16th Bombardment Training Wing (World War II)
Encyclopedia
The 16th Bombardment Training Wingis an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last assignment was with Second Air Force
, based at Colorado Springs Army Air Base, Colorado
. It was inactivated on 9 April 1946.
Activated on 23 June 1942. Assigned to Second AF. Began training heavy bombardment groups and personnel in June 1942; later changed to very heavy bombardment training, which lasted until operations ceased late in 1945.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit. Its last assignment was with Second Air Force
Second Air Force
The Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
, based at Colorado Springs Army Air Base, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. It was inactivated on 9 April 1946.
Lineage
- Constituted as: 16th Bombardment Wing on 19 October 1940
- Activated on 18 December 1940.
- Inactivated on 1 September 1941.
- Activated on 23 June 1942
- Redesignated as: 16th Bombardment Training Wing in January 1943
- Redesignated as: 16th Bombardment Operational Training Wing in April 1943
- Redesignated as: 16th Bombardment Operational Training Wing (Very Heavy) in May 1945.
- Inactivated on 9 April 1946
- Disbanded on 8 October 1948.
Assignments
- First Air ForceFirst Air ForceThe First Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida....
, 18 December 1940 – 1 September 1941 - Second Air ForceSecond Air ForceThe Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
, 23 June 1942 – 9 April 1946
Units assigned
- 45th Bombardment Group: 1941
- 46th Bombardment Group: 1941
- Various groups assigned for training, 1942–1945
Stations
- Langley Field, VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, 18 December 1940 - Bowman Field, KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, March-1 September 1941 - Wendover Field, UtahUtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, 23 June 1942 - Biggs Field, Texas, November 1942
- Davis-Monthan Field, ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, c. 1 June 1943 - Biggs Field, Texas, October 1943
- Colorado Springs AAB, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, December 1945-9 April 1946
Operations
Activated on 18 December 1940 and assigned to First Air Force. Apparently did not have sufficient personnel for effective training and operations. Inactivated on 1 September 1941.Activated on 23 June 1942. Assigned to Second AF. Began training heavy bombardment groups and personnel in June 1942; later changed to very heavy bombardment training, which lasted until operations ceased late in 1945.