316th Air Division
Encyclopedia
The 316th Airlift Division (316th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force
organization. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe
, assigned to Seventeenth Air Force
, being stationed at Ramstein Air Base
, Germany. It was inactivated on 1 May 1991.
Groups
Squadrons
.
In September 1953, the 316th Division manned, equipped, trained, and maintained assigned units until April 1960. It provided warning and defense against potential hostile air operations against the Moroccan region
of North Africa.
In 1985, the division gained operational responsibility to implement war and contingency plans. It also provided host support to units in the Kaiserslautern Military Community
(KMC) as well as logistical support for other organizations in the European theater. In April–May 1991, assigned units deployed aircraft and personnel to Turkey
in support of Operation Provide Comfort
, a humanitarian relief effort to save the Kurds from starvation and resettle them in northern Iraq
.
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...
organization. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe
United States Air Forces in Europe
The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
, assigned to Seventeenth Air Force
Seventeenth Air Force
Seventeenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force located at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The command served the United States Air Forces in Europe during its years of active service...
, being stationed at Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein Air Base is a United States Air Force base in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz. It serves as headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe and is also a North Atlantic Treaty Organization installation...
, Germany. It was inactivated on 1 May 1991.
Lineage
- Established as 316 Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy on 4 August 1944.
- Activated on 14 August 1944.
- Redesignated: 316 Composite Wing on 8 January 1946
- Redesignated: 316 Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy on 6 May 1946
- Inactivated on 21 June 1948
- Redesignated 316 Air Division (Defense) on 26 June 1953
- Organized on 18 September 1953
- Discontinued on 1 April 1960
- Redesignated 316 Air Division on 1 June 1985
- Activated on 14 June 1985
- Inactivated on 1 May 1991
Assignments
- Second Air ForceSecond Air ForceThe Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
, 14 August 1944
- Attached XXII Bomber CommandXXII Bomber CommandThe XXII Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Second Air Force, based at Peterson Field, Colorado. It was inactivated on 13 February 1945.-Lineage:...
, c. 14 August – c. 7 December 1944- 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"...
, 8 July 1945 - United States Strategic Air Forces in the PacificUnited States Strategic Air Forces in the PacificThe United States Strategic Air Forces in the Pacific was a World War II command and control authority of the strategic United States Army Air Forces in the Pacific Theater.-Overview:...
- Army Service Forces
- 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....
, 5 September 1945- Pacific Air Command, U.S. Army
- 1 Air Division1st Strategic Aerospace DivisionThe 1st Strategic Aerospace Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, assigned to Fifteenth Air Force, being stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California...
, 13 June 1946 – 21 June 1948- United States Air Forces in EuropeUnited States Air Forces in EuropeThe United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
- United States Air Forces in Europe
- Seventeenth Air ForceSeventeenth Air ForceSeventeenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force located at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The command served the United States Air Forces in Europe during its years of active service...
, 18 September 1953- United States Air Forces in EuropeUnited States Air Forces in EuropeThe United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
, 15 November 1959 – 1 April 1960 - United States Air Forces in EuropeUnited States Air Forces in EuropeThe United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
- United States Air Forces in Europe
- Seventeenth Air ForceSeventeenth Air ForceSeventeenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force located at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The command served the United States Air Forces in Europe during its years of active service...
, 14 June 1985 – 1 May 1991.
Stations
- Peterson FieldPeterson Air Force BasePeterson Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force located at Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States and it provides runways for the adjacent City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport under a shared joint civil-military airport arrangement...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, 14 August 1944 – 7 July 1945 - Kadena (later, Kadena Field, Kadena AAB, Kadena AFB)Kadena Air Base, is a United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Kadena Air Base is the hub of U.S. airpower in the Pacific, and home to the USAF's 18th Wing and a variety of associate units.-Units:The 18th Wing is the host unit at Kadena...
, Okinawa, 17 August 1945 – 21 June 1948 - Rabat Salé AB, French Morocco (later, Morocco)MoroccoMorocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, 18 September 1953 – 1 April 1960 - Ramstein AB, West Germany (later Germany)GermanyGermany , 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...
, 14 June 1985 – 1 May 1991.
Components
Wing- 86th Tactical Fighter86th Airlift WingThe 86th Airlift Wing is a United States Air Force wing, currently assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe. The 86th AW is stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany-Mission:...
: 14 June 1985 – 1 May 1991.
Groups
- 22d Bombardment22d Air Refueling WingThe 22d Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command's Eighteenth Air Force. It is stationed at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas and also functions as the host wing for McConnell AFB....
: 31 May 1946-by 31 May 1948 - 333d Bombardment333d Bombardment GroupThe 333d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 316 Bombardment Wing, stationed at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. It was inactivated on 28 May 1946-History:...
: 31 August 1945 – 28 May 1946 - 346th Bombardment346th Bombardment GroupThe 346th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 316th Bombardment Wing, being stationed at Kadena Airfield, Okinawa. It was inactivated on 30 June 1946....
: 31 July 1945 – 30 June 1946 - 382d Bombardment382d Bombardment GroupThe 382d Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Army Service Forces, being stationed at Camp Azna, California. It was inactivated on 4 January 1946....
: 31 August 1945 – 4 January 1946 - 383d Bombardment383d Bombardment GroupThe 383d Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Army Service Forces, being stationed at Camp Azna, California. It was inactivated on 3 January 1946....
: 31 August 1945 – 3 January 1946
Squadrons
- 28th Photographic Reconnaissance: 15–29 May 1946
- 45th Fighter-Interceptor (later, 45 Fighter-Day): 18 September 1953 – 8 January 1958
- 324th Fighter-Interceptor: 1 July 1958 – 8 March 1960
- 357th Fighter-Interceptor: 18 September 1953 – 8 March 1960.
Aircraft
- 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...
, 1945–1948 - F-86 SabreF-86 SabreThe North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
, 1953–1960 - F-100 Super SabreF-100 Super SabreThe North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
, 1956–1957 - F-16 Falcon, 1985–1991.
Operational history
The 316th Bombardment Wing trained in the United States before transfer to Okinawa in August 1945. Assigned units ferried Allied prisoners of war from Japan to the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
In September 1953, the 316th Division manned, equipped, trained, and maintained assigned units until April 1960. It provided warning and defense against potential hostile air operations against the Moroccan region
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
of North Africa.
In 1985, the division gained operational responsibility to implement war and contingency plans. It also provided host support to units in the Kaiserslautern Military Community
Kaiserslautern Military Community
Kaiserslautern military community is a community of Americans living in and around Kaiserslautern, Germany supporting United States armed forces and NATO installations, such as the Ramstein Air Base, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Kapaun Air Station, Vogelweh Housing Area, Pulaski Barracks,...
(KMC) as well as logistical support for other organizations in the European theater. In April–May 1991, assigned units deployed aircraft and personnel to Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
in support of Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II were military operations by the United States and some of its Gulf War allies, starting in April 1991, to defend Kurds fleeing their homes in northern Iraq in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War and deliver humanitarian aid to them.-Operation...
, a humanitarian relief effort to save the Kurds from starvation and resettle them in northern Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.