820th Strategic Aerospace Division
Encyclopedia
The 820th Strategic Aerospace Division (820th SAD) is an inactive United States Air Force
organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command
, assigned to Eighth Air Force
, being stationed at Plattsburgh Air Force Base
, New York
. It was inactivated on June 25, 1965.
subordinate units in New England
and upper New York
. It also managed SAC MAJCOM B-52 Stratofortress
Strategic wings, along with air refueling squadrons. The 820th supervised the organization and training of its subordinate units in long range bombardment and air to air refueling operations. Acquired control of SM-65 Atlas ICBM missile wings in 1962 for strategic aerospace warfare using intercontinental ballistic missiles, being redesignated as a Strategic Aerospace Division.
The division supervised the training of assigned reserve personnel and units. In fulfilling its mission, the 820th participated in numerous training exercises. Inactivated in June 1965 as part of the phaseout of the B-47.
Squadrons
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 Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The 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....
, being stationed at Plattsburgh Air Force Base
Plattsburgh Air Force Base
Plattsburgh Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base covering 3,447 acres in the extreme northeast corner of New York, 20 miles south of the Canadian border...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. It was inactivated on June 25, 1965.
History
Activated in 1956 as an intermediate command echelon of Strategic Air Command, providing command and control of B-47 StratojetB-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...
subordinate units in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
and upper New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. It also managed SAC MAJCOM 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...
Strategic wings, along with air refueling squadrons. The 820th supervised the organization and training of its subordinate units in long range bombardment and air to air refueling operations. Acquired control of SM-65 Atlas ICBM missile wings in 1962 for strategic aerospace warfare using intercontinental ballistic missiles, being redesignated as a Strategic Aerospace Division.
The division supervised the training of assigned reserve personnel and units. In fulfilling its mission, the 820th participated in numerous training exercises. Inactivated in June 1965 as part of the phaseout of the B-47.
Lineage
- Established as 820 Air Division on January 24, 1956
- Activated on February 1, 1956
- Redesignated 820 Strategic Aerospace Division on May 1, 1962
- Discontinued, and inactivated, on June 25, 1965
Components
Wings- 308th Bombardment Wing308th Armament Systems WingThe United States Air Force's 308th Armament Systems Wing is a non-flying wing based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.-Overview:The wing was activated in 2004 to design, develop, field and maintain a family of air-to-ground munitions that enhance warfighter strike capabilities.The mission of the...
(Plattsburgh AFB, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
): July 15, 1959 – June 25, 1961 - 380th Bombardment (later, 380 Strategic Aerospace) Wing380th 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, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
): February 1, 1956 – June 25, 1965 - 497 Air Refueling Wing497th Air Refueling WingThe 497th Air Refueling Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was assigned to Strategic Air Command, based at Plattsburgh AFB, New York. The unit was inactivated on 15 September 1964...
(Plattsburgh AFB, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
): January 1, 1963 – September 15, 1964 - 4038th Strategic Wing (Dow AFB, MaineMaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
) : January 1, 1959 – April 1, 1961 - 4039th Strategic Wing (Griffiss AFB, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
): January 5, 1959 – April 1, 1961 - 4060th Air Refueling Wing (Dow AFB, MaineMaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
): January 1, 1959 – February 1, 1960 - 4108th Air Refueling Wing (Plattsburgh AFB, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
): January 1, 1961 – January 1, 1963.
Squadrons
- 11th Air Refueling Squadron11th Air Refueling SquadronThe 11th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 340th Air Refueling Wing, stationed at Altus AFB, Oklahoma...
: July 1, 1964 – June 25, 1965 - 26th Air Refueling Squadron26th Air Refueling SquadronThe 26th Air Refueling Squadron was a squadron of the United States Air Force that flew the KC-97E/F/G Stratofreighter.-History:...
: August 7, 1957 – August 1, 1959 - 341st Air Refueling Squadron341st Air Refueling SquadronThe 341st Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 397th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Dow AFB, Maine. It was inactivated on 1 February 1963...
: 1 Feb 1956-1 Apr 1961 - 556th Strategic Missile Squadron556th Strategic Missile SquadronThe 556th Strategic Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 820th Strategic Aerospace Division. It was inactivated at Plattsburgh Air Force Base, New York on 25 June 1965.-World War II:...
: October 1, 1961 – September 15, 1964 - 4365th Support (later, 4365 Post Attack Command Control) Squadron: July 20, 1962 – December 24, 1964.
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...
, 1956–1965 - EC-47 Stratojet 1962–1964
- 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:...
, 1956–1965 - 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...
, 1969–1961; 1964–1965 - 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...
, 1960–1961 - SM-65 Atlas missile, 1961–1965