1st Strategic Aerospace Division

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 1st Strategic Aerospace Division


caption= 1st Strategic Aerospace Division emblem
dates= 30 August 1943–31 October 1945
7 June 1946–1 December 1948
1 July 1954–1 April 1955
15 April 1955–20 May 1956
15 April 1957–1 September 1991
country= United States
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branch= United States Air Force
type=
role= Command and Control
size=
command_structure= Strategic Air Command
garrison= Vandenburg AFB, California
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* World War II: European Campaign (1943-1945)
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* Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC): Germany, 11 Jan 1944
* Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jan 1970-30 Jun 1971; 1 Jul 1974-30 Jun 1976; 1 Jul 1977-30 Jun 1979; 1 Jul 1982-30 Jun 1983; 1 Jul 1984-30 Jun 1986; 1 Jul 1986-30 Jun 1988.
battle_honours=The 1st Strategic Aerospace Division (1st SAD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, assigned to Fifteenth Air Force, being stationed at Vandenburg Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 1 September 1991.

History

Lineage

* Established as 1 Bombardment Division on 30 Aug 1943: Activated on 13 Sep 1943: Redesignated 1 Air Division on 19 Dec 1944: Inactivated on 31 Oct 1945
* Activated on 7 Jun 1946: Inactivated on 1 Dec 1948: Activated on 1 Jul 1954: Inactivated on 1 Apr 1955
* Redesignated 1 Air Division (Meteorological Survey) on 12 Apr 1955: Activated on 15 Apr 1955: Inactivated on 20 May 1956
* Redesignated 1 Missile Division on 18 Mar 1957: Activated on 15 Apr 1957
* Redesignated l Strategic Aerospace Division on 21 Jul 1961: Redesignated 1 Strategic Missile Center on 31 Jul 1990: Inactivated on 1 Sep 1991.

Assignments

* VIII Bomber Command (later, Eighth Air Force), 13 Sep 1943
* United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe (later: United States Air Forces in Europe): VIII Fighter Command, 16 Jul-31 Oct 1945
* Pacific Air Command, U.S. Army (later, Far East Air Forces), 7 Jun 1946-1 Dec 1948
* Strategic Air Command: Eighth Air Force, 1 Jul 1954-1 Apr 1955
* Strategic Air Command, 15 Apr 1955-20 May 1956
* Air Research and Development Command, 15 Apr 1957
* Strategic Air Command, 1 Jan 1958: Fifteenth Air Force, 1 Sep 1988-1 Sep 1991.

Stations

* Brampton Grange, England, 13 Sep 1943
* RAF Alconbury, England, 16 Sep-31 Oct 1945
* Kadena (later, Kadena Army Air Base; Kadena Air Force Base), Okinawa, 7 Jun 1946-1 Dec 1948
* Westover AFB, Massachusetts, 1 Jul 1954-1 Apr 1955
* Offutt AFB, Nebraska, 15 Apr 1955-20 May 1956
* Inglewood, CA, 15 Apr 1957
* Cooke (later, Vandenberg) AFB, California, 16 Jul 1957-1 Sep 1991.

Components

Divisions
* 301 Fighter (Provisional): 18 Aug-16 Sep 1948 (not operational entire period) Wings: (World War II)
* l Combat Bombardment (later, l Bombardment): 13 Sep 1943-12 Aug 1945
* 2 Bombardment: 31 Jul-12 Aug 1945
* 40 Combat Bombardment (later, 40 Bombardment): 13 Sep 1943-26 Sep 1945
* 41 Combat Bombardment (later, 41 Bombardment): 13 Sep 1943-1 Jun 1945
* 67 Fighter: attached 6 Oct-31 Dec 1944, assigned 1 Jan-12 Aug 1945
* 92 Combat Bombardment: 1-c. 11 Dec 1943
* 94 Combat Bombardment (later, 94 Bombardment): 12 Dec 1943-18 Jun 1945
* 101 Provisional Heavy Bombardment Combat: attached 13-16 Sep 1943
* 102 Provisional Heavy Bombardment Combat: attached 13-16 Sep 1943
* 103 Provisional Heavy Bombardment Combat: attached 13-16 Sep 1943

: (United States Air Force)
* 32 Composite: 24 Aug-1 Dec 1948
* 51 Fighter: 18 Aug-1 Dec 1948.
* 71 Tactical Reconnaissance: 18 Aug-25 Oct 1948 (not operational, and detached, 24 Aug-25 Oct 1948)
* 301 Fighter: 7 Jun 1946-1 Dec 1948 (not operational, 18 Aug-1 Dec 1948)
* 316 Bombardment: 7 Jun 1946-21 Jun 1948
* 392 Strategic Missile: 18 Oct-20 Dec 1961
* 456 Troop Carrier: attached c. 15 Apr 1955-26 Mar 1956
* 703 Strategic Missile: 25 Sep 1958-15 Jan 1959
* 704 Strategic Missile: 1 Aug 1957-1 Jul 1959 (not operational 6 Apr-1 Jul 1959)
* 706 Strategic Missile: 23 Feb 1958-16 Jan 1959
* 4320 Strategic (Missile): 1-23 Feb 1958
* Strategic Missile, Provisional: attached 1 Jan-l Feb 1958.

Groups
* 6 Bombardment: 1 Jun 1947-18 Oct 1948 (not operational)
* 71 Tactical Reconnaissance: attached 18 Aug-l Nov 1948
* 93 Bombardment: attached 24 May-25 Aug 1948
* 94 Bombardment: 12 Aug-26 Sep 1945
* 96 Bombardment: 12 Aug-26 Sep 1945
* 98 Bombardment: attached 25 Aug-l Dec 1948
* 100 Bombardment: 12 Aug-26 Sep 1945.

Squadrons
* [http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=10048 Too Numerous. See AFHRA Factsheet]

Aircraft and Missiles

* [http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=10048 Too Numerous. See AFHRA Factsheet]

Operational History

The division directed and supervised heavy bombardment (1943-1945) and fighter (1944-1945) operations during World War II in the European Theater.

Replacing the Eighth Air Force in Okinawa in June 1946, the division directed fighter reconnaissance and bomber organizations, and provided air defense for the Ryukyu Islands, Japan until December 1948.

From 1954 to 1955, the division served as a holding unit at Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts, for personnel of Eighth Air Force, who moved to the base as part of a transfer of Eighth's headquarters from Carswell Air Force Base, Texas.

Activated again under the Air Research and Development Command in April 1957, it was the first division level organization controlling intermediate range and intercontinental ballistic missiles. It became an operational component of Strategic Air Command (SAC) in January 1958 and began operational testing of missile systems, supporting missile launchings by SAC and other agencies, and training SAC missilemen. These missions continued until the final disbandment on 1 September 1991.

References

External links