| 314th Air Division | |
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Emblem of the 314th Air Division |
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| Active | 1944–1986 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Engagements |
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| Decorations | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation |
The 314th Air Division (314th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Pacific Air Forces, based at Osan AB, South Korea. It was inactivated in September 1986.
The unit's origins begin with its predecessor, the World War II 314th Bombardment Wing (314th BW) was part of Twentieth Air Force. The 314th BW engaged in very heavy bombardment B-29 Superfortress operations against Japan.
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Th 314th Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy) was constituted on 15 April 1944 and activated on 23 April at Peterson Field, Colorado under Second Air Force After a period of organization, it was deployed to the Pacific Theater and assigned to Guam in December 1944/January 1945. It was assigned to Twentieth Air Force, XXI Bombardment Command, with its operational groups being the 19th, 29th 39th and 330th Bombardment Groups, all equipped with the B-29 Superfortress bomber.
From then until the end of the war in August 1945, its subordinate units conducted raids against strategic objectives, bombing aircraft factories, chemical plants, oil refineries, and other targets in Japan. These units also participated in several incendiary raids on Tokyo and other Japanese cities. Later in 1945, they mixed their missions between precision attacks against specific targets and fire raids against urban areas. Immediately after the end of the war, wing aircraft carried supplies to American prisoners of war.
With the postwar consolidation of units, the organization was redesignated 314th Composite Wing in 1946, having both groups and squadrons of varying missions assigned to the wing. For approximately two years (1946–1948) the 314th served as one of Fifth Air Force's major components. It maintained intensive training schedules, participated in training exercises and took part in the post-hostilities program of mapping Japan.
Activated at Nagoya AB, Japan, on 1 December 1950 as the 314th Air Division, the organization immediately assumed the missions of the air defense of Japan, logistical support for Fifth Air Force during the Korean War, and airfield construction in Japan. The division maintained assigned and attached forces at a high degree of combat readiness during the Cold War, March 1955 – September 1986. In fulfilling its mission, the division supported numerous military exercises in the region, such as Commando Bearcat, Commando Jade, and Commando Night.
Wings
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Groups
Squadrons
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B-29, 1944–1946, 1947; B-17, 1946–1947; F-2, 1946–1947; F-6, 1946–1947; F-7, 1946–1947; F-9, 1946–1947; P-47, 1946–1948; P-51, 1946–1948; P-61, 1946–1947; F-13, 1947; F-15, 1947, 1949; RB-17, 1947–1948; RB-29, 1947–1948, 1951–1952; RF-51, 1947–1948; RF-61, 1947–1948; RF-80, 1947–1950; B-26, 1948–1950; F-51, 1950–1951, 1951–1952; C-46, 1950–1951; C-47, 1951; F-86, 1951; WB-29, 1951–1952. F-86, 1955–1958; Matador, 1959–1962; F-4, O-2, 1971–1974, 1974–1986; OV-10, 1974–1982; F-16, 1981–1986; A-10, 1982–1986.
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
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