50th Air Division (United States)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 50th Air Division


caption= 50th Air Division emblem
dates= 8 January 1941–31 July 1946
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= United States Air Force
type=
role=
size=
command_structure=
garrison= see "Stations" section below
garrison_label=
equipment= see "Aircraft / Missiles / Space vehicles" section below
equipment_label=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
colors_label=
march=
mascot=
battles=
anniversaries=
decorations= see "Lineage and honors" section below
battle_honours=
current_commander=
current_commander_label=
ceremonial_chief=
ceremonial_chief_label=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
colonel_of_the_regiment_label=
notable_commanders=
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label=
identification_symbol_2=
identification_symbol_2_label=

History

Established and activated as the 50th Transport Wing on 14 January 1941, it trained subordinate units in the U.S. In October 1943, the wing moved to England, was assigned to IX Troop Carrier Command, and began training for the invasion of continental Europe. This training involved airdropping paratroops and towing gliders. In June 1944, subordinate units dropped paratroops of the 101st Airborne Division in Normandy, subsequently flying numerous missions to bring in reinforcements and needed supplies. During the airborne attack on The Netherlands (Operation Market Garden, September 1944), the 50th dropped paratroops, towed gliders, and flew resupply missions. Several of its subordinate units also participated in the invasion of southern France in August 1944. The 50th supported the 101st Airborne Division in the Battle of the Bulge by towing gliders full of supplies near Bastogne on 27 December 1944. In addition, its units participated in the air assault across the Rhine River in early 1945 and later flew numerous freight missions to carry gasoline, food, medicine, and other supplies to allied ground forces pushing across Germany. On 1 September 1959, the USAF redesignated the wing as the 50th Air Division; however, it has never activated.

Background of name

Mission

Operations

Lineage and honors

Established as 50 Transport Wing on 8 January 1941.Activated on 14 January 1941.Redesignated 50 Troop Carrier Wing on 4 July 1942.Inactivated on 31 July 1946.

Redesignated 50 Air Division on 1 September 1959.

Service streamers

This unit earned the following organizational service streamers:

World War II: European African Middle Eastern (EAME) 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

On a blue diamond edged in gold, a transport aircraft with stylized wing surmounting a pile voided of the second, issuing from sinister and extending to dexter base. (Approved 22 September 1942)

Assignments

Office, Chief of the Air Corps, 14 January 1941;Air Corps Maintenance Command (later, Air Service Command), 15 March 1941;Air Transport Command (later, I Troop Carrier Command), 30 April 1942;
Army Service Forces, c.9 October 1943–15 October 1943;
Ninth Air Force, c.15 October 1943;
IX Troop Carrier Command, 16 October 1943;I Troop Carrier Command, 29 September 1945;
Tactical Air Command, 21 March 1946;
Third Air Force, 28 March 1946–31 July 1946.

Components

Groups:
* 10 Transport (later, 10 Troop Carrier): 14 January 1941–5 October 1942.
* 60 Transport: 31 March 1942–15 June 1942.
* 61 Transport (later, 61 Troop Carrier): 31 March 1942–15 June 1942; 12 October 1942–3 November 1942.
* 62 Transport: 14 January 1941–15 June 1942.
* 63 Transport (later, 63 Troop Carrier): 14 January 1941–15 June 1942; 4 May 1943–c.4 June 1943.
* 64 Transport: 31 March 1952–15 June 1952.
* 89 Transport (later, 89 Troop Carrier): 1 May 1942–3 November 1942.
* 313 Transport (later, 313 Troop Carrier): 31 March 1942–15 June 1942; 20 May 1945–3 August 1945.
* 314 Transport (later, 314 Troop Carrier): 31 March 1942–15 June 1942; 3 November 1942–c.13 May 1943.
* 315 Transport (later, 315 Troop Carrier): 31 March 1942–15 June 1942; c.15 October 1943–18 February 1944.
* 316 Transport (later, 316 Troop Carrier): 31 March 1942–12 October 1942; 9 October 1945–15 February 1946.
* 317 Transport: 31 March 1942–15 June 1942.
* 349 Troop Carrier: 20 May 1945–28 August 1945; 9 October 1945–15 February 1946.
* 375 Troop Carrier: c.19 December 1942–c.15 June 1943.
* 403 Troop Carrier: c.19 December 1942–28 June 1943.
* 433 Troop Carrier: c.14 March 1943–20 April 1943; 1 June 1943–1 August 1943.
* 434 Troop Carrier: 9 February 1943–20 April 1943; c.15 October 1943–3 March 1944.
* 435 Troop Carrier: c.22 March 1943–20 April 1943; c.1 July 1943–13 August 1943; 4 November 1943–21 February 1944.
* 436 Troop Carrier: 3 March 1943–20 April 1943; 10 August 1943–13 August 1943; c.15 January 1944–13 March 1944.
* 437 Troop Carrier: 23 January 1944–c.26 August 1944; 10 July 1945–18 July 1945.
* 438 Troop Carrier: c.15 February 1944–15 March 1944; 10 July 1945–3 August 1945.
* 439 Troop Carrier: 21 February 1944–15 July 1945.
* 440 Troop Carrier: 11 March 1944–c.18 October 1945.
* 441 Troop Carrier: 17 March 1944–9 August 1945.
* 442 Troop Carrier: 30 March 1944–20 May 1945.

Squadrons:
* 1 Troop Carrier Pathfinder (Provisional): 19 May 1945–26 May 1945.
* 2 Troop Carrier Pathfinder (Provisional): 13 April 1945–26 May 1945.
* 29 Troop Carrier: attached 20 May 1945–12 September 1945.
* 806 Medical Air Evacuation Transport: 17 November 1943–1 February 1945.
* 810 Medical Air Evacuation Transport: 22 December 1943–22 July 1944.
* 811 Medical Air Evacuation Transport: unknown–1 March 1944.
* 813 Medical Air Evacuation Transport: 1 February 1944–29 August 1944; 11 September 1944–15 September 1945.
* 814 Medical Air Evacuation Transport: 14 February 1944–7 April 1944.
* 815 Medical Air Evacuation Transport: 1 February 1945–8 April 1945.
* 816 Medical Air Evacuation Transport: 13 October 1944–8 April 1945; 1 July 1945–3 August 1945.
* 817 Medical Air Evacuation Transport: 1 October 1944–17 May 1945; 1 July 1945–27 July 1945.
* 818 Medical Air Evacuation Transport: 22 January 1945–8 April 1945; 12 May 1945–3 August 1945.

Stations

Wright Field (later, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base), Ohio, 14 January 1941;Camp Williams, Wisconsin, 25 May 1942;Sedalia Army Air Field (later, Whiteman Air Force Base), Missouri, 9 September 1942;
Camp Mackall, North Carolina, 27 April 1943;Pope Field (later, Pope Air Force Base), North Carolina, 28 July 1943–29 September 1943;Cottesmore, England, 17 October 1943;Bottesford, England, 18 November 1943;Exeter, England, 26 April 1944;LeMans, France, 1 October 1944;Chartres, France, 3 November 1944;Pope Field, North Carolina, 29 September 1945–31 July 1946.

Aircraft / Missiles / Space vehicles

C-27 Aircruiser, 1941–1942;
Douglas C-33, 1941–1942;
Douglas C-34, 1941–1942;
C-47 Skytrain, 1941–1945;
Douglas C-50, 1941–1942;
C-53 Skytrooper, 1941–1945;
C-46 Commando, 1944–1946.

Commanders

Lieutenant Colonel Fred S. Borum, 14 January 1941;Lieutenant Colonel P. R. Love, 8 December 1941;Colonel Harold L. Clark, 29 May 1942;Lieutenant Col Julian M. Chappell, 2 November 1942;Colonel P. R. Love, 20 November 1942;Brigadier General Julian M. Chappell, 4 April 1943;Colonel Stanley C. Hoyt, 23 June 1945;Brigadier General Julian M. Chappell, 18 July 1945–31 July 1946.

References

External links

* [http://www.maxwell.af.mil/au/afhra/rso/airdivision_pages/0050ad.asp Air Force Historical Research Agency: 50th Air Division]