Misplaced Pages

322d Airlift Division

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
(Redirected from 322d Air Division)
This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article. (August 2023)
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "322d Airlift Division" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (June 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
(Learn how and when to remove this message)

322d Airlift Division
C-130E Hercules of the 435th Wing
Active1944–1946; 1947–1949; 1954–1968; 1978–1992
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleCommand of airlift forces
EngagementsSouthwest Pacific Theater
DecorationsAir Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
322d Airlift Division emblem
Military unit

The 322d Airlift Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Military Airlift Command, assigned to Twenty-First Air Force, being stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, where it was inactivated on 1 April 1992.

History

During World War II, the 322d Troop Carrier Wing primarily carried high priority cargo destined for Air Corps organizations in the Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA). Besides carrying passengers and cargo, it evacuated wounded personnel and flew courier routes in SWPA.

Active in the reserve from June 1947 to June 1949, it supervised subordinate unit training.

From March 1954, the 322d Air Division was responsible for airlifting personnel, cargo, and mail in Europe. Almost immediately after it commenced operations in Europe, the 322d became involved in a major airlift of French troops (Project Bali Hai) from bases in France to Indochina. Initially concerned only with operations in West Germany and France, it soon began operating throughout the entire United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) area of responsibility. In addition to its routine duties, the division supported numerous humanitarian missions to Turkey, Iran, Morocco, and Pakistan, among other states.

It also provided airlift support in the following crises: the nationalization of the Suez Canal in 1956; the Hungarian Revolution of 1956; the 1958 Lebanon crisis; support for UN forces in the Congo in 1960–1961; the invasion of India by Communist Chinese forces in 1962–1963; airlift of peacekeeping forces to Cyprus in 1964; and the Middle East crisis of 1967.

Between 1954 and 1968, the division supported numerous USAFE and NATO exercises.

From June 1978, the 322d managed tactical airlift forces stationed and operating in the European theater and coordinated strategic airlift from the United States and other origins. It also assumed responsibility for all aeromedical operations and administrative airlift in the theater, including highly positioned military and civilian U.S. and foreign government officials. In addition, the division supported military exercises such as Ardent Ground, Dawn Patrol, Flintlock, and Cold Fire/Reforger.

In 1985 the 322d acquired peacetime responsibility for airlift management in Africa.

Lineage

  • Established as the 322d Troop Carrier Wing on 4 December 1944
Activated on 30 December 1944
Inactivated on 15 February 1946
  • Activated in the reserve on 12 June 1947
Redesignated 322d Air Division, Troop Carrier on 16 April 1948.
Inactivated on 27 June 1949
  • Redesignated 322d Air Division (Combat Cargo) and activated on 1 March 1954
Redesignated 322d Air Division on 8 January 1966
Inactivated on 24 December 1968
  • Redesignated 322d Airlift Division on 13 June 1978
Activated on 23 June 1978
Inactivated on 1 April 1992

Assignments

Stations

Operational components

Wings

  • Air Transport Wing, Provisional (Europe): attached 18 July-27 August 1960
  • 60th Troop Carrier Wing: Attached 1 April 1954 – 31 July 1955, assigned 1 August 1955 – 25 September 1958
  • 317th Troop Carrier Wing: Attached 1 April 1954 – 31 July 1955; 1 April – 20 June 1964; assigned 1 August 1955 – 25 September 1958; 15 April 1963 – 1 April 1964
  • 435th Tactical Airlift Wing: 23 June 1978 – 1 April 1992
  • 465th Troop Carrier Wing: Attached 1 April 1954 – 31 July 1955, assigned 1 August 1955 – 8 July 1957
  • 513th Troop Carrier Wing (later 513 Tactical Airlift Wing): Attached 15 April 1966 – 24 December 1968

Groups

Squadrons

Other

  • Military Airlift Center, Europe: 23 June 1978 – 15 January 1981
  • Airlift Task Force, Provisional: attached 18–29 May 1958

Aircraft

See also

References

Notes

Explanatory notes
  1. Aircraft is Lockheed C-130E-LM Hercules, serial 63-7887. Transferred to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center on 8 January 2007. Baugher, Joe (25 July 2023). "1963 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  2. Approved 16 Aug 1956. Description: On a shield argent between the points of a flying dart gules, a sphere of the field, with axis, latitude lines, longitude lines and outline sable; in dexter chief a cross couped of the second , winged of the first ; in sinister base a parachute gules, lines and detail black; two points pointed bendwise, one in dexter base and one in sinister chief azure.
Citations
  1. ^ "Factsheet 322 Airlift Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 12 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2014.

Bibliography

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

External links

Military Airlift Command (MAC)
Air Forces
Air Divisions
Named Units
Wings
MAW
TAW
Bases
Aircraft
Category: