96th Air Division
Encyclopedia
The 96th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last assignment was with the Tenth Air Force
, based at Scott Field, Illinois
. It was inactivated on 27 June 1949.
As the 96th Bombardment Wing, the unit was one of the primary B-24 Liberator
heavy strategic bombardment wings of the Eighth Air Force
2d Bombardment Division in World War II.
, bombing oil refineries, marshaling yards, steel plants, and tank factories plus numerous other assorted targets in the European theater. In September 1944, some of the units ceased bombardment missions and instead flew gasoline for Army units to airfields in France. Others air-dropped supplies to Allied troops during the airborne attack on Holland that same month. During the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944 through January 1945
, subordinate units of the 97th aided Allied ground forces by bombing German transportation lines. Besides strategic bombardment, they also dropped supplies to Allied troops during the airborne assault across the Rhine River in March 1945.
Returned to the United States in summer, 1945. Programmed to become a B-29 Superfortress
command wing, however inactivated at the end of the Pacific War.
Active in the Reserves from June 1947
to June 1949
, the organization was redesignated as a division in April 1948
.
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 the Tenth Air Force
Tenth Air Force
The Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....
, based at Scott Field, Illinois
Scott Air Force Base
Scott Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force in St. Clair County, Illinois, near Belleville.-Overview:The base is named after Corporal Frank S. Scott, the first enlisted person to be killed in an aviation crash...
. It was inactivated on 27 June 1949.
As the 96th Bombardment Wing, the unit was one of the primary B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
heavy strategic bombardment wings of the Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
2d Bombardment Division in World War II.
Lineage
- Established as 96th Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy) on 8 November 1943
- Activated on 11 January 1944
- Redesignated: 96th Combat Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 7 August 1944
- Redesignated: 96th Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 9 June 1945
- Redesignated: 96th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy on 17 August 1945
- Inactivated on 17 October 1945
- Activated in the Reserve on 12 June 1947
- Redesignated: 96th Air Division, Bombardment on 16 April 1948
- Inactivated on 27 June 1949
Assignments
- Eighth Air ForceEighth Air ForceThe Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
, 11 January 1944 - 2d Bombardment (later, 2 Air) Division, 22 February 1944
- VIII Fighter CommandVIII Fighter CommandThe VIII Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, being stationed at RAF Honington, England. It was inactivated on 20 March 1946....
, 16 July-6 August 1945 - Army Service ForcesArmy Service ForcesThe Army Service Forces were one of the three autonomous components of the Army of the United States during World War II, the others being the Army Air Forces and Army Ground Forces. They were created on February 28, 1942 by Executive Order Number 9082 "Reorganizing the Army and the War Department"...
, 6 August-c. 14 August 1945 - 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....
, c. 14 August-17 October 1945; 2 June 1947 - Tenth Air ForceTenth Air ForceThe Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....
, 1 July 1948-27 June 1949.
Components
- 44th Bombardment Group, 26 June-24 July 1945
- 93d Bombardment Group, c. 6 June-24 July 1945
- 351st Bombardment Group, 4 June 1948-27 June 1949
- 381st Bombardment Group, 17 October 1947-4 June 1948
- 392d Bombardment Group, c. 6 July 1944-c. 7 June 1945
- 446th Bombardment Group, 1 June-c. 30 July 1945
- 448th Bombardment Group, 6 July 1944-23 July 1945
- 458th Bombardment Group, c. 8 February 1944-25 July 1945
- 466th Bombardment Group466th Bombardment GroupThe 466th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was to the Second Air Force, being stationed at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona. It was inactivated on 17 October 1945...
, c. 14 March 1944-c. 2 October 1945 - 467th Bombardment Group467th Bombardment GroupThe 467th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was to the Strategic Air Command, being stationed at Clovis Army Airfield, New Mexico. It was inactivated on 4 August 1946....
, c. 18 March 1944-c. 17 October 1945 - 491st Bombardment Group491st Bombardment GroupThe 491st Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the II Bomber Command, stationed at McChord Field, Washington. It was inactivated on 8 September 1945....
, c. 5 May 1944-c. 16 June 1945.
Stations
- RAF Horsham St FaithRAF Horsham St FaithRAF Horsham St Faith was a Royal Air Force station near Norwich, Norfolk, England from 1939 to 1963. It was then developed as Norwich International Airport.-RAF Bomber Command use:...
, England, 11 January 1944 - Ketteringham Hall, England, c. 1 June-c. 5 August 1945
- Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South DakotaSouth DakotaSouth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, c. 14 August 1945 - Peterson FieldPeterson FieldPeterson Field is a public-use airport located three nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Plains, a city in Sumter County, Georgia, United States. It is privately owned by G. Thomas Peterson.- Facilities and aircraft :...
, 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...
, 16 August-17 October 1945 - Scott Field, IllinoisScott Air Force BaseScott Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force in St. Clair County, Illinois, near Belleville.-Overview:The base is named after Corporal Frank S. Scott, the first enlisted person to be killed in an aviation crash...
, 12 June 1947-27 June 1949.
Operations
The 96th Bombardment Wing's units entered combat in early 19441944 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1944:-January:* United States Coast Guard pilot Lieutenant, junior grade, Stewart Graham makes the first helicopter flight from a merchant ship in convoy in the North Atlantic Ocean...
, bombing oil refineries, marshaling yards, steel plants, and tank factories plus numerous other assorted targets in the European theater. In September 1944, some of the units ceased bombardment missions and instead flew gasoline for Army units to airfields in France. Others air-dropped supplies to Allied troops during the airborne attack on Holland that same month. During the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944 through January 1945
1945 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1945:- Events :* The probe-and-drogue aerial refueling system, in which the tanker aircraft trails a hose with a stabilizing conical drogue at its end which mates to a fixed probe mounted on the receiving aircraft, is perfected...
, subordinate units of the 97th aided Allied ground forces by bombing German transportation lines. Besides strategic bombardment, they also dropped supplies to Allied troops during the airborne assault across the Rhine River in March 1945.
Returned to the United States in summer, 1945. Programmed to become a B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
command wing, however inactivated at the end of the Pacific War.
Active in the Reserves from June 1947
1947 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1947:-January:* January 11 – The BOAC Douglas C-47A G-AGJX crashes into a hill at Stowting in southeast England, killing eight of the 16 people on board and injuring all eight survivors...
to June 1949
1949 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1949:- Events :* Aerolíneas Argentinas is established.* Royal Jordanian Air Force is formed as the Arab League Air Force.* Republic of Korea Air Force is formed.* Lebanese Air Force is formed....
, the organization was redesignated as a division in April 1948
1948 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1948:- Events :* Publication of Nevil Shute's novel No Highway set in the world of research into air safety.-January:...
.