6th Air Division

6th Air Division
Active	1940–1941; 1942–1943; 1946–1948; 1951–1966; 1968–1969
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Equipment	see "Aircraft / Missiles / Space Vehicles" section below
Insignia
6th Air Division emblem (approved 5 October 1955)[1]

The 6th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Thirteenth Air Force, based at Clark Air Base, Philippines. It was inactivated on 15 December 1969.

Heraldry

On a shield per chevron argent and gules, in chief, a stylized silhouetted jet aircraft, issuing from chief, nose toward base azure; in base a sphere with land areas of the first and water areas of the third, grid lines black, over a branch of olive or, between two lightning bolts argent; superimposed overall and flanking the dexter and sinister, two stylized arrows or. (Approved 5 October 1955)

History

Established as a pursuit wing in 1940, under Northeast Air District (later First Air Force). Deployed to the European Theater of Operations in the summer of 1942, the 6th Fighter Wing was a training organization for VIII Fighter Command in England during 1942/43 where it trained replacement pilots for fighter organizations. After the war, it served in the Canal Zone as part of the defense forces of the Panama Canal

Being redesignated as an Air Division in 1951, the 6th Air Division was an intermediate command echelon of Strategic Air Command, performing, organizing, and training assigned units for sustained long–range offensive bombardment and air-to-air refueling operations around the world.

Inactivated by SAC with the closure of Dow Air Force Base in 1966, the unit was reactivated under Thirteenth Air Force in the Philippines as a theater transport command and control organization, supporting US forces in the Vietnam War. Units under the division's control participated in Arc Light missions and controlled aircraft that flew weather reconnaissance missions in Southeast Asia.[1]

Inactivated in 1969 due to budget restraints.

Lineage

Established as the 6th Pursuit Wing on 19 October 1940

Activated on 18 December 1940

Inactivated on 7 December 1941

Redesignated 6th Fighter Wing on 30 May 1942

Activated on 7 June 1942

Disestablished on 13 September 1943

Reestablished on 5 August 1946

Activated on 25 August 1946

Inactivated on 28 July 1948

Redesignated 6th Air Division on 1 February 1951

Organized on 10 February 1951

Discontinued on 16 June 1952

Activated on 16 June 1952

Discontinued and inactivated on 2 July 1966

Activated on 5 July 1968

Organized on 1 August 1968

Inactivated on 15 December 1969[1]

Assignments

GHQ Air Force, 18 December 1940 – 7 December 1941

Apparently further assigned to: Northeast Air District, later 1st Air Force, 16 January 1941

Apparently further assigned to: I Interceptor Command, 5 June – 7 December 1941

VIII Fighter Command, 7 June 1942 – 13 September 1943 (attached to I Fighter Command until c. 5 August 1942)
Caribbean Air Command, 25 August 1946 – 28 July 1948
Second Air Force, 10 February 1951 – 16 June 1952
Second Air Force, 16 June 1952
Eighth Air Force, 1 January 1959 – 2 July 1966
Pacific Air Forces, 5 July 1968 (not organized)
Thirteenth Air Force, 1 August 1968 – 15 December 1969[1]

Components

Wings

2d Bombardment Wing: 1 November 1959 – 1 April 1961
17th Bombardment Wing: 1 July 1963 – 1 July 1965
36th Fighter Wing: attached 2–28 July 1948
305th Bombardment Wing: 10 February 1951 – 1 June 1959

Detached 4 September – 5 December 1953, 3 November 1955 – 8 January 1956, and 7 January – 8 March 1957

306th Bombardment Wing: 10 February 1951 – 6 February 1961

Detached 11 June – 7 September 1953, 5 January – 21 February 1955, 23 October 1956 – 9 January 1957 and 9–15 October 1957

307th Bombardment Wing: 10 February 1951 – 11 October 1954 (detached entire period)
321st Bombardment Wing: 1 January – 1 February 1959; 1 July 1959 – 6 February 1961
397th Bombardment Wing: 1 February 1963 – 2 July 1966
405th Fighter Wing: 1 August 1968 – 15 December 1969
416th Bombardment Wing: 1 February 1963 – 2 July 1966
463d Tactical Airlift Wing: 1 November 1968 – 15 December 1969
4038th Strategic Wing: 1 April 1961 – 1 February 1963
4039th Strategic Wing: 1 April 1961 – 1 February 1963[1]

Groups

1st Pursuit Group: 3 December 1940 – 4 September 1941
31st Pursuit Group: 16 January – 1 October 1941
36th Fighter Group: 15 October 1946-c. 13 August 1948
52d Pursuit Group: 16 January – 1 October 1941[1]

Squadrons

1st Test Squadron: 15 October – 15 December 1969
4th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: 1 June – 26 July 1948
71st Air Refueling Squadron, 1 February 1956 – 1 February 1963
20th Operations Squadron: 15 October – 15 December 1969
24th Fighter Squadron, 25 August – 15 October 1946
28th Fighter Squadron: 25 August – 15 October 1946
30th Fighter Squadron: 25 August – 15 October 1946
32d Fighter Squadron: 25 August – 15 October 1946
43d Fighter Squadron: 25 August – 15 October 1946
51st Fighter Squadron: 25 August – 15 October 1946
98th Air Refueling Squadron: 1 July – 22 November 1953
319th Fighter Squadron: 1 June – 26 July 1948

341st Air Refueling Squadron: 1 April 1961 – 1 February 1963

414th Night Fighter Squadron: 24 March – 1 September 1947
6400th Test Squadron: 1 August 1968 – 15 October 1969
6485th Operations Squadron: 1 December 1968 – 15 October 1969[1]

Stations

Selfridge Field, Michigan, 18 December 1940 – 7 December 1941
Olmsted Field, Pennsylvania, 7 June-c. 4 August 1942
RAF Bushey Hall (AAF-341), England, c. 16 August 1942
RAF Atcham (AAF-342), England, c. 24 August 1942 – 13 September 1943
Howard Field, Panama Canal Zone, 25 August 1946 – 28 July 1948
MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, 10 February 1951
Dow Air Force Base, Maine, 1 April 1961 – 2 July 1966
Clark Air Base, Philippines, 1 August 1968 – 15 December 1969[1]

Aircraft / Missiles / Space Vehicles

P-39 Airacobra, 1940–1941;
P-40 Warhawk, 1941.
P-38 Lightning, 1946;
P-39 Airacobra, 1946;
P-47 Thunderbolt, 1946–1948;
F-80 Shooting Star, 1946–1948;
P-51 Mustang, 1947;
P-61 Black Widow, 1947–1948;
F-6 Skyray, 1948;
FP-80 Shooting Star, 1948;
F-82 Twin Mustang, 1948.
B-29 Superfortress, 1951–1952
B-47 Stratojet, 1951–1952

B-50 Superfortress, 1951;
KC-97 Stratotanker, 1951–1952.
B-29 Superfortress, 1952–1954;
B-47 Stratojet, 1952–1961;
KC-97 Stratotanker, 1952–1961, 1963–1964;
RB-47 Stratojet, 1958;
C-124 Globemaster II, 1959–1961;
KC-135 Stratotanker, 1959, 1963–1966;
B-52 Stratofortress, 1963–1966.
B-57 Canberra, 1968;
C-130 Hercules, 1968–1969;
F-4 Phantom II, 1968–1969;
F-102 Delta Dagger, 1968–1969[1]

References

Notes

"Factsheet 6 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 4 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2014.

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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[6ADfacts-1] "Factsheet 6 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 4 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2014.