5th Air Division
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| 5th Air Division | |
|---|---|
 Official emblem of the 5th Air Division |
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| Active | 19 October 1940-5 September 1941 10 July 1942-2 November 1945 10 January 1951-15 January 1958 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Garrison/HQ | see "Stations" section below |
| Equipment | see "Aircraft / Missles / Space Vehicles" section below |
| Decorations | see "Lineage and Honors" section below |
Although the 5th Air Division (5 AD) was operational only for a brief time (late 1940-early 1958), it accomplished much as a unit. The 5 AD took part in bombing campaigns of Russia, Germany, Italy, and other targets across the European theater that lead to the defeat and eventual surrender of Germany during World War II. Then, during peacetime, the 5 AD moved to Morocco and oversaw the Strategic Air Command's strength there.
Contents |
[edit] History
The 5th moved to North Africa in November, and its subordinate units began flying missions from Algeria in January 1943. Targets included airdromes, marshalling yards, bridges, and troop concentrations. For example, in February 1943, the 5th, in direct support of ground operations, bombed enemy troop concentrations in the Kasserine Pass. As 1943 progressed, subordinate units bombed Pantelleria, Sicily, and marshalling yards and airdromes on the Italian mainland. In early 1944, the 5th began bombing targets in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Greece, and Bulgaria. In June 1944, it began shuttle bombing on the Russian front. American aircraft took off from airdromes in Italy, made a bombing attack, and landed on airdromes in the Soviet Union. Then they reversed the process. In August 1944, the 5th wing supported the invasion of southern France. It continued strategic bombing missions until the Germans surrendered in May 1945. Moved without personnel and equipment to French Morocco in May 1951, the 5th Air Division absorbed the resources and responsibilities of the USAF Mission to Morocco. It then manned, trained, and equipped assigned units and prepared installations in French Morocco for the support of other SAC units, in accordance with emergency war plans and operations orders, until the end of 1957.
[edit] Background of Name
[edit] In Popular Culture
[edit] Lineage and Honors
Established as 5 Bombardment Wing on 19 October 1940. Activated on 18 December 1940. Inactivated on 5 September 1941.
Activated on 10 July 1942. Redesignated 5 Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 1 January 1945. Inactivated on 2 November 1945.
Redesignated 5 Air Division on 10 January 1951. Activated on 14 January 1951. Inactivated on 25 January 1952.
Organized on 25 January 1952. Inactivated on 15 January 1958.
[edit] Service Streamers
none
[edit] Campaign Streamers
- World War II: Naples-Foggia; Rome-Arno
[edit] Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers
none
[edit] Decorations
none
[edit] Awards
[edit] Emblem
On a shield gules, a stylized silhouetted aircraft volant, nose to the chief argent; on a chief per fess gules and argent, five stars argent in chief, and a ribbon of the firmament, sky blue, in base charged with semee of stars of the second. (Approved 3 November 1954)
[edit] Assignments
GHQ Air Force: 18 December 1940-unknown; Second Air Force: unknown-5 September 1941.
Eighth Air Force: 10 July 1942-unknown (attached First Air Force: 10 July 1942-unknown); XII Air Support Command: c.13 October 1942; Fifteenth Air Force: 1 November 1943-15 September 1945; Unknown: 16 September 1945-2 November 1945.
Strategic Air Command: 14 January 1951-25 January 1952.
Strategic Air Command: 25 January 1952; Sixteenth Air Force: 1 July 1957-15 January 1958.
[edit] Components
Wings:
- 2 Bombardment: attached 4 August 1954-20 September 1954 and 6 July 1956-26 August 1956.
- 7 Bombardment: attached 10 July 1955-13 September 1955.
- 11 Bombardment: attached 4 May 1955-2 July 1955.
- 19 Bombardment: attached 7 January 1956-11 April 1956 and 8 May 1957-7 July 1957.
- 44 Bombardment: attached 19 January 1953-22 February 1953 and 19 April 1954-17 June 1954.
- 55 Strategic Reconnaissance: attached 18 May 1955-16 August 1955.
- 70 Strategic Reconnaissance: attached 26 October 1956-17 December 1956.
- 301 Bombardment: attached c.10 Feb 1954-c.17 April 1954.
- 303 Bombardment: attached 5 October 1952-6 November 1952.
- 305 Bombardment: attached 3 November 1955-8 January 1956 and 7 January 1957-8 March 1957.
- 306 Bombardment: attached 5 January 1955-21 February 1955 and 23 October 1956-9 January 1957.
- 308 Bombardment: attached 21 August 1956-c.26 October 1956.
- 321 Bombardment: attached 9 April 1956-3 July 1956.
- 379 Bombardment: attached 6 March 1957-12 May 1957.
Groups:
- 1 Fighter: May 1943; Jan-27 March 1944.
- 2 Bombardment: 1 November 1943-15 December 1945.
- 12 Bombardment: 15 January 1941-December 1941.
- 14 Fighter: May-10 July 1943; 14 July 1943-25 July 1943; September-November 1943.
- 17 Bombardment: c.18 December 1940-c.25 May 1941.
- 39 Bombardment: 15 January 1941-5 September 1941.
- 47 Bombardment: c. October-December 1942; 22 January 1943-18 February 1943.
- 68 Reconnaissance: 31 October 1942-4 December 1943.
- 82 Fighter: 13 January 1944-27 March 1944.
- 97 Bombardment: January 1943-c.29 October 1945.
- 98 Bombardment: 1 November 1943-17 November 1943.
- 99 Bombardment: November 1943-November 1945.
- 301 Bombardment: January 1943-10 July 1945.
- 325 Fighter: 22 October 1943-26 March 1944.
- 376 Bombardment: 1 November 1943-17 November 1943.
- 463 Bombardment: 9 March 1944-25 September 1945.
- 483 Bombardment: 17 March 1944-25 September 1945.
[edit] Stations
McChord Field (later McChord Air Force Base), Washington: 18 December 1940; Fort George Wright, Washington: 9 January 1941-5 September 1941.
Bolling Field (later Bolling Air Force Base), Washington D.C.: 10 July 1942; Westover Field (later Westover Air Reserve Base/Metropolitan Airport, Massachusetts: c.31 July 1942-October 1942; Casablanca, French Morocco: November 1942; Oujda, French Morocco: December 1942; Biskra, Algeria: c.January 1943; Chateaudun, Algeria: c.March 1943; Depienne, Tunisia: August 1943; Foggia, Italy: December 1943-2 November 1945.
Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska: 14 January 1951; Rabat/Sale Airfield, French Morocco: 25 May 1951-25 January 1952.
Rabat/Sale Airfield, French Morocco: 25 January 1952; Sidi Slimane, French Morocco (later, Morocco): 29 May 1954-15 January 1958.
[edit] Commanders
Brigadier General Carlyle H. Wash: c.Dec 1940-1941.
Unknown: 10 July 1942-27 July 1942; Major Charles R. Simpson: 28 July 1942; Colonel John W. Monahan: 11 September 1942; Brigadier General Joseph H. Atkinson: 5 January 1943; Brigadier General Charles W. Lawrence: 24 January 1944; Colonel Wallace E. Whitson: c.22 May 1945-unknown.
Unknown: 14 January 1951-24 May 1951; Major General Archie J. Old Jr.: 25 May 1951-25 January 1952.
Major General Archie J. Old, Jr.: 25 January 1952; Major General David W. Hutchinson: 15 January 1953; Brigadier General Charles B. Dougher: 5 March 1954; Major General Joseph J. Nazzaro: 6 July 1955; Brigadier General K. K. Compton: 4 July 1957-15 January 1958.
[edit] Aircraft / Missles / Space Vehicles
B-17 Flying Fortress, 1941; B-18 Bolo, 1941; B-23 Dragon, 1941; PT-17 Kaydet, 1941.
A-20 Havoc, 1942-1943; Douglas DB-7, 1942; L-4 Grasshopper, 1942; O-47, 1942; O-49, 1942; O-52, 1942; O-59, 1942; P-40 Warhawk, 1942, 1943-1944; P-43 Lancer, 1942; B-17 Flying Fortress, 1943-1945; B-24 Liberator, 1943; F-4 Lightning (Photo-Reconnaissance), 1943; P-38 Lightning, 1943-1945; P-47 Thunderbolt, 1943-1944; F-6 Mustang, 1943; P-51 Mustang, 1944.
B-29 Superfortress, October 1952-November 1952; KB-29 (Aerial Refuelling Tanker), October 1952-November 1952; B-47 Stratojet, 1953-1954, 1956-1957; KC-97 Stratotanker, 1953-1954, 1956-1957; B-36 Peacemaker, 1955; EB/RB-47 (Long Range Reconnaissance), May 1955-August 1955.
