304th Air Division

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 304th Air Division


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dates= 1943-1949
country= United States
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branch= United States Air Force
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role= Bombardment
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command_structure= Fifteenth Air Force
Fourth Air Force
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* World War II: European Campaign (1943-1945)
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battle_honours=The 304th Air Division (304th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Continental Air Command, assigned to Fourth Air Force, being stationed at Long Beach Airport, California. It was inactivated on 24 June 1949.

History

Lineage

* Established as 304th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) on 7 Dec 1943. : Activated on 29 Dec 1943. : Redesignated 304th Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 4 May 1945. : Inactivated on 13 Oct 1945.
* Redesignated 304th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy on 11 Mar 1947. : Activated in the Reserves on 19 Apr 1947. : Redesignated 304th Air Division Bombardment on 16 Apr 1947. : Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949.

Assignments

* Fifteenth Air Force, 29 Dec 1943-26 Sep 1945
* Army Service Forces, 26 Sep-13 Oct 1945
* Air Defense Command: Fourth Air Force:: 25 Air Defense (later, 25 Air) Division: 19 Apr 1947 - 27 Jun 1949: ADC made a subordinate organization of Continental Air Command, 1 Dec 1948

Stations

* Cerignola, Italy, 29 Dec 1943-26 Sep 1945
* Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 12-13 Oct 1945
* Long Beach Airport, California, 19 Apr 1947-27 Jun 1949

Components

Groups
* 448 Bombardment: 19 Apr 1947-27 Jun 1949
* 452 Bombardment: 19 Apr 1947-27 Jun 1949
* 454 Bombardment: 25 Jan 1944-c. 19 Jul 1945
* 455 Bombardment: 25 Jan 1944-9 Sep 1945
* 456 Bombardment: 25 Jan 1944-c. 18 Jun 1945
* 459 Bombardment: 25 Jan 1944-c. 7 Jul 1945; 19 Apr 1947-27 Jun 1949.

Aircraft

* B-24 Liberator

Operational History

Activated in Italy as a Bombardment wing in Dec 1943, the 304th participated in the strategic Bombardment of enemy occupied Europe. Targets included harbors, marshalling yards, airdromes, bridges, industrial areas, and troop concentrations in Italy, Austria, Germany, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and Greece.

In May 1944, some subordinate units began an intensive bombing campaign against enemy oil resources, which included refineries at Ploesti, Romania, and oil and storage plants in Austria, Germany, and Hungary. During July and August 1944, subordinate units also prepared for and supported the invasion of southern France. Returned to the United States and inactivated, 13 October 1945.

Activated and assigned to the Reserves in April 1947. Assigned first to Air Defense Command, then to Continental Air Command (ConAC) when ADC was made a subordinate command of ConAC. While active in the Reserve the 304th was redesignated as a division and commanded several B-29 Superfortress-designated groups. It is not clear if these groups were actually manned or equipped. The Division was inactivated on 29 June 1949

References

* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.

External links