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806th Air Division

Field	Value
unit_name	806th Air Division
image	USAF KC-97F refueling B-47B.jpg
image_size	300
caption	USAF KC-97F Stratotanker refueling B-47B Stratojet
dates	1952–1960
country
branch
role	Bombardment
identification_symbol	[[Image:806 air division-emblem.jpg	175px]]
identification_symbol_label	806th Air Division emblem

The 806th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was assigned to Second Air Force of Strategic Air Command at Chennault Air Force Base, Louisiana. where it was inactivated on 15 June 1960.

The division was activated to manage the two Strategic Air Command medium bombardment wings at Chennault in 1952. Shortly after the division was activated, its mission changed from crew training to strategic bombardment, originally with Boeing B-29 Superfortresses, then with Boeing B-47 Stratojets. It was inactivated with one of its wings, which left Chennault as a single wing base.

History

The 806th Air Division was activated in 1952 at Lake Charles Air Force Base, Louisiana when Strategic Air Command (SAC) departed from the wing base organization system and created air divisions as the headquarters on bases with two operational wings. The division's components were the 44th and 68th Bombardment Wings, and the newly activated 806th Air Base Group. Both its operational wings flew variants of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress.

The following year, the division's bombardment units upgraded to the Boeing B-47 Stratojet and expanded to include air refueling squadrons flying Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighters. The 98th Air Refueling Squadron moved to Lake Charles from MacDill Air Force Base, Florida in November 1953 and was assigned to the division. The squadron was inactivated a few days later and its personnel and equipment were transferred to the 68th wing's 68th Air Refueling Squadron. The division monitored and coordinated the units' manning, equipping, and training for global strategic air warfare on a global scale. In fulfilling its mission, the division participated in numerous tactical exercises.

The division's 44th Wing deployed as a unit to 5th Air Division forward locations in Morocco, The division's tanker units deployed separately to locations including Canada.

On 14 November 1958, Lake Charles Air Force Base was renamed Chennault Air Force Base in honor of General Claire Lee Chennault, the founder of the Flying Tigers, who died in July of that year.

The 806th was inactivated in June 1960 This left only a single wing at Chennault and the 68th Bombardment Wing and its 68th Combat Support Group assumed host base responsibility as the sole remaining wing at Chennault.

Lineage

Constituted as the 806 Air Division on 4 June 1952 : Activated on 16 June 1952 : Discontinued on 15 June 1960

Assignments

Second Air Force, 16 June 1952 – 15 June 1960.

Stations

Lake Charles Air Force Base (later Chennault Air Force Base), Louisiana, 16 June 1952 – 15 June 1960

Components

Wings

44th Bombardment Wing: 16 June 1952 – 15 June 1960
68th Bombardment Wing: 16 June 1952 – 15 June 1960

Groups

806th Air Base Group (later 806th Combat Support Group): 16 June 1952 – 15 June 1960
806th Medical Group: 1 December 1958 – 15 June 1960

Squadrons

98th Air Refueling Squadron: 22 November 1953 – 25 November 1953
505th Aviation Squadron: 18 September 1953 – 1 July 1954

Other

4232d USAF Hospital: 1 April 1954 – 1 December 1958 (attached to 806th Air Base Group)

Aircraft

Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1952–1953
Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1953–1960
Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter, 1953–1960

Commanders

Col Carlos J. Cochrane, 16 June 1952; Brig Gen Raymond L. Winn, 3 November 1952; Brig Gen Henry K. Mooney, 2 August 1954; Brig Gen John K. Hester, 1 August 1955; Col Jacob J. Brogger, 24 July 1957; Col Robert H. Strauss, 4 December 1958; Col William J. Cain Jr., 27 May – 15 June 1960

References

Notes

; Explanatory notes

; Citations

Bibliography

References

(11 October 2007). "Factsheet 806 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
The 68th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing was redesignated as a bombardment unit the same day it was assigned to the 806th
Its 44th Wing served as an Operational Training Unit for B-29 [[aircrew]]s and maintenance personnel being assigned to [[Far East Air Forces]] until late August.Ravenstein, pp. 73–74
while the 68th deployed to bases in the United Kingdom controlled by [[7th Air Division]].Ravenstein, pp. 107–109
"Abstract, History 806 Air Division Jul 1956". Air Force History Index.
"Abstract, History 806 Air Division Sep 1958". Air Force History Index.
"Abstract, History 806 Air Division Feb 1960". Air Force History Index.
"Abstract, History 806 Air Division Dec 1953". Air Force History Index.
"Abstract, History 806 Air Division Dec 1958". Air Force History Index.
"Abstract, History 806 Air Division Oct 1953". Air Force History Index.
"Abstract, History 806 Air Division Jul 1954". Air Force History Index.
"Abstract, History 806 Air Division Feb 1954". Air Force History Index.
"Abstract, History 806 Air Division Jul 1954". Air Force History Index.

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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