| 831st Air Division | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Wild WeaselF-4 Phantom at George AFB in 1987 | |
| Active | 1957–1971; 1980–1991 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Command oftactical fighter forces |
| Decorations | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Lt GenBradley C. Hosmer Lt GenRichard C. Bethurem Maj GenRobert F. Worley Maj GenWilliam E. Bryan Jr. |
| Insignia | |
| 831st Air Division emblem[a][1] |  |
The831st Air Division is an inactiveUnited States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was withTactical Air Command, assigned toTwelfth Air Force atGeorge Air Force Base, California, where it was inactivated on 31 March 1991.
Thedivision was first activated in October 1957 to command the twoNorth American F-100 Super Sabrewings stationed at George and to provide support for them through its 831st Air Base Group. In 1958, one of its wings converted to theLockheed F-104 Starfighter, While its second wing continued to fly the "Hun" until moving in 1962, when it was replaced by aRepublic F-105 Thunderchief wing.
During and after theCuban Missile Crisis, the division deployed F-104s to Florida to augment the air defense forces there. As United States forces in Southeast Asia grew in size the division's F-105s deployed to support combat operations, with its entire F-105 wing moving in 1964. That year, a wing ofMcDonnell F-4 Phantom IIs was organized under the division, although a year later the F-4 wing moved to Thailand, leaving two of its squadrons behind.
After 1966, when the division added the67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing atMountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, the primary mission of the division's wings was training replacement fighter and reconnaissance aircrews, primarily for Southeast Asia operations. During thePueblo Crisis of 1968, the division gained control of a federalizedAir National Guard reconnaissance wing for eighteen months. The division inactivated in 1971 and its two wings were transferred directly to Twelfth Air Force.
The division was activated again at George in 1980, replacing Tactical Training, George, which had been the headquarters for George's training operations. A few months after the division's activation, F-4 training operations were split, with one wing using F-4Es to train United States and foreign fighteraircrews and the other flying F-4Gs to trainWild Weasel crews. In early 1989, Secretary of DefenseFrank Carlucci announced that George would be closing. Training operations were consolidated into a single wing and the division was inactivated in 1991 as operations at George were reduced.
The831st Air Division was activated atGeorge Air Force Base, California in October 1957 and assigned toEighteenth Air Force, when the413th Fighter-Day Wing was activated asTactical Air Command (TAC)'s secondtactical fighter wing there. The 413th joined the479th Fighter-Day Wing, which had been at George since 1952.[b] The division drew its initialcadre from the headquarters of the 479th Wing and ColGeorge Laven Jr., the 479th's commander, became the first commander of the division.[2] The two wings, which flew theNorth American F-100 Super Sabre, became thedivision's initial tactical components, while the 831st Air Base Group was assigned to the division to manage support activities at George. Three months after its activation, the division was reassigned toTwelfth Air Force, which moved without personnel or equipment from Germany to replace Eighteenth Air Force.[3] Late in 1958, whenFoster Air Force Base, Texas was shutting down operations, the450th Tactical Fighter Wing was briefly attached to the 831st.[1][4]
Although the 413th continued to fly the F-100 until it was inactivated, in October 1958 the 479th Wing began to convert to theVulcan cannon armedLockheed F-104 Starfighter.[2] A few months later, in March 1959, the 413th Wing and its components were inactivated and its mission, personnel and aircraft transferred to the31st Tactical Fighter Wing, which moved to George fromTurner Air Force Base, Georgia without personnel or equipment, when TAC transferred Turner toStrategic Air Command.[5][6] The 31st Wing moved toHomestead Air Force Base, Florida at the end of May 1962 and was reassigned, ending the Super Sabre era at George.[6]
The 831st's time with only a single wing assigned was brief, however, for in July 1962 the355th Tactical Fighter Wing was organized under the 831st at George and began to equip with theRepublic F-105 Thunderchief. The354th Tactical Fighter Squadron had been activated in April to begin F-105 operations and was transferred from the division to the 355th Wing when the wing was activated. After becoming combat ready with the Thunderchief, the wing began deploying its squadrons toSoutheast Asia. The wing itself moved toMcConnell Air Force Base, Kansas in December 1964, although most of its fighters had been operating from bases in Thailand and Viet Nam since early 1964.[1][7]
During theCuban Missile Crisis, the division deployed a squadron of F-104s toKey West Naval Air Station to augmentNavy interceptors there.[2] Following the removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba,Air Defense Command (ADC) still maintained a squadron of F-104As at Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, primarily to defend against the possibility of Cuban fighter aircraft striking across theStraits of Florida. However, the F-104A was armed only withAIM-9 Sidewinders, which were not effective against fighters, so the Air Force decided to modify theseinterceptors by adding cannon armament. From February through April 1964, eight of the division's cannon-armed F-104s were dispatched to Homestead to standalert there while ADC's Starfighters were being modified.[8]
In 1964, the Air Force implemented Project Clearwater, which withdrewConvair F-102 Delta Daggers from overseas, primarily to reduce military spending abroad, which was causing negative trade balances.[e] Although the returning planes were distributed throughout ADC, three interceptor squadrons and the8th Tactical Fighter Wing were transferred to George on paper to make up a newMcDonnell F-4 Phantom II wing.[9] Because Phantoms were available before the 8th Wing could be transferred fromItazuke Air Base in July, TAC activated the32d Tactical Fighter Wing to manage the initial work up with F-4s. When the 8th arrived, the 32d's aircraft and personnel were transferred to it along with the former F-102 squadrons, while the 32d inactivated.[1][10]
Division F-104s deployed to the Pacific in 1965 to provide air defense of the Taiwan Straits and the northern provinces of South Viet Nam.[2]
The 8th Wing moved toUbon Royal Thai Air Force Base in December 1965,[11] briefly leaving the 831st with command of a single wing on a single base. However, in April 1966 the67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing atMountain Home Air Force Base was assigned to the division. Until it was inactivated in 1971, the 831st would command wings at two bases.[1] Not all Phantoms left George with the 8th Wing's departure, for the 479th added two squadrons to train crews on the F-4 Phantom.
During thePueblo Crisis, the division's reconnaissance capability was increased when the123d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing of theKentucky Air National Guard was called to active duty and moved toRichards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Missouri along with three National Guard reconnaissance squadrons flying theMcDonnell RF-101 Voodoo. The 123d continued on active duty until July 1969, when it returned to its home station atStandiford Field.[1]
In addition to participating in deployments with the Starfighter, as soon as it was activated the division's 479th Wing began training foreign air forces on the export versions of the fighter.[2]
The 831st became the active duty advisor for training twoairlift wings of theAir Force Reserve early in 1965. The349th Troop Carrier Wing was atHamilton Air Force Base and the452d Troop Carrier Wing was atMarch Air Force Base, both in California, far from the nearest TAC airlift wing, which was located in west Texas.[1][h]
When the 8th Wing moved to Ubon at the end of 1965, not all Phantoms left George with the 8th Wing's departure, for the 479th added two squadrons to train crews on the F-4 Phantom. These squadrons were initially assigned to the division and attached to the 479th, but in 1968 they were assigned directly to the wing.[2] Three months after the 479th added the two squadrons it began to operate a formal F-4 Replacement Training Unit, winding down its F-104 operations by July 1967.[2] Shortly after its assignment to the 831st, the 67th Wing at Mountain Home assumed the mission of training RF-4aircrews.[12]
In 1969 the 479th Wing once again began to train airmen from foreign nations, this time training aircrew and maintenance personnel on the Phantom, continuing the training through 1971 when the division was inactivated and its wings were reassigned directly to Twelfth Air Force.[1][2][12]
The division was reactivated in 1980 when it absorbed the mission, personnel and equipment of Tactical Training, George and was assigned the35th and37th Tactical Fighter Wings.[i][13] In addition to maintaining a capability to deploy worldwide, it trained fighter andWild Weasel aircrews. Wild Weasel aircraft were used to destroy enemy-controlledsurface-to-air missiles The Wild Weasel aircraft were initially specially modified F-105s. but the division switched to F-4Gs in 1981. Fighter training was performed with F-4Es and included training forGerman Air Force crews.[1][14]
In 1985, Detachment 1 (Air Warrior) of the division was activated to act as the liaison with the Commander of theNational Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. The detachment planned, coordinated and controlledclose air support for exercises in theMojave Desert involving all theArmy'scombat arms.In July, responsibility for Air Warrior was transferred to the division's35th Tactical Fighter Wing.[15] Air Warrior exercises continued, with aircraft from various TAC wings staging from George for the exercises.[16][j]
In early 1989, Secretary of DefenseFrank Carlucci announced that George Air Force Base was being considered for closure.[14] In October, the 37th Wing shut down its operations at George and both fighter and Wild Weasel training were again consolidated under the 35th Wing. However, closure plans were put on hold in August 1990, when the division deployed personnel and aircraft from the 35th Wing toSouthwest Asia in support ofDesert Shield and later, Desert Storm.[1] The 831st was inactivated in March 1991 and its remaining responsibilities at George were transferred to the 35th Wing until George closed the following year.[1][17]
| Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 January 1988 – 15 June 1989 | [1] |
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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