I Tactical Air Division

The I Tactical Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Second Air Force, based at Biggs Field, Texas. It was inactivated on 22 December 1945.

This article is about the I Tactical Air Division of 1944–1945. For the I Tactical Air Division of 1943–1944, see III Reconnaissance Command.
I Tactical Air Division
A-24 Banshee, used in training dive bomber units
Active1941–1945
Country United States
Branch United States Army
 United States Air Force
RoleCommand and training of tactical units

History

General Headquarters Air Force (GHQ AF) reorganized its four regional air districts as Numbered Air Forces in the spring of 1941. By the fall of that year, each of these had organized as a support command and three combat commands.[1]

In the summer of 1941 GHQ AF had decided to establish commands to direct its air support mission in each numbered air force, plus one additional command reporting directly to GHQ AF. These commands would be manned from inactivating wings, and would initially control only observation squadrons, which would be transferred from the control of the corps and divisions, although they would remain attached to these ground units.[2] 4th Air Force organized 4th Air Support Command at Fresno Army Air Base, California in September 1941, soon moving to Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma where it drew cadre and equipment from the 15th Bombardment Wing, which was simultaneously inactivated.[3][2][4] New observation groups were formed, with a cadre drawn from National Guard squadrons that had been mobilized in 1940 and 1941.[2]

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor the command came under the control of the Western Theater of Operations[2] and flew antisubmarine patrols off the Pacific coast. Most of the command's observation units were withdrawn form antisubmarine operations in June 1942, although some patrols continued until January 1943.[4][5] However, by early 1942, the command's first commander, like two of the other commanders of air support commands had moved overseas, and similar personnel demands led GHQ AF to believe it had little more than the "remnants" of the command remaining.[2]

The AAF determined that its continental air forces would specialize in their training operations and that all their air support commands would be reassigned to Third Air Force.[5]

In August 1943, the command was redesignated the III Tactical Air Division with the intent that the command would engage in combined training with army ground forces.[6]

At various times, it supervised heavy bomber flights to Hawaii, gave air support to ground units in training, participated in air-ground maneuvers, and put on air support demonstrations.[3]

Lineage
  • Constituted as the 4th Air Support Command on 21 August 1941[note 1]
Activated on 3 September 1941
Redesignated 4th Ground Air Support Command 30 April 1942[4]
Redesignated IV Air Support Command 12 September 1942[4]
Redesignated III Tactical Air Division 4 September 1943[4][7]
Redesignated I Tactical Air Division c. 15 April 1944
Inactivated on 22 December 1945
Disbanded on 8 October 1948[3][4]

Assignments

 
Third Air Force, 24 October 1945
  • Second Air Force, 23 November – 22 December 1945

Stations

Components

Groups

Squadrons

Battalions

  • 835th Engineer Aviation Battalion: c. 16 April 1942 – c. January 1943[4]

Companies

  • 319th Signal Company, Air Wing, 3 September 1941 – unknown[4]

Detachments

  • Tow Target Detachment, March Field (later 7th Tow Target Squadron), 3 September 1941 – November 1943[4]
  • Tow Target Detachment, McChord Field (later 8th Tow Target Squadron), 3 September 1941 – July 1942[4]

References

Notes

Explanatory notes

  1. Maurer indicates unit was constituted as the "IV" Air Support Command. However, the unit was constituted and activated with an arabic number in its name. The use of roman numerals to designate Army Air Forces combat commands did not begin until September 1942. "Air Force Historical Research Agency Organizational Reconds: Types of USAF Organizations". Air Force History Index. January 9, 2008. Retrieved September 19, 2016.

Citations

  1. Cate & Williams, p. 152, 155
  2. Futrell, p. 13
  3. Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 432–433
  4. "Abstract, History 4 Air Support Command Sep 1941 – Sep 1943". Air Force History Index. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  5. Futrell, p. 15
  6. White, p. 87
  7. Maurer indicates this redesignation occurred in August
  8. Ream, Margaret M. (September 9, 2020). "Factsheet Second Air Force (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  9. See Futrell, p. 27
  10. Robertson, Patsy (June 26, 2017). "Factsheet 12 Operations Group (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  11. Robertson, Patsy E. (July 7, 2017). "Factsheet 47 Operations Group (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on December 28, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  12. Robertson, Patsy (July 10, 2017). "Factsheet 69 Reconnaissance Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  13. Kane, Robert B. (April 18, 2012). "Factsheet 70 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing (AFISRA)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
  14. Robertson, Patsy (June 10, 2011). "Factsheet 71 Operations Group (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  15. Ream, Margaret (May 13, 2021). "Factsheet 75 Air Base Wing (AFMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  16. Robertson, Patsy (September 29, 2008). "Factsheet 85 Group". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  17. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 24
  18. Dollman, TSG David (August 5, 2016). "Factsheet 4 Air Support Operations Group (USAFE)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  19. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 35
  20. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 48
  21. Dollman, TSG David (March 27, 2018). "Factsheet 13 Air Support Operations Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  22. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 155
  23. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 184
  24. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 342
  25. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 345
  26. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 350
  27. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 354
  28. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 356
  29. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 356-357
  30. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 360
  31. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 561

Bibliography

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

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