47th Air Division (United States)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 47th Air Division


caption= 47th Air Division emblem
dates= 19 October 1940–31 August 1941
30 May 1942–15 October 1945
1 February 1951–27 February 1987
country= United States
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branch= United States Air Force
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* World War II: European Campaign (1942-1945)
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The 47th Air Division (47th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It's last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, based at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington. It was inactivated on 27 February 1987.

History

The unit's origins begin with its predecessor, the World War II 47th Bombardment Wing (47th BW) was part of Fifteenth Air Force. The 47th BW engaged in heavy bombardment B-24 Liberator operations against Germany.

Lineage

* Established as 7th Pursuit Wing on 19 October 1940.: Activated on 18 December 1940.: Inactivated on 31 August 1941.
* Redesignated: 7th Fighter Wing on 30 May 1942.: Activated on 7 June 1942.: Redesignated: 47th Bombardment Wing (Medium) on 23 February 1943: Redesignated: 47th Bombardment Wing, Medium on 20 August 1943: Redesignated: 47th Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 9 April 1945: Redesignated: 47th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy on 23 May 1945.: Inactivated on 15 October 1945.
* Redesignated 47th Air Division on 1 February 1951.: Organized on 10 February 1951.: Discontinued on 16 June 1952.: Activated on 16 June 1952.: Redesignated: 47th Strategic Aerospace Division on 1 May 1962: Redesignated: 47th Air Division on 1 July 1963.: Inactivated on 27 February 1987.

Assignments

* GHQ Air Force: Apparently further assigned to Northeast Air District: Later, First Air Force, 16 January 1941:: 1st Interceptor Command:: 5 June 1941–31 August 1941:: 18 December 1940–31 August 1941
* Eighth Air Force, 7 June 1942: Attached to First Air Force, 7 June 1942
* Twelfth Air Force: XII Ground Air Support Command: Later, XII Air Support Command, 27 September 1942:: Remained attached to First Air Force to c.17 October 1942:: Attached to Task Force A, c.17 October 1942–c.8 November 1942:: Attached to Moroccan Composite Wing [Provisional] , 31 December 1942–6 January 1943: XII Bomber Command, 7 January 1943: Northwest African Strategic Air Force, 18 February 1943: XII Bomber Command, 1 September 1943
* Fifteenth Air Force, 1 November 1943–15 May 1945
* Army Service Forces, 16 May 1945–25 May 1945
* Continental Air Forces: Second Air Force, 26 May 1945–15 October 1945
* Strategic Air Command: Eighth Air Force, 10 February 1951–16 June 1952: Fifteenth Air Force, 1 April 1955: Second Air Force, 31 March 1970: Fifteenth Air Force, 1 July 1971–27 February 1987

Components

Wings

* 5 Bombardment: : 30 Jun 1971-30 Nov 1972: 15 Jan 1973-22 Jan 1975
* 6 Bombardment (later, 6 Strategic Aerospace; 6 Strategic): 10 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952: 16 Jun 1952-1 Jul 1963 (detached 31 Oct 1955-26 Jan 1956): 1 Oct 1976-1 Oct 1985
* 22 Bombardment: 1 Jan 1962-31 Mar 1970: 30 Jun 1971-1 Aug 1972: 1 Oct 1985-23 Jan 1987
* 28 Bombardment: 30 Jun 1971-15 Jan 1973
* 91 Strategic Missile: 15 Jan 1973-22 Jan 1975
* 92 Strategic Aerospace : (later, 92 Bombardment): 30 Jun 1971-23 Jan 1987
* 93 Bombardment: 1 Jul 1959-30 Jun 1971
* 319 Bombardment: 30 Jun 1971-15 Jan 1973
* 320 Bombardment: 2 Jul 1966-31 Mar 1970: 30 Jun 1971-1 Oct 1972: 1 Oct 1982-23 Jan 1987
* 341 Strategic Missile: 15 Jan 1973-23 Jan 1987
* 456 Strategic Aerospace : (later, 456 Bombardment): 30 Jun 1971-1 Oct 1972
* 509 Bombardment: 10 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952 : (detached 1 Mar-c. 6 May 1951 4-16 Jun 1952): 16 Jun 1952-1 Jul 1958 : (detached 16 Jun-2 Sep 1952, 10 Jul-9 Oct 1954, and 26 Jan-30 Apr 1956).
* 4128 Strategic: 5 Jan-1 Jul 1959.

Groups

* 8 Pursuit: 16 Jan-31 Aug 1941
* 14 Fighter: 18 Feb-14 Mar 1943
* 17 Bombardment: attached C. 31 Dec 1942-17 Feb 1943: assigned 18 Feb-7 Jun 1943.
* 33 Pursuit (later, 33 Fighter): 16 Jan-31 Aug 1941; 27 Sep-6 Dec 1942: 3-14 Mar 1943.
* 57 Pursuit: 16 Jan-31 Aug 1941
* 68 Tactical Reconnaissance: attached 4-31 Dec 1943: assigned 1 Jan-c. Jun 1944 (not operational: 27 May-Jun 1944).
* 81 Fighter: 27 Sep 1942-5 Jan 1943: Detached c. Nov 1942-5 Jan 1943
* 82 Fighter: c. Nov-c. 31 Dec 1942: attached 1-17 Feb 1943: assigned 18 Feb 1943-13 Jan 1944
* 98 Bombardment: 24 Sep-1 Nov 1943: 17 Nov 1943-19 Apr 1945
* 310 Bombardment: 18 Feb-3 Nov 1943
* 319 Bombardment: attached c. Feb 1943-unkn: assigned c. 1-7 Jun 1943
* 320 Bombardment: 18 Feb-7 Jun 1943
* 321 Bombardment: 27 Mar-3 Nov 1943
* 325 Fighter: 27 Mar-7 Jun 1943
* 376 Bombardment: 24 Sep-1 Nov 1943: 17 Nov 1943-19 Apr 1945
* 449 Bombardment: 11 Dec 1943-15 May 1945
* 450 Bombardment: 11 Dec 1943-15 May 1945
* 451 Bombardment: 11 Dec 1943-7 Apr 1944: Transfered to 49th Bombardment Wing

quadrons

* 11 Air Refueling: 31 Mar 1970-30 Jun 1971
* 15 Bombardment: attached c. Jan-10 Feb 1943
* 81 Bombardment: attached 2 Feb-25 Mar 1943
* 82 Bombardment: attached 2 Feb-25 Mar 1943
* 91 Air Refueling: 1 Jul 1971-1 Apr 1972
* 95 Fighter: attached 31 Dec 1942-5 Jan 1943
* 307 Air Refueling: attached 1 Aug 1951-2 Feb 1953: Further attached to 6 Bombardment Wing, 1 Aug 1951-15 Jun 1952
* 916 Air Refueling: 31 Mar 1970-1 Apr 1972.

Stations

* Mitchel Field, New York, 18 Dec 1940-31 Aug 1941
* Harrisburg Municipal Airport, Pennsylvania, 7 Jun 1942
* Langley Field, Virginia, 17-24 Oct 1942
* Casablanca, French Morocco, 11 Nov 1942
* Chateaudun, Algeria, 11 Jan 1943
* El Guerrah, Algeria, 1 Mar 1943
* Souk el Arba, Tunisia, 8 Jun 1943
* Hammamet, Tunisia, 7 Aug 1943
* Manduria, Italy, : 1 Oct 1943 (advance echelon) : 11 Nov 1943-15 May 1945 (main body)
* Sioux Falls AAF, South Dakota, 29 May 1945
* Sioux City AAB, Iowa, 10 Jul-15 Oct 1945
* Walker AFB, New Mexico, 10 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952
* Castle AFB, California, 11 Jul 1959
* Fairchild AFB, Washington, 30 Jun 1971-27 Feb 1987.

Aircraft and missiles

P-39 Airacobra, 1941;
P-40 Warhawk, 1941.

B-26 Marauder, 1942–1943;
P-38 Lightning, 1942–1944;P-40 Warhawk, 1942–1944;
A-20 Havoc, 1943–1944;
A-36 Apache, 1943–1944;
B-17 Flying Fortress, 1943–1944;
B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945;
B-25 Mitchell, 1943;P-39 Airacobra, 1943–1944;
P-51 Mustang, 1943–1944.

B-29 Superfortress, 1951–1952;
B-50 Superfortress, 1951–1952;
KB-29 Superfortress, 1951–1952.

B-29 Superfortress, 1952;Convair B-36|B-36 Peacemaker] , 1952–1957;B-50 Superfortress, 1952–1955;KB-29 Superfortress, 1952–1954;
KC-97 Stratotanker, 1954–1958, 1962;
B-47 Stratojet, 1955–1958, 1962–1963;
B-52 Stratofortress, 1957–1987;
KC-135 Stratotanker, 1958–1987;
Atlas (CGM-16), 1962–1963;
EC-135, 1963–1973;
Minuteman-II (LGM-30F), 1973–1987;
Minuteman-III (LGM-30G), 1973–1987;
RC-135, 1976–1987;
KC-10 Extender, 1985–1987.

Operational History

World War II

The organization traces its origins to the 7th Pursuit Wing which was activated on 19 October 1940 as part of the United States Army Air Corps. It was assigned to the Northeast Air District and its mission was air defense of the Northeastern United States, based at Mitchel Field on Long Island, New York. After a short period of inactivation, the unit was reactivated by the United States Army Air Forces in May 1942 as the 7th Fighter Wing as part of First Air Force, based at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania as a command and control organization, preparing fighter groups to be deployed to the European Theater.

The Wing deployed to England in June 1942 while remaining attached to First Air Force, but instead of being assigned to VIII Fighter Command, it was, instead, assigned to the new Twelfth Air Force and was programmed as a combat fighter wing as part of "Task Force A", during Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa in November 1942.

Shortly after the Allied landings, the Wing established its headquarters in Casablanca, French Morocco on 11 November 1942, and commenced combat operations, being attached to the Moroccan Composite Wing (Provisional). The 7th Fighter wing moved its headquarters and units to Algeria in January 1943 as the Allies moved eastward across North Africa, its units flying P-40 Warhawks, and long-range P-38 Lightnings, attacking German and Italian targets in advance of the ground forces. In the 1942 to early 1943 period, many of its assigned components did not actually operate under wing control, while other components were temporarily attached.

In January 1943, the wing was reassigned to XII Bomber Command and was redesignated as the 47th Bombardment Wing (Medium). (The reason for the designation change was that Seventh Air Force in Hawaii was reorganizing the air defense forces for the islands, and wanted to designate the wing there as the "seventh".) The wing was assigned B-26 Marauder and A-20 Havoc medium bomber groups, employing them in tactical roles across Algeria and Tunisia. Throughout 1943, the wing began to have heavy (B-24 Liberator) units attached, eventually becoming a heavy bomber organization. Its components supported the bombing of Pantelleria Island and the invasions of Sicily, Italy, moving to Manduria Italy in October 1943.

The wing was transferred to the new Fifteenth Air Force on 1 November 1943 along with four B-24 Bomb Groups (98th, 376th, 449th and 450th). The 47th Bomb Wing was named "The Pyramidiers", as the groups aircraft all carried a Pyramid symbol on their vertical stabilizers.

its groups flying missions to the Balkans, Austria, France, and Germany, with the Rumanian oil fields as primary targets from April through August 1944. The wings groups flew missions over Southern France in August 1944 in support of Operation Dragoon, the Invasion of Southern France. The final combat mission on 25 April 1945 struck marshalling yards at Linz, Austria.

With the war in Europe ended, the 47th Bomb Wing returned to the United States in May 1945 to prepare for bombardment operations in the Pacific as a very heavy bombardment wing. It was assigned to Continental Air Forces, Second Air Force and was redesignated as a "Very Heavy" wing. The 47th Bomb Wing was and assigned first to Sioux Falls AAF, South Dakota, then to Sioux City Army Air Base in Iowa to organize the B-29 Superfortress groups it would command under Eighth Air Force in the Pacific Theater.

The Atomic bombings and the end of World War II in August, 1945. All personnel was transferred out of the wing on 17 September and the wing was inactivated on 15 October 1945.

Strategic Air Command

Redesignated as an Air Division, the 47th served as an intermediate echelon between Strategic Air Command's Eighth Air Force and operational units in the field. From April 1955 to March 1970, it filled the same role for the Fifteenth Air Force and from March 1970 to July 1971, for the Second Air Force. In July 1971 the 47th returned to Fifteenth Air Force control where it continued to supervise subordinate unit training and other activities. The May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in the state of Washington seriously affected division operations; aircraft were dispersed to various bases while around the clock shifts removed the volcanic ash.

References

* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.

External links

* [http://www.maxwell.af.mil/au/afhra/rso/airdivision_pages/0047ad.asp Air Force Historical Research Agency: 47th Air Division]