18th Strategic Aerospace Division

18th Strategic Aerospace Division
Active	1929–1942; 1942–1944; 1959–1968
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Insignia
18th Strategic Aerospace Division emblem (approved)[1]

The 18th Strategic Aerospace Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Fifteenth Air Force at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, where it was inactivated on 2 July 1968.

History

The 18th Composite Wing served as part of the defense force for the Hawaiian Islands from 1 May 1931 – 29 January 1942. It inactivated after suffering disastrous losses in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (7 December 1941).^[1]

From June 1942 until 1944, it operated as the 18th Replacement Wing, processing personnel entering Second Air Force.^[1]

Redesignated as the 18th Air Division on 1 July 1959, it assured that assigned wings were organized, manned, trained, and equipped to conduct long-range bombardment operations using either nuclear or conventional weapons.^[1]

The division was redesignated as 18 Strategic Aerospace Division on 15 February 1962, and also developed and maintained a strategic missile operational capability. Between 1965 and 1968, subordinate units of the 18th loaned aircraft and aircrews to SAC organizations for combat during the Vietnam War.^[1]

The division was inactivated on 2 July 1968 due to budget constraints.^[1]

Lineage

• Established as the 18th Composite Wing on 8 May 1929

Activated on 1 May 1931

Redesignated 18th Wing on 1 September 1937

Redesignated 18th Bombardment Wing on 19 October 1940

Inactivated on 29 January 1942

• Redesignated 18th Replacement Wing on 17 June 1942

Activated on 23 June 1942

Disestablished on 11 April 1944

• Reestablished and redesignated 18th Air Division on 20 May 1959

Activated on 1 July 1959

Redesignated 18th Strategic Aerospace Division on 15 February 1962

Discontinued and inactivated on 2 July 1968^[1]

Assignments

• Hawaiian Department, 1 May 1931
• Hawaiian Air Force, 1 November 1940 – 29 January 1942
• Second Air Force, 23 June 1942 – 11 April 1944
• Fifteenth Air Force, 1 July 1959 – 2 July 1968^[1]

Components

Wings

• 6th Strategic Wing: 25 March 1967 – 2 July 1968
• 91st Bombardment Wing: 1 July 1963 – 1 September 1964
• 92d Bombardment Wing (later 92 Strategic Aerospace Wing): 1 July 1959 – 2 July 1968
• 320th Bombardment Wing: 1 July 1965 – 2 July 1966
• 341st Strategic Missile Wing: 2 July 1966 – 2 July 1968
• 462d Strategic Aerospace Wing: 1 February 1963 – 25 June 1966
• 4157th Strategic Wing: 1 July 1965 – 25 March 1967
• 4158th Strategic Wing: 1 July 1965 – 25 June 1966
• 4170th Strategic Wing: 1 July 1959 – 1 February 1963^[1]

Groups

• 5th Composite Group (later, 5 Bombardment Group): 1 May 1931 – 29 January 1942
• 11th Bombardment Group: 1 February 1940 – 29 January 1942
• 18th Pursuit Group: 1 May 1931 – 1 November 1940

Stations

• Fort Shafter, Hawaii, 1 May 1931
• Hickam Field, Hawaii Territory, 30 October 1937 – 29 January 1942
• Salt Lake City, Utah, 23 June 1942 – 11 April 1944
• Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, 1 July 1959 – 2 July 1968^[1]

Campaigns

Campaign Streamer	Campaign	Dates	Notes
	Central Pacific	7 December 1941 – 19 January 1942	18th Bombardment Wing[1]
	American Theater without inscription	23 June 1942 – 11 April 1944	18th Replacement Wing[1]

See also

• List of United States Air Force air divisions

References

Notes

Bibliography

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

• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.

• v
• t
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Strategic Air Command (SAC)

Bases

active (MAJCOM)

CONUS Altus (AETC) Andersen (PACAF) Andrews (AMC) Barksdale (ACC) Beale (ACC) Bolling (AFDW) Cannon (AFSOC) Cape Cod (USSF) Columbus (AETC) Davis-Monthan (ACC) Dyess (ACC) Eielson (PACAF) Ellsworth (ACC) Eglin (AFMC) F. E. Warren (AFGSC) Fairchild (AMC) Forbes (ANG) Grand Forks (AMC) Grissom (AFRC) Homestead (AFRC) Lincoln (ANG) Little Rock (AETC) MacDill (AMC) Malmstrom (AFGSC) March (AFRC) McChord (AMC) McConnell (AMC) McGuire (AMC) Minot (ACC) Mountain Home (ACC) Nellis (ACC) Offutt (ACC) Patrick (USSF) Pease (ANG) Rickenbacker (ANG) Robins (AFMC) Seymour Johnson (ACC) Sheppard (AETC) Selfridge (ANG) Travis (AMC) Vandenberg (USSF) Westover (AFRC) Whiteman (ACC) Wright-Patterson (AFMC) overseas RAF Alconbury (USAFE) Diego Garcia (USN) Kadena (PACAF) RAF Fairford (USAFE) RAF Lakenheath (USAFE) RAF Mildenhall (USAFE) Thule (USSF)

former / inactive

CONUS Amarillo Bergstrom Biggs Calumet Air Force Station Carswell Castle Chennault Clinton-Sherman Dow Eaker Glasgow Grand Island (AAF) Griffiss Hunter K. I. Sawyer Kearney Kincheloe Larson Loring Lowry Mather McCoy Plattsburgh Presque Isle Ramey R.I. Bong (unbuilt) Schilling Stead Turner Walker Wurtsmith overseas Strategic Air Command in the United Kingdom RAF Bassingbourn Ben Guerir Boulhaut RAF Brize Norton RAF Bruntingthorpe RAF Burtonwood RAF Chelveston RAF Greenham Common Goose Ernest Harmon RAF High Wycombe RAF Upper Heyford Torrejón RAF Manston Morón Nouasseur Rabat-Salé RAF Scampton RAF Sculthorpe Sidi Slimane RAF South Ruislip U-Tapao RAF Waddington RAF Woodbridge RAF Wyton Zaragoza

Units

Air Forces	Second Air Force Eighth Air Force Fifteenth Air Force Sixteenth Air Force Twentieth Air Force
Divisions	Air 3d 4th 5th 6th 7th 12th 14th 17th 19th 21st 36th 40th 42d 45th 47th 57th 100th 311th 801st 802d 806th 817th 822d 823d 4310th Strategic aerospace 1st 18th 22d 810th 813th 816th 818th 819th 820th 821st 825th Strategic missile 13th
Wings	Bombardment 2d 5th 7th 9th 17th 19th 22d 28th 39th 40th 42d 43d 68th 70th 72d 92d 93d 96th 97th 99th 303d 319th 320th 340th 379th 380th 397th 410th 416th 449th 450th 454th 456th 461st 465th 484th 494th 509th Fighter 1st 4th 12th 27th 31st 33d 56th 71st Strategic Reconnaissance (Fighter) 82d 407th 506th 508th Missile 44th 90th 91st 308th 321st 341st 351st 381st 389th 390th 392d 451st 455th 702d 703d 704th 705th 706th 4320th Strategic Wing (Missile) Reconnaissance 6th Strategic Reconnaissance 26th Strategic Reconnaissance 55th Strategic Reconnaissance 544th Aerospace Reconnaissance Technical Refueling 11th 100th 301st 305th 384th 452d 497th 499th 500th Strategic Aerospace 310th 385th 462d AFCON 95th 98th 306th 307th 376th MAJCOM 3918th 3920th 3960th 3970th 3973d 4026th 4038th 4039th 4042d 4043d 4047th 4080th 4081st 4082d 4083d 4123d 4126th 4128th 4130th 4133d 4134th 4135th 4136th 4137th 4138th 4141st 4157th 4158th 4170th 4228th 4238th 4239th 4241st 4245th 4252nd 4258th 4321st
USAAF Groups *= initial assigned unit upon SAC's activation	Bombardment 2d (7/47) 7th (10/46) 28th (8/46) 40th (3/46*) 43rd (10/46) 44th (3/46*) 92nd (10/46) 93d (3/46*) 97th (8/46) 98th (7/47) 301st (8/46) 307th (8/46) 444th (3/46*) 448th (3/46*) 449th (3/46*) 467th (3/46*) 485th (3/46*) 498th (3/46*) 509th Composite (3/46*) Fighter 27th (6/47) 55th (2/47) Reconnaissance 91st Strategic Reconnaissance (1/47)

Major
weapon
systems

Bombers	Rockwell B-1 Lancer Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit Boeing B-29 Superfortress Convair B-36 Peacemaker North American B-45 Tornado Boeing B-47 Stratojet Boeing B-50 Superfortress Boeing B-52 Stratofortress Convair B-58 Hustler General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark
Command & Control	Lockheed DC-130 Boeing E-4 Boeing EC-135 Boeing RC-135
Fighters	North American F-2 Mustang North American F-82 Twin Mustang Republic F-84F Thunderstreak North American F-86 Sabre Convair F-102 Delta Dagger General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark
Missiles	ADM-20 AGM-28 AGM-69 AGM-84 AGM-86 AGM-129 HGM-16 LGM-30A/B LGM-30F LGM-30G LGM-118A SM-62 PGM-17A PGM-19A
Reconnaissance	Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Lockheed TR-1 Lockheed U-2 Martin RB-57D Canberra Boeing RB-17 Boeing RB-29
Tankers	Boeing KB-29 Superfortress Boeing KB-50 McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter Lockheed HC-130 Lockheed Martin KC-130 Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
Transport	Beechcraft C-45 Douglas C-47 Skytrain Douglas C-54 Skymaster Fairchild C-82 Packet Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter Douglas C-118 Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar Douglas C-124 Globemaster II Convair C-131 Samaritan Boeing C-135 Stratolifter

Commanders

• George Kenney
• Curtis LeMay
• Power
• Ryan
• Joseph J. Nazzaro
• Bruce K. Holloway
• John C. Meyer
• Russell E. Dougherty
• Richard H. Ellis
• Bennie L. Davis
• Larry D. Welch
• John T. Chain, Jr,
• George Lee Butler

Emblems

• Strategic Air Command Emblem Gallery

United States military aircraft designation systems