304th Air Division

304th Air Division

Division B-24 Liberator on target during World War II[1]
Active 1943–1945; 1947-1949
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Role Command of bombardment units
Part of Continental Air Command
Engagements Mediterranean Theater of Operations

The 304th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Continental Air Command, assigned to Fourth Air Force, at Long Beach Airport, California. It was inactivated on 24 June 1949.

History

"Activated in Italy as a Bombardment wing in December 1943, the 304th participated in the strategic Bombardment of enemy occupied Europe. Targets included harbors, marshalling yards, airdromes, bridges, industrial areas, and troop concentrations in Italy, Austria, Germany, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and Greece."[2]

"In May 1944, some subordinate units began an intensive bombing campaign against enemy oil resources, which included refineries at Ploiești, Romania, and oil and storage plants in Austria, Germany, and Hungary. During July and August 1944, subordinate units also prepared for and supported the invasion of southern France. Returned to the United States and inactivated, 13 October 1945."[2]

Activated and assigned to the Reserves in April 1947. Assigned first to Air Defense Command, then to Continental Air Command (ConAC) when ADC was made a subordinate command of ConAC. While active in the Reserve the 304th was redesignated as a division and commanded several B-29 Superfortress-designated groups. It is not clear if these groups were actually manned or equipped. The Division was inactivated on 29 June 1949[2]

Lineage

Activated on 29 December 1943
Redesignated 304th Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 4 May 1945
Inactivated on 13 October 1945
Activated in the Reserves on 19 April 1947
Redesignated 304th Air Division, Bombardment on 16 April 1948
Inactivated on 27 June 1949[2]

Assignments

Stations

Components

Groups

Aircraft

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Aircraft is Consolidated B-24 Serial 42-78489 of the 454th Bombardment Group
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Factsheet 304 Air Division, Bombardment". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 5 October 2007. Archived from the original on 29 September 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2014.

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

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