316th Air Division

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.

316th Airlift Division
Emblem of the 316th Airlift Division
Active1944–1991
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Air Force
RoleCommand and Control
Part ofUnited States Air Forces in Europe
Engagements
 
  • World War II
Pacific Theater (1945)

History

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

Attached XXII Bomber Command, c. 14 August – c. 7 December 1944
Eighth Air Force, 5 September 1945
1 Air Division, 13 June 1946 – 21 June 1948
Seventeenth Air Force, 18 September 1953
Seventeenth Air Force, 14 June 1985 – 1 May 1991.

Stations

Components

Wing

Groups

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 Superfortress, 1945–1948
  • F-86 Sabre, 1953–1960
  • F-100 Super Sabre, 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 Philippines.

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.

See also

References

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

  • "Factsheet 316 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 12 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2018.

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