806th Air Division

USAF KC-97F Stratotanker refueling B-47B Stratojet

Active| 1952–1960
Country|  United States
Branch|  United States Air Force
Role| Bombardment
Insignia
806th Air Division emblem[a][1]|

Military unit

The 806th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was assigned to Second Air Force of Strategic Air Command at Chennault Air Force Base, Louisiana. where it was inactivated on 15 June 1960.

The division was activated to manage the two Strategic Air Command medium bombardment wings at Chennault in 1952. Shortly after the division was activated, its mission changed from crew training to strategic bombardment, originally with Boeing B-29 Superfortresses, then with Boeing B-47 Stratojets. It was inactivated with one of its wings, which left Chennault as a single wing base.

## History

[edit]

The 806th Air Division was activated in 1952 at Lake Charles Air Force Base, Louisiana when Strategic Air Command (SAC) departed from the wing base organization system and created air divisions as the headquarters on bases with two operational wings. The division's components were the 44th and 68th Bombardment Wings,[2] and the newly activated 806th Air Base Group. Both its operational wings flew variants of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress.[1] Its 44th Wing served as an Operational Training Unit for B-29 aircrews and maintenance personnel being assigned to Far East Air Forces until late August.[3]

The following year, the division's bombardment units upgraded to the Boeing B-47 Stratojet and expanded to include air refueling squadrons flying Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighters. The 98th Air Refueling Squadron moved to Lake Charles from MacDill Air Force Base, Florida in November 1953 and was assigned to the division.[1][4] The squadron was inactivated a few days later and its personnel and equipment were transferred to the 68th wing's 68th Air Refueling Squadron.[citation needed] The division monitored and coordinated the units' manning, equipping, and training for global strategic air warfare on a global scale. In fulfilling its mission, the division participated in numerous tactical exercises.[1]

The division's 44th Wing deployed as a unit to 5th Air Division forward locations in Morocco in Operation Reflex,[3] while the 68th deployed to bases in the United Kingdom controlled by 7th Air Division.[5] The division's tanker units deployed separately to locations including Canada.[6]

On 14 November 1958, Lake Charles Air Force Base was renamed Chennault Air Force Base in honor of General Claire Lee Chennault, the founder of the Flying Tigers, who died in July of that year.[7]

The 806th was inactivated in June 1960[1] when the 44th Bombardment Wing was inactivated[3] as a first step toward the planned closure of Chennault in 1962.[8] This left only a single wing at Chennault and the 68th Bombardment Wing and its 68th Combat Support Group assumed host base responsibility as the sole remaining wing at Chennault.[9]

## Lineage

[edit]

* Constituted as the 806 Air Division on 4 June 1952

Activated on 16 June 1952
Discontinued on 15 June 1960[1]

### Assignments

[edit]

* Second Air Force, 16 June 1952 – 15 June 1960.[1]

### Stations

[edit]

* Lake Charles Air Force Base (later Chennault Air Force Base), Louisiana, 16 June 1952 – 15 June 1960[1]

### Components

[edit]

Wings

* 44th Bombardment Wing: 16 June 1952 – 15 June 1960[1] (attached to 5th Air Division 19 January 1953 – 22 February 1953 and 19 April 1954 – 17 June 1954)[10]
* 68th Bombardment Wing: 16 June 1952 – 15 June 1960[1]

Groups

* 806th Air Base Group (later 806th Combat Support Group): 16 June 1952 – 15 June 1960[11]
* 806th Medical Group: 1 December 1958 – 15 June 1960[12]

Squadrons

* 98th Air Refueling Squadron: 22 November 1953 – 25 November 1953[1]
* 505th Aviation Squadron: 18 September 1953 – 1 July 1954[13][14]

Other

* 4232d USAF Hospital: 1 April 1954 – 1 December 1958 (attached to 806th Air Base Group)[12][15][16]

### Aircraft

[edit]

* Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1952–1953
* Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1953–1960
* Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter, 1953–1960[1]

### Commanders

[edit]

Col Carlos J. Cochrane, 16 June 1952; Brig Gen Raymond L. Winn, 3 November 1952; Brig Gen Henry K. Mooney, 2 August 1954; Brig Gen John K. Hester, 1 August 1955; Col Jacob J. Brogger, 24 July 1957; Col Robert H. Strauss, 4 December 1958; Col William J. Cain Jr., 27 May – 15 June 1960[1]

## See also

[edit]

* List of United States Air Force air divisions
* List of USAF Bomb Wings and Wings assigned to Strategic Air Command
* List of B-29 units of the United States Air Force
* List of B-47 units of the United States Air Force

## References

[edit]

### Notes

[edit]

Explanatory notes

1. ^ Approved 13 April 1954. Description: Gules, issuing from the top of a globe argent with water areas azure, a left hand or grasping a stylized aircraft silver grey and emitting three lightning bolts to base of the fourth [color mentioned], the center one surmounting the globe, in dexter chief a cluster of eight mullets of the second [color mentioned] and in sinister chief a cluster of six of the like [color].

Citations

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Factsheet 806 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 11 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
2. ^ The 68th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing was redesignated as a bombardment unit the same day it was assigned to the 806th
3. ^ a b c Ravenstein, pp. 73–74
4. ^ Mueller, p. 352
5. ^ Ravenstein, pp. 107–109
6. ^ "Abstract, History 806 Air Division Jul 1956". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
7. ^ "Abstract, History 806 Air Division Sep 1958". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
8. ^ "Abstract, History 806 Air Division Nov 1959". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
9. ^ "Abstract, History 806 Air Division Feb 1960". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
10. ^ "Factsheet 5 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
11. ^ "Abstract, History 806 Air Division Dec 1953". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
12. ^ a b "Abstract, History 806 Air Division Dec 1958". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
13. ^ "Abstract, History 806 Air Division Oct 1953". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
14. ^ "Abstract, History 806 Air Division Jul 1954". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
15. ^ "Abstract, History 806 Air Division Feb 1954". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
16. ^ "Abstract, History 806 Air Division Jul 1954". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 12 April 2014.

### Bibliography

[edit]

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

* Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6.
* 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
* e

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
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