- 17th Air Division (United States)
Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 17th Air Division
caption= 17th Air Division emblem
dates=3 October 1940 –1 September 1941 23 June 1942 –15 November 1943 28 February 1944 –8 October 1948 1 July 1959 –30 June 1971 24 January 1975 –1 January 1976
country=United States
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branch=United States Air Force
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garrison= see "Stations" section below
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equipment= see "Aircraft / Missiles / Space vehicles" section below
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decorations= see "Lineage and honors" section below
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identification_symbol_2_label=History
Beginning in January 1943, the wing supervised the training of heavy bombardment groups and crews. Initially, it controlled the third phase of training, in which each bombardment group split into tactical components and operated from squadron sized airfields under simulated combat conditions. Later, the 17th supervised the first and second phases of heavy bombardment group and crew training. It also exercised limited supervision over the training of the
XXI Bomber Command andXXII Bomber Command during 1944. Later as an Air Division, it gained control of the340th Bombardment Wing and the305th Bombardment Wing at Bunker Hill Air Force Base (later,Grissom Air Reserve Base ),Indiana , and the4040th Air Base Squadron atRichard Bong AFB ,Wisconsin in 1959. The two bombardment wings flew normalStrategic Air Command (SAC) alert patrols and participated in special exercises as required. However, the division lost its bombardment wings and gained missile wings in 1963 and assumed responsibility for Titan and Minuteman missiles inMissouri ,Kansas , and laterArkansas . When joined by the70th Bombardment Wing on1 July 1965 , with B-52 and KC-135 aircraft, the division reverted to an earlier designation - 17th Strategic Aerospace Division. From 1965–1971, the division's subordinate units frequently deployed bomber and tanker resources.Operation Arc Light in Southeast Asia, consisting of military operations against enemy forces inVietnam , drew most of the deployments. From1 July 1975 –1 January 1976 , it maintained an effective training program for United States Air Force tactical units inThailand .Background of name
Mission
Operations
Lineage and honors
Established as 17 Bombardment Wing on
3 October 1940 .Activated on18 December 1940 .Inactivated on1 September 1941 .Activated on
23 June 1942 .Redesignated: 17 Bombardment Training Wing on5 January 1943 ; 17 Bombardment Operational Training Wing on15 April 1943 .Inactivated on15 November 1943 .Redesignated 17 Bombardment Operational Training Wing, Very Heavy on
28 February 1944 .Activated on11 March 1944 .Inactivated on9 April 1946 .Disbanded on8 October 1948 .Reconstituted, and redesignated 17 Air Division, on
1 July 1959 .Activated on15 July 1959 .Redesignated: 17 Strategic Aerospace Division on15 February 1962 ; 17 Strategic Missile Division on1 September 1963 ; 17 Strategic Aerospace Division on1 July 1965 .Inactivated on30 June 1971 .Redesignated 17 Air Division on
24 January 1975 .Activated on1 July 1975 .Inactivated on1 January 1976 .Service streamers
This unit earned the following organizational service streamers:
World War II: American Theater
Campaign streamers
This unit earned the following organizational campaign streamers:
none
Armed forces expeditionary streamers
none
Decorations
This unit earned the following unit decorations:
none
Awards
Emblem
Per fess arched light blue and checky argent and azure, in middle base a rook, in dexter flank a king and in sinister flank a queen all or, above the rook ascending in pale between in chief two mullets of the last a missile of the second emitting a flame to base gules, all within a diminished border of the fourth. (Approved
28 April 1964 )Assignments
GHQ Air Force,
18 December 1940 ;Southeast Air District (later,Third Air Force ),16 January 1941 –1 September 1941 (attached to Bomber Command [of Third Air Force] ,23 April 1941 –1 September 1941 ).Second Air Force ,23 June 1942 ;II Bomber Command ,15 May 1943 ;Second Air Force,6 October 1943 –15 November 1943 .Second Air Force,
11 March 1944 ;Fifteenth Air Force ,31 March 1946 –9 April 1946 .Second Air Force,
15 July 1959 ;Eighth Air Force ,1 July 1963 ;Fifteenth Air Force ,31 March 1970 –30 June 1971 .Pacific Air Forces ,1 July 1975 –1 January 1976 .Components
Commands:
* XXI Bomber: attached c.15 April 1944 –20 October 1944 .
* XXII Bomber: attached14 August 1944 –13 February 1945 .Wings:
* 13 Bombardment: attached17 August 1945 –17 October 1945 .
* 20 Bombardment: attached c.15 August 1945 –January 1946.
* 22 Pursuit: attached16 January 1941 –c.16 June 1941 .
* 41 Bombardment: attached17 March 1943 –4 July 1943 .
* 47 Bombardment: attached c.15 August 1945 –January 1946.
* 70 Bombardment:1 July 1965 –31 December 1969 .
* 72 Bombardment Operational Training: attached20 August 1943 –c.6 October 1943 .
* 73 Bombardment: attached c.15 April 1944 –17 July 1944 .
* 96 Bombardment: attached16 August 1945 –17 October 1945 .
* 305 Bombardment:15 July 1959 –1 January 1961 .
* 308 Strategic Missile:31 March 1970 –30 June 1971 .
* 313 Bombardment: attached23 April 1944 –5 November 1944 .
* 314 Bombardment: attached23 April 1944 –9 December 1944 .
* 315 Bombardment: attached17 July 1944 –June 1945.
* 316 Bombardment: attached14 August 1944 –7 July 1945 .
* 340 Bombardment:15 July 1959 –1 September 1963 .
* 351 Strategic Missile:1 February 1963 –30 June 1971 .
* 381 Strategic Missile:1 July 1963 –30 June 1971 .
* 500 Air Refueling:1 January 1963 –1 July 1963 .
* 4045 Air Refueling:9 September 1960 –1 January 1963 .
* 432l Strategic:1 October 1959 –15 August 1962 .Groups:
* 2 Bombardment: attached2 November 1942 –13 March 1943 .
* 3 Bombardment:18 December 1940 –1 September 1941 .
* 6 Bombardment: attached5 May 1944 –18 November 1944 .
* 9 Bombardment: attached5 May 1944 –18 November 1944 .
* 16 Bombardment: attached5 May 1944 –June 1945.
* 19 Bombardment: attached c.15 April 1944 –7 December 1944 .
* 27 Bombardment:18 December 1940 –1 September 1941 .
* 29 Bombardment: attached c.15 April 1944 –7 December 1944 .
* 34 Bombardment: attached2 November 1942 –14 December 1942 .
* 39 Bombardment: attached c.15 April 1944 –8 January 1945 .
* 44 Bombardment: attached24 July 1945 –30 March 1946 .
* 45 Bombardment: attached15 January 1941 –17 June 1941 .
* 46 Bombardment: attached15 January 1941 –19 May 1941 .
* 48 Bombardment: attached15 January 1941 –21 May 1941 .
* 56 Pursuit: attached15 January 1941 –16 May 1941 .
* 88 Bombardment: attached c.1 November 1942 –November 1943.
* 91 Bombardment: attached c.26 June 1942 –24 August 1942 .
* 93 Bombardment: attached24 July 1945 –30 March 1946 .
* 95 Bombardment: attached2 November 1942 –18 April 1943 .
* 96 Bombardment: attached28 September 1942 –30 October 1942 .
* 98 Bombardment: attached c.6 May 1945 –10 November 1945 .
* 99 Bombardment: attached2 November 1942 –c.16 November 1942 .
* 100 Bombardment: attached2 November 1942 –c.29 November 1942 .
* 302 Bombardment: attached1 September 1942 –30 September 1942 .
* 303 Bombardment: attached1 August 1942 –c.23 August 1942 .
* 304 Bombardment: attached2 November 1942 –c. December 1942.
* 305 Bombardment: attached1 August 1942 –31 August 1942 .
* 306 Bombardment: attached1 July 1942 –1 August 1942 .
* 307 Bombardment: attached30 September 1942 –20 October 1942 .
* 330 Bombardment: c.15 April 1944 –7 January 1945 .
* 331 Bombardment: attached12 July 1944 –July 1945.
* 333 Bombardment: attached1 September 1942 –1 November 1942 ;7 July 1944 –August 1945.
* 346 Bombardment: attached18 August 1944 –September 1945.
* 351 Bombardment: attached November 1942–December 1942.
* 376 Bombardment: attached8 May 1945 –10 November 1945 .
* 379 Bombardment: attached3 November 1942 –c.18 November 1942 .
* 381 Bombardment: attached c.1 December 1942 –c.2 January 1943 .
* 382 Bombardment: attached25 August 1944 –September 1945.
* 383 Bombardment: attached12 November 1942 –c.25 October 1943 ;28 August 1944 –September 1945.
* 385 Bombardment: attached1 February 1943 –June 1943.
* 390 Bombardment: attached26 January 1943 –4 July 1943 .
* 393 Bombardment: attached16 February 1943 –c.2 March 1943 .
* 395 Bombardment: attached16 February 1943 –c.24 October 1943 .
* 396 Bombardment: attached10 April 1943 –c.4 November 1943 .
* 398 Bombardment: attached1 March 1943 –c.4 April 1943 ;29 April 1943 –November 1943.
* 401 Bombardment: attached1 April 1943 –1 October 1943 .
* 447 Bombardment: attached1 May 1943 –November 1943.
* 448 Bombardment: attached11 September 1943 –November 1943;25 July 1945 –c.30 March 1946 .
* 449 Bombardment: attached24 July 1945 –c.30 March 1946 .
* 450 Bombardment: attached c.26 July 1945 –15 October 1945 .
* 452 Bombardment: attached1 June 1943 –November 1943.
* 456 Bombardment: attached17 August 1945 –17 October 1945 .
* 457 Bombardment: attached1 July 1943 –November 1943.
* 458 Bombardment:25 July 1945 –c.20 August 1945 .
* 463 Bombardment: attached1 August 1943 –c.4 November 1943 .
* 466 Bombardment: attached25 July 1945 –c.14 August 1945 .
* 467 Bombardment: attached25 July 1945 –c.30 March 1946 .
* 483 Bombardment: attached20 September 1943 –c.5 November 1943 .
* 484 Bombardment: attached20 September 1943 –November 1943.
* 485 Bombardment: attached24 July 1945 –30 March 1946 .
* 488 Bombardment: attached1 October 1943 –c.31 October 1943 .
* 489 Bombardment: attached c.28 February 1945 –c.2 April 1945 ; c.10 July 1945 –September 1945.
* 497 Bombardment: attached c.15 April 1944 –18 July 1944 .
* 498 Bombardment: attached c.15 April 1944 –13 July 1944 .
* 499 Bombardment: attached c.15 April 1944 –22 July 1944 .
* 500 Bombardment: attached16 April 1944 –23 July 1944 .
* 501 Bombardment: attached1 June 1944 –June 1945.
* 502 Bombardment: attached5 June 1944 –July 1945.
* 504 Bombardment: attached c.15 April 1944 –5 November 1944 .
* 505 Bombardment: attached c.15 April 1944 –6 November 1944 .Squadron:
* 11 Air Refueling:2 July 1969 –31 March 1970 .Stations
Savannah Air Base (later, Army Air Base), Georgia,
18 December 1940 –1 September 1941 .Rapid City Army Air Base (later,
Ellsworth Air Force Base ),South Dakota ,23 June 1942 ;Walla Walla Army Airfield (later,Walla Walla Regional Airport ),Washington ,24 June 1943 –15 November 1943 .Smoky Hill Army Airfield (later,
Salina Municipal Airport ),Kansas ,11 March 1944 ;Colorado Springs,Colorado ,15 April 1944 ;Grand Island Army Airfield,Nebraska ,22 May 1944 ;Sioux City Army Air Base,Iowa ,9 February 1945 ;Tarrant Field,Texas ,24 December 1945 –9 April 1946 .Whiteman Air Force Base ,Missouri ,15 July 1959 –30 June 1971 .U-Tapao International Airport ,Thailand ,1 July 1975 –1 January 1976 .Aircraft / Missiles / Space vehicles
A-18 Shrike , 1940–1941;
A-20 Havoc, 1940–1941;
A-24 Banshee, 1940–1941;
Martin B-12, 1940–1941;B-18 Bolo , 1940–1941;P-36 Hawk , 1941;P-39 Airacobra , 1941;Curtiss P-40 , 1941;
PT-17 Kaydet, 1941.B-17 Flying Fortress , 1942–1943;B-24 Liberator , 1942–1943.B-29 Superfortress , 1945–1946.B-47 Stratojet , 1959–1963;KC-97 Stratotanker , 1959–1963;KC-135 Stratotanker , 1959–1962, 1965–1970;
Atlas (SM-65), 1960–1962;
Titan II (LGM-25II), 1963–1971;
Minuteman I (LGM-30A/B), 1964–1967;B-52 Stratofortress , 1965–1969;
Minuteman II (LGM-30F), 1966–1971.A-7 Corsair II , 1975;
AC-130 gunship, 1975;CH-53 Sea Stallion , 1975;
CH/HH-53 Super Jolly Green Giant, 1975;F-4 Phantom II , 1975;OV-10 Bronco , 1975;T-39 Sabreliner , 1975.Commanders
Major General Lewis H. Brereton,
18 December 1940 –28 July 1941 ;Unknown,29 July 1941 –6 August 1941 ;Colonel Asa N. Duncan,7 August 1941 –c.1 September 1941 .Brigadier General Walter R. Peck,
23 June 1942 ;Colonel Allen W. Reed,14 September 1943 ;Major Floyd S. Cofer Jr.,6 November 1943 –15 November 1943 .None (not manned),
11 March 1944 –11 April 1944 ;Brigadier General Frank A. Armstrong Jr.,12 April 1944 ;Brigadier General Robert F. Travis,7 November 1944 ;Colonel Kermit D. Stevens, by28 August 1945 ;Brigadier General Robert F. Travis, c.5 September 1945 ;Brigadier General Hugo P. Rush,7 September 1945 ;Brigadier General Robert F. Travis,5 November 1945 –1946.None (not manned),
15 July 1959 –22 July 1959 ;Brigadier General Harold E. Humfeld,23 July 1959 ;Brigadier General Robert H. Strauss,1 April 1960 ;Major General Joseph J. Preston,1 August 1963 ;Brigadier General Richard N. Ellis, c.8 September 1964 ;Major General William E. Creer,1 July 1966 ;Brigadier General James M. Keck,7 July 1967 ;Colonel Robert J. Ray,18 August 1968 ;Brigadier General Robert R. Scott,20 August 1969 ;Colonel George R. Brendle,14 June 1971 –30 June 1971 (acting).Brigadier General Walter H. Baxter III,
1 July 1975 –1 January 1976 .ee also
*
Second Air Force
*Eighth Air Force References
External links
* [http://www.au.af.mil/au/afhra/rso/airdivision_pages/0017ad.asp Air Force Historical Research Agency:17th Air Division]
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