12th Air Division

12th Air Division
12th Air Division
	12th Air Division emblem
Active	19 October 1940–6 March 1942; 23 August 1942 – 9 October 1944; 3 July 1947 – 27 June 1949; 1 February 1951 – 31 July 1990
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Decorations	see "Lineage and honors" section below
Commanders
Commanders	see "Commanders" section below

The 12th Air Division an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Eighth Air Force, based at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. It was inactivated on 31 July 1990.

History

Established as the 12th Pursuit Wing in the Panama Canal Zone 20 November 1940–6 March 1942 the organization provided command and control of pursuit groups and squadrons for Sixth Air Force.

Reassigned to Eighth Air Force in England during November 1942 as a bombardment wing, but never made operational . All personnel and equipment were withdrawn in January 1943, and the organization did not serve in combat.

Reactivated in 1951, the 12th Air Division was an intermediate command echelon of Strategic Air Command. It conducted training for worldwide bombardment operations. From 1963–1984 and 1988–1990, it maintained an ICBM capability, conducted staff assistance visits, and monitored programs such as retention, domestic actions, and medical capabilities of its subordinate units.

Assure unit Emergency War Order (EWO) capability and combat crew training conducted at Castle and Dyess Air Force bases, continually evaluate qualification training, direct correction or improvement when appropriate, and represent training concerns to higher headquarters.

Inactivated in 1990 as part of the military drawdown of the USAF after the end of the Cold War.

Lineage

Established as: 12th Pursuit Wing on 19 October 1940

Activated on 20 November 1940

Inactivated on 6 March 1942

Redesignated: 12th Bombardment Wing on 23 August 1942

Activated on 8 September 1942

Disestablished on 9 October 1944

Reestablished, and re-designated 12th Bombardment Wing, Light on 3 July 1947

Activated in the Reserve on 3 August 1947

Redesignated: 12th Air Division, Bombardment on 16 April 1948

Inactivated on 27 June 1949

Redesignated: 12th Air Division on 1 February 1951

Organized on 10 February 1951

Discontinued on 16 June 1952

Activated on 16 June 1952

Redesignated: 12th Strategic Aerospace Division on 1 June 1962

Redesignated: 12th Strategic Missile Division on 30 June 1971

Redesignated: 12th Air Division on 1 March 1973

Inactivated on 31 July 1990

Assignments

VI Interceptor Command, 20 November 1940 – 6 March 1942
Eighth Air Force, 8 September 1942
VIII Bomber Command (later, Eighth Air Force), c. December 1942 – 9 October 1944
Eleventh Air Force, 3 August 1947
First Air Force, 1 July 1948
Ninth Air Force, 23 February – 27 June 1949
Fifteenth Air Force, 10 February 1951 – 16 June 1952
Fifteenth Air Force, 16 June 1952
Eighth Air Force, 1 July 1989 – 31 July 1990

Components

Wings

6 Strategic Aerospace (later, 6 Strategic): 1 July 1965 – 25 March 1967; 2 July 1968 – 30 June 1971
22 Bombardment (later, 22 Air Refueling): 10 February 1951 – 1 January 1962 (detached 5 September – 4 December 1951, 7 December 1953 – 5 March 1954, 1 April – 5 July 1957); 1 August 1972 – 1 October 1985
28 Bombardment: 15 July 1988 – 31 July 1990
44 Bombardment (later, 44 Strategic Missile): 10 February – 4 August 1951; 15 July 1988 – 31 July 1990
55 Strategic Reconnaissance: 2 July 1966 – 30 June 1971; 1 October 1982 – 1 October 1985
93 Bombardment: 1 October 1985 – 15 July 1988
95 Bombardment: 1 July 1964 – 25 June 1966
96 Bombardment: 1 July 1973 – 15 July 1988
99 Strategic Weapons: 10 August 1989 – 31 July 1990

100 Strategic Reconnaissance (later, 100 Air Refueling): 25 June 1966 – 30 June 1971; 1 August 1972 – 30 September 1976
106 Bombardment: by September 1951–1952
303 Bombardment: 15 March 1960 – 15 June 1964
308 Strategic Missile: 30 June 1971 – 1 April 1973
320 Bombardment: 1 December 1952 – 15 September 1960 (detached 3 June – 4 September 1954, 5 October 1956 – 11 January 1957); 23 January 1987 – 15 July 1988. 330 Bombardment: attached 1 May – 16 June 1951 (not operational for entire period).
381 Strategic Missile: 30 June 1971 – 1 July 1973
384 Air Refueling: 1 December 1972 – 1 July 1973
390 Bombardment (later, 390 Strategic Missile): 1 January 1962 – 31 July 1984
4080 Strategic: 12 July 1963 – 25 June 1966

Groups

16 Pursuit: c. 1 December 1940-c. 6 March 1942
32 Pursuit: c. 1 January 1941-c. 6 March 1942
37 Pursuit: c. 1 February 1940 – 6 March 1942
53 Pursuit: c. 1 January – 6 March 1942
321 Bombardment: 17 October 1947 – 27 June 1949
322 Bombardment: 17 October 1947 – 27 June 1949

Stations

Albrook Field, Canal Zone, 10 November 1940 – 6 March 1942
MacDill Field, Florida, 8 September – 28 November 1942
Gourock, Scotland, 15–16 December 1942
RAF Chelveston (AAF-105), England, c. 17 December 1942 – 12 January 1943
Marks Hall (AAF-160), England, 12 January 1943 – 9 October 1944
Cleveland Municipal Airport, Ohio, 3 August 1947 – 27 June 1949
March AFB, California, 10 February 1951 – 16 June 1952
March AFB, California, 16 June 1952
Davis Monthan AFB, Arizona, 1 January 1962
Dyess AFB, Texas, 30 September 1976
Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, 15 July 1988 – 31 July 1990

Aircraft / Missiles / Space vehicles

P-26 Peashooter, 1941–1942;
P-36 Hawk, 1941–1942;
P-38 Lightning, 1941–1942;
P-39 Airacobra, 1941–1942;
P-40 Warhawk, 1941–1942.
B-29 Superfortress, 1951–1952.
C-47 Skytrain, 1951;
TB-29 Superfortress, 1951.
B-29 Superfortress, 1952–1953;
KC-97 Stratotanker, 1952–1962;
B-47 Stratojet, 1953–1964;
YRB-47 Stratojet, 1953–1954
B-52 Stratofortress, 1963–1967, 1972–1988;
KC-135 Stratotanker, 1963–1971, 1972–1988

Titan II (LGM-25C), 1963–1984;
CH-3 Sea King, 1966–1971, 1972–1976;
DC-130 Hercules, 1966–1971, 1972–1976;
EB/RB-47 Stratojet, 1966–1967;
Q-147 Fire Fly / Lightning Bug (later, AQM-34) (drone), c. 1966–1971, 1972–1976;
RC-135, 1966–1971;
U-2 Dragon Lady, 1966–1971, 1972–1976;
WU-2 Dragon Lady, 1966-c. 1969;
T-29 Flying Classroom, 1973;
KC-10 Extender, 1982–1985;
NKC-135 Stratotanker (test configured), 1983–1985;
B-1 Lancer, 1985–1990;
Minuteman II (LGM-30F), 1988–1990.

Heraldry

Or, a globe azure grid lined of the first between in dexter an airplane palewise ascending argent, exhaust gules and in sinister a missile palewise of the like, overall a gauntlet of the third, grasping an olive branch vert and a lightning flash of the fourth bend sinisterwise and two lightning flashes of the last bendwise, on a chief of the second per chevron inverted seme of mullets argent; all within a diminished bordure of argent (silver gray) (approved on 30 December 1988).

Notes

References

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

Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
Air Force Historical Research Agency: 12th Air Division