Squadrons

1st Air Commando (later, 1 Special Operations):  18 Feb - 8 Mar 1966 (detached entire period); 1 Mar 1983 - 1 Feb 1987.
4th Air Commando: 8 Aug 1965 - 8 Mar 1966 (detached entire period).
5th Air Commando: 8 Aug 1965 - 8 Mar 1966 (detached entire period).
7th Special Operations: 1 Mar 1983 - 1 Feb 1987.
8th Bombardment:   attached 28 Jun - 7 Jul 1965.
16th Tactical Reconnaissance:  27 Oct 1965 - 18 Feb 1966 (detached entire period).
20th Helicopter:  8 Oct 1965 - 8 Mar 1966 (detached entire period).
20th Tactical Air Support:  8 May - 8 Nov 1965 (detached 12 Nov 1965 - 18 Feb 1966).
20th Tactical Reconnaissance:  12 Nov 1965 - 18 Feb 1966 (detached entire period).
21st Tactical Air Support:  8 May - 8 Nov 1965 (detached entire period).
22nd Tactical Air Support:  8 May - 8 Nov 1965 (detached entire period).
391st Tactical Fighter:  26 Jan - 1 Apr 1966 (detached entire period).
480 Tactical Fighter:  1 Feb - 1 Apr 1966 (detached entire period).
602nd Fighter:  18 Feb-8 Mar 1966 (detached entire period).
606th Air Commando:  attached 8 Mar -  Apr 1966.
7498th Air Force Composite:  attached 6 - 16 Sep and 28 Sep - 1 Oct 1949; assigned 10 Oct 1949 - 24 Jan 1950 (not operational 20 Dec 1949 - 24 Jan 1950).
7499th Air Force Composite (later 7499 Composite):  10 Oct 1949 - 21 Jan 1951 (detached 10 Oct 1949 - 21 Jan 1951).

Stations

Horsham St Faith, England, 13 Sep 1943.
Ketteringham Hall, England, 10 Dec 1943.
London, England, 22 - 24 Jun 1945.
Sioux Falls AAFld, SD, 3 Jul - 28 Aug 1945.
Wiesbaden Air Base, West Germany, 1 Jun 1949.
Landsberg Air Ammunition Depot (later, Landsberg AFB; Landsberg AB).
West Germany, 10 Jun 1949 - 7 May 1951.
Ramstein (later, Ramstein AB), West Germany, 20 Apr 1953 - 1 Mar 1954.
Dhahran Airfield (later, Dhahran AB; Dhahran Air Field), Saudi Arabia, 1 Mar 1954 - 1 Apr 1962.
Tan Son Nhut Airfield (later, Tan Son Nhut AB), South Vietnam, 8 Oct 1962 - 1 Apr 1966.
Hurlburt Field, FL, 1 Mar 1983 - 1 Feb 1987

Commanders

Brig Gen James P. Hodges, 13 Sep 1943.
Brig Gen Edward J. Timberlake Jr., 16 Sep 1943.
Maj Gen James P. Hodges, 4 Oct 1943.
Maj Gen William E. Kepner, 1 Aug 1944.
Brig Gen Walter R. Peck, 10 May 1945.
Col Harry W. McGee, 1 Jun 1945-unknown.
Brig Gen Thomas C. Darcy, 1 Jun 1949 - 7 May 1951.
None (not manned), 20 Apr 1953 - 28 Feb 1954.
Brig Gen Orrin L. Grover, 1 Mar 1954.
Col George W. Humbrecht, 13 Apr 1955.
Brig Gen George F. Schlatter, 27 Jun 1955.
Col Richard L. Temple, 5 Mar 1956.
Col Frederick J. Sutterlin, 26 Sep 1956.
Brig Gen Dale O. Smith, 1 Jul 1957.
Brig Gen Albert P. Clark, Nov 1957.
Col Boyd Hubbard Jr., 21 Jul 1959.
Brig Gen James C. McGehee, 4 Aug 1959;
Lt Col Robert B. Irwin, 23 Jul 1961.
Col George W. Kinney, 10 Aug 1961.
Col Willard W. Wilson, 9 Sep 1961 - 1 Apr 1962.
None (not manned), 10 Sep - 7 Oct 1962.
Maj Gen Rollen H. Anthis, 8 Oct 1962.
Brig Gen Milton B. Adams, 20 Dec 1963.
Lt Gen Joseph H. Moore Jr., c. 21 Jan 1964 - 1 Apr 1966.
Col Hugh L. Cox III, 1 Mar 1983.
Col William J. Kornitzer Jr., 20 Apr 1984.
Col William R. Mainord, 9 Jun 1986 - 1 Feb 1987.

Aircraft

B-24, 1943-1945
P-38, 1944
P-47, 1944-1945
P-51, 1944-1945
OA-10, 1945
B-17, 1945
B/RB-26, 1949
C-47, 1949
F-47, 1949-1950
F-80, 1949-1950
L-5, 1949
F-84, 1950-1951
B/RB-26, 1962-1965
C-47, 1962-1966
C-54, 1962-1963
C-123, 1962-1966
F-100, 1962-1966
RF-101, 1962-1966
T-28, 1962-1964
U-10, 1962-1966
B/RB-57, 1963-1965
YC-123, 1963
F/TF-102, 1963-1965
0-1, 1963-1966
U-3, 1963-1966
A-1, 1964-1966
KB-50, 1964
C-130, 1964-1965
F-105, 1964-1966
HH-43, 1964-1966
HU-16, 1964-1966
B-57, 1965-1966
EB-66, 1965-1966
RB-66, 1965
AC-47, 1965-1966
EC-121, 1965-1966
F-4, 1965 1966
RF-4, 1965-1966
F-5, 1965-1966
F-104, 1965
CH-3, 1965-1966
HH-3, 1965-1966
AC-130, 1983-1987
MC-130, 1983-1987
HH-53, 1983-1987
UH-1, 1983-1987

Operations

Conducted strategic bombardment of Axis targets in Europe, but between 29 August and 2 October 1944 division aircraft dropped food to the French population in liberated areas.  It also airdropped food, equipment, and supplies to Allied forces engaged in the airborne attack on Holland (September 1944), as well as troops engaged in the assault across the Rhine River (March 1945).

From January 1949 to May 1951, in West Germany it participated in numerous training exercises.

Activated in Apr 1953, it remained unmanned and existed in name until moving in March 1954 to Dhahran Airfield, Saudi Arabia where it remained until the Saudi government terminated US rights to the field in 1962.

Organized at Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam in Oct 1962 to control USAF operations there.

From Dec 1962, it controlled all activities and units in Southeast Asia, initially, USAF tactical forces FARM GATE C/HC 47, B/RB 26, T 28, and U 10 counterinsurgency forces, and MULE TRAIN C-123 assault airlift forces.  Forces assigned and attached to the 2d Air Division trained Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF) and Royal Thai Air Force personnel, flew reconnaissance, airlift, and defoliation missions, and operated a tactical control system.

Escalation of fighting in South Vietnam in early 1965 brought new offensive assignments.  On 8 February USAF and VNAF aircraft assaulted targets north of the demilitarized zone in the first of a series of continuing strikes.  On 19 February, USAF F 100s and B 57s attacked the Viet Cong inside South Vietnam the first use of jets for such offensive actions.

In July 1965, a major reorganization of the division saw tactical fighter wings established at Bien Hoa AB and Danang AB, and five separate combat support groups at other South Vietnamese bases.  The rapid expansion of the division's personnel and facilities continued well into 1966, with a matching expansion in both the volume and variety of air operations.

On 1 April 1966, the division's resources were absorbed by the newly activated Seventh Air Force.

From Mar 1983 - Feb 1987, 2d Air Division forces, with worldwide responsibilities and assignments, engaged in deployment, exercise and training programs.  Subordinate units flew drug interdiction missions under Operation BAT.

Service Streamers

World War II European African Middle Eastern TheaterCampaign Streamers

Southeast Asia:

Vietnam Advisory
Vietnam Defense; Vietnam Air
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers

Decorations

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device:  1 Apr 1964 - 31 Mar 1966

Emblem

On a shield azure (dark blue) double bordered or and of the first (light blue) a stylized wing of the second, charged with two Doric Columns, architrave and base all outlined of the first.   (Approved on 14 Oct 1954.)