323d Air Division
Encyclopedia
The 323d Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last assignment was with the I Troop Carrier Command
, stationed at Travis Air Force Base
, California
It was inactivated on 8 May 1960.
The wing began as a World War II
air defense organization, reporting to First Air Force
, responsible for the air defense of the Boston
metropolitan area. As the possibility of an air attack on the east coast became increasingly remote, the wing became a training organization for fighter groups and personnel, with assigned groups subsequently deploying to overseas theaters.
From August 1947 until June 1949, the organization trained and served as a component, being designated as a division, of the reserve. From July 1958 – May 1960, it maintained military air transport and support facilities; conducted peacetime operations such as airlifting cargo, troops, personnel, patients, and mail; and provided base support for all tenant organizations at Travis AFB, California.
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 the I Troop Carrier Command
I Troop Carrier Command
The I Troop Carrier Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the First Air Force, based at Stout Army Air Field, Indiana.Its primary mission was theater troop and logistics transport training...
, stationed at Travis Air Force Base
Travis Air Force Base
Travis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force air base under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command , located three miles east of the central business district of Fairfield, in Solano County, California, United States. The base is named for Brigadier General Robert F...
, 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 8 May 1960.
The wing began as a 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...
air defense organization, reporting to First Air Force
First Air Force
The First Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida....
, responsible for the air defense of the Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
metropolitan area. As the possibility of an air attack on the east coast became increasingly remote, the wing became a training organization for fighter groups and personnel, with assigned groups subsequently deploying to overseas theaters.
From August 1947 until June 1949, the organization trained and served as a component, being designated as a division, of the reserve. From July 1958 – May 1960, it maintained military air transport and support facilities; conducted peacetime operations such as airlifting cargo, troops, personnel, patients, and mail; and provided base support for all tenant organizations at Travis AFB, California.
Lineage
- Established as Boston Air Defense Wing on 6 August 1942
- Activated on 11 August 1942
- Redesignated: Boston Fighter Wing on 24 July 1943
- Redesogmated: 323 Combat crew Training Wing on 13 February 1945
- Inactivated on 8 April 1946
- Redesignated 323 Troop Carrier Wing on 2 July 1947
- Activated in the Reserve on 1 August 1947
- Redesignated 323 Air Division, Troop Carrier on 16 April 1948
- Inactivated on 27 June 1949
- Redesignated 323 Air Division on 27 June 1958
- Activated on 1 July 1958
- Discontinued on 8 May 1960
Assignments
- I Fighter CommandI Fighter CommandThe I Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the First Air Force, based at Mitchel Army Airfield, New York...
, 11 August 1942 - 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....
, 13 February 1945 - III Bomber CommandIII Bomber CommandThe III Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.-Lineage:...
, 22 February 1945-8 April 1946 - Eleventh Air ForceEleventh Air ForceThe Eleventh Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska....
, 1 August 1947 - Tenth Air ForceTenth Air ForceThe Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....
, 1 July 1948-27 June 1949 - Western Transport Air Force, 1 July 1958-8 May 1960
Components
- 58th Fighter Group: c. 3 March-c. 22 October 1943
- 79th Fighter Group79th Fighter GroupThe 79th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Air Defense Command 30th Air Division, being assigned to Youngstown Air Force Base, Ohio. It was inactivated on 1 March 1960.-World War II:...
: 11 August-28 September 1942 - 325th Fighter Group: 11 August 1942-13 February 1943
- 348th Fighter Group348th Fighter GroupThe 348th Fighter Group is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. Its last assignment was with V Fighter Command, stationed at Itami Air Base, Japan. It was inactivated on 10 May 1946....
: 30 September-9 May 1943 - 352d Fighter Group352d Fighter GroupThe 352d Fighter Group was one of the most highly decorated USAAF Fighter Groups in World War II, producing many leading aces of the war. The 352d was composed of three squadrons: . Once deployed to the European Theater of Operations , the group was eventually headquartered in Bodney, England...
: 1 October 1942-c. 28 January 1943
- 356th Fighter Group356th Fighter GroupThe 356th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Army Service Forces, being stationed at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. It was inactivated on 10 November 1945....
: 4 July-15 August 1943 - 359th Fighter Group359th Fighter GroupThe 359th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Army Service Forces, being stationed at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. It was inactivated on 10 November 1945....
: 23 August-2 October 1943 - 362d Fighter Group362d Fighter GroupThe 362d Fighter Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command, stationed at Biggs Field, Texas. It was inactivated on 3 August 1946....
: 22 June-19 October 1943 - 434th Troop Carrier Group: 17 October 1947-27 June 1949
- 436th Troop Carrier Group: 17 October 1947-1 July 1948
Stations
- Logan Airport, MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, 11 August 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...
, c. 22 February 1945-8 April 1946 - Stout Field, IndianaIndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, 1 August 1947-27 June 1949 - 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...
, 1 July 1958-8 May 1960.
Aircraft
- P-40 Warhawk, 1942–1943
- P-47 ThunderboltP-47 ThunderboltRepublic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
, 1942–1943 - C-124 Globemaster IIC-124 Globemaster IIThe Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, nicknamed "Old Shakey", was a heavy-lift cargo aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, California....
, 1958–1960 - C-133 CargomasterC-133 CargomasterThe Douglas C-133 Cargomaster was a large cargo aircraft built between 1956 and 1961 by the Douglas Aircraft Company for use with the United States Air Force. The C-133 was the USAF's only production turboprop-powered strategic airlifter, entering service shortly after Lockheed's better known C-130...
, 1958–1960.