323d Air Division

World War II The division was first organized at Logan Airport, Massachusetts in the summer of 1942 as the Boston Air Defense Wing, an air defense organization, reporting to First Air Force, and responsible for the air defense of the Boston metropolitan area, operating Curtiss P-40 Warhawks and Republic P-47 Thunderbolts. Its original components were the 79th Fighter Group, stationed at Bedford Army Air Field and the 325th Fighter Group, stationed at Hillsgrove Army Air Field. Most of its components were assigned for brief periods, as it also trained fighter organizations and personnel. As the possibility of an air attack on the east coast became increasingly remote, the wing's manpower was withdrawn in July 1944. In February 1945, it was redesignated the 323d Combat Crew Training Wing and was remanned. It served as a training organization for very heavy bomber personnel with Boeing B-29 Superfortresss until August when its personnel was again withdrawn. It continued as a "paper" unit until it was inactivated in 1946. and Godman Air Force Base, Kentucky. In 1948 the Air Force implemented the wing base organization. As a result, along with the other multi-base wings of Continental Air Command (ConAC), the wing was redesignated as an air division. It was inactivated in June 1949 when ConAC implemented the wing base organization and most of its personnel and equipment were transferred to the newly formed 434th Troop Carrier Wing at nearby Atterbury Air Force Base. From July 1958 to May 1960, the division maintained military air transport and support facilities and provided base support for all tenant organizations at Travis Air Force Base, California. It conducted peacetime operations such as airlifting cargo, troops, personnel, patients, and mail. ==Lineage==

• Constituted as the Boston Air Defense Wing on 6 August 1942 : Activated on 11 August 1942 : Redesignated Boston Fighter Wing on 24 July 1943 : Redesignated 323d Combat Crew Training Wing on 13 February 1945 : Inactivated on 8 April 1946 • Redesignated 323d Troop Carrier Wing on 2 July 1947 : Activated in the reserve on 1 August 1947 : Redesignated 323d Air Division, Troop Carrier on 16 April 1948 : Inactivated on 27 June 1949 • Redesignated 323d Air Division on 27 June 1958 : Activated on 1 July 1958 : Discontinued on 8 May 1960 • 348th Fighter Group: 30 September 1942 – 9 May 1943 • 352d Fighter Group: 1 October 1942 – c. 28 January 1943 • 356th Fighter Group: 4 July 1943 – 15 August 1943 • 359th Fighter Group: 23 August 1943 – 2 October 1943 • 362d Fighter Group: 22 June 1943 – 19 October 1943 • 434th Troop Carrier Group: 17 October 1947 – 27 June 1949 • 436th Troop Carrier Group: 17 October 1947 – 1 July 1948 Stations • Logan Airport, Massachusetts, 11 August 1942 • MacDill Field, Florida, c. 22 February 1945 – 8 April 1946 • Stout Field, Indiana, 1 August 1947 – 27 June 1949 • Travis Air Force Base, California, 1 July 1958 – 8 May 1960 Aircraft • Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, 1942–1943 • Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, 1942–1943 • Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1945 • Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, 1958–1960 • Douglas C-133 Cargomaster, 1958–1960 Commanders • Col Minthorne W. Reed, 11 August 1942 • Col Glenn O. Barcus, 25 March 1943 • Col Laurence C. Craigie, 6 April 1943 • Lt Col Bingham T. Kleine, 11 June 1943 • Col Louis M. Merrick, 22 July 1943 • Lt Col J. Marshall Booker, 29 April – c. 31 July 1944 • none (not manned), c. 31 July 1944 – 21 February 1945 • Col Howard Moore, 22 February 1945 • Col Frank Allen, 29 May 1945 – unknown • none (not manned), August 1945 – 8 April 1946 • Unknown, 1 August 1947 – 27 June 1949 • Brig Gen George F. McGuire, 1 July 1958 • Col Charles W. Stark, 15 February – c. 8 May 1960 ==See also==