19th Air Division

19th Air Division
19th Air Division emblem
Active	8 May 1929–25 October 1941 24 July 1942–20 November 1945 20 December 1946–27 June 1949 1 February 1951 – 30 September 1988
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 19th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Eighth Air Force, based at Carswell Air Force Base, Texas. It was inactivated on 30 September 1988.

During World War II, the unit was designated as IX Bomber Command and was the command and control organization for Ninth Air Force in the Western Desert Campaign. Using predominantly B-24 Liberator heavy and B-25 Mitchell medium bombers, it supported the British Eighth Army against the German Afrika Korps from airfields ranging from Palestine in 1942 across North Africa to the final defeat of German forces in the Tunisia Campaign in May 1943.

Later, during the 1944 Battle of Normandy and the 1945 Western Allied invasion of Germany, as the 9th Bombardment Division, the unit directed B-26 Marauder medium bombers in tactical roles supporting Allied ground forces from D-Day to V-E Day.

Heraldry

Azure, surmounting a lightning flash gules, a globe argent with latitude and longitude lines dark blue and encircled with a planetary ring of the last strewn with stars of the third and fimbriated of the like all bandwise, in chief an olive branch fesswise or, all within a diminished border of the third. (Approved 11 March 1959.)

History

Canal Zone

The 19th Air Division was first organized on 30 June 1929 as the 19th Composite Wing at France Field, Canal Zone. It was a consolidation of Air Corps units in the Canal Zone, and was activated on 1 April 1931. It consisted of the following units:

• 6th (Composite) (later, 6 Bombardment Group): 1 April 1931 – 25 October 1941 (France Field)
• 9th Bombardment Group: 12 November 1940 – 30 October 1941 (Rio Hato Field)
• 16th Pursuit Group: 1 December 1932 – c. 19 October 1940 (Albrook Field)
• 20th Pursuit Group: 1 April 1931 – c. 25 January 1933 (France Field – Deployed from Mather Field, California)
• 37th Pursuit Group: 1 February – c. 19 November 1940 (Albrook Field)

During the 1930s the 19th Wing participated in maneuvers, flew patrol missions, made good will flights to Central American and South American countries, and flew mercy missions in South America. In January 1939, it flew missions to aid earthquake victims in Santiago, Chile.

It was redesignated as the 19th Bombardment Wing on 19 October 1940 as the United States prepared for a possible war. By late August 1941, a total of 71 aircraft, consisting of B-18 Bolos; B-17B Flying Fortresses; A-20 Havocs, and A-17A Nomads were assigned to various groups under its control.

It was replaced by the 13th Bombardment Wing in an administrative reorganization of the Panama Canal Air Force on 25 October 1941.

World War II

North Africa

Reactivated as IX Bomber Command, the unit was assigned to Ninth Air Force in Egypt on 17 November 1942. It's component groups were:

• 12th Bombardment Group: c. 17 November 1942 – c. 1 November 1943, B-25 Mitchell
• 98th Bombardment Group: c. 17 November 1942 – c. 13 September 1943, B-24 Liberator
• 321st Bombardment Group: 22 July – c. 28 September 1943, B-25 Mitchell
• 376th Bombardment Group*: 17 November 1942 – 13 September 1943, B-17D Flying Fortress; B-24 Liberator

* Formed from HALPRO components along with personnel and equipment sent from Tenth Air Force. B-17s which were assigned were determined to be non-operational and never used in combat.

IX Bomber Command was quickly put together in late 1942 to aid the British Eighth Army's drive west from Egypt into Libya against Rommel's Afrika Corps during the Western Desert Campaign. It consisted of units and aircraft put together for an attack on Japan which was canceled after the Burma Road was captured by Japanese forces, making its planned base in China unable to support the attack (HALPRO Mission); by Pearl Harbor Attack and Philippines survivor early model B-17 Flying Fortresses that had been sent from Australia, and by some early B-24 Liberator and B-25 Mitchells which were sent across the South Atlantic Transport route from Morrison Field, Florida via Brazil and across Central Africa via Sudan.

Reinforced during early 1943, its subordinate units attacked enemy storage areas, motor transports, troop concentrations, airdromes, bridges, shipping, and other targets in Libya, Tunisia, and other areas. In May 1943 after the Tunisian Campaign ended, Tunisia became available for launching attacks on Pantelleria (Operation Corkscrew), Sicily (Operation Husky), and mainland Italy.

IX Bomber groups attacked airfields and rail facilities in Sicily and took part in Operation Husky, carried paratroopers, and flew reinforcements to ground units on the island. Heavy bomb units of the Ninth also participated in the famed low-level assault on oil refineries at Ploesti (Operation Tidal Wave) Romania on 1 August 1943.

Later in August 1943, it was decided to reassign Ninth Air Force to England to be the tactical air force in the planned invasion of France scheduled for May 1944. The IX Bomber Command reassigned it's groups to Twelfth Air Force, and eventually its heavy bombardment groups became the core of the newly activated Fifteenth Air Force, while it's B-25 Mitchell medium bomber groups remained with Twelfth Air Force.

The command's headquarters at Soluch Airfield, Libya, was inactivated on 1 October 1943.

Normandy Campaign

The IX Bomber Command was reassigned to Marks Hall, England on 16 October 1943. It took over the 3rd Bombardment Wing of the Eighth Air Force VIII Air Support Command. It was expanded and consisted of three Wings of medium bomber groups:

• 97th Bombardment Wing: 12 November 1943 – 11 October 1945

409th Bombardment Group: 7 March 1944 – June 1945 (A-20 Havoc, A-26 Invader)

410th Bombardment Group: 4 April 1944 – June 1945 (A-20 Havoc, A-26 Invader)

416th Bombardment Group: February 1944 – July 1945 (A-20 Havoc, A-26 Invader)

• 98th Bombardment Wing (Formerly 3d Bombardment Wing): 16 October 1943 – 27 November 1945

323d Bombardment Group: 16 October 1943 – 16 July 1945 (B-26 Marauder)

387th Bombardment Group: 16 October 1943 – November 1945 (B-26 Marauder)

394th Bombardment Group: 11 March 1944 – September 1945 (B-26 Marauder)

397th Bombardment Group: 15 April 1944 – November 1945 (B-26 Marauder)

• 99th Bombardment Wing (Formerly 44th Bombardment Wing): 16 October 1943 – 4 October 1945

322d Bombardment Group: 16 October 1943 – 15 September 1945 (B-26 Marauder)

344th Bombardment Group: 16 October 1943 – 15 September 1945 (B-26 Marauder)

386th Bombardment Group: 16 October 1943 – 27 July 1945 (B-26 Marauder)

391st Bombardment Group: 25 January 1944 – 27 July 1945 (B-26 Marauder)

In England, and later on the continent after D-Day, IX Bomber Command became the medium bomber component of Ninth Air Force. Its initial mission was attack to German Atlantic Wall defenses along the English Channel coast of France. After D-Day, its primary mission was changed to fly tactical bombardment missions supporting Allied ground forces as they advanced from the Normandy Beaches across France into Germany.

In addition, it attacked enemy airfields in Nazi-occupied areas in support of Eighth Air Force strategic bombing missions as well as operations against German V-weapon sites. Additional missions involved attacks on rail marshaling yards, railroads, airfields, industrial plants, military installations, and other enemy targets in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

It was redesignated as the 9th Bombardment Division, Medium on 30 August 1944. The last combat missions was flown on 3 May 1945 by the 386th, 391st, 409th & 410th Bomb Groups.

Strategic Air Command

Redesignated as the 19th Bombardment Wing, it served another brief period with the Reserve from 1946–1949, carrying out routine training activities.

It was redesignated again in February 1951, as the 19th Air Division as part of Strategic Air Command, and some of its subordinate units trained in, and flew B-36 Peacemaker aircraft. These same units were later equipped with B-52 Stratofortress and KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft and trained in global strategic bombardment and air refueling operations. In early 1960, several of its assigned units evaluated various models of the B-58 Hustler aircraft, while at the same time operating a combat crew training school to train Strategic Air Command aircrews in the B-58 weapons system. Following evaluation of the B-58, these units utilized the aircraft in the strategic bombardment role.

In January 1967, the division began deploying B-52 aircraft and aircrews to Southeast Asia for combat operations, continuing until 1973. In 1975, the 19th provided air refueling support for the evacuation of Vietnamese and Americans from South Vietnam. After 1975, the division insured its subordinate units were manned, trained, equipped, and operationally ready to conduct bombing and air refueling missions, and if necessary, to launch intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Wings

• 2d Bombardment Wing: 1 September 1964 – 1 July 1965; 2 July 1969 – 1 December 1982
• 7th Bombardment Wing: 16 February 1951 – 16 June 1952. 16 June 1952 – 13 June 1988 (detached 10 July – 13 September 1955)
• 11th Bombardment (later, 11th Strategic Aerospace; 11th Air Refueling) Wing: 16 February 1951 – 16 June 1952. 16 June 1952-13 December 1957 (detached 4 May – 2 July 1955); 2 July 1966 – 25 March 1969
• 43d Bombardment Wing: 15 March 1960 – 1 September 1964 (detached 19–31 August 1964)
• 96th Strategic Aerospace (later, 96th Bombardment) Wing: 2 July 1966 – 1 July 1973
• 305th Bombardment Wing: 1 January 1961 – 1 September 1964

• 308th Strategic Missile Wing: 1 December 1982 – 18 August 1987
• 340th Bombardment Wing: attached c. 1–31 August 1964, assigned 1 September 1964 – 2 October 1966
• 351st Strategic Missile Wing: 1 December 1982 – 13 June 1988
• 381st Strategic Missile Wing: 1 July 1973 – 8 August 1986
• 384th Air Refueling (later, 384th Bombardment) Wing: 1 July 1973 – 13 June 1988
• 461st Bombardment Wing: 2 July 1966 – 25 March 1968
• 494th Bombardment Wing: 1 October 1965 – 2 April 1966
• 4123d Strategic Wing: 10 December 1957 – 1 March 1959
• 4130th Strategic Wing: 1 October 1958 – 1 July 1963

Groups

• 340th Air Refueling Group: 2 July 1968 – 16 June 1988
• 3958th Operational Evaluation and Training Group (B-58): 1 September 1959 – 15 March 1960

Squadrons

• 11th Air Refueling Squadron: 25 March – 2 July 1969; 30 June 1971 – 1 July 1977
• 3958th Operational Evaluation and Training Squadron (B-58): 11 August 1958 – 1 September 1959
• 4007th Combat Crew Training Squadron: 2 June – 2 July 1968
• 4017th Training Squadron (B-36 Transition): 17 December 1951 – 1 January 1954.

Lineage

• Established as 19th Composite Wing on 8 May 1929

Activated on 1 April 1931

Redesignated: 19th Wing on 14 July 1937

Redesignated: 19th Bombardment Wing on 19 October 1940

Inactivated on 25 October 1941

• Activated on 24 July 1942

Redesignated: IX Bomber Command on 17 November 1942

Redesignated: 9th Bombardment Division, Medium on 30 August 1944

Redesignated: 9th Air Division on 10 May 1945

Inactivated on 20 November 1945

• Activated in the Reserve on 20 December 1946

Redesignated: 19th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy on 31 December 1946

Redesignated: 19th Air Division, Bombardment on 16 April 1948

Inactivated on 27 June 1949

• Redesignated 19th Air Division on 1 February 1951

Organized on 16 February 1951

Discontinued on 16 June 1952

• Activated on 16 June 1952

Inactivated on 30 September 1988.

Assignments

• Second Corps Area, 1 April 1931
• Panama Canal Department, c. 25 January 1933 – 25 October 1941
• Ninth Air Force, 24 July 1942 – 20 November 1945

Attached III Fighter Command, 24 July-c. 28 September 1942

• Fourteenth Air Force, 20 December 1946
• Ninth Air Force, 22 December 1948

• Fourteenth Air Force, 1 February – 27 June 1949
• Eighth Air Force, 16 February 1951 – 16 June 1952
• Eighth Air Force, 16 June 1952
• Second Air Force, 1 July 1955
• Eighth Air Force, 1 January 1975 – 30 September 1988

Components

See history section for assigned units during different eras

Stations

• France Field, Canal Zone, 1 April 1931
• Albrook Field, Canal Zone, 25 January 1933 – 25 October 1941
• MacDill Field, Florida, 24 July – 28 September 1942
• Payne Airfield, Egypt, 11 November 1942
• Ismailia Airfield, Egypt, 12 November 1942
• Soluch Airfield, Libya, 15 February – 1 October 1943
• Marks Hall, England, 6 November 1943

• Chartres Airfield (A-40), France, 18 September 1944
• Reims-Champagne Airfield, France (A-62), October 1944
• Namur Airfield (Y-47), Belgium, April-20 November 1945
• Birmingham AAB, (later, Municipal Airport), Alabama, 20 December 1946 – 27 June 1949
• Carswell AFB, Texas, 16 February 1951 – 16 June 1952; 16 June 1952-30 September 1988.

Aircraft / Missiles / Space vehicles

• Airco DH-4, 1931;
• Boeing P-12, 1931–1939;
• P-16, 1932;
• P-26 Peashooter, 1934–1940;
• Martin B-10, 1936–1939;
• P-36 Hawk, 1936–1940;
• PB-2, 1936–1937;
• Seversky P-35, 1938–1939;
• B-18 Bolo, 1939–1941;
• C-40 Electra, 1939–1940;
• YP-43 Lancer, 1939–1940;
• P-40 Warhawk, 1940
• B-17 Flying Fortress, 1941–1943, 1945;
• B-24 Liberator, 1942–1943

• B-25 Mitchell, 1942–1943;
• B-26 Marauder, 1942–1945;
• A-20 Havoc, 1943–1945;
• A-26 Invader, 1944–1945.
• B-29 Superfortress, 1947–1949.
• B-36 Peacemaker, 1951–1952.
• B-36 Peacemaker, 1952–1957;
• B/TB-58 Hustler, 1960–1964;
• TF-102 Delta Dagger, 1960–1962;
• YRB-58 Hustler, 1960;
• B-52 Stratofortress, 1963–1988;
• KC-135 Stratotanker, 1963–1988;
• Titan II (LGM-25C), 1973–1987;
• Minuteman II (LGM-30F), 1982–1988.

See also

• List of United States Air Force air divisions

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of 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.
• 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.
• Air Force Historical Research Agency: 19th Air Division