Country United States | Role Airlift | |
Active 1942–1946; 1947–1949; 1958–1960 Branch United States Air Force Part of Military Air Transport Service Notable
commanders Lt Gen Glenn O. Barcus
Lt Gen Laurence C. Craigie | ||
The 323d Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Western Transport Air Force at Travis Air Force Base, California, where it was inactivated on 8 May 1960.
Contents
The wing was initially active as the Boston Air Defense Wing, an air defense organization during World War II. In 1944, when the perception of a possible air attack on the United States diminished, it was stripped of its personnel. After a short hiatus, it became the 323d Combat Crew Training Wing and trained heavy bomber aircrews until the end of the war.
It was active again in the reserves as the 323d Troop Carrier Wing from 1947 to 1949. During this period, it became the 323d Air Division before being inactivated in 1949 during a major reorganization of the air reserve.
Its final active period began in 1958 when Military Air Transport Service (MATS) took over Travis from Strategic Air Command (SAC). It managed support activities at Travis for SAC and MATS.
World War II
The division was first organized at Logan Airport, Massachusetts in the summer of 1942 as the Boston Air Defense Wing, an air defense organization, reporting to First Air Force, and responsible for the air defense of the Boston metropolitan area. It also trained fighter organizations and personnel. As the possibility of an air attack on the east coast became increasingly remote, the wing's manpower was withdrawn in July 1944.
In February 1945, it was redesignated the 323d Combat Crew Training Wing and was remanned. It served as a training organization for very heavy bomber personnel until August when its personnel was again withdrawn. It continued as a "paper" unit until it was inactivated in 1946.
Cold War
The unit was redesignated the 323d Troop Carrier Wing and was reactivated as a reserve unit under Air Defense Command (ADC) on 1 August 1947 at Stout Field, Indiana. It was assigned reserve troop carrier groups at Stout and Godman Air Force Base, Kentucky. In 1948 the Air Force implemented the wing base organization. As a result, along with the other multi-base wings of Continental Air Command (ConAC), the wing was redesignated as an air division. ConAC assumed reserve management responsibility from ADC in 1948. It was inactivated in June 1949 when ConAC implemented the wing base organization and most of its personnel and equipment were transferred to the newly formed 434th Troop Carrier Wing at nearby Atterbury Air Force Base.
From July 1958 to May 1960, the division maintained military air transport and support facilities and provided base support for all tenant organizations at Travis Air Force Base, California. It conducted peacetime operations such as airlifting cargo, troops, personnel, patients, and mail.