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50th Air Division
50th Air Division crest
50th Air Division emblem
Active 8 January 1941 – 31 July 1946
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

The 50th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at Pope Field, North Carolina. It was inactivated on 31 July 1946.

History[]

Established and activated as the 50th Transport Wing on 14 January 1941. Was a major training organization for I Troop Carrier Command, 1942-1943, training subordinate units in the United States prior to overseas deployment. In October 1943, became a command and control organization for IX Troop Carrier Command, Ninth Air Force in England. Subordinate units began training for the invasion of continental Europe. This training involved airdropping paratroops and towing gliders.

In June 1944, subordinate units dropped paratroops of the 101st Airborne Division in Normandy, subsequently flying numerous missions to bring in reinforcements and needed supplies. During the airborne attack on The Netherlands (Operation Market Garden, September 1944), the 50th dropped paratroops, towed gliders, and flew resupply missions. Several of its subordinate units also participated in the invasion of southern France in August 1944. The 50th supported the 101st Airborne Division in the Battle of the Bulge by towing gliders full of supplies near Bastogne on 27 December 1944. In addition, its units participated in the air assault across the Rhine River in early 1945 and later flew numerous freight missions to carry gasoline, food, medicine, and other supplies to allied ground forces pushing across Germany. Returned to the United States in March 1946, became subordinate organization of new Tactical Air Command with responsibility for the theater transport (Troop Carrier) mission. Inactivated 31 July 1946. On 1 September 1959, the USAF redesignated the wing as the 50th Air Division; however, the division was never activated.

Lineage[]

  • Established as 50th Transport Wing on 8 January 1941
Activated on 14 January 1941
Redesignated 50th Troop Carrier Wing on 4 July 1942
Inactivated on 31 July 1946
Redesignated 50th Air Division on 1 September 1959 (Remained inactive)

Assignments[]

Components[]

Groups

Squadrons

  • 1st Troop Carrier Pathfinder Squadron (Provisional): 19 – 26 May 1945
  • 2d Troop Carrier Pathfinder Squadron (Provisional): 13 April – 26 May 1945
  • 29th Troop Carrier Squadron: attached 20 May – 12 September 1945
  • 806th Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron: 17 November 1943 – 1 February 1945
  • 810th Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron: 22 December 1943 – 22 July 1944
  • 811th Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron: unkn – 1 March 1944
  • 813th Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron: 1 February – 29 August 1944; 11 September 1944 – 15 September 1945

  • 814th Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron: 14 February – 7 April 1944
  • 815th Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron: 1 February – 8 April 1945
  • 816th Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron: 13 October 1944 – 8 April 1945; 1 July – 3 August 1945
  • 817th Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron: 1 October 1944 – 17 May 1945; 1 – 27 July 1945
  • 818th Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron: 22 January – 8 April 1945; 12 May – 3 August 1945

Stations[]

  • RAF Bottesford (AAF-481), England, 18 November 1943
  • RAF Exeter (AAF-463), England, 26 April 1944
  • Le Mans Airfield (A-35), France, 1 October 1944
  • Chartres Airfield (A-40), France, 3 November 1944
  • Pope Field, North Carolina, 29 September 1945 – 31 July 1946

Aircraft[]

See also[]

References[]

PD-icon This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

  • Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
  • Johnson, David C. (1988), U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO), D-Day to V-E Day; Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
  • USAFHRA Factseet, 50th Air Division

External links[]

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The original article can be found at 50th Air Division and the edit history here.