Reorganizing the Army and the War Department"...
, 27 August 1945 - Fourth Air ForceFourth Air ForceThe Fourth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve . It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California....
, 6 September-7 November 1945 - Fifteenth Air ForceFifteenth Air ForceThe Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
, 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 Group490th Bombardment GroupThe 490th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was to the III Bomber Command, being stationed at Drew Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 7 November 1945....
, c. July-August 1945 - 491st Bombardment Group491st Bombardment GroupThe 491st Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the II Bomber Command, stationed at McChord Field, Washington. It was inactivated on 8 September 1945....
, 15 August 1944-c. 28 June 1945 - 492d Bombardment Group492d Bombardment GroupThe 492d Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Second Air Force, stationed at Kirtland Field, New Mexico. It was inactivated on 17 October 1945....
, 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 HawaiiTerritory of HawaiiThe Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 7, 1898, until August 21, 1959, when its territory, with the exception of Johnston Atoll, was admitted to the Union as the fiftieth U.S. state, the State of Hawaii.The U.S...
, 1 November 1940 - Fort ShafterFort ShafterFort Shafter is in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawai‘i, extending up the interfluve between Kalihi and Moanalua valleys, as well as onto the coastal plain at Māpunapuna. Fort Shafter is the headquarters of the United States Army Pacific Command, the MACOM of U.S. Army forces in...
, Territory of HawaiiTerritory of HawaiiThe Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 7, 1898, until August 21, 1959, when its territory, with the exception of Johnston Atoll, was admitted to the Union as the fiftieth U.S. state, the State of Hawaii.The U.S...
, 17 December 1941-23 January 1942 - MacDill Field, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, 1 October 1942-May 1943 - Camp Lynn, High Wycombe, EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 1 June 1943 - RAF HethelRAF HethelRAF Hethel is a former World War II airfield used by the US during the Second World War in Norfolk, England situated located 7 miles south west of Norwich.-USAAF use:...
, EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 4 June 1943 - Camp Thomas, Old Patton, EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, c. 1 July 1943
- RAF ShipdhamRAF ShipdhamRAF Shipdham is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 3 miles S of East Dereham in Norfolk, now used as a privately owned airfield.-USAAF use:...
, EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 13 September 1943 - RAF Bury St EdmundsRAF Bury St EdmundsRAF Bury St Edmunds was a World War II airfield in England. The field is located 3 miles east of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. The airfield, now in private ownership and much reduced in size, is still active and is known as Rougham Airfield....
, EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 13 June-26 August 1945 - McChord Field, Washington, 6 September-7 November 1945
- Travis AFB, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, 10 February 1951-16 June 1952; 16 June 1952 - Beale AFB, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, 25 January 1960-1 September 1991
Aircraft and Missiles
- A-12 ShrikeA-12 Shrike|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Eden, Paul and Soph Moeng, eds. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Amber Books Ltd., 2002, ISBN 0-7607-3432-1....
, 1940–1941; - B-12, 1940–1941;
- BT-9North American BT-9|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Davis, Larry. T-6 Texan in Action . Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc., 1989. ISBN 0-89747-224-1....
, 1940; - OA-3 Dolphin, 1940;
- OA-8, 1940–1942;
- OA-9 GooseGrumman GooseThe Grumman G-21 Goose amphibious aircraft was designed as an eight-seat "commuter" plane for businessmen in the Long Island area. The Goose was Grumman’s first monoplane to fly, its first twin-engined aircraft, and its first aircraft to enter commercial airline service...
, 1940–1941; - P-26 PeashooterP-26 PeashooterThe American Boeing P-26 Peashooter, was the first all-metal production fighter aircraft and the first pursuit monoplane used by the United States Army Air Corps...
, 1940–1941; - P-36 HawkP-36 HawkThe Curtiss P-36 Hawk, also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, was an American-designed and built fighter aircraft of the 1930s and 40s. A contemporary of both the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, it was one of the first of a new generation of combat aircraft—a sleek monoplane design...
, 1940–1941; - P-39 Airacobra, 1940–1942.
- AT-6 TexanT-6 TexanThe North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s...
, 1941–1942; - B-18 BoloB-18 BoloThe Douglas B-18 Bolo was a United States Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force bomber of the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was built by Douglas Aircraft Company and based on its DC-2 and was developed to replace the Martin B-10....
, 1941–1942; - 0-47, 1941–1942;
- P-40 WarhawkCurtiss P-40The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational...
, 1941–1942. - B-24 LiberatorB-24 LiberatorThe Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
, 1943–1945; - B-17 Flying Fortress, 1945.
- B-29 SuperfortressB-29 SuperfortressThe B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
, 1951-1952. - B-29 SuperfortressB-29 SuperfortressThe B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
, 1952–1953; - RB-29 Superfortress, 1951;
- RB-36 Peacemaker, 1951-1952.
- RB-36 Peacemaker, 1952–1955, 1955–1958;
- B-36 PeacemakerConvair B-36The Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" was a strategic bomber built by Convair and operated solely by the United States Air Force from 1949 to 1959. The B-36 was the largest mass-produced piston engine aircraft ever made. It had the longest wingspan of any combat aircraft ever built , although there have...
, 1955–1958; - B-52 StratofortressB-52 StratofortressThe Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
, 1958–1971, 1972–1991; - KC-135 StratotankerKC-135 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
, 1959–1991; - Titan I (SM-68/LGM-25)Titan IThe Martin Marietta SM-68A/HGM-25A Titan I was the United States' first multistage ICBM . Incorporating the latest design technology when designed and manufactured, the Titan I provided an additional nuclear deterrent to complement the U.S. Air Force's SM-65 Atlas missile...
, 1962–1965; - T-38 TalonT-38 TalonThe Northrop T-38 Talon is a twin-engine supersonic jet trainer. It was the world's first supersonic trainer and is also the most produced. The T-38 remains in service as of 2011 in air forces throughout the world....
, 1965–1966; - SR-71 BlackbirdSR-71 BlackbirdThe Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" was an advanced, long-range, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft. It was developed as a black project from the Lockheed A-12 reconnaissance aircraft in the 1960s by the Lockheed Skunk Works. Clarence "Kelly" Johnson was responsible for many of the...
, 1966–1991; - AQM-34 Lightning Bug, 1971–1972;
- CH-3 Sea KingH-3 Sea KingThe Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King is a twin-engined anti-submarine warfare helicopter. It served with the United States Navy and other forces, and continues to serve in many countries around the world. The Sea King has been built under license in Italy and Japan, and in the United Kingdom as the...
, 1971–1972; - DC-130 HerculesDC-130The Lockheed DC-130 is a variant of C-130 Hercules, designed for drone control. It could carry four Ryan Firebee drones underneath its wings.-Origin of the Design:...
, 1971–1972; - EC-135 ARIABoeing EC-135The Boeing EC-135 was a command & control version of the C-135 Stratolifter. Modified for the "Looking Glass" program, during the Cold War EC-135 were airborne 24 hours a day to serve as flying command platforms for the military in the event of nuclear war...
, 1971–1976, 1986–1991; - RC-135 Rivet Joint, 1971–1976, 1986–1991;
- U-2 Dragon LadyLockheed U-2The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "Dragon Lady", is a single-engine, very high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency . It provides day and night, very high-altitude , all-weather intelligence gathering...
, 1971–1972, 1976–1991; - E-4 AACP "Nightwatch"Boeing E-4The Boeing E-4 Advanced Airborne Command Post, with a project name of "Nightwatch", is an aircraft operated by the United States Air Force...
, 1975–1976, 1986–1991; - TR-1 (tactical reconnaissance), 1982–1991;
- TC-135, 1986–1991.