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Home > Fact Sheets > 7 Air Division
7 AIR DIVISION
Posted 10/4/2007
Printable Fact Sheet
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In accordance with Chapter 3 of AFI 84-105, commercial reproduction of this emblem is NOT permitted without the permission of the proponent organizational/unit commander.
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Lineage
Established as 7 Fighter Wing on 31 Mar 1944. Activated on 21 Apr 1944. Redesignated 7 Air Division on 15 Dec 1947. Inactivated on 1 May 1948. Organized on 1 May 1948. Discontinued on 3 Sep 1948. Activated on 20 Mar 1951. Inactivated on 16 Jun 1952. Organized on 16 Jun 1952. Discontinued on 30 Jun 1965. Activated on 1 Jul 1978. Inactivated on 1 Feb 1992.
Assignments
Seventh Air Force, 21 Apr 1944 (attached VII Fighter Command, 24 Apr-15 Aug 1944); Army Air Forces (AAF), Pacific Ocean Area, 15 Aug 1944; Provisional Army Air Forces, Middle Pacific, attached 1 Jul 1945 and assigned, 22 Nov 1945; Seventh Air Force (later, Pacific Air Command), 1 Jan 1946-1 May 1948. Pacific Air Command, 1 May-3 Sep 1948. Strategic Air Command, 20 Mar 1951-16 Jun 1952. Strategic Air Command, 16 Jun 1952-30 Jun 1965. Strategic Air Command, 1 Jul 1978; Eighth Air Force, 31 Jan 1982-1 Feb 1992.
Components
Wings. 17 Reconnaissance: 1 Oct 1982-30 Jun 1991. 81 Fighter: 1 May-3 Sep 1948. 306 Strategic: 1 Jul 1978-1 Feb 1992. 705 Strategic Missile: 20 Feb 1958-1 Apr 1960 (not operational). Hickam (later, 6502) Composite: 1 May-3 Sep 1948.
Groups. 11 Strategic: 15 Nov 1978-7 Aug 1990. 15 Fighter: attached 1 Aug 1944-5 Feb 1945; attached 30 Nov 1945-1 Mar 1946; assigned 22 Apr-15 Oct 1946. 21 Fighter: assigned 3 Jul-10 Nov 1944, attached 10 Nov 1944-9 Feb 1945. 30 Bombardment: 15 Aug 1945-1 Mar 1946 (not operational 15 Feb-1 Mar 1946). 81 Fighter: 15 Oct 1946-1 May 1948. 508 Fighter: attached 6 Jan-25 Nov 1945.
Squadrons. 6 Night Fighter: attached 27 Sep-11 Dec 1944; assigned 12 May 1945-1 Mar 1946; assigned 22 Apr-31 May 1946. 19 Surveillance: 1 Dec 1979-1 May 1983. 41 Photographic Reconnaissance: 18 Apr-13 Jun 1945. 43 Reconnaissance, Long Range, Photographic: attached 20 Sep 1945-22 Feb 1946 (further attached to 30 Bombardment Group for same period). 548 Night Fighter: 16 Sep-20 Oct 1944. 549 Night Fighter: 20 Oct-1 Nov 1944.
Stations
Fort Shafter, TH, 21 Apr 1944; Wheeler Field (later, AAB; AFB), TH, 18 Nov 1946-1 May 1948. Hickam AFB, TH, 1 May 1948-3 Sep 1948. South Ruislip, England, 20 Mar 1951-16 Jun 1952. South Ruislip, England, 16 Jun 1952; U.S. Air Base High Wycombe (later, High Wycombe Air Station), England, 1 Jul 1958-30 Jun 1965. Ramstein AB, Germany, 1 Jul 1978-1 Feb 1992.
Commanders
Brig Gen Robert W. Douglass Jr., 21 Apr 1944 (additional duty); Col Ernest Moore, 31 May 1944 (additional duty); Col John M. Weikert, 1 Jul 1944; Col Orrin L. Grover, 24 Nov 1944; Brig Gen John M. Weikert, 15 Dec 1944; Col Orrin L. Grover, 23 Jun 1945; Brig Gen John M. Weikert, by 5 Jul 1945; Col Richard A. Grussendorf, 22 Apr 1946; Col Earl H. Jacobsen, 10 Jun 1947; Col Thomas W. Blackburn, 26 Aug 1947-1 May 1948. Brig Gen Robert F. Travis, 1 May-31 Aug 1948 (permanent), and 1-3 Sep 1948 (additional duty). None (not manned), 20 Mar-25 Apr 1951; Maj Gen Archie J. Old Jr., 26 Apr 1951; Maj Gen John P. McConnell, 23 May 1951-16 Jun 1952. Maj Gen John P. McConnell, 16 Jun 1952; Maj Gen James C. Selser Jr., 14 Mar 1953; Brig Gen Thomas C. Musgrave Jr., 20 Jul 1954; Brig Gen James H. Walsh, 10 Jul 1955; Maj Gen William H. Blanchard, 25 Feb 1957; Maj Gen Charles B. Westover, 19 Jan 1960; Maj Gen Edwin B. Broadhurst, 1 Aug 1961; Maj Gen Charles M. Eisenhart, 18 Sep 1962; Maj Gen Delmar E. Wilson, 28 Jul 1964; Col Ervin Wursten, 9 Oct 1964-1965. Col Doyle F. Reynolds, 1 Jul 1978; Brig Gen Jerome R. Barnes Jr., 17 Jul 1978; Brig Gen Robert D. Beckel, 26 Jun 1979; Brig Gen John J. Doran Jr., 13 Feb 1981; Brig Gen Wayne W. Lambert, 31 Jan 1983; Brig Gen Loring R. Astorino, 21 Jun 1986; Brig Gen Kenneth L. Hagemann, 1 Mar 1990-1 Feb 1992.
Aircraft
A-24, 1944; B-24, 1944-1945; B-25, 1944-1945; B-26, 1944-1945; P-38, 1944-1945; P-39, 1944; P-40, 1944; P-47, 1944-1945; P-51, 1944-1946; P-61, 1944-1946; P-70, 1944; RA-24, 1944-1945; UC-7, 1944-1945; A-26, 1945-1946; B-17, 1945-1946; B-24, 1945-1946; CQ-3, 1945; F-5, 1945; F-7, 1945-1946; L-5, 1945-1946; P-51, 1946-1947; PQ-14, 1945-1946; TB-17, 1945-1946; TB-25, 1945; ERB-17, 1946; B-26, 1948; C-46, 1948; C-54, 1948; F-47, 1948; L-5, 1948; P-47, 1948; SB-17, 1948. B-29, 1951-1952; B/RB-45, 1951-1952; B-50, 1951-1952; F-84, 1951; KB-29, 1951-1952; RB-29, 1951-1952; RB-36, 1951-1952. B-29, 1952-1953; B-50, 1952-1953; F-84, 1953, 1955; KB-29, 1952-1953; RB-36, 1952-1954. B-36, 1952-1956; B/RB-50, 1952-1956; C-47, 1952-1953; B-47, 1953-1965; KC-97, 1953-1958; 1962-1964; RB-47, 1954; 1956-1965; ERB-29, 1955-1956; RB-57, 1959; U-2, 1962; B-58, 1964 (Jan). After activation on 1 Jul 1978, the division controlled aircraft, such as the KC-135, B-52, RC-135, SR-71 and U-2.
Operations
This organization provided air defense of the Hawaiian Islands Apr 1944-Sep 1948. In 1951 as part of the Strategic Air Command, the division controlled deployed bombardment and reconnaissance forces between 1951 and 1965. It participated in alerts, exercises, operational readiness inspections, evaluations, and intensive training programs to provide an advanced combat ready force. It also assumed responsibility for air base construction and improvement, which included building complexes to accommodate bombers, fighters, and special functions such as communications, weapons storage, aircraft parts, and navigational aids. From 1978, the division assured that assigned units trained to conduct strategic warfare according to the Emergency War Order. It also assured that assigned units could conduct strategic reconnaissance and air refueling and function as the nucleus of a SAC advanced echelon in event of contingency operations.
Service Streamers. World War II Asiatic Pacific Theater.
Campaign Streamers. None.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 1 Jul 1985-30 Jun 1987.
Emblem
On a blue shield with a narrow yellow border, a vertical white sword partially sheathed, point down, the hilt in the shape of wings, the handle diagonally striped blue and yellow, the sword interlaced with a red seven terminating in a pointed foot between two smaller red flashes, all three outlined in white; interlaced with the flashes and behind the sword a spray of yellow laurel leaves. (Approved 16 Sep 1954.)
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 1 Feb 1992
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 1 Feb 1992
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