The 6th Air Division is an inactive
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
unit. Its last assignment was with the
Thirteenth Air Force
The Thirteenth Air Force (Air Forces Pacific) (13 AF) was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It was last headquartered at Hickam Air Force Base on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. 13 AF has never been stat ...
, based at
Clark Air Base
Clark Air Base is a Philippine Air Force base on Luzon Island in the Philippines, located west of Angeles City, about northwest of Metro Manila. Clark Air Base was previously a United States military facility, operated by the U.S. Air Forc ...
, Philippines. It was inactivated on 15 December 1969.
Heraldry
On a shield per chevron argent and gules, in chief, a stylized silhouetted jet aircraft, issuing from chief, nose toward base azure; in base a sphere with land areas of the first and water areas of the third, grid lines black, over a branch of olive or, between two lightning bolts argent; superimposed overall and flanking the dexter and sinister, two stylized arrows or. (Approved 5 October 1955)
History
Established as a pursuit wing in 1940, under
Northeast Air District
The First Air Force (Air Forces Northern; 1 AF-AFNORTH) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. Its primary mission is the air defense of the Conti ...
(later First Air Force). Deployed to the
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army (ETOUSA) was a Theater of Operations responsible for directing United States Army operations throughout the European theatre of World War II, from 1942 to 1945. It commanded Army Ground For ...
in the summer of 1942, the 6th Fighter Wing was a training organization for
VIII Fighter Command
The VIII Fighter Command was a United States Army Air Forces unit of command above the wings and below the numbered air force. Its primary mission was command of fighter operations within the Eighth Air Force. In the World War II European Thea ...
in England during 1942/43 where it trained replacement pilots for fighter organizations. After the war, it served in the
Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone ( es, Zona del Canal de Panamá), also simply known as the Canal Zone, was an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the Isthmus of Panama, that existed from 1903 to 1979. It was located within the terri ...
as part of the defense forces of the
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a conduit ...
Being redesignated as an Air Division in 1951, the 6th Air Division was an intermediate command echelon of
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
, performing, organizing, and training assigned units for sustained long–range offensive bombardment and air-to-air refueling operations around the world.
Inactivated by SAC with the closure of
Dow Air Force Base
Bangor Air National Guard Base is a United States Air National Guard base. Created in 1927 as the commercial Godfrey Field, the airfield was taken over by the U.S. Army just before World War II and renamed Godfrey Army Airfield and later Dow Ar ...
in 1966, the unit was reactivated under
Thirteenth Air Force
The Thirteenth Air Force (Air Forces Pacific) (13 AF) was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It was last headquartered at Hickam Air Force Base on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. 13 AF has never been stat ...
in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
as a theater transport command and control organization, supporting US forces in the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
. Units under the division's control participated in Arc Light missions and controlled aircraft that flew weather reconnaissance missions in Southeast Asia.
[
Inactivated in 1969 due to budget restraints.
]
Lineage
* Established as the 6th Pursuit Wing on 19 October 1940
: Activated on 18 December 1940
: Inactivated on 7 December 1941
* Redesignated 6th Fighter Wing on 30 May 1942
: Activated on 7 June 1942
: Disestablished on 13 September 1943
* Reestablished on 5 August 1946
: Activated on 25 August 1946
: Inactivated on 28 July 1948
* Redesignated 6th Air Division on 1 February 1951
: Organized on 10 February 1951
: Discontinued on 16 June 1952
* Activated on 16 June 1952
: Discontinued and inactivated on 2 July 1966
* Activated on 5 July 1968
: Organized on 1 August 1968
: Inactivated on 15 December 1969[
]
Assignments
* GHQ Air Force, 18 December 1940 – 7 December 1941
: Apparently further assigned to: Northeast Air District, later 1st Air Force, 16 January 1941
: Apparently further assigned to: I Interceptor Command, 5 June – 7 December 1941
* VIII Fighter Command
The VIII Fighter Command was a United States Army Air Forces unit of command above the wings and below the numbered air force. Its primary mission was command of fighter operations within the Eighth Air Force. In the World War II European Thea ...
, 7 June 1942 – 13 September 1943 (attached to I Fighter Command until c. 5 August 1942)
* Caribbean Air Command
The United States Air Forces Southern Command is an inactive Major Command of the United States Air Force. It was headquartered at Albrook Air Force Base, Canal Zone, being inactivated on 1 January 1976.
Initially designated Panama Canal Air Forc ...
, 25 August 1946 – 28 July 1948
* Second Air Force
The Second Air Force (2 AF; ''2d Air Force'' in 1942) is a USAF numbered air force responsible for conducting basic military and technical training for Air Force enlisted members and non-flying officers. In World War II the CONUS unit defended ...
, 10 February 1951 – 16 June 1952
* Second Air Force, 16 June 1952
* Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Force ...
, 1 January 1959 – 2 July 1966
* Pacific Air Forces
Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam (fo ...
, 5 July 1968 (not organized)
* Thirteenth Air Force
The Thirteenth Air Force (Air Forces Pacific) (13 AF) was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It was last headquartered at Hickam Air Force Base on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. 13 AF has never been stat ...
, 1 August 1968 – 15 December 1969[
]
Components
Wings
* 2d Bombardment Wing
The 2nd Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command and the Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The wing is also the host unit at Barksdale. The wing was a ...
: 1 November 1959 – 1 April 1961
* 17th Bombardment Wing
17 (seventeen) is the natural number following 16 (number), 16 and preceding 18 (number), 18. It is a prime number.
Seventeen is the sum of the first four prime numbers.
In mathematics
17 is the seventh prime number, which makes seventeen the ...
: 1 July 1963 – 1 July 1965
* 36th Fighter Wing: attached 2–28 July 1948
* 305th Bombardment Wing: 10 February 1951 – 1 June 1959
: Detached 4 September – 5 December 1953, 3 November 1955 – 8 January 1956, and 7 January – 8 March 1957
* 306th Bombardment Wing
The 306th Strategic Wing, previously the 306th Bombardment Wing, is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Strategic Air Command at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk and was inactivated on 1 February 1992.
The wing's missio ...
: 10 February 1951 – 6 February 1961
: Detached 11 June – 7 September 1953, 5 January – 21 February 1955, 23 October 1956 – 9 January 1957 and 9–15 October 1957
* 307th Bombardment Wing
3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...
: 10 February 1951 – 11 October 1954 (detached entire period)
* 321st Bombardment Wing
The 321st Air Expeditionary Wing was a United States Air Force unit assigned United States Air Forces Central, the USAF component command of United States Central Command. The unit was reestablished on 1 November 2008 and was a nexus of all Coal ...
: 1 January – 1 February 1959; 1 July 1959 – 6 February 1961
* 397th Bombardment Wing: 1 February 1963 – 2 July 1966
* 405th Fighter Wing
The 405th Air Expeditionary Wing (405 AEW) is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command. It may be activated or inactivated at any time.
Currently, it is believed that the 405 AEW is inactive.
History
: ''Fo ...
: 1 August 1968 – 15 December 1969
* 416th Bombardment Wing: 1 February 1963 – 2 July 1966
* 463d Tactical Airlift Wing
The United States Air Force's 463rd Airlift Group was a theater airlift unit last stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. It was inactivated on October 1st, 2008.
Mission
The 463rd was a unit with over 1,200 Airmen. The unit emplo ...
: 1 November 1968 – 15 December 1969
* 4038th Strategic Wing: 1 April 1961 – 1 February 1963
* 4039th Strategic Wing: 1 April 1961 – 1 February 1963[
Groups
* ]1st Pursuit Group
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
: 3 December 1940 – 4 September 1941
* 31st Pursuit Group: 16 January – 1 October 1941
* 36th Fighter Group: 15 October 1946-c. 13 August 1948
* 52d Pursuit Group: 16 January – 1 October 1941[
Squadrons
* ]1st Test Squadron
The 1st Test and Evaluation Squadron (1 TES) is a United States Space Force test and evaluation unit, located at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado. The squadron is tasked with testing and evaluation of command and control systems for Space Oper ...
: 15 October – 15 December 1969
* 4th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
The 4th Reconnaissance Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit, assigned to the 319th Operations Group and stationed at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, from which it operates RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned vehicles. It was activated ther ...
: 1 June – 26 July 1948
* 71st Air Refueling Squadron
The 71st Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 458th Operations Group at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana where it was inactivated on 1 April 1994.
The squadron was first activated as the 471st ...
, 1 February 1956 – 1 February 1963
* 20th Operations Squadron: 15 October – 15 December 1969
* 24th Fighter Squadron
The 24th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Combat Command unit, assigned to the 495th Fighter Group at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas. The squadron was activated in 2019 and flies the General Dynamics F-16 Fightin ...
, 25 August – 15 October 1946
* 28th Fighter Squadron
028 rainbow service is an emergency telephone, email and instant messaging service in Spain for victims of hate crimes or discrimination based of queerphobia. Its implementation was announced for Summer 2022 by Equality Minister Irene Montero ...
: 25 August – 15 October 1946
* 30th Fighter Squadron 030 may refer to:
* Motorola 68030
* BR-030
* Geographical telephone calling prefixes
** Greater Accra area code, Ghana
** Utrecht, Netherlands
** Berlin, Germany
** Bar Municipality and Ulcinj Municipality of Montenegro
** Province of Brescia
...
: 25 August – 15 October 1946
* 32d Fighter Squadron
The ROMP is a reduced instruction set computer (RISC) microprocessor designed by IBM in the late 1970s. It is also known as the Research OPD Miniprocessor (after the two IBM divisions that collaborated on its inception, IBM Research and the Off ...
: 25 August – 15 October 1946
* 43d Fighter Squadron
The 43d Fighter Squadron is part of the 325th Fighter Wing at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. It conducts advanced fighter training for F-22 Raptor pilots.
The squadron is one of the oldest in the United States Air Force, its origins dating ...
: 25 August – 15 October 1946
* 51st Fighter Squadron
The 51st Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 6th Fighter Wing, based at Howard Field, Canal Zone. It was inactivated on 15 October 1946.
History
Activated on 1 January 1941 as one o ...
: 25 August – 15 October 1946
* 98th Air Refueling Squadron
The 98th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 92d Operations Group at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, where it was inactivated on 1 July 1998.
Two of the squadron's predeces ...
: 1 July – 22 November 1953
* 319th Fighter Squadron: 1 June – 26 July 1948
: 341st Air Refueling Squadron
The 641st Bombardment Squadron was an inactive United States Air Force unit. After training with Douglas A-20 Havocs in the United States the squadron deployed to the European Theater of World War II, where it engaged in combat until the Surre ...
: 1 April 1961 – 1 February 1963
* 414th Night Fighter Squadron: 24 March – 1 September 1947
* 6400th Test Squadron: 1 August 1968 – 15 October 1969
* 6485th Operations Squadron: 1 December 1968 – 15 October 1969[
]
Stations
* Selfridge Field
Selfridge Air National Guard Base or Selfridge ANGB is an Air National Guard installation located in Harrison Township, Michigan, near Mount Clemens. Selfridge Field was one of thirty-two Air Service training camps established after the Unit ...
, Michigan, 18 December 1940 – 7 December 1941
* Olmsted Field
Harrisburg Air National Guard Base is a United States Air Force base, located at Harrisburg International Airport, Pennsylvania. It is located west-southwest of Middletown, Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Air National Guard facility is sited ...
, Pennsylvania, 7 June-c. 4 August 1942
* RAF Bushey Hall
Royal Air Force Bushey Hall or more simply RAF Bushey Hall is a former Second World War non-flying Royal Air Force station located south west of St Albans, Hertfordshire and north east of Uxbridge, London, England.
History
It was establish ...
(AAF-341), England, c. 16 August 1942
* RAF Atcham
Royal Air Force Atcham or more simply RAF Atcham is a former Royal Air Force station located east of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, on the north eastern boundary of Attingham Park.
Initially built for RAF Fighter Command, during the Secon ...
(AAF-342), England, c. 24 August 1942 – 13 September 1943
* Howard Field
Howard is an English-language given name originating from Old French Huard (or Houard) from a Germanic source similar to Old High German ''*Hugihard'' "heart-brave", or ''*Hoh-ward'', literally "high defender; chief guardian". It is also probabl ...
, Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone ( es, Zona del Canal de Panamá), also simply known as the Canal Zone, was an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the Isthmus of Panama, that existed from 1903 to 1979. It was located within the terr ...
, 25 August 1946 – 28 July 1948
* MacDill Air Force Base
MacDill Air Force Base (MacDill AFB) is an active United States Air Force installation located 4 miles (6.4 km) south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida.
The "host wing" for MacDill AFB is the 6th Air Refueling Wing (6 ARW), assig ...
, Florida, 10 February 1951
* Dow Air Force Base
Bangor Air National Guard Base is a United States Air National Guard base. Created in 1927 as the commercial Godfrey Field, the airfield was taken over by the U.S. Army just before World War II and renamed Godfrey Army Airfield and later Dow Ar ...
, Maine, 1 April 1961 – 2 July 1966
* Clark Air Base, Philippines, 1 August 1968 – 15 December 1969[
]
Aircraft / Missiles / Space Vehicles
* P-39 Airacobra
The Bell P-39 Airacobra is a fighter produced by Bell Aircraft for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was one of the principal American fighters in service when the United States entered combat. The P-39 was used by the ...
, 1940–1941;
* P-40 Warhawk
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and ...
, 1941.
* P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single-seat, twin piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinctive tw ...
, 1946;
* P-39 Airacobra
The Bell P-39 Airacobra is a fighter produced by Bell Aircraft for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was one of the principal American fighters in service when the United States entered combat. The P-39 was used by the ...
, 1946;
* P-47 Thunderbolt
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bombe ...
, 1946–1948;
* F-80 Shooting Star
The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. Designed and built by Lockheed in 1943 and delivered just 143 days from the start of design, prod ...
, 1946–1948;
* P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James ...
, 1947;
* P-61 Black Widow
The Northrop P-61 Black Widow is a twin-engine United States Army Air Forces fighter aircraft of World War II. It was the first operational U.S. warplane designed as a night fighter, and the first aircraft designed specifically as a night fight ...
, 1947–1948;
* F-6 Skyray, 1948;
* FP-80 Shooting Star, 1948;
* F-82 Twin Mustang
The North American F-82 Twin Mustang is the last American piston-engined fighter ordered into production by the United States Air Force. Based on the North American P-51 Mustang, the F-82 was originally designed as a long-range escort fighter ...
, 1948.
* B-29 Superfortress
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is an American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the B-17 Fl ...
, 1951–1952
* B-47 Stratojet
The Boeing B-47 Stratojet (Boeing company designation Model 450) is a retired American long-range, six-engined, turbojet-powered strategic bomber designed to fly at high subsonic speed and at high altitude to avoid enemy interceptor aircraft ...
, 1951–1952
* B-50 Superfortress
The Boeing B-50 Superfortress is an American strategic bomber. A post–World War II revision of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, it was fitted with more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-4360 radial engines, stronger structure, a taller tail fin, and ot ...
, 1951;
* KC-97 Stratofreighter
The Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter is a four-engined, piston-powered United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It replaced the KB-29 and was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.
Design and developme ...
, 1951–1952.
* B-29 Superfortress
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is an American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the B-17 Fl ...
, 1952–1954;
* B-47 Stratojet
The Boeing B-47 Stratojet (Boeing company designation Model 450) is a retired American long-range, six-engined, turbojet-powered strategic bomber designed to fly at high subsonic speed and at high altitude to avoid enemy interceptor aircraft ...
, 1952–1961;
* KC-97 Stratofreighter
The Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter is a four-engined, piston-powered United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It replaced the KB-29 and was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.
Design and developme ...
, 1952–1961, 1963–1964;
* RB-47 Stratojet
The Boeing B-47 Stratojet (Boeing company designation Model 450) is a retired American long-Range (aeronautics), range, six-engined, turbojet-powered strategic bomber designed to fly at high subsonic flight, subsonic speed and at high altitude ...
, 1958;
* C-124 Globemaster II
The Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, nicknamed "Old Shaky", is an American heavy-lift cargo aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, California.
The C-124 was the primary heavy-lift transport for United States Air Force (USAF ...
, 1959–1961;
* KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of transpo ...
, 1959, 1963–1966;
* B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air ...
, 1963–1966.
* B-57 Canberra
The Martin B-57 Canberra is an American-built, twin-engined tactical bomber and reconnaissance aircraft that entered service with the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1953. The B-57 is a license-built version of the British English Electric C ...
, 1968;
* C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 ...
, 1968–1969;
* F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bow ...
, 1968–1969;
* F-102 Delta Dagger
The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was an American interceptor aircraft designed and manufactured by Convair.
Built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s, it entered service in 1956. Its main purpos ...
, 1968–1969[
]
See also
* List of United States Air Force air divisions List of United States Air Force air divisions is a comprehensive and consolidated list of USAF Air Divisions.
;Air Divisions 1–15
*1st Strategic Aerospace Division
* Air Division, Provisional, 1 1962–1963 Homestead Air Force Base Cuban Missi ...
References
Notes
Bibliography
*
*
{{Navboxes
, list =
{{USAF Vietnam War
{{USAAF 8th Air Force UK
{{USAAF 6th Air Force World War II
006
Units and formations of Strategic Air Command