2nd Air Division
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The 2nd Air Division (2nd AD) is an inactive
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
organization. Its last assignment was with Military Airlift Command, assigned to Twenty-Third Air Force, being stationed at Hurlburt Field, Florida. It started operations on 7 November 1942 as 2nd Bomb Wing and was reorganized as the 2nd Bomb Division on 13 September 1943 before its final designation as the 2nd Air Division in January 1945. It was last inactivated on 1 February 1987.


History


World War Two

The 2nd Air Division came into being following the reorganisation of the VIII Bomber Command as the Eighth Air Force. It conducted strategic bombardment of Axis targets in Europe, alongside missions to airdrop supplies. Between 29 August 1944 and 2 October 1944 division aircraft dropped food to the French population in liberated areas. It also airdropped food, equipment, and supplies to Allied forces engaged in the airborne attack on the Netherlands (September 1944), as well as troops engaged in the assault across the Rhine River (March 1945). The division continued operations until the end of the war, flying the last combat sortie on 25 April 1945. The group completed 493 operational missions in Europe during World War Two consisting of 95,948 individual aircraft sorties. The 2nd Air Division operated the Consolidated B-24 Liberator aircraft from airfields in
Norfolk Norfolk ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in England, located in East Anglia and officially part of the East of England region. It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and eas ...
, England. Within the 2nd Air Division, six groups received presidential citations for outstanding actions. Five airmen received the highest US award for bravery, the
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...
, and four of them
posthumously Posthumous may refer to: * Posthumous award, an award, prize or medal granted after the recipient's death * Posthumous publication, publishing of creative work after the author's death * Posthumous (album), ''Posthumous'' (album), by Warne Marsh, 1 ...
. A total of 1,458 B-24 aircraft were lost in action and 6,700 men lost their lives.


Cold War

From January 1949 to May 1951, West Germany it participated in numerous training exercises. Activated in April 1953, it remained unmanned and existed in name until moving in March 1954 to Dhahran Airfield, Saudi Arabia where it remained until the Saudi government terminated US rights to the field in 1962.


Vietnam War

The 2nd Air Division was organized in Saigon at Tan Son Nhut Air Base in October 1962 under the authority of the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam to control local USAF operations. From December 1962, it controlled all activities and units in Southeast Asia, initially, USAF tactical forces FARM GATE C/H- 47, B/RB-26, T-28, and U-10 counterinsurgency forces, and MULE TRAIN C-123 assault airlift forces. Forces assigned and attached to the 2nd Air Division trained Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF) and Royal Thai Air Force personnel, flew reconnaissance, airlift, and defoliation missions, and operated a tactical control system. Until the build-up of American forces in 1965, the 2nd Air Division provided air support to the forces of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. Escalation of fighting in South Vietnam in early 1965 brought new offensive assignments. On 8 February 1965 USAF and VNAF aircraft assaulted targets north of the demilitarized zone in the first of a series of continuing strikes. On 19 February 1965, USAF F-100 Super Sabres and B-57 Canberras attacked the Viet Cong inside South Vietnam, the first use of jets for such offensive actions. In July 1965, a major reorganization of the division saw tactical fighter wings established at
Bien Hoa Air Base Bien Hoa Air Base (Vietnamese language, Vietnamese: ''Sân bay Biên Hòa'') is a Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) military airfield located in South-Central southern Vietnam about from Ho Chi Minh City, across the Dong Nai river in the norther ...
and Danang Air Base, and five separate combat support groups at other South Vietnamese bases. The rapid expansion of the division's personnel and facilities continued well into 1966, with a matching expansion in both the volume and variety of air operations. Originally, the unit consisted of propeller-driven aircraft, but the build-up in US forces saw the arrival of jet aircraft and, by the end of 1965, the US had deployed nearly 500 US combat aircraft in South Vietnam.Marc Leepson, ed. ''Webster's New World Dictionary of the Vietnam War.'' New York: Simon and Schuster, 1999, p. 464. On 1 April 1966, the division's resources were absorbed by the newly activated Seventh Air Force; and by this time it consisted of nearly 1,000 aircraft and approximately 30,000 personnel.


Special Operations

2nd Air Division aircrews received an important role in the vice president's South Florida Drug Task Force. Aircrews from the 20th SOS helped curb the flow of illegal drugs into the United States through the Bahamas in Operation BAT (Bahamas and Turks) by transporting Bahamian authorities and American drug enforcement agents to sites of drug action. In almost two and a half years, the squadron flew more than 1,100 sorties which supported the capture or destruction of more than $1.5 billion in drugs, vessels, aircraft, equipment and weapons. During the operation, one 20th SOS UH-1N helicopter crashed at sea resulting in the death of three squadron members. In late October 1983, the 2nd AD provided three AC-130H Spectre gunships and five MC-130E Combat Talons to support Operation Urgent Fury on the island of Grenada, off the coast of Venezuela. The U.S. government considered Americans, primarily medical students studying in Grenada, in imminent danger from anti-American elements. The U.S. organized a joint task force of Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine elements to expedite their rescue with the 1st SOW aircraft leading the air assault. From March 1983 to February 1987, 2nd Air Division forces, with worldwide responsibilities and assignments, engaged in deployment, exercise and training programs. Subordinate units flew drug interdiction missions under Operation BAT.


Lineage

* Established as 2nd Bombardment Division on 30 August 1943 : Activated on 13 September 1943 : Redesignated 2nd Air Division on 19 December 1944 : Disestablished on 28 August 1945. * Reestablished on 14 January 1949 : Organized on 1 June 1949 : Discontinued on 7 May 1951. * Activated on 20 April 1953 : Discontinued, and inactivated, on 1 April 1962. * Activated on 10 September 1962 : Organized on 8 October 1962 : Discontinued, and inactivated, on 1 April 1966. * Activated on 1 March 1983 : Inactivated on 1 February 1987


Assignments

* VIII Bomber Command (later, Eighth Air Force), 13 September 1943 : Attached to 96th Combat Bombardment Wing, 1 June 1945 – c.24 June 1945 * Army Service Forces, 25 June 1945 – 2 July 1945 * Continental Air Service : Second Air Force, c.3 July 1945 – 28 August 1945. * United States Air Forces in Europe, 1 June 1949 : Twelfth Air Force, 21 January 1951 – 7 May 1951. : Twelfth Air Force, 20 April 1953 : Seventeenth Air Force, 1 March 1954 * United States Air Forces in Europe, 15 April 1955 – 1 April 1962. * Pacific Air Forces, 10 September 1962 :
Thirteenth Air Force The Thirteenth Expeditionary Air Force (13 EAF) is a provisional numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Hickam Air Force Base, Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam on the island of Oahu, ...
, 8 October 1962 * Pacific Air Forces, 8 July 1965 – 1 April 1966. * Military Airlift Command : Twenty-Third Air Force, 1 March 1983 – 1 February 1987.


Components

Wings: *
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
: 2nd Combat Bombardment: 13 September 1943 – 1 June 1945 :: Detached 16 September 1943 – 4 October 1943 : 14th Combat Bombardment: 13 September 1943 – 1 June 1945. : 20th Combat Bombardment: 23 September 1943 – 1 June 1945. : 65th Fighter: 15 September 1944 – 1 June 1945. : 93rd Combat Bombardment: 1 November 1943 – c.10 January 1944 :: Not operational entire period : 95th Combat Bombardment: 12 December 1943 – 1 June 1945 :: Not operational, 12 December 1943 – 31 March 1944 and 15 August 1944 – 1 June 1945 : 96th Combat Bombardment: 11 January 1944 – 1 June 1945. : 201st Provisional Combat :: Attached 13 September 1943 – 14 September 1943 (not operational). : 202nd Provisional Combat :: Attached 13 September 1943 – 14 September 1943 (not operational). *
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
: 2nd Tactical Fighter: 8 November 1966 – 1 April 1966. : 3rd Tactical Fighter: 8 November 1965 – 1 April 1966. : 8th Tactical Fighter: attached 8 December 1965 – 31 March 1966. : 14th Air Commando: 8 March 1966 – 1 April 1966. : 315th Air Commando: attached 8 March 1966 – 31 March 1966. : 55th Tactical Fighter: attached 8 November 1965 – 31 March 1966. : 366th Tactical Fighter: 20 March 1966 – 31 March 1966. : 460th Tactical Reconnaissance: 18 February 1966 – 1 April 1966. : 6234th Tactical Fighter: attached 8 July 1965 – 1 April 1966. : 6251st Tactical Fighter: 8 July 1965 – 18 February 1966. : 6252nd Tactical Fighter: 8 July 1965 – 1 April 1966. : 6234th Tactical Fighter Provisional: attached 5 April 1965 – 8 July 1965. : 6235th Tactical Fighter Provisional: attached 8 April 1965 – 8 July 1965 (not operational). * Other Periods : 1st Special Operations: 1 March 1983 – 1 February 1987 : 36th Fighter (later, 36th Fighter Bomber) :: Attached 6 September 1949 – 17 September 1949 and 28 September 1949 – 1 October 1949 :: Assigned 10 October 1949 – 7 May 1951. : 86th Fighter (later, 86th Fighter Bomber) :: Attached 6 September 1949 – 17 September 1949 and 28 September 1949 – 1 October 1949 :: Assigned 10 October 1949 – 7 May 1951. Groups: *
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
: 355th Fighter: 15 September 1944 – c. January 1945. : 492nd Bombardment: attached c.21 September 1944 – 2 October 1944. : 496th Fighter Training: attached c.1 December 1944 – 12 April 1945. *
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
: 33rd Tactical: 8 July 1963 – 8 July 1965 : (USAF Advisory Unit at Tan Son Nhut Air Base,
South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered Diplomatic recognition, international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the ...
) : 34th Tactical: 8 July 1963 – 8 July 1965 : (USAF Advisory Unit at
Bien Hoa Air Base Bien Hoa Air Base (Vietnamese language, Vietnamese: ''Sân bay Biên Hòa'') is a Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) military airfield located in South-Central southern Vietnam about from Ho Chi Minh City, across the Dong Nai river in the norther ...
,
South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered Diplomatic recognition, international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the ...
) : 35th Tactical: 8 July 1963 – 8 July 1965 : (USAF Advisory Unit at Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base for all USAF forces in Thailand) : 315th Troop Carrier (later, 315 Air Commando): attached 8 December 1962 – 8 March 1966. : 6010th Tactical: 8 December 1962 – 8 July 1963. : 6492nd Combat Cargo (Troop Carrier) Provisional: attached 21 September 1962 – 8 December 1962. : 6250th Tactical Air Support Provisional: attached 1 August 1965 – 8 November 1965.


Stations

* RAF Horsham St Faith, United Kingdom, 13 September 1943 * Ketteringham Hall, England, 10 December 1943 * London, England, 22 June 1945 – 24 June 1945 * Sioux Falls AAFld,
South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state, state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota people, Dakota Sioux ...
, 3 July 1945 – 28 August 1945. * Wiesbaden Army Airfield, West Germany, 1 June 1949 * Landsberg Air Ammunition Depot (later, Landsberg AFB, Landsberg-Lech Air Base), West Germany, 10 June 1949 – 7 May 1951. * Ramstein (later, Ramstein Air Base), West Germany, 20 April 1953 – 1 March 1954 * Dhahran Airfield, Saudi Arabia, 1 March 1954 – 1 April 1962. * Tan Son Nhut Airfield (later, Tan Son Nhut Air Base),
South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered Diplomatic recognition, international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the ...
, 8 October 1962 – 1 April 1966. * Hurlburt Field, Florida, 1 March 1983 – 1 February 1987.


Aircraft / Missiles / Space Vehicles

* B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945; * P-38 Lightning, 1944; *
P-47 Thunderbolt The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter, and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bombe ...
, 1944–1945; *
P-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter aircraft, fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by a team headed ...
, 1944–1945; * OA-10, 1945; * B-17 Flying Fortress, 1945. * B/RB-26, 1949; * C-47 Skytrain, 1949; * F-47, 1949–1950; * F-80, 1949–1950; * L-5 Sentinel, 1949; * F-84 Thunderjet, 1950–1951. * B/RB-26, 1962–1965; * C-47 Skytrain, 1962–1966; * C-54 Skymaster, 1962–1963; * C-123 Provider, 1962–1966; * F-100 Super Sabre, 1962–1966; * F-101 Voodoo, 1962–1966; * T-28 Trojan, 1962–1964; * U-10, 1962–1966; * B/RB-57, 1963–1965; * YC-123, 1963; * F/TF-102, 1963–1965; * O-1, 1963–1966; * U-3, 1963–1966; * A-1 Skyraider, 1964–1966; * KB-50, 1964; *
C-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 w ...
, 1964–1965; * F-105 Thunderchief, 1964–1966; * HH-43 Huskie, 1964–1966; * HU-16 Albatross, 1964–1966; * B-57 Canberra, 1965–1966; * EB-66, 1965–1966; : RB-66, 1965; * AC-47 Spooky, 1965–1966; * EC-121, 1965–1966; * F-4 Phantom II, 1965 1966; : RF-4, 1965–1966; * F-5 Freedom Fighter, 1965–1966; * F-104 Starfighter, 1965; * CH-3, 1965–1966; : HH-3, 1965–1966. * Lockheed AC-130, 1983–1987; * MC-130 Combat Talon, 1983–1987; * HH-53, 1983–1987; * UH-1 Iroquois, 1983–1987.


See also

* List of United States Air Force air divisions


References


Notes


Bibliography

* Bailey, Mike and Tony North. ''Liberator Album: B-24s of the 2nd Air Division USAAF''. Earl Shilton, Leicester, UK: Midland Counties Publishing, 1998. . * Bowman, Martin W. ''Bomber Bases of WW2 – 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force USAAF, 1942–45: Liberator Squadrons in Norfolk And Suffolk''. Pen and Sword Books, 2007. . * Bowman, Martin W. ''Fields of Little America: an Illustrated History of the 8th Air Force, 2nd Air Division, 1942–45''. Norwich, Norfolk, UK: Wensum Books Ltd., 1977. . (republished 1983 and 1988 by Patrick Stephens Ltd. ). * Hoseason, James. ''The 1000 day Battle: An illustrated account of operations in Europe of the 8th Air Force's 2nd Air Division −1942-1945- including particularly its 448th Bomb Group and the other B-24 units based in East Anglia's Waveney Valley''. Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK: Gillingham Publications, 1979. . * Martin, Robert J.(ed). ''2nd Air Division''. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, 1994 (republished 1997). .


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:2nd Air Division 002 0002