18th Strategic Aerospace Division

The 18th Strategic Aerospace Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Fifteenth Air Force at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, where it was inactivated on 2 July 1968.

18th Strategic Aerospace Division
Active1929–1942; 1942–1944; 1959–1968
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
Insignia
18th Strategic Aerospace Division emblem (approved)[1]

History

The 18th Composite Wing served as part of the defense force for the Hawaiian Islands from 1 May 1931 – 29 January 1942. It inactivated after suffering disastrous losses in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (7 December 1941).[1]

From June 1942 until 1944, it operated as the 18th Replacement Wing, processing personnel entering Second Air Force.[1]

Redesignated as the 18th Air Division on 1 July 1959, it assured that assigned wings were organized, manned, trained, and equipped to conduct long-range bombardment operations using either nuclear or conventional weapons.[1]

The division was redesignated as 18 Strategic Aerospace Division on 15 February 1962, and also developed and maintained a strategic missile operational capability. Between 1965 and 1968, subordinate units of the 18th loaned aircraft and aircrews to SAC organizations for combat during the Vietnam War.[1]

The division was inactivated on 2 July 1968 due to budget constraints.[1]

Lineage

  • Established as the 18th Composite Wing on 8 May 1929
Activated on 1 May 1931
Redesignated 18th Wing on 1 September 1937
Redesignated 18th Bombardment Wing on 19 October 1940
Inactivated on 29 January 1942
  • Redesignated 18th Replacement Wing on 17 June 1942
Activated on 23 June 1942
Disestablished on 11 April 1944
  • Reestablished and redesignated 18th Air Division on 20 May 1959
Activated on 1 July 1959
Redesignated 18th Strategic Aerospace Division on 15 February 1962
Discontinued and inactivated on 2 July 1968[1]

Assignments

Components

Wings

Groups

Stations

Campaigns

Campaign Streamer Campaign Dates Notes
Central Pacific7 December 1941 – 19 January 194218th Bombardment Wing[1]
American Theater without inscription23 June 1942 – 11 April 194418th Replacement Wing[1]

See also

References

Notes

  1. "Factsheet 18 Strategic Aerospace Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 4 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2014.

Bibliography

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

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