6th Air Division

6th Air Division
6th Air Division emblem
Active	19 October 1940–7 December 1941 30 May 1942–13 September 1943 5 August 1946–28 July 1948 1 February 1951–2 July 1966 5 July 1968 – 15 December 1969
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 6th Air Division an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Thirteenth Air Force, based at Clark Air Base, Philippines. It was inactivated on 15 December 1969.

Heraldry

On a shield per chevron argent and gules, in chief, a stylized silhouetted jet aircraft, issuing from chief, nose toward base azure; in base a sphere with land areas of the first and water areas of the third, grid lines black, over a branch of olive or, between two lightning bolts argent; superimposed overall and flanking the dexter and sinister, two stylized arrows or. (Approved 5 October 1955)

History

Established as a pursuit wing in 1940, under Northeast Air Command (later First Air Force). Deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO) in the summer of 1942, the 6th Fighter Wing was a training organization for VIII Fighter Command in England during 1942/43 where it trained replacement pilots for fighter organizations. After the war, it served in the Canal Zone as part of the defense forces of the Panama Canal

Being redesignated as an Air Division in 1951, the 6th Air Division was an intermediate command echelon of Strategic Air Command, performing, organizing, and training assigned units for sustained long–range offensive bombardment and air to air refueling operations around the world.

Inactivated by SAC with the closure of Dow AFB in 1966, the unit was reactivated under Thirteenth Air Force in the Philippines as a theater transport command and control organization, supporting US forces in the Vietnam War. Units under the division's control participated in Arc Light missions and controlled aircraft that flew weather reconnaissance missions in Southeast Asia.

Inactivated in 1969 due to budget restraints.

Lineage

• Established as 6th Pursuit Wing on 19 October 1940

Activated on 18 December 1940

Inactivated on 7 December 1941

• Redesignated 6th Fighter Wing on 30 May 1942

Activated on 7 June 1942

Disestablished on 13 September 1943

• Reestablished on 5 August 1946

Activated on 25 August 1946

Inactivated on 28 July 1948

• Redesignated 6th Air Division on 1 February 1951

Organized on 10 February 1951

Discontinued on 16 June 1952

• Activated on 16 June 1952

Discontinued, and inactivated, on 2 July 1966

• Activated on 5 July 1968

Organized on 1 August 1968

Inactivated on 15 December 1969

Assignments

• GHQ Air Force, 18 December 1940 – 7 December 1941

Apparently further assigned to: Northeast Air District, later 1st Air Force, 16 January 1941

Apparently further assigned to: I Interceptor Command, 5 June – 7 December 1941

• VIII Fighter Command, 7 June 1942 – 13 September 1943

Attached I Fighter Command, 7 June 1942-c. 5 August 1942

• Caribbean Air Command, 25 August 1946 – 28 July 1948
• Second Air Force, 10 February 1951 – 16 June 1952
• Second Air Force, 16 June 1952
• Eighth Air Force, 1 January 1959 – 2 July 1966
• Pacific Air Forces, 5 July 1968
• Thirteenth Air Force, 1 August 1968 – 15 December 1969

Components

Wings

• 2d Bomb Wing: 1 November 1959 – 1 April 1961
• 17th Bombardment Wing: 1 July 1963 – 1 July 1965
• 36th Fighter Wing: attached 2–28 July 1948
• 305th Bombardment Wing: 10 February 1951 – 1 June 1959

Detached 4 September – 5 December 1953, 3 November 1955 – 8 January 1956, and 7 January – 8 March 1957

• 306th Bombardment Wing: 10 February 1951 – 6 February 1961

Detached 11 June – 7 September 1953, 5 January – 21 February 1955, 23 October 1956-9 January 1957 and 9–15 October 1957

• 307th Bombardment Wing: 10 February 1951 – 11 October 1954 (detached entire period)
• 321st Bombardment Wing: 1 January – 1 February 1959; 1 July 1959 – 6 February 1961
• 397th Bombardment Wing: 1 February 1963 – 2 July 1966
• 405th Fighter Wing: 1 August 1968 – 15 December 1969
• 416th Bombardment Wing: 1 February 1963 – 2 July 1966
• 463d Tactical Airlift Wing: 1 November 1968 – 15 December 1969
• 4038th Strategic Wing: 1 April 1961 – 1 February 1963
• 4039th Strategic Wing: 1 April 1961 – 1 February 1963

Groups

• 1st Pursuit: 3 December 1940 – 4 September 1941
• 31st Pursuit: 16 January – 1 October 1941
• 36th Fighter: 15 October 1946-c. 13 August 1948
• 52d Pursuit: 16 January – 1 October 1941

Squadrons

• 1st Test: 15 October – 15 December 1969
• 4th Tactical Reconnaissance: 1 June – 26 July 1948
• 71st Air Refueling Squadron, 1 February 1956 – 1 February 1963
• 20th Operations: 15 October – 15 December 1969
• 24th Fighter, 25 August – 15 October 1946
• 28th Fighter: 25 August – 15 October 1946
• 30th Fighter: 25 August – 15 October 1946
• 32d Fighter: 25 August – 15 October 1946
• 43d Fighter: 25 August – 15 October 1946
• 51st Fighter: 25 August – 15 October 1946
• 98th Air Refueling: 1 July – 22 November 1953
• 319th Fighter: 1 June – 26 July 1948

341st Air Refueling Squadron: 1 April 1961 – 1 February 1963

• 414th Night Fighter: 24 March – 1 September 1947
• 6400th Test: 1 August 1968 – 15 October 1969
• 6485th Operations: 1 December 1968 – 15 October 1969

Stations

• Selfridge Field, Michigan, 18 December 1940 – 7 December 1941
• Olmsted Field, Pennsylvania, 7 June-c. 4 August 1942
• RAF Bushey Hall (AAF-341), England, c. 16 August 1942
• RAF Atcham (AAF-342), England, c. 24 August 1942 – 13 September 1943
• Howard Field, Canal Zone, 25 August 1946 – 28 July 1948
• MacDill AFB, Florida, 10 February 1951 – 16 June 1952
• MacDill AFB, Florida, 16 June 1952
• Dow AFB, Maine, 1 April 1961 – 2 July 1966
• Clark AB, Philippines, 1 August 1968 – 15 December 1969.

Aircraft / Missiles / Space Vehicles

• P-39 Airacobra, 1940–1941;
• P-40 Warhawk, 1941.
• P-38 Lightning, 1946;
• P-39 Airacobra, 1946;
• P-47 Thunderbolt, 1946–1948;
• F-80 Shooting Star, 1946–1948;
• P-51 Mustang, 1947;
• P-61 Black Widow, 1947–1948;
• F-6 Skyray, 1948;
• FP-80 Shooting Star, 1948;
• F-82 Twin Mustang, 1948.
• B-29 Superfortress, 1951–1952
• B-47 Stratojet, 1951–1952

• B-50 Superfortress, 1951;
• KC-97 Stratotanker, 1951–1952.
• B-29 Superfortress, 1952–1954;
• B-47 Stratojet, 1952–1961;
• KC-97 Stratotanker, 1952–1961, 1963–1964;
• RB-47 Stratojet, 1958;
• C-124 Globemaster II, 1959–1961;
• KC-135 Stratotanker, 1959, 1963–1966;
• B-52 Stratofortress, 1963–1966.
• B-57 Canberra, 1968;
• C-130 Hercules, 1968–1969;
• F-4 Phantom II, 1968–1969;
• F-102 Delta Dagger, 1968–1969.

See also

• List of United States Air Force air divisions

References

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

• 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: 6th Air Division