837th Air Division

History

The 837th Air Division was activated at Shaw Air Force Base on 9 February 1958 when the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was activated as Tactical Air Command (TAC)'s second tactical reconnaissance wing there. The 432d joined the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, which had been at Shaw since April 1951. The two wings were equipped with a variety of reconnaissance aircraft including both WB-66 and RB-66 Destroyers, Republic RF-84F Thunderflash aircraft and McDonnell RF-101 Voodoos. Brigadier General Mack, the commander of the 363d Wing, became the first commander of the division. The division's units performed visual, photographic, electronic, and weather reconnaissance.

In March 1958, the Air Force's advanced tactical reconnaissance school was assigned to the division, but was operated by the 432d Wing. The 4411th Combat Crew Training Group was organized and assigned to the division on 8 April 1959 and began preparations to manage the advanced flying school. In June, the 432d Wing was inactivated and the 4411th Group assumed command of the school from the division.

Before President Kennedy announced the presence of Soviet intermediate-range ballistic missiles in Cuba, the division and its 363d wing were notified of the high altitude reconnaissance missions by Lockheed U-2 aircraft of Strategic Air Command, which had indicated the construction of missile sites in Cuba, and began preparing target materials for possible low-level reconnaissance flights over the island. On 21 October 1962, the 363d Wing deployed RB-66s and RF-101s to MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, along with photographic interpreters and equipment from its 363d Reconnaissance Technical Squadron. For three weeks, beginning on 26 October, the wing conducted an intensive low level reconnaissance campaign over Cuba to detect missiles and short range Soviet Ilyushin Il-28 bombers. These sorties also provided the first evidence of a buildup of air defenses in Cuba when it detected SA-2 surface-to-air missiles.

The division was inactivated in February 1963 The 4411th Combat Crew Training Group and the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing were assigned to the new center.

Lineage

• Established as the 837 Air Division on 16 January 1958 : Activated on 8 February 1958 : Discontinued and inactivated on 1 February 1963

Assignments

• Ninth Air Force, 8 February 1958 – 1 February 1963

Stations

• Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, 8 February 1958 – 1 February 1963

Components

; Wings

• 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing: 8 February 1958 – 1 February 1963
• 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing: 8 February 1958 – 18 June 1959

; Groups

• 837th Air Base Group (later 837th Combat Support Group): 8 February 1958 – 1 February 1963
• 4411th Combat Crew Training Group: 8 April 1959 – 1 February 1963

; Other

• USAF Advanced Flying Training School (Tactical Reconnaissance): March 1958 – c. 18 June 1959

Aircraft

• Douglas RB-66 Destroyer, 1958–1963
• Douglas WB-66 Destroyer, 1958–1963
• Republic RF-84F Thunderflash, 1958
• McDonnell RF-101 Voodoo, 1958–1963

Commanders

• Brig Gen Stephen B. Mack, 8 February 1958
• Brig Gen Thomas R. Ford, 25 June 1958
• Brig Gen Horace D. Aynesworth 1 August 1960 - 1 February 1963

References

Notes

; Explanatory notes

: Citations

Bibliography

References

1. The division's 837th Air Base Group absorbed the resources of the inactivating 363d Air Base Group and became the host unit for active duty [[United States Air Force]] units stationed at Shaw.Mueller, p. 527
2. "Biography, Brigadier General Stephen B. Mack". United States Air Force.
3. Russell, pp. 33-36
4. "Biography, Brigadier General Horace D. Aynesworth". United States Air Force.
5. Lineage, including components, aircraft and commanders in AFHRA Factsheet, except as noted