49th Air Division
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| 49th Air Division | |
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 Official crest of the 49th Air Division |
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| Active | 17 March 1943–16 October 1945 20 December 1946–27 June 1949 25 October 1951–1 July 1956 |
| 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 49th moved in the spring of 1944 to Italy, where its units began flying missions. As a strategic bombardment organization, it attacked such targets as oil refineries, marshalling yards, aircraft factories, bridges, and airfields in Italy, Germany, Austria, and Bulgaria. Subordinate units inflicted heavy damage on the oil refineries at Ploesti, participated in the invasion of southern France in August 1944, and supported the final advances of Allied armies in northern Italy in April 1945. Beginning in 1947, the 49th served in the Reserve for two years, during which time it was redesignated as an Air Division. After activation in the Regular Air Force, the division moved to England and served the United States Air Forces in Europe. No combat elements were assigned, but wings were attached for operations. The division supervised and participated in numerous training missions such as Quick Shot, Kingpin, and Bear Claw.
[edit] Background of name
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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] 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 49 Bombardment Operational Training Wing (Medium) on 17 March 1943. Activated on 31 March 1943. Redesignated: 49 Bombardment Wing (Medium) on 18 October 1943; 49 Bombardment Wing (Heavy) on 4 December 1943; 49 Bombardment Wing, Heavy c. August 1944. Inactivated on 16 October 1945.
Activated in the Reserve as 49 Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy on 20 December 1946. Redesignated: 49 Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy on 31 December 1946; 49 Air Division, Bombardment on 16 April 1948. Inactivated on 27 June 1949.
Redesignated 49 Air Division on 25 October 1951. Activated on 7 November 1951. Redesignated: 49 Air Division, Operational on 1 April 1952; 49 Air Division (Operational) on 15 November 1954. Inactivated on 1 July 1956.
[edit] Service streamers
This unit earned the following organizational service streamers:
none
[edit] Campaign streamers
This unit earned the following organizational campaign streamers:
World War II: Rome Arno.
[edit] Armed forces expeditionary streamers
none
[edit] Decorations
This unit earned the following unit decorations:
none
[edit] Awards
[edit] Emblem
Quarterly argent and sable, rising from base the outline of an atomic cloud counterchanged, overall a lightning flash issuing from sinister chief and striking to dexter base or. (Approved 23 December 1953)
[edit] Assignments
Third Air Force, 31 March 1943–c.3 February 1944; Army Service Forces, c.3 February 1944; Fifteenth Air Force, c.11 March 1944–16 October 1945.
Fourteenth Air Force, 20 December 1946; Ninth Air Force, 22 December 1948; Fourteenth Air Force, 1 February 1949–27 June 1949.
Tactical Air Command, 7 November 1951; Third Air Force, 5 June 1952–1 July 1956.
[edit] Components
Wings:
- 20 Fighter Bomber: attached 12 February 1952–1 July 1956.
- 47 Bombardment: attached 12 February 1952–1 July 1956.
- 81 Fighter Interceptor (later, 81 Fighter Bomber): attached 1 March 1954–1 July 1956.
Groups:
- 100 Bombardment: 29 May 1947–27 June 1949.
- 380 Bombardment: 17 October 1947–27 June 1949.
- 451 Bombardment: c.6 April 1944–c.19 June 1945.
- 461 Bombardment: c.30 April 1944–c.1 July 1945.
- 484 Bombardment: c.6 April 1944–c.25 May 1945.
[edit] Stations
Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina, 31 March 1943; Greenville Army Air Base, South Carolina, c.28 April 1943–2 February 1944; Bari, Italy (remained in Italy, possibly at other stations), c.11 March 1944–16 October 1945.
Miami Army Air Field, Florida, 20 December 1946–27 June 1949.
Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, 7 November 1951–21 May 1952; Sculthorpe Royal Air Force (RAF) Station (later, RAF Sculthorpe), England, 1 June 1952–1 July 1956.
[edit] Aircraft / Missiles / Space vehicles
B-24 Liberator, 1944–1945.
F-84 Thunderjet, 1952–1956; RB-45 Tornado, 1954–1956.
[edit] Commanders
Brigadier General William L. Lee, c.31 March 1943; Colonel Robert F. Worden, 4 August 1945–c.16 October 1945.
Colonel James D. Jones, 7 November 1951; Brigadier General John D. Stevenson, by 28 February 1952; Brigadier General James F. Whisenand, 26 February 1955–1 July 1956.
