The 8th Air Division (8th AD) 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 ...

organization. Its last assignment was with

Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was est ...

, being stationed at

McClellan Air Force Base McClellan Air Force Base (1935–2001) is a former United States Air Force base located in the North Highlands area of Sacramento County, northeast of Sacramento, California. History For the vast majority of its operational lifetime, McClella ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. It was inactivated on 1 July 1957.

History

The 8th AD was established in 1949. Its initial assignment was the air defense of North and South Carolina under Fourteenth Air Force. It was inactivated in 1950 with its air defense mission taken over by

Eastern Air Defense Force The Eastern Air Defense Force (EADF) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Stewart Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960. History EADF was ...

. In 1954 it was re-activated under

Western Air Defense Force The Western Air Defense Force (WADF) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960. History WADF ...

with a mission of being the command and control organization for

Airborne early warning and control Airborne or Airborn may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Airborne'' (1962 film), a 1962 American film directed by James Landis * ''Airborne'' (1993 film), a comedy–drama film * ''Airborne'' (1998 film), an action film sta ...

(AEW&C) units of Air Defense Command. Its mission also included the training and equipping of

Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star The Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star was an American airborne early warning and control radar surveillance aircraft operational in the 1950s in both the United States Navy (USN) and United States Air Force (USAF). The military version of the Lock ...

AEW&C units. Division components flew early warning missions in "flying radar stations" off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the United States until its inactivation in July 1957, its mission being taken over directly by the Western Air Defense Force.

Lineage

* Established as the 8th Air Division (Tactical) on 7 April 1949 : Activated on 1 May 1949. : Inactivated on 1 August 1950 * Redesignated 8th Air Division (Airborne Early Warning and Control) on 19 April 1954 : Activated on 1 May 1954 : Inactivated on 1 July 1957

Assignments

Fourteenth Air Force The Fourteenth Air Force (14 AF; Air Forces Strategic) was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Space Command (AFSPC). It was headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The command was responsible for the organizatio ...

, 1 May 1949 – 1 August 1950 *

, 1 May 1954 *

, 1 May 1955 - 1 July 1957

Stations

Pope Air Force Base Pope Field is a U.S. military facility located 12 miles (19 km) northwest of the central business district of Fayetteville, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States.. Federal Aviation Administration. effective 15 November 2012 ...

, North Carolina, 1 May 1949 – 1 August 1950 *

, California, 1 May 1954 - 1 July 1957

Components

Wings * 551st Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing: 18 December 1954 – 1 July 1957 :

Otis Air Force Base Otis may refer to: Arts and entertainment Characters * Otis (Superman), in the films ''Superman'' and ''Superman II'' and related DC Comics media ** Otis Graves, in the TV series ''Supergirl'' * Otis (''The Walking Dead''), in the Image Comics ...

, Massachusetts * 552d Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing: 8 July 1955 – 1 July 1957. :

, California Squadrons * 963d Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron: 8 March - 8 July 1955 :: McClellan Air Force Base, California * 964th Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron: 8 March - 8 July 1955 :: McClellan Air Force Base, California * 4701st Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron: 1 May 1954 – 8 March 1955 :: McClellan Air Force Base, California * 4712th Airborne Early Warning and Control: 25 May 1954 – 8 March 1955. :: McClellan Air Force Base, California

References

Notes

Bibliography

* * * * *

External links

Air Force Historical Research Agency: 8th Air Division
{{Aerospace Defense Command, state=collapsed Military units and formations in California

008 008, OO8, O08, or 0O8 may refer to: * The Streetwear Brand @008us , inspired by Ian Fleming & Virgil Abloh *"030", the fictional 030 Agent of MI6 * '' 038: Operation Exterminate'', a 1965 Italian action film * '' Explosivo 030'' a 1940 Argentine c ...

Military units and formations established in 1949 Military units and formations disestablished in 1957