The 314th Air Division (314th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It's last assignment was with Pacific Air Forces, based at Osan AB, South Korea. It was inactivated in September, 1986.

History

The unit's origins begin with its predecessor, the World War II 314th Bombardment Wing (314th BW) was part of Twentieth Air Force. The 314th BW engaged in very heavy bombardment B-29 Superfortress operations against Japan.

Lineage

• Established as 314th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy on 15 Apr 1944.

Activated on 23 Apr 1944.

Redesignated 314th Composite Wing on 15 Apr 1946.

Inactivated on 20 Aug 1948.

• Redesignated 314th Air Division on 21 Nov 1950.

Activated on 1 Dec 1950.

Inactivated on 1 Mar 1952.

• Activated on 15 Mar 1955.

Consolidated (1 Jul 1978) with organization established as 314th Air Division on 13 Aug 1948.

Organized on 18 Aug 1948, and discontinued on 1 Mar 1950.

Inactivated on 8 Sep 1986

Assignments

• Second Air Force, 23 Apr - 8 Jun 1944
• XXI Bomber Command, 8 Jun 1944 - 16 Jul 1945
• Twentieth Air Force, 16 Jul 1945 - 15 May 1946
• Fifth Air Force

15 - 30 May 1946

31 May 1946 - 20 Aug 1948

1 Dec 1950 - 18 May 1951

15 Mar 1955-8 Sep 1986

• Far East Air Forces, 18 May 1951 - 1 Mar 1952

Bases Assigned

• Peterson Field, Colorado, 23 Apr - 9 Dec 1944
• North Field, Guam, 16 Jan 1945 - 15 May 1946
• Johnson AFB, (later, AB), Japan, 15 May 1946 - 1 Mar 1950
• Nagoya AB, Japan, 1 Dec 1950 - 1 Mar 1952
• Osan Ni (later, Osan) AB, South Korea, 15 Mar 1955 - 7 Nov 1978
• Yong San, South Korea, 7 Nov 1978 - 1 Apr 1979
• Osan AB, South Korea, 1 Apr 1979 - 8 Sep 1986.

Units Assigned

Wings

• 3d Bombardment Group/Wing (later, 3d Tactical Fighter):

31 May 1946-18 Aug 1948 (Group)

18 Aug 1948-1 Mar 1950

15 Mar 1971-16 Sep 1974

• 8th Tactical Fighter: 16 Sep 1974-8 Sep 1986
• 18th Fighter-Bomber: 1 Mar 1955-31 Jan 1957
• 35th Fighter Group/Wing (later, 35th Fighter-Interceptor):

31 May 1946-18 Aug 1948 (Group)

18 Aug 1948-1 Mar 1950

25 May 1951-1 Mar 1952

• 49th Fighter (later, 49 Fighter-Bomber): 18 Aug 1948-1 Mar 1950.
• 51st Air Base (later, 51st Composite; 51st Tactical Fighter):

1 Nov 1971-8 Sep 1986

• 58th Fighter-Bomber:

Attached 15 Mar 1955-31 Dec 1956

Assigned 1 Jan 1957-1 Jul 1958

58th Tactical Missile Group: 24 Apr 1959-25 Mar 1962

• 116th Fighter-Bomber:

Activated Georgia Air National Guard 24 Jul 1951-1 Mar 1952.

• 452d Bombardment: 1 Dec 1950-25 May 1951

Groups

• 19th Bombardment: 9 Dec 1944 - 15 May 1946
• 29th Bombardment: 9 Nov 1944 - 15 May 1946

Not Operational: 12 Feb-15 May 1946

• 39th Bombardment: 18 Feb - 27 Dec 1945
• 71st Reconnaissance:

15 Apr 1947-18 Aug 1948

Not Operational: 15 Apr-31 Oct 1947

Detached 31 Oct 1947-18 Aug 1948

• 330th Bombardment: 9 Nov 1944 - 21 Nov 1945

Squadrons

• 6th Night Fighter: 10 Jun 1946-20 Feb 1947
• 8th Photographic Reconnaissance (later, 8 Tactical Reconnaissance):

31 May 1946-28 Feb 1947

Attached 28 Feb-c. 31 Oct 1947

Attached 18 Apr 1949-1 Mar 1950

• 9th Reconnaissance: 20 Jun 1946-20 Oct 1947
• 19th Tactical Air Support: 15 Jan 1972-30 Sep 1974
• 20th Reconnaissance: 31 May-20 Jun 1946.
• 41st Fighter-Interceptor: attached 1 Dec 1950-25 May 1951.
• 65th Bombardment: 1-29 Jan 1947
• 82d Tactical Reconnaissance (later, 82 Reconnaissance):

31 May 1946-28 Feb 1947

Attached 28 Feb-Nov 1947

Operational History

Th 314th Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy) was constituted on 15 April 1944 and activated on 23 April at Peterson Field, Colorado under Second Air Force After a period of organization, it was deployed to the Pacific Theater and assigned to Guam in December 1944/January 1945. It was assigned to Twentieth Air Force, XXI Bombardment Command, with it's operational groups being the 19th, 29th 39th and 330th Bombardment Groups, all equipped with the B-29 Superfortress bomber.

From then until the end of the war in Aug 1945, its subordinate units conducted daylight raids against strategic objectives, bombing aircraft factories, chemical plants, oil refineries, and other targets in Japan. These units also participated in several incendiary raids on Tokyo and other Japanese cities. Later in 1945, they mixed their missions between precision attacks against specific targets and fire raids against urban areas. Immediately after the end of the war, wing aircraft carried supplies to American prisoners of war.

With the postwar consolidation of units, the organization was redesignated 314th Composite Wing in 1946, having both groups and squadrons of varying missions assigned to the wing. For approximately two years (1946-1948) the 314th served as one of Fifth Air Force's major components. It maintained intensive training schedules, participated in training exercises and took part in the post-hostilities program of mapping Japan.

Activated at Nagoya AB, Japan, on 1 Dec 1950 as the 314th Air Division, the organization immediately assumed the missions of the air defense of Japan, logistical support for Fifth Air Force during the Korean conflict, and airfield construction in Japan. The division maintained assigned and attached forces at a high degree of combat readiness during the Cold War, Mar 1955-Sep 1986. In fulfilling its mission, the division supported numerous military exercises in the region, such as Commando Bearcat, Commando Jade, and Commando Night.

References

• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799129.
• Rogers, Brian (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.

External Links