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69th Air Division (United States)
Encyclopedia
The 69th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force
organization. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command
, assigned to Ninth Air Force
, being stationed at Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Pennsylvania
. It was inactivated on 24 June 1949.
Activated in China
in 1943
, the wing engaged in sea sweeps and attacks against Japanese inland shipping. Between late 1943 and 1945
its units bombed and strafed such targets as trains, harbors, railroads in French Indochina
, and the Canton Hong Kong area of South China
. These units also provided air support to Chinese ground troops. Fighter aircraft defended Allied air bases, the eastern terminus of The Hump air bridge
, and the bases in the area of Kunming
and attacked bridges, oil and gas storage facilities, supply dumps, convoys, and enemy troop concentrations. After the Japanese surrender, the 69th's troop carrier aircraft ferried troops and supplies in China, helped to evacuate prisoners of war, and flew mercy missions in China, French Indochina, and Manchuria.
It activated in the Reserves
in 1947
and performed training duties until June 1949
.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
organization. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
, assigned to Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
, being stationed at Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. It was inactivated on 24 June 1949.
Activated in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in 1943
1943 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1943:-Events:* Watanabe Iron Works transfers its aircraft manufacturing business to a new subsidiary, the Kyushu Airplane Company Ltd.-January:...
, the wing engaged in sea sweeps and attacks against Japanese inland shipping. Between late 1943 and 1945
1945 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1945:- Events :* The probe-and-drogue aerial refueling system, in which the tanker aircraft trails a hose with a stabilizing conical drogue at its end which mates to a fixed probe mounted on the receiving aircraft, is perfected...
its units bombed and strafed such targets as trains, harbors, railroads in French Indochina
French Indochina
French Indochina was part of the French colonial empire in southeast Asia. A federation of the three Vietnamese regions, Tonkin , Annam , and Cochinchina , as well as Cambodia, was formed in 1887....
, and the Canton Hong Kong area of South China
Northern and southern China
Northern China and southern China are two approximate regions within China. The exact boundary between these two regions has never been precisely defined...
. These units also provided air support to Chinese ground troops. Fighter aircraft defended Allied air bases, the eastern terminus of The Hump air bridge
The Hump
The Hump was the name given by Allied pilots in the Second World War to the eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains over which they flew military transport aircraft from India to China to resupply the Chinese war effort of Chiang Kai-shek and the units of the United States Army Air Forces based in...
, and the bases in the area of Kunming
Kunming
' is the capital and largest city of Yunnan Province in Southwest China. It was known as Yunnan-Fou until the 1920s. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of Yunnan, and is the seat of the provincial government...
and attacked bridges, oil and gas storage facilities, supply dumps, convoys, and enemy troop concentrations. After the Japanese surrender, the 69th's troop carrier aircraft ferried troops and supplies in China, helped to evacuate prisoners of war, and flew mercy missions in China, French Indochina, and Manchuria.
It activated in the Reserves
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
in 1947
1947 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1947:-January:* January 11 – The BOAC Douglas C-47A G-AGJX crashes into a hill at Stowting in southeast England, killing eight of the 16 people on board and injuring all eight survivors...
and performed training duties until June 1949
1949 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1949:- Events :* Aerolíneas Argentinas is established.* Royal Jordanian Air Force is formed as the Arab League Air Force.* Republic of Korea Air Force is formed.* Lebanese Air Force is formed....
.
Lineage
- Established as 69 Bombardment Wing on 9 August 1943
- Activated on 3 September 1943
- Redesignated 69 Composite Wing on 21 December 1943
- Inactivated on 26 December 1945
- Redesignated 69 Troop Carrier Wing on 28 January 1947
- Activated in the Reserve on 23 March 1947
- Redesignated 69 Air Division, Troop Carrier on 16 April 1948
- Inactivated on 27 June 1949
- Redesignated 69 Air Division on 1 September 1959 (Remained Inactive)
Assignments
- Fourteenth Air ForceFourteenth Air ForceThe Fourteenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Space Command . It is headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California....
, 3 September 1943 - Tenth Air ForceTenth Air ForceThe Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....
, 24 August – 26 December 1945 - Eleventh Air ForceEleventh Air ForceThe Eleventh Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska....
, 23 March 1947 - First Air ForceFirst Air ForceThe First Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida....
, 1 July 1948 - Ninth Air ForceNinth Air ForceThe Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
, 23 February – 27 June 1949.
Stations
- Kunming Airport, ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, 3 September 1943 - Tsuyung, ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, c. 12 January 1944 - Kunming Airport, ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, by 30 April 1944 – c. 26 December 1945 - Greater Pittsburgh Airport, PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, 23 March 1947 – 27 June 1949.
Components
- 51st Fighter Group: 2 October 1943 – c. 26 December 1945
- 341st Bombardment Group: 26 December 1943 – 21 June 1945; 1–25 August 1945
- 375th Troop Carrier Group: 17 October 1947 – 27 June 1949
- 419th Troop Carrier Group: 17 October 1947 – 27 June 1949
- 433d Troop Carrier Group: 17 October 1947 – 27 June 1949
- 436th Troop Carrier Group: 1 July 1948 – 27 June 1949.