801st Air Division

801st Air Division
Emblem of the 801st Air Division
Active	1952 – 1965
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Command and Control
Part of	Strategic Air Command
Garrison/HQ	Lockbourne AFB, Ohio

The 801st Air Division (802st AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, assigned to Eighth Air Force, being stationed at Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio. It was inactivated on 15 March 1965.

Activated in 1952 as an intermediate command echelon of Strategic Air Command, the 801st AD assumed command of the 26th and 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wings at Lockbourne AFB. The division trained and maintained a force capable of conducting worldwide reconnaissance and electronic countermeasures operations. It also trained subordinate units in air to air refueling techniques and strategic bombing with the addition of a B-47 Stratojet wing in 1957.

The 801st participated in numerous tactical exercises such as Big Blast, Deep River, Sky Shield, and Purple Mood. The division was inactivated as part of the phaseout of SAC operations at Lockbourne AFB and the retirement of the B-47. it's assigned wings reassigned to other commands.

History

Lineage

• Established as 801st Air Division on 9 May 1952

Activated on 28 May 1952

Discontinued, and inactivated, on 15 March 1965

Assignments

• Second Air Force, 28 May 1952
• Eighth Air Force, 1 July 1955 – 15 March 1965.

Stations

• Lockbourne AFB, Ohio, 28 May 1952 – 15 March 1965.

Components

Wings

• 26 Strategic Reconnaissance (Lockborne AFB)

28 May 1952 – 1 July 1958

• 70 Strategic Reconnaissance (Little Rock AFB)

attached 24 January – c. 19 October 1955

• 91 Strategic Reconnaissance (Lockborne AFB)

28 May 1952 – 8 November 1957

• 301 Bombardment (later, 301 Air Refueling) (Lockborne AFB)

15 April 1958 – 15 March 1965

• 376 Bombardment (Lockborne AFB)

3 December 1957 – 15 March 1965.

Groups

• 801 Air Base (Redesignated on 1 Jul 1960: 801 Combat Support): 16 Jun 1952-15 Mar 1965

Squadrons

• 91 Air Refueling: 8 November – 1 December 1957
• 100 Air Refueling: 23 May – 24 November 1953
• 305 Air Refueling: 1 July 1964 – 15 March 1965
• 4025 Strategic Reconnaissance: 8 June 1955 – 1 May 1956
• 4363 Support (later, 4363 Post Attack Command Control): 20 July 1962 – 15 March 1965.

Aircraft and Missiles

• B-47 Stratojet, 1953 – 1954 1958 – 1964
• KC-97 Stratotanker, 1953 – 1963
• RB-47, 1953 – 1957

EB-47, 1957 – 1965

E-47, 1958 – 1961

• KC-135 Stratotanker, 1963 – 1965

EC-135, 1964 – 1965.

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/.

• 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.
• 801st Air Division Factsheet