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Inactive United States Navy squadron From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The I Tactical Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Second Air Force, based at Biggs Field, Texas. It was inactivated on 22 December 1945.
I Tactical Air Division | |
---|---|
Active | 1941–1945 |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Army United States Air Force |
Role | Command and training of tactical units |
General Headquarters Air Force (GHQ AF) reorganized its four regional air districts as Numbered Air Forces in the spring of 1941. By the fall of that year, each of these had organized as a support command and three combat commands.[1]
In the summer of 1941 GHQ AF had decided to establish commands to direct its air support mission in each numbered air force, plus one additional command reporting directly to GHQ AF. These commands would be manned from inactivating wings, and would initially control only observation squadrons, which would be transferred from the control of the corps and divisions, although they would remain attached to these ground units.[2] 4th Air Force organized 4th Air Support Command at Fresno Army Air Base, California in September 1941, soon moving to Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma where it drew cadre and equipment from the 15th Bombardment Wing, which was simultaneously inactivated.[3][2][4] New observation groups were formed, with a cadre drawn from National Guard squadrons that had been mobilized in 1940 and 1941.[2]
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor the command came under the control of the Western Theater of Operations[2] and flew antisubmarine patrols off the Pacific coast. Most of the command's observation units were withdrawn form antisubmarine operations in June 1942, although some patrols continued until January 1943.[4][5] However, by early 1942, the command's first commander, like two of the other commanders of air support commands had moved overseas, and similar personnel demands led GHQ AF to believe it had little more than the "remnants" of the command remaining.[2]
The AAF determined that its continental air forces would specialize in their training operations and that all their air support commands would be reassigned to Third Air Force.[5]
In August 1943, the command was redesignated the III Tactical Air Division with the intent that the command would engage in combined training with army ground forces.[6]
At various times, it supervised heavy bomber flights to Hawaii, gave air support to ground units in training, participated in air-ground maneuvers, and put on air support demonstrations.[3]
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