Active 1944–1945; 1947–1949 | Country United States | |
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Branch United States Air Force Part of Continental Air Command Engagements European Theater of World War II | ||
The 96th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Tenth Air Force at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. It was inactivated on 27 June 1949.
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As the 96th Bombardment Wing, the unit was one of the primary Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy strategic bombardment wings of the Eighth Air Force 2d Bombardment Division in World War II.
History
"The 96th Bombardment Wing's units entered combat in early 1944, bombing oil refineries, marshaling yards, steel plants, and tank factories plus numerous other assorted targets in the European theater. In September 1944, some of the units ceased bombardment missions and instead flew gasoline for Army units to airfields in France. Others air-dropped supplies to Allied troops during the airborne attack on the Netherlands that same month. During the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944 through January 1945, subordinate units of the 97th aided Allied ground forces by bombing German transportation lines. Besides strategic bombardment, they also dropped supplies to Allied troops during the airborne assault across the Rhine River in March 1945."
Returned to the United States in summer 1945. Programmed to become a Boeing B-29 Superfortress command wing, however inactivated at the end of the Pacific War.
"Active in the Reserves from June 1947 to June 1949, the organization was redesignated as a division in April 1948."