315th Air Division

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 315th Air Division


caption=Emblem of the 315th Air Division
dates= 1944 - 1969
country= United States
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branch= United States Air Force
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* World War II: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign (1945)
* Army of Occupation (Japan) (1945 - 1948)
* Korean Service (1951-1953)
decorations=Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=The 315th Air Division (315th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Pacific Air Forces, based at Tachikawa Air Base, Japan. It was inactivated in April, 1969.

History

The unit's origins begin with its predecessor, the World War II 315th Bombardment Wing (315th BW) was part of Twentieth Air Force. The 315th BW engaged in very heavy bombardment B-29 Superfortress operations against Japan.

Lineage

* Established as 315 Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy on 7 Jun 1944: Activated on 17 Jul 1944: Redesignated 315 Composite Wing on 8 Jan 1946: Inactivated on 20 Aug 1948
* Redesignated 315 Air Division (Combat Cargo) on 10 Jan 1951: Activated on 25 Jan 1951: Redesignated 315 Air Division on 1 Aug 1967: Inactivated on 15 Apr 1969.

Assignments

* Second Air Force, 17 Jul 1944: Attached XXII Bomber Command, c. 14 Aug-c. 7 Dec 1944
* Twentieth Air Force, c. 25 Mar 1945: XXI Bomber Command, 5 Apr 1945
* Twentieth Air Force, 16 Jul 1945
* Fifth Air Force, 30 May 1946: V Fighter Command, 30 May 1946
* Fifth Air Force, 1 Jun 1946-1 Mar 1950
* Far East (later, Pacific) Air Forces, 25 Jan 1951-15 Apr 1969.

Bases Assigned

* Peterson Field, Colorado, 17 Jul 1944
* Fort Lawton, Washington, 10 17 Mar 1945
* Northwest Field, Guam, Marianas Islands, 5 Apr 1945
* Ashiya AAB, Japan, 30 May 1946
* Itazuke AAB (later, Airfield; AB), Japan, 31 May 1946-1 Mar 1950.
* Ashiya AS, Japan, 25 Jan 1951
* Fuchu, Japan, 5 Feb 1951
* Tachikawa AB, Japan, 24 Apr 1954-15 Apr 1969.

Units Assigned

* Wings: 475th Fighter: 18 - 20 Aug 1948 : 437th Troop Carrier: 25 Jan 1951 - 10 Jun 1952: 374th Troop Carrier: 25 Jan 1951 - 1 Jul 1957: 403d Troop Carrier: 14 Apr 1952 - 1 Jan 1953: 315th Troop Carrier: 10 Jun 1952 - 18 Jan 1955 : 483d Troop Carrier: 1 Jan 1953 - 25 Jun 1960: 463d Tactical Airlift : 23 Nov 1965 - 8 Apr 1969 : 314th Tactical Airlift: 22 Jan 1966 - 8 Apr 1969 : 374th Tactical Airlift: 8 Aug 1966 - 8 Apr 1969

* Groups: 16th Bombardment: 15 Apr - 1 Jun 1945: 501st Bombardment: 15 Apr 1945 - 15 May 1946: 331st Bombardment: 12 May 1945 - 15 Apr 1946 : 502d Bombardment: 12 May 1945 - 15 Apr 1946: 38th Bombardment Group/Wing: 31 May 1946 - 20 Aug 1948: 8th Fighter Group/Wing: 31 May 1946 - 20 Aug 1948: 347th Fighter Group/Wing: 25 Sep 1947 - 20 Aug 1948: 6315th Operations Group : 1963-1966

Operational History

During World War II, the 315th Bombardment Wing was the command and control organization for four very heavy Boeing B-29 bombardment groups in the South Pacific Theater.

The Groups and Squadrons of the 315th Bomb Wing for the most part, flew the B-29B aircraft. The limted-production B-29B was designed to was to save weight by removing all of the guns and sighting equipment used on other B-29s, except the tail gun. The weight savings allowed the B-29B to fly a little higher and a little further. The B-29B aircraft also had two new radar units installed. One was the AN/APQ-7 Eagle Radar for bombing and navigation and the other was the AN/APG-15 used for aiming the tail gun. These two radar units gave the B-29B a distinctive shape as the APQ-7 antenna appeared as a small wing under the fuselage, between the two bomb bay doors and the APG-15 added a ball shaped antenna to the tail of the aircraft below the tail guns.

It's groups flew "shakedown" missions against Japanese targets on Moen Island, Truk, and other points in the Carolines and Marianas. Bombing missions commenced against targets in the Japanese homeland on 26 Jun 1945 when the wing damaged the Utsube River oil refinery at Yokkaichi. Thereafter, oil targets in Japan served as its primary targets.

When hostilities ended, the wing's B 29s carried relief supplies to Allied prisoner of war camps in Japan and Manchuria.

In Jan 1951 at Ashiya AB, Japan, the 315th Air Division replaced and absorbed the resources of the Far East Air Forces Combat Cargo Command (Provisional).

During the Korean War, its components evacuated wounded from Korea, airdropped supplies and personnel, hauled emergency supplies, materiel, replacement troops, mail, rations and ammunition, participated in joint training exercises in Japan, took part in numerous combat missions, and operated regular transport schedules within the Far East area.

Before combat operations ceased in Korea, the division began supporting French forces engaged in a war in Indochina. From May 1953-Jul 1954, it provided C-119s to the French, trained French air crews and maintenance personnel, performed additional airlift missions in support of the French, and finally evacuated wounded French troops from Indochina during operation Wounded Warrior.

In Jul 1954, the 315th resumed normal airlift operations and participated in training exercises in Japan.

In 1962, it established airlift support for the expanding conflict in Southeast Asia. Meantime, the division continued its routine airlift in the Far East, flew humanitarian missions, and participated in training exercises when possible.

The crisis prompted by the North Korean seizure of the USS Pueblo in Jan 1968, found the 315th supporting an emergency airlift to the Republic of Korea.

The 315th AD was inactivated in April, 1969. It's operational units (314th, 374th and 463d TAW) were reassigned.

References

* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
* Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799129.
* Rogers, Brian (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.

External links

* [http://www.315bw.org 315th Bombardment Wing organization]
* [http://home.att.net/~jbaugher2/b29_5.html Boeing B-29B Superfortress]