1st AIR Division

Constituted as 1st Bombardment Division on 30 Aug 1943. Activated in England on 13 Sep 1943. Assigned to Eighth AF. Redesignated 1st Air Division in Dec 1944. Served in combat in the European theater from Sep 1943 until Apr 1945, receiving a DUC for an attack on aircraft factories in central Germany on 11 Jan 1944. Inactivated in England on 31 Oct 1945.

Activated on Okinawa on 7 Jun 1946. Assigned to Far East Air Forces. Served as an air defense organization. Inactivated on 1 Dec 1948.

Activated in the US on 1 Jul 1954. Assigned to Strategic Air Command. Apparently had no combat components assigned and was never adequately manned. Inactivated on 1 Apr 1955.

Activated on 15 Apr 1955. Assigned to Strategic Air Command. Had no combat elements assigned. Conducted high altitude meteorological research. Inactivated on 20 May 1956.

Redesignated 1st Missile Division. Activated on 15 Apr 1957. Assigned to Air Research and Development Command. No combat elements were assigned at the time of activation.

Wings. 1st Bombardment: 1943-1945. 2d Bombardment: 1945. 32d Composite: 1948. 40th Bombardment: 1943-1945. 41st Bombardment: 1943-1945. 51st Fighter: 1948. 67th Fighter: 1944-1945. 71st Reconnaissance: 1948. 92d Bombardment: 1943. 94th Bombardment: 1943-1945. 301st Fighter: 1946-1948. 316th Bombardment: 1946-1948.

Stations. Brampton Grange, England, 13 Sep 1943; Alconbury, England, c. 20 Sep-31 Oct 1945. Kadena, Okinawa, 7 Jun 1946-1 Dec 1948. Westover AFB, Mass, 1 Jul 1954-1 Apr 1955. Offutt AFB, Neb, 15 Apr 1955-20 May 1956. Los Angeles, Calif, 15 Apr 1957-.

Commanders. Maj Gen Robert B Wilhams, 16 Sep 1943; Maj Gen Howard M Turner, 22 Oct 1944; Brig Gen Bartlett Beaman, 26 Sep 1945-unkn. Brig Gen Patrick W Timberlake, 7 Jun 1946; Maj Gen Albert F Hegenberger, Sep 1946; Maj Gen Charles T Myers, Dec 1947-1 Dec 1948. Lt Col Robert G Bradley, c. Jan 1955-unkn. Maj Gen William P Fisher, 15 Apr 1955-20 May 1956. Col William A Sheppard, 15 Apr 1957-.

Campaigns. Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Germany, 11 Jan 1944.

Insigne. Shield: Per fess nebuly abased azure and or fimbriated argent, issuant from base a demi-sphere with grid lines and land masses of the third, the latter outlined of the first and water areas proper, heightened and encircled by two olive branches vert nerved of the second; surmounting the sphere in pale, a lightning flash gules terminating in chief accosted by two smaller flashes of the like in base radiant from the sphere; in dexter chief a descending nose cone in bend proper, with seven streaks of the third, in sinister chief four mullets of the like, all within a diminished border of the last. (Approved 17 Aug 1959.)

Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986