01113071
UNCLASSIFIED
DIVISION/0040/AIR
HISTORY
K-DIV-40-HI
45085
1467
1507
43
CONSTITUTED 15 JAN 1943 AS 40 BOMBARDMENT WING (BW), ASSIGNED TO 3 AIR FORCE, MACDILL FIELD FL. TRANSFERRED TO CAMP KILMER NJ; 1 JUN 43 MEMBERS OF 40 BW, HEAVY, SAILED ABOARD QUEEN MARY FOR ENGLAND. FIRST STATIONED AT BRAMPTON GRANGE, HUNTINGDONSHIRE, ENGLAND; ASSIGNED TO 8 AIR FORCE (AF) AND VIII BOMBER COMMAND. REDESIGNATED 40 COMBAT BOMBARDMENT WING (CBW) AND ASSIGNED TO 1 BOMBARDMENT DIVISION. BOMBED TARGETS IN FRANCE, GERMANY, AND POLAND. PARTICIPATED IN BIG WEEK, FEB 1944, MASSIVE STRIKE BY 8 AF USING MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND B-17 AND B-24 AIRCRAFT. IN JUN 1944, SWITCHED FROM STRATEGIC TO TACTICAL OPERATIONS. FOUR MEMBERS OF WING AWARDED CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. 492 BOMBARDMENT GROUP (HEAVY) ASSIGNED TO WING FOR ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL; UNDER DIRECT OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF OFFICE OF STRATEGIC SERVICES (OSS) RESPONSIBLE FOR CARPETBAGGER OPERATIONS (FLYING ALLIED AGENTS INTO AND OUT OF ENEMY OCCUPIED TERRITORY, DROPPING AIR SUPPLIES TO PARTISANS AND DISSEMINATING PROPAGANDA LEAFLETS). PARTICIPATED IN GREEN PROJECT, RETURNING SERVICEMEN TO UNITED STATES. MOVED TO ERLANGEPREPARED BY HISTORICAL DIVISION, RESEARCH STUDIES INSTITUTE, AUG 1959 EY LITTLE PROJECTS, PHOTO MAPPING OF EUROPEAN AIRFIELDS. WING TRANSFERRED ON 20 DEC 1946 TO AIR MATERIEL COMMAND AND INACTIVATED 25 DEC 1946. WING REDESIGNATED 40 AIR DIVISION ON 2 MAR 1951 AND ASSIGNED TO STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND (SAC). ORGANIZED AT TURNER AFB GA AND ASSIGNED TO 2 AF. SOWEGA (SOUTHWEST GEORGIA) SPORTS CAR RACES HELD AT TURNER AFB. DIVISION AWARDED MACKAY TROPHY FOR 1953. DIVISION ASSIGNED TO SAC ON 25 MAR 1959 FOR ACTIVATION AT WURTSMITH AFB MI IN JUL 1959.
NONE
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE 40 AIR DIVISION
PREPARED BY HISTORICAL DIVISION, RESEARCH STUDIES INSTITUTE, AUG 1959 EY LITTLE PROJECTS, PHOTO MAPPING OF EUROPEAN AIRFIELDS. WING TRANSFERRED ON 20 DEC 1946 TO AIR MATERIEL COMMAND AND INACTIVATED 25 DEC 1946. WING REDESIGNATED 40 AIR DIVISION ON 2 MAR 1951 AND ASSIGNED TO STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND (SAC). ORGANIZED AT TURNER AFB GA AND ASSIGNED TO 2 AF. SOWEGA (SOUTHWEST GEORGIA) SPORTS CAR RACES HELD AT TURNER AFB. DIVISION AWARDED MACKAY TROPHY FOR 1953. DIVISION ASSIGNED TO SAC ON 25 MAR 1959 FOR ACTIVATION AT WURTSMITH AFB MI IN JUL 1959.