47th Bombardment Wing

Constituted as 7th Pursuit Wing on 19 Oct 1940. Activated on 18 Dec 1940. Inactivated on 31 Aug 1941.

Redesignated 7th Fighter Wing. Activated on 7 Jun 1942. Moved to North Africa, Oct-Nov 1942, to operate with Twelfth AF. Redesignated 47th Bombardment Wing (Medium) in Feb 1943. Assigned to Fifteenth AF in Nov 1943 and afterward operated as a heavy bombardment organization until the war ended. Redesignated 47th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) in Apr 1945. Returned to the US in May. Redesignated 47th Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy) in Jun. Inactivated on 15 Oct 1945.

Redesignated 47th Air Division. Organized on 10 Feb 1951. Assigned to Strategic Air Command.

Components. Groups. 8th Pursuit: 1940-1941. 17th Bombardment: 1943. 33d Fighter: 1940-1941; 1942-1943, 1943. 57th Pursuit: 1940-1941. 81st Fighter: 1942-1943. 82d Fighter: 1943-1944. 98th Bombardment: 1943, 1943-1945. 310th Bombardment: 1943. 319th Bombardment: 1943. 320th Bombardment: 1943. 321st Bombardment: 1943. 325th Fighter: 1943. 376th Bombardment: 1943, 1943-1945. 449th Bombardment: 1944-1945. 450th Bombardment: 1944-1945. 451st Bombardment: 1944. 489th Bombardment: 1945.

Wings. 6th Bombardment: 1951-. 509th Bombardment: 1951-.

Stations. Mitchel Field, NY, 18 Dec 1940-31 Aug 1941. Harrisburg Mun Aprt, Pa, 7 Jun-Oct 1942; Casablanca, French Morocco, Nov 1942; Chateaudun, Algeria, Jan 1943; El Guerrah, Algeria, c. 1 Mar 1943; Souk-el-Arba, Tunisia, 8 Jun 1943; Hammamet, Tunisia, 7 Aug 1943; Manduria, Italy, 11 Nov 1943-May 1945; Sioux Falls, SD, May 1945; Sioux City AAB, Iowa, Jul-15 Oct 1945. Walker AFB, NM, 10 Feb 1951-.

Commanders. Lt Col Edward M Morris, 1941. Maj Eugene Berglund, 7 Jun 1942; Col John C Crosthwaite, 14 Sep 1942; Brig Gen Carlyle H Ridenour, 14 Jan 1943; Brig Gen Joseph H Atkinson, 11 Feb 1944; Brig Gen Hugo P Rush, 5 Mar 1944-7 Oct 1945. Brig Gen Hunter Harris Jr, 10 Feb 1951; Co] William H Blanchard, c. Dec 1951; Brig Gen Thomas C Musgrave Jr, 7 Apr 1952; Brig Gen Charles W Scott, 7 Jul 1954-.

Campaigns. Air Combat, EAME Theater; Air Offensive, Europe; Algeria-French Morocco; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Po Valley.

Decorations. None.

Insigne. Shield: Sable, an atomic cloud proper (shades of red, orange and yellow) rising from base to chief, surmounted by a bend argent charged with a sword proper (blade silver, hilt and pommel gold), the blade entwined with a branch of olive vert. (Approved 6 Sep 1956.)

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