817th Air Division
Encyclopedia
The 817th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force
organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command
, assigned to Second Air Force
, being stationed at Pease Air Force Base, New Hampshire
. It was inactivated on June 30, 1971.
Activated in 1956 as an intermediate command echelon of Strategic Air Command, initially supervising and directing the organization and training of subordinate B-47 Stratojet
wings primarily in the Northeast. It ensured a force capable of immediate and sustained long range offensive bombardment and air-to-air refueling operations anywhere in the world.
With the retirement of the B-47 in 1965, beginning in 1966, the command controlled B-52 Stratofortress
heavy bombardment wings and at various times, deployed B-52 and KC-135 aircraft and crews to Strategic Air Command units involved in combat operations during the Vietnam War
. The 817th also participated in tactical exercises such as War Dance, Grand Slam, and Blast Off.
Inactivated in 1971 as part of SAC's withdrawal from Southeast Asia
and also as a result of budgetary reductions
Squadron
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 Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
, assigned to Second Air Force
Second Air Force
The Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
, being stationed at Pease Air Force Base, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. It was inactivated on June 30, 1971.
Activated in 1956 as an intermediate command echelon of Strategic Air Command, initially supervising and directing the organization and training of subordinate B-47 Stratojet
B-47 Stratojet
The Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
wings primarily in the Northeast. It ensured a force capable of immediate and sustained long range offensive bombardment and air-to-air refueling operations anywhere in the world.
With the retirement of the B-47 in 1965, beginning in 1966, the command controlled B-52 Stratofortress
B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
heavy bombardment wings and at various times, deployed B-52 and KC-135 aircraft and crews to Strategic Air Command units involved in combat operations during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. The 817th also participated in tactical exercises such as War Dance, Grand Slam, and Blast Off.
Inactivated in 1971 as part of SAC's withdrawal from Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
and also as a result of budgetary reductions
Lineage
- Established as 817 Air Division on January 24, 1956
- Activated on February 1, 1956
- Inactivated on June 30, 1971
Assignments
- Eighth Air ForceEighth Air ForceThe Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
, February 1, 1956 - Second Air ForceSecond Air ForceThe Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
, March 31, 1970 – June 30, 1971
Stations
- Portsmouth (later, Pease) AFB, New HampshireNew HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, February 1, 1956 – June 30, 1971.
Components
Wings- 17 Bombardment17th Training WingThe 17th Training Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command Second Air Force. It is stationed at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas...
(Wright-Patterson AFB)
- July 2, 1968 – July 2, 1969
- 99 Bombardment99th Air Base WingThe 99th Air Base Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command United States Air Force Warfare Center. It is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada...
(Westover AFB)
- 99 Bombardment
- July 2, 1969 – June 30, 1971
- 100 Bombardment100th Air Refueling WingThe 100th Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe Third Air Force. It is stationed at RAF Mildenhall, England. It is also the host wing at RAF Mildenhall....
(Portsmouth (later, Pease) AFB)
- 100 Bombardment
- February 1, 1956 – June 25, 1966
- Detached December 29, 1957 – April 1, 1958
- 301 Air Refueling301st Air Refueling WingThe 301st Air Refueling Wing is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force being last assigned to the Strategic Air Command at Malmstrom AFB, Montana. It was inactivated on 1 June 1992....
(Lockbourne (later, Rickenbacker) AFB)
- 301 Air Refueling
- March 15 – November 15, 1965
- 380 Strategic Aerospace380th Air Expeditionary WingThe 380th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional unit of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is attached to the United States Air Forces Central component of ACC and is stationed at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates....
(Plattsburgh AFB)
- 380 Strategic Aerospace
- June 25, 1965 – July 1, 1968
- July 2, 1969 – June 30, 1971.
- 416 Bombardment416th Air Expeditionary GroupThe 416th Air Expeditionary Group was a provisional unit assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.The current status of this unit is not publicly known. It previously served as the host unit at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base , in Qarshi, Uzbekistan, from 2002–2005...
(Griffiss AFB)
- 416 Bombardment
- September 2, 1966 – July 2, 1969.
Squadron
- 509th Air Refueling Squadron: January 5 – May 1, 1958.
Aircraft and Missiles
- B-47 StratojetB-47 StratojetThe Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
, 1956–1966 - KC-97 StratotankerKC-97 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker was a United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.-Design and development:...
, 1956–1966 - EC-135 1065. 1969–1970
- KC-135 StratotankerKC-135 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
, 1965–1971 - B-52 StratofortressB-52 StratofortressThe Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
, 1966–1971 - DC-130 1066
- WU-2Lockheed U-2The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "Dragon Lady", is a single-engine, very high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency . It provides day and night, very high-altitude , all-weather intelligence gathering...
, 1966 - FB-111 1970–1971