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Contents

   



(Top)
 


1 History  



1.1  World War II  





1.2  Cold War  







2 Lineage  



2.1  Assignments  





2.2  Components  





2.3  Stations  





2.4  Aircraft  







3 References  



3.1  Notes  





3.2  Bibliography  
















49th Air Division







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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 


49th Air Division
Active1943–1945; 1946–1949; 1951–1956
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleOperational control of tactical forces
EngagementsMediterranean Theater of Operations
Insignia
49th Air Division emblem[note 2][1]

The 49th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in EuropeatRAF Sculthorpe, England. It was inactivated on 1 July 1956.

History[edit]

The unit's origins begin with its predecessor, the World War II 49th Bombardment Wing, which was part of Fifteenth Air Force. The 47th engaged in heavy bombardment B-24 Liberator operations against Germany.

World War II[edit]

451st Bombardment Group B-24H Liberator[note 3]

The 49th Air Division was established and activated at Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina in March 1943 as a medium bomber (North American B-25 Mitchell) operational training wing. It was reassigned to Greenville Army Air Base, South Carolina in April where it commanded training of B-25 bomb groups in the southeast prior to their overseas deployment.

It was decided to redesignate the wing as the 49th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) and prepare it to command Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomb groups as part of Fifteenth Air Force in late 1943. Groups assigned to the wing were the 461st and 484th Bombardment Groups, training at Hammer Field, California and Harvard Army Air Field, Nebraska. After the wing deployed to Bari, Italy in March 1944, a third group, the 451st Bombardment Group, was transferred to the wing from the 47th Bomb Wing.

As part of Fifteenth Air Force the groups of the 49th attacked such targets as oil refineries, marshalling yards, aircraft factories, bridges, and airfields in Italy, Germany, Austria, and Bulgaria. Subordinate units inflicted heavy damage on the oil refineries at Ploiești, participated in the invasion of southern France in August 1944, and supported the final advances of Allied armies in northern Italy in April 1945.

The wing was inactivated in Italy on 16 October 1945.

Cold War[edit]

Beginning in 1947, the 49th served in the Reserve for two years as a B-29 Superfortress organization, during which time it was redesignated as an Air Division.[1] It controlled the 100th Bombardment GroupatMiami International Airport and the 380th Bombardment GroupatMacDill Air Force Base in Florida.

As a result of the expansion of the United States Air Forces in Europe, the division moved to England to command and control forces there. No combat elements were assigned, but the 20th Fighter-Bomber Wing (RAF Wethersfield); the 47th Bombardment Wing (RAF Sculthorpe) and the 81st Fighter-Bomber WingatRAF Bentwaters were attached for operations.[1]

The division supervised and participated in numerous training missions such as Quick Shot, Kingpin, and Bear Claw.[1] It was inactivated on 1 July 1956 as a result of a budgetary reduction.

Lineage[edit]

Activated on 31 March 1943
Redesignated 49th Bombardment Wing (Medium) on 18 October 1943
Redesignated 49th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) on 4 December 1943
Redesignated 49th Bombardment Wing, Heavy c. August 1944
Inactivated on 16 October 1945
Redesignated 49th Air Division, Bombardment on 16 April 1948
Inactivated on 27 June 1949
Activated on 7 November 1951
Redesignated 49th Air Division, Operational on 1 April 1952
Redesignated 49th Air Division (Operational) on 15 November 1954
Inactivated on 1 July 1956[1]

Assignments[edit]

Components[edit]

Wings
Groups

Stations[edit]

Aircraft[edit]

References[edit]

Notes[edit]

Explanatory notes
  1. ^ Aircraft is Republic F-84F-50-RE Thunderstreak Serial 52-6852 assigned to the 81st Wing's 91st Fighter-Bomber Squadron
  • ^ Approved 23 December 1953.
  • ^ Aircraft is Consolidated B-24H-30-CF Liberator Serial 44-50443 displaying wing markings c. 1945. The upper tail surface and circle were red in color.
  • Citations
    1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Factsheet 49 Air Division (Operational)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 5 October 2007. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  • ^ a b "Abstract, History 49 Bombardment Wing Mar 43 – Apr 44". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  • Bibliography[edit]

    Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency


    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=49th_Air_Division&oldid=1146771248"

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