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Constituted as 8th Pursuit Wing on 19 Oct 1940. Activated on 6 Nov 1940. Inactivated on 1 Nov 1941.
Redesignated 8th Fighter Wing. Activated on 24 Jul 1942. Moved to Egypt, Oct-Dec 1942, and served with Ninth AF in the Middle East and North Africa. Redesignated 57th Bombardment Wing in Apr 1943. Assigned to Twelfth AF in Aug 1943 and continued operations in the Mediterranean theater until the end of the war. Inactivated in Italy on 12 Sep 1945.
Redesignated 57th Air Division. Organized on 16 Apr 1951. Assigned to Strategic Air Command.
Components. Groups. 12th Bombardment: 1943-1944. 47th Bombardment: 1943-1944. 49th Pursuit: 1941. 57th Fighter: 1943-1944. 79th Fighter: 1943-1944. 310th Bombardment: 1944-1945. 319th Bombardment: 1944-1945. 321st Bombardment: 1943-1944, 1944-1945. 340th Bombardment: 1943-1944, 1944-1945.
Wings. 92d Bombardment: 1951-. 98th Bombardment: 1951-1953. 99th Bombardment: 1953-. 111th Reconnaissance: 1951-1953.
Stations. Maxwell Field, Ala, 6 Nov 1940; Morrison Field, Fla, 16 May-1 Nov 1941. Drew Field, Fla, 24 Jul-28 Oct 1942; Egypt, 23 Dec 1942; Tunisia, c. 29 Aug 1943; Lentini, Sicily, 4 Sep 1943; Naples, Italy, 7 Oct 1943; Foggia, Italy, 29 Oct 1943; Trocchia, Italy, 4 Jan 1944; Ghisonaccia, Corsica, 20 Apr 1944; Fano, Italy, 7 Apr 1945; Pomigliano, Italy, Aug-12 Sep 1945. Fairchild AFB, Wash, 16 Apr 1951-.
Commanders. Capt Harold H Fulk, 6 Nov 1940-1941. Unkn, 1942-c. Mar 1943; Col Thomas C Darcy, c. Mar 1943-unkn; Capt John J Darmody, 1943; Col William S Gravely, 15 Oct 1943-1 Jan 1944; Brig Gen Robert D Knapp, 1 Mar 1944; Col Anthony G Hunter, 24 May 1945-unkn. Brig Gen Charles J Bondley Jr, 16 Apr 1951; Brig Gen David Wade, 1 Nov 1952; Brig Gen James V Edmundson, 20 Mar 1954; Brig Gen Edwin B Broadhurst, 18 Jan 1955-.
Campaigns. Air Combat, EAME Theater; Tunisia; Naples-Foggia; Rome-Arno; Southern France; North Apennines; Central Europe; Po Valley.
Decorations. None.
Insigne. Shield: Per bend azure and gules, a bend argent between in chief a globe of the third lined sable emitting three lightning flashes or and issuing from base a hand holding a torch of the fourth garnished of the fifth flammant of the second and silver. (Approved 7 Apr 1954.)
Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986
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