| 834th Airlift Division | |
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Emblem of the 834th Airlift Division |
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| Active | 1957-1992 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Role | Command and Control |
| Part of | Military Airlift Command |
| Engagements |
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The 834th Airlift Division (834 AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Military Airlift Command, assigned to Twenty-Second Air Force, being stationed at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. It was inactivated on 1 April 1992.
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Initially assumed command and control over two fighter bomber wings and the 834th Air Base Group at England AFB, Louisiana in September 1957. As an intermediate echelon between the wings and Tactical Air Command's Ninth, Twelfth and Eighteenth air forces, the division supervised operations and training, tactical exercises firepower demonstrations, and conducted periodic evaluations and inspections to ensure combat readiness of aircrews and equipment.
By June 1964, the conflict in Southeast Asia demanded much of the 834th's efforts. Late in 1966 the division was reassigned without personnel or equipment, to Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam, to join Pacific Air Forces Seventh Air Force as the controlling agency for troop carrier, later tactical airlift, operations in South Vietnam. The division included the 315th Air Commando Wing, which operated C-123s, and the 483rd Troop Carrier Wing, which activated in October 1966 as the parent unit for former US Army Caribous which had transferred to the Air Force. The division also included the 2nd Aerial Port Group. In addition, 834th had operational control over 315th Air Division C-130s assigned on temporary duty in South Vietnam. Detachment One, 834th AD, controlled C-130s operating from Tan Son Nhut while Detachment Two controlled operations from Cam Ranh Bay. Through December 1971 it served as a single manager for all tactical airlift operations in South Vietnam, using air transport to haul cargo and troops, which were air-landed or air-dropped, as combat needs dictated. In addition, the 834th supervised transport operations (primarily C-47's) of the Vietnamese Air Force and six A-4 Wallaby transports operated by the Royal Australian Air Force. The 834th's flying components also performed defoliation missions, propaganda leaflet drops, and other special missions. During its last few months, the 834th worked toward passing combat airlift control to Seventh Air Force.
The 834th Air Division was awarded two Presidential Unit Citations, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" and the Fourragere of the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for its heroic achievements in the Vietnam War.
Reassigned back to the United States and TAC as part of the US withdrawal from South Vietnam in 1972. From March 1972 to December 1974 the division supervised Twelfth Air Force C-130 tactical airlift operations and participated in a series of tactical airlift exercises and joint training missions with U.S. Army units. Squadrons and detachment-size elements frequently deployed to points in Europe, the Canal Zone, Africa, Thailand, and elsewhere. The 834th flew many humanitarian missions to such widespread places as Africa, the Philippines, Colombia, and Honduras.
Reassigned to Military Airlift Command in December 1974 as part of TAC's turnover of the theater airlift mission to MAC. Inactivated on on 31 December 1974 and assigned airlift units turned over to Twenty-First Air Force.
Reactivated in October 1978, it assumed responsibility for managing Military Airlift Command resources in the Pacific. For this mission, the 834th provided a single commander for MAC airlift units in the Pacific theater; command and control of theater-assigned airlift forces for Pacific Air Forces; theater tactical airlift war planning and Pacific exercise planning; and aerial ports in the Pacific area to support the air movement of personnel, cargo, equipment, patients, and mail. The division participated in tactical exercises such as Team Spirit, Ulchi Focus Lens, and Capstan Dragon.
Inactivated in June 1992 as part of the inactivation of Military Airlift Command.
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This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
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