42nd Air Division

42nd Air Division
	B-52G as flown by division wings in the 1980s
Active	1943–1945; 1951–1958; 1959–1969; 1970–1991
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Command of strike forces
Decorations	French Croix de Guerre with Palm
Insignia
42nd Air Division emblem (Approved 29 December 1965)[1]

The 42nd Air Division was a unit of the United States Air Force. It was established as the 42 Bombardment Wing (Dive) on 8 February 1943. The wing first saw combat in September 1943. It was inactivated in 1991.

History

Activated in 1943 as the 42nd Bombardment Wing and controlled Martin B-26 Marauder groups as part of Twelfth Air Force. "The wing first saw combat in the invasion of Italy, where its units flew close support missions to stop the German counterattack on the beachhead at Salerno during September 1943. As the Allied forces progressed, the 42nd took a leading part in interdicting Axis road and rail transport, and later in 1944, in the attacks against the monastery at Cassino. In August 1944, it supported the Allied landings in southern France. As the war drew to a close the 42nd attacked German positions along the Siegfried Line and, in support of the Allied forces in their sweep across southern Germany, bombed enemy strong points, and communications and supply facilities."[1]

Reactivated an intermediate command echelon of Strategic Air Command in March 1951, the 42nd Air Division "equipped and trained its assigned units to conduct strategic air warfare using nuclear or conventional weapons anywhere in the world. It also trained and maintained air refueling assets. Tankers from units assigned to the 42nd supported the Eielson Tanker Task Force and, over the years, occasionally deployed to Spain for Spanish Area Support. The division conducted numerous staff assistance visits and simulated no notice inspections, and participated in exercises such as Buy None and Global Shield."[1]

Aircraft and personnel from units assigned to the division, at various times in the late 1960s and early 1970s, deployed to Southeast Asia and took part in Operation Arc Light and Operation Young Tiger missions. Subordinate units of the 42nd deployed aircraft and personnel in support of the war in Southeast Asia.[1]

Inactivated in 1991[1] as part of the Cold War drawdown of USAF forces.

Lineage

Established as the 42nd Bombardment Wing (Dive) on 8 February 1943

Activated on 16 February 1943

Redesignated 42nd Bombardment Wing (Medium) on 31 July 1943

Redesignated 42nd Bombardment Wing, Medium on 23 October 1944

Inactivated on 25 October 1945

Redesignated 42nd Air Division on 2 March 1951

Organized on 10 March 1951

Discontinued on 16 June 1952

Activated on 16 June 1952[2]

Inactivated on 8 January 1958

Activated on 15 July 1959.

Redesignated 42nd Strategic Aerospace Division on 1 June 1962

Redesignated 42nd Air Division on 1 July 1963

Inactivated on 2 July 1969

Activated on 1 January 1970

Inactivated on 9 July 1991[1]

Assignments

Third Air Force, 16 February 1943
Twelfth Air Force, 31 July 1943
Northwest African Strategic Air Force, 21 August 1943
XII Bomber Command, 1 September 1943
Fifteenth Air Force 1 November 1943
Twelfth Air Force, 1 January 1944
XII Tactical Air Command, 27 November 1944
First Tactical Air Force (Provisional), 6 January 1945
XII Tactical Air Command, 21 May 1945
United States Air Forces in Europe, 26 July 1945

Army Service Forces (for inactivation), 13 25 October 1945
Eighth Air Force, 10 March 1951 – 16 June 1952; 16 June 1952
Second Air Force, 1 April 1955
Ninth Air Force, 1 July 1957
Eighteenth Air Force, 1 October 1957
Twelfth Air Force, 1–8 January 1958
Second Air Force, 15 July 1959 – 2 July 1969
Second Air Force, 1 January 1970
Eighth Air Force, 1 January 1975 – 9 July 1991[1]

Components

Wings

2nd Bombardment Wing: 1 July 1965 – 2 July 1969; 1 December 1982 – 16 June 1988
12th Fighter-Escort Wing (later 12 Strategic Fighter Wing, 12 Fighter-Day Wing): 9 April 1951 – 16 June 1952 (detached 20 July – 20 November 1951). 16 June 1952 – 8 January 1958 (detached 18 May – 10 August 1953 and 10 May – 7 August 1954)
17th Bombardment Wing: 1 July 1973 – 30 September 1975
19th Bombardment Wing (later 19 Air Refueling Wing): 30 June 1971 – 16 June 1988
27th Fighter-Escort Wing (later 27 Strategic Fighter wing, 27 Fighter Bomber Wing): 6 August 1951 – 16 June 1952. 16 June 1952 – 8 January 1958 (detached 6 October 1952 – 13 February 1953 and 7 May – 17 August 1955)
43rd Bombardment Wing: 1–31 January 1970
68th Bombardment Wing: 30 June 1971 – 30 September 1982
97th Bombardment Wing: 1 July 1963 – 2 July 1969. 1 January 1970 – 30 June 1971; 1 July 1973 – 16 June 1988
131st Fighter-Bomber Wing: c. 10 March – c. 31 July 1951
301st Air Refueling Wing: 31 March 1970 – 1 July 1973; 1 July 1975 – 30 September 1979
305th Air Refueling Wing: 1 January 1970 – 1 July 1973; 1 December 1982 – 16 July 1988
306th Bombardment Wing: 30 June 1971 – 1 July 1974
308th Strategic Missile Wing: 1 January – 31 March 1970; 1 April 1973 – 1 December 1982
319th Bombardment Wing: 16 June 1988 – 9 July 1991
321st Strategic Missile Wing: 16 June 1988 – 9 July 1991
381st Strategic Missile Wing: 1 March 1962 – 1 July 1963
454th Bombardment Wing: 1 July 1963 – 2 July 1969
4347th Combat Crew Training Wing: 15 July 1959 – 15 June 1963
4397th Air Refueling Wing: 15 July 1959 – 15 June 1962[1]

Groups

1st Fighter Group: 24 August – 15 December 1953
17th Bombardment Group: 24 August 1943 – 29 May 1945
31 Bombardment (French Air Force): attached 6 January – c. 1 May 1945
34 Bombardment (French Air Force): attached 6 January – c. 1 May 1945
68th Air Refueling Group: 30 September 1982 – 16 June 1988
319th Bombardment Group: 24 August 1943 – 10 November 1944
320th Bombardment Group: 24 August 1943 – 29 May 1945
325th Fighter Group: 24 August – 22 October 1943[1]

Squadrons

307th Air Refueling Squadron, 1 July 1953 – 18 November 1953[1]

Stations

Birmingham Army Air Field, Alabama, 22 February – 31 July 1943

Deployed at Anniston Army Airfield, Alabama, 16–30 June 1943

Ariana Airfield, Tunisia, 21 August 1943
Elmas Airfield, Sardinia, 15 November 1943
Borgo Airfield, Corsica, 21 September 1944
Dijon-Longvic Airfield (Y-9), France, 24 November 1944
Camp Shanks, New York, 24–25 October 1945

Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas, 10 March 1951 – 8 January 1958
McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, 15 July 1959
Blytheville Air Force Base, Arkansas, 1 July 1963 – 2 July 1969
Blytheville Air Force Base, Arkansas, 1 January 1970
McCoy Air Force Base, Florida, 30 June 1971
Blytheville Air Force Base (later Eaker Air Force Base), Arkansas, 1 September 1973
Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota, 16 June 1988 – 9 July 1991[1]

Aircraft and missiles

Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, 1940 Martin B-26 Marauder, 1943–1945 Lockheed P-38 Lightning, 1943[1]

Convair B-36 Peacemaker, 1951–1957 Republic F-84 Thunderjet, 1951–1958 Boeing KB-29 Superfortress, 1953–1957 McDonnell F-101 Voodoo, 1957–1958 Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker, 1957–1958[1]

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, 1963–1969 Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, 1963–1969 LGM-25C Titan II, 1963–1969 Boeing EC-135, 1966–1969[1]

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, 1970, 1973–1988 Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, 1972–1988 LGM-25C Titan II, 1970, 1973–1982 Boeing EC-135, 1970–1973, 1982–1988 McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender, 1982–1988 Rockwell B-1 Lancer, 1988–1991 Minuteman-III (LGM-30G), 1988–1991[1]

Decorations

This unit earned the following unit decorations:

French Croix de Guerre with Palm, April 1944 – June 1944[1]

Emblem

Per chevron inverted azure and light blue between in chief a fleur de lis or enarched with four mullets of four points above two of same argent, all between two lightning bolts gules fimbriated of the fourth and in base saltirewise a palm and an olive branch of the last, in fess point a cloud formation of the like and over all in pale a winged mace displayed or, all within a diminished border of the last. (Approved 29 December 1965)

References

Notes

"Factsheet 42 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 5 October 2007. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
The simultaneous discontinuation and activation on 16 June 1952 represent only a change between a Table of Distribution unit and a Table of Organization unit.

Bibliography

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

Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.

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[42ADfacts-1] "Factsheet 42 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 5 October 2007. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2014.

[2] The simultaneous discontinuation and activation on 16 June 1952 represent only a change between a Table of Distribution unit and a Table of Organization unit.