834d Air Division
Encyclopedia
The 834th Air Division (834th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force
organization. Its last assignment was with Military Airlift Command
, assigned to Twenty-Second Air Force
, being stationed at Hickam Air Force Base
, Hawaii
. It was inactivated on 1 April 1992
Tan Son Nhut Air Base
, South Vietnam
, 15 October 1966-1 December 1971
Group
Squadrons
By June 1964, the conflict in Southeast Asia demanded much of the 834th's efforts. Late in 1966 the division moved, without personnel or equipment, to Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam, to join the Seventh Air Force. Through December 1971 it served as a single manager for all tactical airlift operations in South Vietnam, using air transport to haul cargo and troops, which were air-landed or air-dropped, as combat needs dictated. In addition, the 834th supervised transport operations (primarily C-47's) of the Vietnamese Air Force and six A-4 Wallaby transports operated by the Royal Australian Air Force. The 834th's flying components also performed defoliation missions, propaganda leaflet drops, and other special missions. During its last few months, the 834th worked toward passing combat airlift control to Seventh Air Force.
From March 1972 to December 1974 the division supervised Twelfth Air Force tactical airlift operations and participated in a series of tactical airlift exercises and joint training missions with U.S. Army units. Squadrons and detachment-size elements frequently deployed to points in Europe, the Canal Zone, Africa, Thailand, and elsewhere. The 834th flew many humanitarian missions to such widespread places as Africa, the Philippines, Columbia, and Honduras.
In October 1978, it assumed responsibility for managing MAC airlift resources in the Pacific. For this mission, the 834th provided a single commander for MAC airlift units in the Pacific theater; command and control of theater-assigned airlift forces for Pacific Air Forces; theater tactical airlift war planning and Pacific exercise planning; and aerial ports in the Pacific area to support the air movement of personnel, cargo, equipment, patients, and mail. The division participated in tactical exercises such as Team Spirit, Ulchi Focus Lens, and Capstan Dragon.
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 Military Airlift Command
Military Airlift Command
The Military Airlift Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command of the USAF which was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. It was constituted on 1 January 1966 and active until the end of the Cold War, when the Air Force table of organization was revised...
, assigned to Twenty-Second Air Force
Twenty-Second Air Force
Twenty-Second Air Force is a Numbered Air Force component of Air Force Reserve Command . It was activated on 1 July 1993 and is headquartered at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia....
, being stationed at Hickam Air Force Base
Hickam Air Force Base
Hickam Field, re-named Hickam Air Force Base in 1948, was a United States Air Force facility now part of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, named in honor of aviation pioneer Lt Col Horace Meek Hickam.- History :...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. It was inactivated on 1 April 1992
Lineage
- Established as 834 Air Division on 30 August 1957
- Activated on 25 September 1957
- Inactivated on 1 April 1959
- Activated on 24 June 1964
- Organized on 1 July 1964
- Inactivated on 1 December 1971
- Activated on 31 January 1972
- Inactivated on 31 December 1974
- Redesignated 834 Airlift Division on 23 August 1978
- Activated on 1 October 1978
- Inactivated on 1 April 1992.
Assignments
- Tactical Air CommandTactical Air CommandTactical 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...
- 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....
, 25 September 1957 - Eighteenth Air ForceEighteenth Air ForceEighteenth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force component of the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It was activated on 1 October 2003 and headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois...
, 1 October 1957 - Twelfth Air Force, 1 January 1958-1 April 1959
- Tactical Air CommandTactical Air CommandTactical 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...
, 24 June 1964
- Tactical Air Command
- 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....
, 1 July 1964- Pacific Air Forces
- Seventh Air ForceSeventh Air ForceThe Seventh Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea....
, 15 October 1966-1 December 1971- Tactical Air CommandTactical Air CommandTactical 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...
- Tactical Air Command
- Twelfth Air Force, 31 January 1972
- Military Airlift CommandMilitary Airlift CommandThe Military Airlift Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command of the USAF which was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. It was constituted on 1 January 1966 and active until the end of the Cold War, when the Air Force table of organization was revised...
- Military Airlift Command
- Twenty-Second Air ForceTwenty-Second Air ForceTwenty-Second Air Force is a Numbered Air Force component of Air Force Reserve Command . It was activated on 1 July 1993 and is headquartered at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia....
, 1-31 December 1974 - Twenty-Second Air ForceTwenty-Second Air ForceTwenty-Second Air Force is a Numbered Air Force component of Air Force Reserve Command . It was activated on 1 July 1993 and is headquartered at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia....
, 1 October 1978-1 April 1992.
Stations
- England AFB, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, 25 September 1957-1 April 1959 - England AFB, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, 1 July 1964-15 October 1966
Tan Son Nhut Air Base
Tan Son Nhut Air Base
Tan Son Nhut Air Base was a Republic of Vietnam Air Force facility. It is located near the city of Saigon in southern Vietnam. The United States used it as a major base during the Vietnam War , stationing Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine units there...
, South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
, 15 October 1966-1 December 1971
- Little Rock AFB, ArkansasArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, 31 January 1972-31 December 1974 - Hickam AFB, HawaiiHawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, 1 October 1978-1 April 1992.
Components
Wings- 3 Tactical Fighter3d WingThe 3d Wing is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Pacific Air Forces Eleventh Air Force. It is stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska....
: 1 July 1964-8 November 1965 - 27 Tactical Fighter: attached 15 July 1958-18 February 1959
- 31 Tactical Fighter31st Fighter WingThe 31st Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe Third Air Force. It is stationed at Aviano Air Base, Italy where it is also the host unit....
: 1 January 1965-1 August 1966 - 313 Tactical Airlift313th Tactical Airlift WingThe 313th Tactical Airlift Wing is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command, assigned to the 834th Air Division, being stationed at Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas...
: 15 March 1972-30 September 1973 - 314 Tactical Airlift314th Airlift WingThe 314th Airlift Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Little Rock Air Force Base in Little Rock, Arkansas.-World War 2 and aftermath:...
: 15 March 1972-31 December 1974 - 315 Air Commando315th Airlift WingThe 315th Airlift Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force Reserve. It is stationed at Charleston Air Force Base, in the City of North Charleston, South Carolina...
(later, 315 Special Operations; 315 Tactical Airlift): 15 October 1966-1 December 1971 - 366 Fighter Bomber (later, 366 Tactical Fighter)366th Fighter WingThe 366th Fighter Wing is a Fighter Wing of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho...
: 25 September 1957-1 April 1959 - 374 Tactical Airlift374th Airlift WingThe 374th Airlift Wing is a unit of the United States Air Force assigned to Fifth Air Force. It is stationed at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It is part of Pacific Air Forces ....
: 1 October 1978-1 April 1992 - 401 Fighter Bomber (later, 401 Tactical Fighter)401st Air Expeditionary WingThe United States Air Force's 401st Air Expeditionary Wing is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. Its last assignment was with the Sixteenth Air Force, being stationed at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus...
: 25 September 1957-1 April 1959; 1 July 1964-27 April 1966 - 463 Tactical Airlift463d Airlift GroupThe United States Air Force's 463d Airlift Group is a tactical airlift unit headquartered in Little Rock AFB, Arkansas.During World War II as the 463d Bombardment Unit, it was one of the last B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber groups deployed to Southern Italy as part of the Fifteenth Air Force in...
: 1 June 1972-31 December 1974 - 483 Troop Carrier (later, 483 Tactical Airlift)483d Composite WingThe 483d Composite Wing was a tactical airlift and composite wing assigned to Pacific Air Forces during the Vietnam War. It was the host organization at Cam Ranh Bay Air Base South Vietnam from 1970–1972....
: 15 October 1966-1 December 1971 (not operational, 15 October-3 November 1966) - 516 Tactical Airlift516th Aeronautical Systems WingThe 516th Aeronautical Systems Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force assigned to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.-Mission:...
: 15 March-1 June 1972.
Group
- 616 Military Airlift: 9 August 1990-1 April 1992.
Squadrons
- 90 Tactical Fighter: 19 November 1965-8 February 1966 (detached entire period)
- 531 Tactical Fighter: 19 November-7 December 1965 (detached entire period)
- 614 Tactical Fighter: 27 September April-18 September 1966 (detached 13-18 September 1966)
- 615 Tactical Fighter: 27 April-17 July 1966 (detached 13-17 July 1966).
Aircraft
- F-84, 1957
- F-100, 1957–1959; 1964–1966
- F-101, 1958–1959
- C-47, 1966–1971
- EC-47, 1971
- C-123, 1966–1971
- UC-123, 1966-1971
- C-130, 1966–1971; 1972–1974; 1978–1992
- C-7, 1967–1971; 1972
- C-5, 1970–1971; 1978–1992
- A-37, 1971
- O-2, 1971
- UH-1, 1971
- C-9, 1978–1992
- C-141, 1978-1992.
Operational history
The 834th Airlift Division assumed command and control over two fighter bomber wings and the 834th Air Base Group in September 1957. As an intermediate echelon between the wings and Tactical Air Command's numbered air forces, the division supervised operations and training, tactical exercises firepower demonstrations, and conducted periodic evaluations and inspections to ensure combat readiness of aircrews and equipment.By June 1964, the conflict in Southeast Asia demanded much of the 834th's efforts. Late in 1966 the division moved, without personnel or equipment, to Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam, to join the Seventh Air Force. Through December 1971 it served as a single manager for all tactical airlift operations in South Vietnam, using air transport to haul cargo and troops, which were air-landed or air-dropped, as combat needs dictated. In addition, the 834th supervised transport operations (primarily C-47's) of the Vietnamese Air Force and six A-4 Wallaby transports operated by the Royal Australian Air Force. The 834th's flying components also performed defoliation missions, propaganda leaflet drops, and other special missions. During its last few months, the 834th worked toward passing combat airlift control to Seventh Air Force.
From March 1972 to December 1974 the division supervised Twelfth Air Force tactical airlift operations and participated in a series of tactical airlift exercises and joint training missions with U.S. Army units. Squadrons and detachment-size elements frequently deployed to points in Europe, the Canal Zone, Africa, Thailand, and elsewhere. The 834th flew many humanitarian missions to such widespread places as Africa, the Philippines, Columbia, and Honduras.
In October 1978, it assumed responsibility for managing MAC airlift resources in the Pacific. For this mission, the 834th provided a single commander for MAC airlift units in the Pacific theater; command and control of theater-assigned airlift forces for Pacific Air Forces; theater tactical airlift war planning and Pacific exercise planning; and aerial ports in the Pacific area to support the air movement of personnel, cargo, equipment, patients, and mail. The division participated in tactical exercises such as Team Spirit, Ulchi Focus Lens, and Capstan Dragon.