24th Air Division (United States)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 24th Air Division


caption= Emblem of the 24th Air Division
dates= 1969-1990
country= United States
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branch= United States Air Force
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role= Command and Control
size=
command_structure= Tactical Air Command (ADTAC)
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battle_honours=The 21st Air Division (24th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command, being assigned to First Air Force, stationed at Griffiss Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on 30 September 1990

History

Lineage

* Established as 24 Air Division on 18 Nov 1969: Activated on 19 Nov 1969: Inactivated on 30 Sep 1990

Assignments

* Air Defense Command: Tenth Air Force, 19 Nov 1969
* Aerospace Defense Command, 1 Dec 1969
* Tactical Air Command, 1 Oct 1979: First Air Force, 6 Dec 1985-30 Sep 1990.

Stations

* Malmstrom AFB, Montana, 19 Nov 1969
* Griffiss AFB, New York, 1 Dec 1983-30 Sep 1990.

Components

Sectors
* Northeast Air Defense: 1 Jul 1987-30 Sep 1990
* Southeast Air Defense: 1 Jul 1987-30 Sep 1990

Groups
* 778 Air Defense: 1 Mar 1970-17 Jan 1974
* 779 Air Defense: 1 Mar 1970-17 Jan 1974.

Squadrons
* 17 Defense Systems Evaluation: 1 Jul 1974-13 Jul 1979 (detached 1 Jul 1974-13 Jul 1979)
* 4677 Defense Systems Evaluation: 2 Oct 1972-1 Jul 1974 (detached 2 Oct 1972-1 Jul 1974)
* 5 Fighter Interceptor: 19 Nov 1969-1 Jun 1983: Minot AFB, North Dakota (F-106A)
* 18 Fighter Interceptor: 19 Nov 1969-15 Apr 1971: Grand Forks AFB North Dakota (F-101B)
* 49 Fighter-Interceptor: 23 Sep 1983-7 Jul 1987: Griffiss AFB, New York (F-106A)
* 71 Fighter-Interceptor: 19 Nov 1969-1 Jul 1971: Malmstrom AFB, Montana (F-106A)
* 87 Fighter-Interceptor: 23 Sep 1983-1 Oct 1985: K.I. Sawyer AFB, Michigan (F-106A)
* 319 Fighter Interceptor: 1 Jul 1971-30 Apr 1972: Malmstrom AFB, Montana (F-106A)
* 460 Fighter Interceptor: 16 Apr 1971-30 Jun 1974: Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota (F-106A)

Operational History

In 1969, the division assumed responsibility for the air defense of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and parts of Nebraska, Utah, Nevada, and Idaho. By 1973, this area included parts of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico. Tactical units assigned to the 24th participated in numerous training exercises such as Feudal Indian, Vigilant Overview, and Feudal Keynote. Between 1969 and 1979, the division also controlled several radar squadrons. On 1 October 1979, the 24th Air Division became a component of Tactical Air Command, but remained stationed in Montana, and its mission continued to be one of equipping, administering, training, and providing combat ready air defense forces for the operational control of NORAD.

Emblem

"Per quarter fimbriated or, first quarter chequy alternating sable and argent, second and third quarter azure, on the second quarter a head in armor couped at the neck with visor open gray and of the second, on the third quarter thirteen mullets of five points argent, fourth quarter gray bearing two flight symbols bend sinisterwise sable, overall in pale a sword, point to chief blade gray and sable, base gray, hilt and guard or, all within a diminished bordure of the last."

Significance

:"The emblem is symbolic of the unit and the Air Force colors, untramarine blue and golden yellow are used. Blue alludes to the sky, the primary theater of Air Force operations and yellow to the sun and the excellence required of personnel in their assigned tasks. The black and white checked design is representative of the unit's day and night commitment to the air defense mission. The knight's head in armor is symbolic of the personnel of the unit who stand alert, ever ready and maintain constant watch. The blue field not only symbolizes the sky, but space and the challenge of detecting and defending against threats from space. The stars on the field fo blue represent the 13 original colonies. The sword symbolizes the armed might of the unit and ability to detect, intercept and deter any armed opposition. Interceptor forces are symbolized by the interceptor MACH symbols being directed skyward. Radar control and direction of defense forces are symbolized by lightning impulses radiating from the sword."

References

* Aerospace Defense Command publication, The Interceptor, January 1979 (Volume 21, Number 1).

External links

* [http://www.maxwell.af.mil/au/afhra/rso/airdivision_pages/0024ad.asp Air Force Historical Research Agency: 24th Air Division]