12th Air Division
12th Air Division | |
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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 |
Garrison/HQ | see "Stations" section below |
Equipment | see "Aircraft / Missiles / Space vehicles" section below |
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 waa with the Eighth Air Force, based at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. It was inactivated on on 31 July 1990.
History
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 Dec 1988).
Lineage
- Established as: 12 Pursuit Wing on 19 Oct 1940
- Activated on 20 Nov 1940
- Inactivated on 6 Mar 1942
- Redesignated: 12 Bombardment Wing on 23 Aug 1942
- Activated on 8 Sept 1942
- Disestablished on 9 Oct 1944
- Reestablished, and redesignated 12 Bombardment Wing, Light on 3 Jul 1947
- Activated in the Reserve on 3 Aug 1947
- Redesignated: 12 Air Division, Bombardment on 16 Apr 1948
- Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949
- Redesignated: 12 Air Division on 1 Feb 1951
- Organized on 10 Feb 1951
- Discontinued on 16 Jun 1952
- Activated on 16 Jun 1952
- Redesignated: 12 Strategic Aerospace Division on 1 Jun 1962
- Redesignated: 12 Strategic Missile Division on 30 Jun 1971
- Redesignated: 12 Air Division on 1 Mar 1973
- Inactivated on 31 Jul 1990
Assignments
- VI Interceptor Command, 20 Nov 1940-6 Mar 1942
- Eighth Air Force, 8 Sept 1942
- VIII Bomber Command (later, Eighth Air Force), c. Dec 1942-9 Oct 1944
- Eleventh Air Force, 3 Aug 1947
- First Air Force, 1 Jul 1948
- Ninth Air Force, 23 Feb-27 Jun 1949
- Fifteenth Air Force, 10 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952
- Fifteenth Air Force, 16 Jun 1952
- Eighth Air Force, 1 Jul 1989-31 Jul 1990
Components
Wings
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Groups
- 16 Pursuit: c. 1 Dec 1940-c. 6 Mar 1942
- 32 Pursuit: c. 1 Jan 1941-c. 6 Mar 1942
- 37 Pursuit: c. 1 Feb 1940-6 Mar 1942
- 53 Pursuit: c. 1 Jan-6 Mar 1942
- 321 Bombardment: 17 Oct 1947-27 Jun 1949
- 322 Bombardment: 17 Oct 1947-27 Jun 1949
Stations
- Albrook Field, Canal Zone, 10 Nov 1940-6 Mar 1942
- MacDill Field, Florida, 8 Sept-28 Nov 1942
- Gourock, Scotland, 15-16 Dec 1942
- RAF Chelveston, England, c. 17 Dec 1942-12 Jan 1943
- Marks Hall, England, 12 Jan 1943-9 Oct 1944
- Cleveland Municipal Airport, Ohio, 3 Aug 1947-27 Jun 1949
- March AFB, California, 10 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952
- March AFB, California, 16 Jun 1952
- Davis Monthan AFB, Arizona, 1 Jan 1962
- Dyess AFB, Texas, 30 Sept 1976
- Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, 15 Jul 1988-31 Jul 1990
Operations
The wing operated in the Panama Canal Zone 20 November 1940–6 March 1942. It moved to England in November 1942, with assignment to the Eighth Air Force. All personnel and equipment were withdrawn in January 1943, and the organization did not serve in combat. As an Air Division, from February 1951, 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.
Aircraft / Missiles / Space vehicles
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References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency