69th Air Division (United States)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 69th Air Division


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dates= 1943 - 1945, 1947-1949
country= United States
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branch= United States Army Air Forces
United States Air Force
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role= Fighter/Bombardment/Troop Carrier
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* World War II: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign (1943-1945)
anniversaries=The 69th Air Division (69th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command, assigned to Ninth Air Force, being stationed at Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Pennsylvania. It was inactivated on 24 June 1949.

History

Lineage

* Established as 69 Bombardment Wing on 9 Aug 1943: Activated on 3 Sep 1943: Redesignated 69 Composite Wing on 21 Dec 1943: Inactivated on 26 Dec 1945
* Redesignated 69 Troop Carrier Wing on 28 Jan 1947: Activated in the Reserve on 23 Mar 1947: Redesignated 69 Air Division, Troop Carrier on 16 Apr 1948: Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949: Redesignated 69 Air Divisionon 1 Sep 1959 (Remained Inactive)

Assignments

* Fourteenth Air Force, 3 Sep 1943
* Tenth Air Force, 24 Aug-26 Dec 1945
* Eleventh Air Force, 23 Mar 1947
* First Air Force, 1 Jul 1948
* Ninth Air Force, 23 Feb-27 Jun 1949.

tations

* Kunming, China, 3 Sep 1943
* Tsuyung, China, c. 12 Jan 1944
* Kunming, China, by 30 Apr 1944-c. 26 Dec 1945
* Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Pennsylvania, 23 Mar 1947-27 Jun 1949.

Components

Groups
* 51 Fighter: 2 Oct 1943-c. 26 Dec 1945
* 341 Bombardment: 26 Dec 1943-21 Jun 1945, 1-25 Aug 1945

* 375 Troop Carrier: 17 Oct 1947-27 Jun 1949
* 419 Troop Carrier: 17 Oct 1947-27 Jun 1949
* 433 Troop Carrier: 17 Oct 1947-27 Jun 1949
* 436 Troop Carrier: 1 Jul 1948-27 Jun 1949.

Operations History

Activated in China in 1943, the wing engaged in sea sweeps and attacks against Japanese inland shipping. Between late 1943 and 1945 its units bombed and strafed such targets as trains, harbors, railroads in French Indochina, and the Canton Hong Kong area of South China. These units also provided air support to Chinese ground troops. Fighter aircraft defended Allied air bases, the eastern terminus of The Hump air bridge, and the bases in the area of Kunming and attacked bridges, oil and gas storage facilities, supply dumps, convoys, and enemy troop concentrations. After the Japanese surrender, the 69th's troop carrier aircraft ferried troops and supplies in China, helped to evacuate prisoners of war, and flew mercy missions in China, French Indochina, and Manchuria. It activated in the Reserves in 1947 and performed training duties until June 1949.

References

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

External links