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14th Bombardment Wing

Constituted as 14th Pursuit Wing on 19 Oct 1940. Activated in Hawaii on 1 Nov 1940. Suffered heavy losses during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 Dec 1941 but managed to shoot down several enemy aircraft. Inactivated in Hawaii on 23 Jan 1942.

Redesignated 14th Bombardment Wing. Activated in the US on 1 Oct 1942. Redesignated 14th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) in Feb 1943. Moved to England, May-Jun 1943. Redesignated 14th Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy) in Aug 1943. Received groups in Sep 1943 and served in combat in the European theater until Apr 1945. Redesignated 14th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) in Jun 1945. Returned to the US in Aug. Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945.

Redesignated 14th Air Division. Organized on 10 Feb 1951. Assigned to Strategic Air Command.

Components. Groups. 15th Pursuit: 1940-1942. 18th Pursuit: 1940-1942. 44th Bombardment: 1943, 1943-1945. 94th Bombardment: 1945. 392d Bombardment: 1943-1945. 447th Bombardment: 1945. 486th Bombardment: 1945. 487th Bombardment: 1945. 491st Bombardment: 1944-1945. 492d Bombardment: 1944.

Wings. 5th Bombardment: 1951-. 9th Bombardment: 1951-1953.

Stations. Wheeler Field, TH, 1 Nov 1940-23 Jan 1942. MacDill Field, Fla, 1 Oct 1942-c. 9 May 1943; Camp Lynn, England, c. 4 Jun 1943; Hethel, England, c. 9 Jun 1943; Camp Thomas, England, c. 1 Jul 1943; Shipham, England, 13 Sep 1943; Bury St Edmunds, England, 13 Jun-26 Aug 1945; McChord Field, Wash, 6 Sep-7 Nov 1945. Travis AFB, Calif, 10 Feb 1951-.

Commanders. Col Harvey S Burwell, Nov 1940; Brig Gen Howard C Davidson, 7 May 1941-c. 23 Jan 1942. Maj Alan W Detweiler, 16 Dec 1942-unkn; Lt Col Roderick Ott, 1943; Brig Gen Leon W Johnson, c. 14 Sep 1943; Brig Gen Robert W Burns, c. 16 Jun 1945; Lt Col Charles D Birdsall, c. 24 Jul 1945-unkn. Brig Gen J W Kelly, 10 Feb 1951; Col John M Sterling, 16 Sep 1951; Brig Gen Richard H Carmichael, 22 Oct 1951; Brig Gen Stanley Donovan, 16 May 1953; Brig Gen Alfred F Kalberer, 1 Aug 1955-.

Campaigns. Central Pacific; Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.

Decorations. None.

Insigne. Shield: Quartered, azure and white; first quarter an atomic symbol of the second; second quarter, an olive branch vert and a sword proper, hilt and pommel or, in saltire; superimposed over the third and fourth quarter, a silhouetted stylized heavy bomber sable in fess, nose to the dexter, all within a diminutive border of the last. Motto: On a light pink scroll, edged and inscribed black, Day And Night - Peace Or War. (Approved 10 May 1957.)

Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986



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