322d Airlift Division

322d Airlift Division

322d Airlift Division emblem
Active 4 December 1944 – 15 February 1946;
12 June 1947 – 27 June 1949;
1 March 1954 – 24 December 1968;
13 June 1978 – 1 April 1992
Country United States
Branch Air Force
Part of see "Assignments" section below
Garrison/HQ see "Stations" section below
Equipment see "Major Aircraft Operated" section below
Decorations


see "Lineage and honors" section below

The 322d Airlift Division (322d AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Military Airlift Command, assigned to Twenty-First Air Force, being stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It was inactivated on 1 April 1992.

History

Lineage

Activated on 30 December 1944.
Inactivated on 15 February 1946.
Redesignated 322d Air Division, Troop Carrier on 16 April 1948.
Inactivated on 27 June 1949.
Redesignated 322d Air Division on 8 January 1966.
Inactivated on 24 December 1968.
Inactivated on 1 April 1992.

Assignments

Far East Air Service Command, 3 January 1945 – 15 February 1946
Second Air Force, 12 June 1947
Tenth Air Force, 1 July 1948 – 27 June 1949
Eastern Air Force, 1 April 1964 – 31 December 1965
Twenty-First Air Force, 1 January 1966 – 24 December 1968; 23 June 1978 – 1 April 1992

Stations

Major components

Wings

Attached 1 April 1954 – 31 July 1955
Assigned 1 August 1955 – 25 September 1958
Attached 1 April 1954 – 31 July 1955; 1 April – 20 June 1964
Assigned 1 August 1955 – 25 September 1958; 15 April 1963-1 April 1964
Attached 1 April 1954 – 31 July 1955
Assigned 1 August 1955 – 8 July 1957
Attached 15 April 1966 – 24 December 1968.

Groups

Squadrons

Major Aircraft Operated

Operational history

During World War II, the 322d Troop Carrier Wing primarily carried high priority cargo destined for Air Corps organizations in the Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA). Besides carrying passengers and cargo, it evacuated wounded personnel and flew courier routes in SWPA.

Active in the Reserve from June 1947 – June 1949, it supervised subordinate unit training.

From March 1954, the 322d Air Division was responsible for airlifting personnel, cargo, and mail in Europe. Almost immediately after it commenced operations in Europe, the 322d became involved in a major airlift of French troops (Project Bali Hai) from bases in France to Indochina. Initially concerned only with operations in West Germany and France, it soon began operating throughout the entire USAFE area of responsibility. In addition to its routine duties, the division supported numerous humanitarian missions to Turkey, Iran, Morocco, and Pakistan, among other states.

It also provided airlift support in the following crises: the nationalization of the Suez Canal in 1956; the Hungarian Revolution of 1956; the 1958 Lebanon crisis; support for UN forces in the Congo in 1960–1961; the invasion of India by Communist Chinese forces in 1962–1963; airlift of peacekeeping forces to Cyprus in 1964; and the Middle East crisis of 1967.

Between 1954 and 1968, the division supported numerous USAFE and NATO exercises.

From June 1978, the 322d AD managed tactical airlift forces stationed and operating in the European theater and coordinated strategic airlift from the United States and other origins. It also assumed responsibility for all aeromedical operations and administrative airlift in the theater, including highly positioned military and civilian U.S. and foreign government officials. In addition, the division supported military exercises such as Ardent Ground, Dawn Patrol, Flintlock, and Cold Fire/Reforger.

In 1985 the 322d acquired peacetime responsibility for airlift management in Africa.

See also

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

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