The 1st Strategic Aerospace Division (1st SAD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, assigned to Fifteenth Air Force, being stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 1 September 1991.
The division directed and supervised heavy bombardment (1943–1945) and fighter (1944–1945) operations during World War II in the European Theater.
Replacing the Eighth Air Force in Okinawa in June 1946, the division directed fighter reconnaissance and bomber organizations, and provided air defense for the Ryukyu Islands, Japan until December 1948.
From 1954 to 1955, the division served as a holding unit at Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts, for personnel of Eighth Air Force, who moved to the base as part of a transfer of Eighth's headquarters from Carswell Air Force Base, Texas.
Activated again under the Air Research and Development Command in April 1957, it was the first division level organization controlling intermediate range and intercontinental ballistic missiles. It became an operational component of Strategic Air Command (SAC) in January 1958 and began operational testing of missile systems, supporting missile launchings by SAC and other agencies, and training SAC missilemen. These missions continued until the final disbandment on 1 September 1991.
Established as the 1st Bombardment Division on 30 August 1943Activated on 13 September 1943Redesignated
1st Air Division on 19 December 1944Inactivated on 31 October 1945
Activated on 7 June 1946Inactivated on 1 December 1948Activated on 1 July 1954Inactivated on 1 April 1955
Redesignated 1st Air Division (Meteorological Survey) on 12 April 1955Activated on 15 April 1955Inactivated on 20 May 1956
Redesignated 1st Missile Division on 18 March 1957Activated on 15 April 1957
Redesignated 1st Strategic Aerospace Division on 21 July 1961Redesignated
Strategic Missile Center on 31 July 1990Inactivated on 1 September 1991
VIII Bomber Command (later, Eighth Air Force), 13 September 1943VIII Fighter Command, 16 July – 31 October 1945Pacific Air Command, U.S. Army (later Far East Air Forces), 7 June 1946 – 1 December 1948Eighth Air Force, 1 July 1954 – 1 April 1955Strategic Air Command, 15 April 1955 – 20 May 1956Air Research and Development Command, 15 April 1957Strategic Air Command, 1 January 1958Fifteenth Air Force, 1 September 1988 – 1 September 1991Brampton Grange, United Kingdom, 13 September 1943RAF Alconbury, United Kingdom, 16 September – 31 October 1945Kadena (later Kadena Army Air Base, Kadena Air Force Base), Okinawa, 7 June 1946 – 1 December 1948Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts, 1 July 1954 – 1 April 1955Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, 15 April 1955 – 20 May 1956Inglewood, CA, 15 April 1957Cooke Air Force Base (later Vandenberg Air Force Base), California, 16 July 1957 – 1 September 1991Divisions
301st Fighter Division (Provisional): 18 August – 16 September 1948 (not operational entire period)316th Air Division: See 316th Bombardment Wing belowWings
(World War II)
1st Combat Bombardment Wing (later 1st Bombardment Wing): 13 September 1943 – 12 August 19452d Bombardment Wing: 31 July – 12 August 194540th Combat Bombardment Wing (later 40th Bombardment Wing): 13 September 1943 – 26 September 194541st Combat Bombardment Wing (later 41st Bombardment Wing): 13 September 1943 – 1 June 194567th Fighter Wing: attached 6 October – 31 December 1944, assigned 1 January – 12 August 194592d Combat Bombardment Wing: 1 December – c. 11 December 194394th Combat Bombardment Wing (later 94 Bombardment Wing): 12 December 1943 – 18 June 1945101st Provisional Heavy Bombardment Combat: attached 13–16 September 1943102d Provisional Heavy Bombardment Combat: attached 13–16 September 1943103d Provisional Heavy Bombardment Combat: attached 13–16 September 1943(United States Air Force)
32d Composite Wing: 24 August – 1 December 194851st Fighter Wing: 18 August – 1 December 1948.71st Tactical Reconnaissance Wing: 18 August – 25 October 1948 (not operational, and detached, 24 August – 25 October 1948)301st Fighter Wing: 7 June 1946 – 1 December 1948 (not operational, 18 August – 1 December 1948)316th Bombardment Wing (later 316th Air Division): 7 June 1946 – 21 June 1948392d Strategic Missile Wing: 18 October – 20 December 1961456th Troop Carrier Wing: attached c. 15 April 1955 – 26 March 1956703d Strategic Missile Wing: 25 September 1958 – 15 January 1959704th Strategic Missile Wing: 1 August 1957 – 1 July 1959 (not operational 6 April – 1 July 1959)706th Strategic Missile Wing: 23 February 1958 – 16 January 19594320th Strategic Wing (Missile): 1–23 February 19584392nd Aerospace Support Wing: 21 July – 20 December 1961, 1 July 1987 – 15 January 1991Strategic Missile, Provisional: attached 1 January – 1 February 1958Groups
6th Bombardment Group: 1 June 1947 – 18 October 1948 (not operational)71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group: attached 18 August – 1 November 194893d Bombardment Group: attached 24 May – 25 August 194894th Bombardment Group: 12 August – 26 September 194596th Bombardment Group: 12 August – 26 September 194598th Bombardment Group: attached 25 August – 1 December 1948100th Bombardment Group: 12 August – 26 September 1945Squadrons
864th, 865th, 866th Strategic Missile Squadrons4315th Student SquadronOthers, too numerousAircraft and Missiles
Too Numerous 
