Constituted as 316th Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy) on 4 Aug 1944 and activated on 14 Aug. Moved to Okinawa, Jul-Sep 1945. Assigned to Eighth AF and later (1946) to Far East Air Forces. Redesignated 316th Composite Wing in Jan 1946, and 316th Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy) in May 1946. Inactivated on Okinawa on 21 Jun 1948.
Redesignated 316th Air Division (Defense). Organized in French Morocco on 18 Sep 1953. Assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe.
Components. Groups. 22d: 1946-1948. 333d: 1944-1946. 346th: 1944-1946. 382d: 1944-1945. 383d: 1944-1945. Squadrons. 35th Fighter: 1953-. 45th Fighter: 1953-.
Stations. Peterson Field, Colo, 14 Aug 1944-7 Jul 1945; Kadena, Okinawa, 5 Sep 1945-21 Jun 1948. Rabat/Sale, French Morocco, 18 Sep 1953-.
Commanders. Col Howard W Gray, 26 Aug 1944; Col Joseph J Nazzaro, 22 Nov 1944; Col Thomas J DuBose, 5 Dec 1944; Col Joseph J Nazzaro, 1 Dec 1945; Brig Gen Richard C Lindsay, 21 Jan 1946; Col Clarence A Neely, 3 Mar 1947; Col Francis L Rivard, 13 Sep 1947; Brig Gen Charles T Myers, 1 Oct 1947; Col John F Wadman, 11 Dec 1947; Col Walter E Arnold, 11 May-21 Jun 1948. Col John R Kane, 21 Sep 1953; Col Richard P Fulcher, 26 Dec 1953; Col Woodrow W Dunlop, 13 Nov 1954; Col Wallace S Ford, 23 Jun 1955-.
Campaigns. Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
Decorations. None.
Insigne. On an ultramarine blue disc, marked with stylized latitude and longitude lines argent, a lion rampant, holding aloft in the dexter paw a sword, all of the last. (Approved 12 Feb 1945. This insigne was superseded by a new emblem on 15 Nov 1955.)
Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986
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