304th Air Division
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The 304th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Fourth Air Force at Long Beach Airport, California, where it was inactivated in June 1949.
304th Air Division | |
---|---|
Active | 1943–1945; 1947–1949 |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Air Force |
Role | Command of bombardment units |
Engagements | Mediterranean Theater of Operations |
Commanders | |
Col John K. Brown Jr. | c. 29 December 1943 |
Brig Gen Fay R. Upthegrove | 27 January 1944 |
Lt Col William R. Boutz[lower-alpha 2] | 5 July 1945-1945 |
Insignia | |
World War II tail and horizontal stabilizer marking[1] | Diamond (white on camouflaged aircraft, black on unpainted aircraft) |
The division was initially activated as the 304th Bombardment Wing at Cerignola Airfield, Italy in December 1943. It was assigned four Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombardment groups the following month and conducted strategic bombing from bases in Italy against Germany and occupied Europe. The wing's groups were occasionally diverted to interdiction targets to support ground operations. After VE Day, the wing returned to the United States and was inactivated. It was activated as a reserve unit in 1947.