85th Air Division

The 85th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Eastern Air Defense Force of Air Defense Command at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. It was inactivated on 1 September 1958.

85th Air Division
Active1943–1948; 1955–1958
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
Part ofAir Defense Command
EngagementsSouth West Pacific Theater of World War II
DecorationsPhilippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation
Insignia
85th Air Division emblem (Approved 26 December 1956)[2]

History

During World War II, the 85th Fighter Wing was a command and control organization of Fifth Air Force, operating primarily in the Southwest Pacific Theater. Its assigned units "participated in aerial combat in New Guinea and the Philippine Islands (February 1944 – August 1945) [flying] cover missions for convoys, patrols, escorted bombers, attacked enemy airfields, and supported ground forces."[2]

"After the war's end, the organization provided fighter protection for the Philippine Islands and conducted an intensive training program in aerial combat, gunnery, and instrument flying, until [the units inactivation in] June 1948."[2]

95th FIS F-86D-55 at Andrews AFB in 1955[3]

During the Cold War the unit was reactivated as an Air Division by Air Defense Command. "It was assigned to the Eastern Air Defense Force in September 1955 with a mission to intercept unidentified aircraft over the Washington, D.C. area. It participated in numerous training exercises. It also took part in gunnery and air-launched training and readiness tests."[2] Inactivated in September 1958.

Lineage

  • Established as the 85th Fighter Wing on 4 November 1943
Activated on 10 November 1943
Inactivated on 30 June 1948
  • Redesignated 85 Air Division (Defense) on 3 May 1955
Activated on 8 September 1955
Inactivated on 1 September 1958[2]

Assignments

Stations

Components

Wing

Groups

Squadrons

See also

References

Notes

  1. Aircraft is Convair F-102A-65-CO Delta Dagger Serial 56-1154 in March 1958.
  2. "Factsheet 85 Air Division (Defense)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 5 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  3. Aircraft is North American F-86D-55-NA Sabre Serial 53-600 in 1955.

Bibliography

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

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