69th Air Division (United States)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

69th Air Division
Active 3 September 1943–26 December 1945;
23 March 1947–27 June 1949
Country United States
Branch Air Force
Part of see "Assignments" section below
Garrison/HQ see "Stations" section below
Equipment see "Aerospace vehicles" section below
Decorations

see "Lineage and honors" section below


Contents

[edit] History

 Please help improve this section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.


[edit] Mission

 Please help improve this section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.


[edit] Operations

Activated in China in 1943, the wing engaged in sea sweeps and attacks against Japanese inland shipping. Between late 1943 and 1945 its units bombed and strafed such targets as trains, harbors, railroads in French Indochina, and the Canton Hong Kong area of South China. These units also provided air support to Chinese ground troops. Fighter aircraft defended Allied air bases, the eastern terminus of The Hump air bridge, and the bases in the area of Kunming and attacked bridges, oil and gas storage facilities, supply dumps, convoys, and enemy troop concentrations. After the Japanese surrender, the 69th's troop carrier aircraft ferried troops and supplies in China, helped to evacuate prisoners of war, and flew mercy missions in China, French Indochina, and Manchuria. It activated in the Reserves in 1947 and performed training duties until June 1949.

[edit] Lineage and honors

Established as 69 Bombardment Wing on 9 August 1943. Activated on 3 September 1943. Redesignated 69 Composite Wing on 21 December 1943. Inactivated on 26 December 1945.

Redesignated 69 Troop Carrier Wing on 28 January 1947. Activated in the Reserve on 23 March 1947. Redesignated 69 Air Division, Troop Carrier on 16 April 1948. Inactivated on 27 June 1949.

Redesignated 69 Air Division on 1 September 1959.

[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 Asiatic-Pacific Theater: China Defensive; China Offensive.

[edit] Armed forces expeditionary streamers

This unit earned the following organizational expeditionary streamers:

none

[edit] Decorations

This unit earned the following organizational decorations:

[edit] Awards

[edit] Emblem

none


[edit] Assignments

Fourteenth Air Force, 3 September 1943; Tenth Air Force, 24 August 1945–26 December 1945.

Eleventh Air Force, 23 March 1947; First Air Force, 1 July 1948; Ninth Air Force, 23 February 1949–27 June 1949.

[edit] Components

Groups:

Squadrons:

[edit] Stations

Kunming, China, 3 September 1943; Tsuyung, China, c.12 January 1944; Kunming, China, by 30 April 1944–c.26 December 1945.

Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Pennsylvania, 23 March 1947–27 June 1949.

[edit] Aerospace vehicles

B-25 Mitchell, 1943–1945; P-38 Lightning, 1943–1945; P-40 Warhawk, 1943–1945; C-47 Skytrain, 1944–1945; L-1 Vigilant, 1944–1945; L-2 Grasshopper, 1944; L-4 Grasshopper, 1944; L-5 Sentinel, 1944–1945; L-6 Grasshopper, 1944; P-51 Mustang, 1944–1945; A-26 Invader, 1945.

AT-6 Texan, 1947–1949; AT-7 Navigator, 1947–1949; AT-11 Kansan, 1947–1949; C-46 Commando, 1947–1949; C-47 Skytrain, 1947–1949.

[edit] Commanders

Unknown, 3 September 1943–22 December 1943; Brigadier General John C. Kennedy, 23 December 1943; Colonel Charles H. Anderson, 1 September 1945; Major James F. Rhodes, c.15 November 1945–unkn.

Unknown, 23 March 1947–27 June 1949.

[edit] See also

United States Air Force Portal

[edit] References


This article incorporates text from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website which, as a United States government publication, is in the public domain.

[edit] External links