7th Air Division (United States)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 7th Air Division


caption= 7th Air Division emblem
dates= 31 March 1944-3 September 1948
20 March 1951-30 June 1965
1 July 1978-1 February 1992
country= United States
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branch= United States Air Force
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decorations= see "Lineage and Honors" section below
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The 7th Air Division (7 AD) served the United States Air Force with distinction from early 1944 through early 1992, earning an outstanding unit decoration and a service streamer along the way.

History

This organization provided air defense of the Hawaiian Islands April 1944-September 1948. In 1951 as part of the Strategic Air Command, the division controlled deployed bombardment and reconnaissance forces between 1951 and 1965. It participated in alerts, exercises, operational readiness inspections, evaluations, and intensive training programs to provide an advanced combat ready force. It also assumed responsibility for air base construction and improvement, which included building complexes to accommodate bombers, fighters, and special functions such as communications, weapons storage, aircraft parts, and navigational aids. From 1978, the division assured that assigned units trained to conduct strategic warfare according to the Emergency War Order. It also assured that assigned units could conduct strategic reconnaissance and air refueling and function as the nucleus of a SAC advanced echelon in event of contingency operations.

Lineage and Honors

Established as 7 Fighter Wing on 31 March 1944.Activated on 21 April 1944.Redesignated 7 Air Division on 15 December 1947.Inactivated on 1 May 1948.

Organized on 1 May 1948.Discontinued on 3 September 1948.

Activated on 20 March 1951.Inactivated on 16 June 1952.

Organized on 16 June 1952.Discontinued on 30 June 1965.

Activated on 1 July 1978.Inactivated on 1 February 1992.

= Service Streamers =

* World War II: Asiatic Pacific Theater

= Campaign Streamers =

none

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers

none

Decorations

* Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 1 July 1985-30 June 1987

Emblem blazon

On a blue shield with a narrow yellow border, a vertical white sword partially sheathed, point down, the hilt in the shape of wings, the handle diagonally striped blue and yellow, the sword interlaced with a red seven terminating in a pointed foot between two smaller red flashes, all three outlined in white; interlaced with the flashes and behind the sword a spray of yellow laurel leaves. (Approved 16 September 1954)

Assignments

Seventh Air Force, 21 April 1944 (attached VII Fighter Command, 24 April 1944-15 August 1944);
United States Army Air Forces (AAF), Pacific Ocean Area, 15 August 1944;Provisional Army Air Forces, Middle Pacific, attached 1 July 1945, assigned 22 November 1945;
Seventh Air Force (later, Pacific Air Command), 1 January 1946-1 May 1948.

Pacific Air Command, 1 May 1948-3 September 1948.

Strategic Air Command, 20 March 1951-16 June 1952.

Strategic Air Command, 16 June 1952-30 June 1965.

Strategic Air Command, 1 July 1978;
Eighth Air Force, 31 January 1982-1 February 1992.

Components

Wings:
* 17 Reconnaissance: 1 October 1982-30 June 1991.
* 81 Fighter: 1 May 1948-3 September 1948.
* 306 Strategic: 1 July 1978-1 February 1992.
* 705 Strategic Missile: 20 February 1958-1 April 1960 (not operational).
* Hickam (later, 6502) Composite: 1 May 1948-3 September 1948.

Groups:
* 11 Strategic: 15 November 1978-7 August 1990.
* 15 Fighter: attached 1 August 1944-5 February 1945; attached 30 November 1945-1 March 1946; assigned 22 April 1946-15 October 1946.
* 21 Fighter: assigned 3 July 1944-10 November 1944; attached 10 November 1944-9 February 1945.
* 30 Bombardment: 15 August 1945-1 March 1946 (not operational 15 February 1946-1 March 1946).
* 81 Fighter: 15 October 1946-1 May 1948.
* 508 Fighter: attached 6 January 1945-25 November 1945.

Squadrons:
* 6 Night Fighter: attached 27 September 1944-11 December 1944; assigned 12 May 1945-1 March 1946; assigned 22 April 1946-31 May 1946.
* 19 Surveillance: 1 December 1979-1 May 1983.
* 41 Photographic Reconnaissance: 18 April 1945-13 June 1945.
* 43 Reconnaissance, Long Range, Photographic: attached 20 September 1945-22 February 1946 (further attached to 30 Bombardment Group for same period).
* 548 Night Fighter: 16 September 1944-20 October 1944.
* 549 Night Fighter: 20 October 1944-1 November 1944.

Stations

Fort Shafter, Territory of Hawaii, 21 April 1944;Wheeler Field (later, AFB, Wheeler Army Airfield), Territory of Hawaii, 18 November 1946-1 May 1948.

Hickam AFB, Territory of Hawaii, 1 May 1948-3 September 1948.

South Ruislip, England, 20 March 1951-16 June 1952.

South Ruislip, England, 16 June 1952;U.S. Air Base High Wycombe (later, High Wycombe Air Station, RAF High Wycombe), England, 1 July 1958-30 June 1965.

Ramstein Air Base, Germany, 1 July 1978-1 February 1992.

Commanders

Brigadier General Robert W. Douglass Jr., 21 April 1944 (additional duty);Colonel Ernest Moore, 31 May 1944 (additional duty);Colonel John M. Weikert, 1 July 1944;Colonel Orrin L. Grover, 24 November 1944;Brigadier General John M. Weikert, 15 December 1944;Colonel Orrin L. Grover, 23 June 1945;Brigadier General John M. Weikert, by 5 July 1945;Colonel Richard A. Grussendorf, 22 April 1946;Colonel Earl H. Jacobsen, 10 June 1947;Colonel Thomas W. Blackburn, 26 August 1947-1 May 1948.

Brigadier General Robert F. Travis, 1 May 1948-31 August 1948 (permanent), and 1 September 1948-3 September 1948 (additional duty).

None (not manned), 20 March 1951-25 April 1951;Major General Archie J. Old Jr., 26 April 1951;Major General John P. McConnell, 23 May 1951-16 June 1952.

Major General John P. McConnell, 16 June 1952;Major General James C. Selser Jr., 14 March 1953;Brigadier General Thomas C. Musgrave Jr., 20 July 1954;Brigadier General James H. Walsh, 10 July 1955;Major General William H. Blanchard, 25 February 1957;Major General Charles B. Westover, 19 January 1960;Major General Edwin B. Broadhurst, 1 August 1961;Major General Charles M. Eisenhart, 18 September 1962;Major General Delmar E. Wilson, 28 July 1964;Colonel Ervin Wursten, 9 October 1964-1965.

Colonel Doyle F. Reynolds, 1 July 1978;Brigadier General Jerome R. Barnes Jr., 17 July 1978;Brigadier General Robert D. Beckel, 26 June 1979;Brigadier General John J. Doran Jr., 13 February 1981;Brigadier General Wayne W. Lambert, 31 January 1983;Brigadier General Loring R. Astorino, 21 June 1986;Brigadier General Kenneth L. Hagemann, 1 March 1990-1 February 1992.

Aircraft / Missiles / Space Vehicles

A-24 Banshee: 1944;
B-24 Liberator: 1944-1945;
B-25 Mitchell: 1944-1945;
B-26 Marauder: 1944-1945;
P-38 Lightning: 1944-1945;
P-39 Airacobra: 1944;
P-40 Warhawk: 1944;
P-47 Thunderbolt: 1944-1945;
P-51 Mustang: 1944-1946;
P-61 Black Widow: 1944-1946;
P-70: 1944;RA-24: 1944-1945;UC-7: 1944-1945;
A-26 Invader: 1945-1946;
B-17 Flying Fortress: 1945-1946;
B-24 Liberator: 1945-1946;
CQ-3 Expeditor: 1945;: 1945;
F-7 Cutlass: 1945-1946;
L-5 Sentinel: 1945-1946;
P-51 Mustang: 1946-1947;
PQ-14 Cadet: 1945-1946;TB-17: 1945-1946;TB-25: 1945;ERB-17: 1946;
B-26 Invader: 1948;
C-46 Commando: 1948;
C-54 Skymaster: 1948;
F-47: 1948;
L-5 Sentinel: 1948;
P-47 Thunderbolt: 1948;SB-17: 1948.

B-29 Superfortress: 1951-1952;
B/RB-45 Tornado: 1951-1952;
B-50 Superfortress: 1951-1952;
F-84 Thunderjet: 1951;
KB-29: 1951-1952;
RB-29: 1951-1952;
RB-36: 1951-1952.

B-29 Superfortress: 1952-1953;
B-50 Superfortress: 1952-1953;
F-84 Thunderjet: 1953, 1955;
KB-29: 1952-1953;
RB-36: 1952-1954.

B-36 Peacemaker: 1952-1956;
B/RB-50 Superfortress: 1952-1956;
C-47 Skytrain: 1952-1953;
B-47 Stratojet: 1953-1965;
KC-97 Stratotanker: 1953-1958, 1962-1964;
RB-47: 1954, 1956-1965;
ERB-29: 1955-1956;
RB-57: 1959;
U-2 Dragon Lady: 1962;
B-58 Hustler: 1964.

After activation on 1 July 1978, the division controlled aircraft such as the: KC-135 Stratotanker, B-52 Stratofortress, RC-135V/W Rivet Joint, SR-71 Blackbird, and U-2 Dragon Lady.

ee also

* Seventh Air Force

References

External links

* [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/airdivision_pages/0007ad.asp USAF Historic Research Agency: 7th Air Division]