31st Air Division (United States)
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| 31st Air Division | |
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 Official crest of the 31st Air Division |
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| Active | 7 September 1950–1 January 1960 20 January 1966–31 December 1969 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Garrison/HQ | see "Stations" section below |
| Equipment | see "Aircraft / Missiles / Space vehicles" section below |
| Decorations | see "Lineage and honors" section below |
Contents |
[edit] History
The division equipped, administered, trained, and provided combat ready forces within an area covering North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, and other parts of the Midwest. Later, beginning in 1966, the 31st covered an area including Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. The division participated in numerous live and simulated exercises such as Creek Chief, Pawnee Knife, and Mandan Hunt.
[edit] Background of name
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[edit] Mission
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[edit] Operations
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Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. |
[edit] Lineage and honors
Established as 31 Air Division (Defense) on 7 September 1950. Activated on 8 October 1950. Inactivated on 1 February 1952.
Organized on 1 February 1952. Inactivated on 1 January 1960.
Redesignated 31 Air Division, and activated, on 20 January 1966. Organized on 1 April 1966. Inactivated on 31 December 1969.
[edit] Service streamers
This unit earned the following organizational service streamers:
none
[edit] Campaign streamers
This unit earned the following organizational campaign streamers:
none
[edit] Armed forces expeditionary streamers
none
[edit] Decorations
This unit earned the following unit decorations:
none
[edit] Awards
[edit] Emblem
On a shield azure, a radar scope argent, with markings sable and gules over a land or weather maze light blue, over the center a silhouette of a bat volant sable. (Approved 19 March 1954)
[edit] Assignments
Eastern Air Defense Force, 8 October 1950 (attached 30 Air Division [Defense], 27 November 1950–1 February 1951); Central Air Defense Force, 20 May 1951–1 February 1952.
Central Air Defense Force, 1 February 1952–1 January 1960.
Air Defense Command, 20 January 1966; Fourteenth Air Force, 1 April 1966; Tenth Air Force, 1 July 1968–31 December 1969.
[edit] Components
Sectors:
- Duluth Air Defense: 20 December 1957–1 January 1959.
- Grand Forks Air Defense: 8 December 1957–1 January 1959.
Groups:
- 53 Fighter: 18 August 1955–1 March 1956.
- 343 Fighter: 18 August 1955–1 January 1959.
- 475 Fighter: 18 August 1955–2 January 1958.
- 478 Fighter: 8 February 1957–1 January 1959.
- 514 Air Defense: 16 February 1953–18 August 1955.
- 515 Air Defense: 16 February 1953–18 August 1955.
- 521 Air Defense: 16 February 1953–18 August 1955.
Squadrons:
- 11 Fighter Interceptor: 1 December 1952–16 February 1953.
- 18 Fighter Interceptor: 1 December 1952–16 February 1953.
- 54 Fighter Interceptor: 1 December 1952–16 February 1953.
- 87 Fighter Interceptor: 1 November 1952–16 February 1953.
- 331 Fighter Interceptor: 1 April 1966–1 March 1967.
- 432 Fighter Interceptor: 1 December 1952–16 February 1953.
- 433 Fighter Interceptor: 1 November 1952–16 February 1953.
[edit] Stations
Selfridge Air Force Base (later, Selfridge Field), Michigan, 8 October 1950; Fort Snelling, Minnesota, 18 December 1950–1 February 1952.
Fort Snelling (later, Snelling Air Force Station), Minnesota, 1 February 1952–1 January 1960.
Oklahoma City Air Force Station, Oklahoma, 1 April 1966–31 December 1969.
[edit] Aircraft / Missiles / Space vehicles
F-51 Mustang, 1952–1953; F-86 Sabre, 1952–1956; F-89 Scorpion, 1954–1957; F-102 Delta Dagger, 1956–1959.
F-102 Delta Dagger, 1966–1967.
[edit] Commanders
- First Lieutenant Carter H. Cowan, 8 October 1950;
- Lieutenant Colonel Otto G. Quanrud, 18 December 1950;
- Colonel Harold W. Grant, 9 January 1951;
- Brigadier General Thomas C. Darcy, 7 July 1951–1 February 1952.
- Brigadier General Thomas C. Darcy, 1 February 1952;
- Brigadier General William A. Matheny, 16 June 1953;
- Brigadier General Frank W. Gillespie, 27 September 1957;
- Colonel Thomas K. McGehee, 10 August 1959–unknown.
- None (not manned), 20 January 1966–31 March 1966;
- Colonel Edward S. E. Newbur, 1 April 1966;
- Colonel Alfred V. Walton, 22 August 1966;
- Colonel William W. Griffith, by 30 June 1968;
- Colonel Frank E. Angier, by 30 September 1968–31 December 1969.
