4th Air Division (United States)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 4th Air Division


caption= 4th Air Division emblem
dates= 19 October 1940–1 October 1941
7 June 1942–18 June 1945
31 December 1946–27 June 1949
1 February 1951–16 June 1952
16 June 1952–23 August 1988
country= United States
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branch= United States Air Force
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History

The 4th Air Division moved to England in 1943 and began bombing operations against German occupied Europe. Targets included shipyards, synthetic rubber plants, chemical plants, marshalling yards, and oil facilities. In 1944, some subordinate units attacked coastline defenses and marshalling yards in preparation for the Allied invasion of France. Some units supported ground troops during the Battle of the Bulge (December 1944–January 1945) and the assault across the Rhine (March 1945–April 1945). In 1962, units controlled by the 4th Air Division supported 2d Air Force's post attack command and control system, and became responsible for the Advanced Airborne Command Post. It participated in the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 and trained in electronic countermeasures and conducted combat operations in Southeast Asia in the late 1960s. In 1982 the 4th assured that assigned units were capable of conducting strategic aerospace warfare using intercontinental ballistic missiles, long-range bombardment, and air refueling resources, according to the Emergency War Order. In addition, the division assumed airborne command and control responsibilities that consisted of supporting auxiliary airborne command post aircraft.

Background of Name

In Popular Culture

Lineage and Honors

Established as 4 Bombardment Wing on 19 October 1940.Activated on 18 December 1940.Inactivated on 1 October 1941.

Activated on 7 June 1942.Redesignated 4 Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy) on 30 August 1943; 4th Combat Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 24 August 1944.Disestablished on 18 June 1945.

Reestablished, and redesignated 4 Bombardment Wing, Light on 31 December 1946.Activated in the Reserve on 20 December 1946.Redesignated 4 Air Division, Bombardment on 16 April 1948.Inactivated on 27 June 1949.

Redesignated 4 Air Division on 1 February 1951.Organized (Table of Distribution) on 10 February 1951.Discontinued on 16 June 1952.

Activated (Table of Organization) on 16 June 1952.Redesignated 4 Strategic Aerospace Division on 1 September 1964; 4 Strategic Missile Division on 30 June 1971; 4 Air Division on 1 March 1973.Inactivated on 23 August 1988.

Service Streamers

* World War II: Europe African Middle East (EAME) Theater.

Campaign Streamers

none

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers

none

Decorations

* Distinguished Unit Citation: Germany, 17 August 1943.
* Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 1 July 1972–30 June 1973.

Awards

Emblem

Per pale or/and azure a base nebuly counterchanged below four mullets fesswise, two in dexter of the second, two in sinister argent, overall in pale a sword, blade to chief of the last garnished gray, all within a diminished ordure argent. (Approved 25 June 1974)

Assignments

General Headquarters (GHQ) Air Force (apparently further assigned to Northeast Air District [later, First Air Force] c. 16 January 1941), 18 December 1940–1 October 1941.

Eighth Air Force, 7 June 1942;
3d Bombardment Division, 13 September 1943-18 June 1945.

First Air Force, 20 December 1946-27 June 1949.

Second Air Force, 16 June 1952;
Fifteenth Air Force, 31 March 1970-23 August 1988.

Components

Wings:
* 2 Bombardment: 1 April 1963–1 September 1964.
* 28 Bombardment: 15 January 1973–1 May 1982.
* 44 Strategic Missile: 30 June 1971–1 May 1982; 23 January 1987–15 July 1988.
* 55 Strategic Reconnaissance: 1 October 1976–1 April 1980.
* 90 Strategic Missile: 30 June 1971–23 August 1988.
* 91 Strategic Reconnaissance (later, 91 Strategic Missile): 10 February 1951–11 September 1951; 30 June 1971–30 November 1972.
* 92 Strategic Aerospace: 31 March 1970–30 June 1971.
* 97 Bombardment: 1 July 1959–1 July 1963.
* 301 Bombardment (later, 301 Air Refueling): 10 February 1951–15 April 1958 (detached 3 December 1951–c.4 March 1953; c.10 February 1954–c.17 April 1954); 5 January 1988–23 August 1988.
* 319 Bombardment: 1 September 1964–30 June 1971; 15 January 1973–22 January 1975; 1 May 1982–23 January 1987.
* 321 Strategic Missile: 1 November 1964–22 January 1975; 1 May 1982–23 January 1987.
* 340 Bombardment: 1 September 1963–1 September 1964 (detached c.1 August 1964–31 August 1964).
* 321 Strategic Missile: 1 November 1964–22 January 1975; 1 May 1982–23 January 1987.
* 341 Strategic Missile: 30 June 1971–15 January 1973; 23 January 1987–23 August 1988.
* 351 Strategic Missile: 30 June 1971–1 July 1973.
* 376 Bombardment: 1 June 1951–3 December 1957 (detached 1 June 1951–10 October 1951).
* 401 Provisional Combat Wing Bombardment: 6 June 1943–14 September 1943.
* 410 Bombardment: 1 September 1964–31 March 1970.
* 454 Bombardment: 1 February 1963–1 July 1963.
* 494 Bombardment: 1 July 1963–1 July 1964.
* 4130 Strategic: 1 July 1963–1 September 1963.
* 4228 Strategic: 1 July 1958–1 February 1963.
* 4238 Strategic: 1 March 1958–1 April 1963.

Groups:
* 34 Bombardment: 18 August 1941–c.1 October 1941.
* 43 Bombardment: August–5 September 1941.
* 94 Bombardment: 13 June 1943–6 January 1945.
* 95 Bombardment: July–13 September 1943.
* 96 Bombardment: c. May–c. September 1943.
* 100 Bombardment: 6 June 1943–1 January 1944.
* 319 Bombardment: 17 October 1947–27 June 1949.
* 320 Bombardment: 17 October 1947–27 June 1949.
* 385 Bombardment: c. June 1943–c. August 1945.
* 388 Bombardment: c. July 1943–c. August 1945.
* 390 Bombardment: c. July–13 September 1943.
* 447 Bombardment: c. November 1943–c. June 1945.
* 486 Bombardment: c. January–c. June 1945.
* 487 Bombardment: c. January–c. August 1945.

Squadron:
* 376 Air Refueling: 1 December 1957–15 April 1958.

Stations

Mitchel Field (later, Mitchel Air Force Base, New York, 18 December 1940;Westover Field (later, Westover Air Force Base, Westover Air Reserve Base/Metropolitan Airport), Massachusetts, 20 March 1941–1 October 1941.

Westover Field, Massachusetts, 7 June 1942;Bolling Field (later, Bolling Air Force Base), Washington, D.C., c.28 July 1942–c.28 August 1942;Camp Lynn, England, 12 September 1942;Marks Hall, England, 18 January 1943;Camp Blainey, England, June 1943;
Bury St. Edmunds, England, 13 September 1943–18 June 1945.

Mitchel Field, New York, 20 December 1946–27 June 1949.

Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, 10 February 1951–16 June 1952.

Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, 16 June 1952–1 September 1964;
Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota, 1 September 1964;
F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, 30 June 1971–23 August 1988.

Commanders

Brigadier General John B. Brooks, c.18 December 1940;Unknown, c. 1 August 1941–1 October 1941.

Brigadier General James H. Doolittle, c. June 1942;Colonel Charles T. Phillips, c.1 August 1942;"None" (not manned) 29 September 1942–18 January 1943;Lieutenant Colonel Thomas L. Dawson, c.19 January 1943;Lieutenant Colonel Charles C. Bye Jr., c.27 January 1943;Brigadier General Frederick L. Anderson, 19 April 1943;Colonel Curtis E. LeMay, 18 June 1943;Brigadier General Russell A. Wilson, 14 September 1943;Brigadier General Frederick W. Castle, c.6 March 1944;Colonel Charles B. Dougher, 25 December 1944;Colonel Robert W. Burns, 29 January 1945–unknown.

"None" (not manned) 20 December 1946–5 January 1947;"Unknown", 6 January 1947;Brigadier General Arthur L. McCullough, by December 1947–unknown.

Colonel Thomas W. Steed, 10 February 1951;Brigadier General Henry K. Mooney, 22 May 1951;Brigadier General Fay R. Upthegrove, 22 October 1952;Major General Frederick E. Glantzberg, 6 January 1953;Brigadier General Maurice A. Preston, 14 January 1954;Brigadier General Austin J. Russell, 25 May 1956;Colonel Robert C. Whipple, c.1 November 1957;Colonel Julyian M. Bleyer, 8 April 1958;Colonel Lewis E. Lyle, 1 July 1958;Brigadier General John A. Roberts, 6 January 1959;Colonel William F. Wilcox, 26 June 1963;Major General William B. Campbell, c.1 September 1964;Brigadier General William B. Martensen, 1 July 1965;Colonel Roy C. Crompton, 14 September 1966;Brigadier General Roger L. Hicks Jr., 12 July 1967;Colonel Gerald C. Fall Jr., 22 February 1969;Brigadier General Clifford W. Hargrove, 11 May 1969;Brigadier General Robert H. Gaughan, 26 March 1970;Brigadier General Robert R. Scott, 1 July 1971;Brigadier General Gerald C. Fall Jr., 8 June 1972;Brigadier General Melvin G. Bowling, 1 August 1974;Brigadier General Harold E. Gross, 8 August 1975;Brigadier General John R. Lasater, 23 May 1978;Colonel George H. Miller, 16 June 1979;Brigadier General David L. Patton, 16 July 1979;Major General Ellie G. Shuler, 8 September 1981;Brigadier General Robert L. Kirtley, 4 July 1984;Brigadier General Denis L. Walsh, 13 June 1985;Brigadier General Arlen D. Jameson, 11 June 1987–23 August 1988.

Aircraft / Missiles / Space Vehicles

A-29 Hudson, 1941;
B-17 Flying Fortress, 1941;
B-18 Bolo, 1941;LB-30, 1941.

B-17 Flying Fortress, 1943-1945.

B/RB-45 Tornado, 1951;
RB-50 Superfortress, 1951;
B-29 Superfortress, 1951-1952;
KB-29 Superfortress, 1951-1952.

B-29 Superfortress, 1952-1954;KB-29 Superfortress, 1952-1953;
B-47 Stratojet, 1953-1958;
KC-97 Stratotanker, 1953-1958;B/E/EB-47 Stratojet, 1954-1957;
RB-47 Stratojet, 1958;
B-52 Stratofortress, 1959-1988;
KC-135 Stratotanker, 1959-1988;
LGM-30A Minuteman I, 1963-1974;
LGM-30F Minuteman II, 1965-1988;
LGM 30G Minuteman III, 1971-1972, 1973-1988;
C-135 Stratolifter, 1977-1980;
E-4 Nightwatch, 1977-1980;
EC-135 Looking Glass, 1977-1982;
RC-135 Rivet Joint, 1977-1980;
LGM-118A Peacekeeper, 1986-1988.

ee also

* First Air Force
* Second Air Force

References

External links

* [http://www.maxwell.af.mil/au/afhra/rso/airdivision_pages/0004ad.asp Air Force Historical Research Agency: 4th Air Division]