The division was again activated in 1958 at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho as an operational headquarters for Strategic Air Command (SAC) wings at Mountain Home and Malmstrom. It was also responsible for SAC units at forward deployment bases in Canada. The wing moved to Malmstrom in 1964 and was inactivated when its component wings were assigned to other divisions.
On 11 June 1954, SAC organized the Air Division, Provisional, 813th at Pinecastle along with the arrival of the 19th Bombardment Wing, which was transferred from Far East Air Forces to equip with B-47s at Pinecastle.[5] Four days later the 813th Air Division was activated to replace the provisional unit and assume operational command of the two wings.[1] It also assumed base support functions through its 813th Air Base Group, which was manned from the inactivating 321st Air Base Group.[6]
The Air Force reopened Homestead Air Force Base in 1955, and the 4226th Air Base Squadron was organized there and attached to the division.[7] In November the 379th Bombardment Wing was activated at Homestead and replaced the squadron. The 379th spent the next several months becoming organized and manned, but did not receive any tactical aircraft until April 1956.[8] On 1 June 1956 the 19th wing moved to join the 379th at Homestead, and both wings were reassigned to the 823d Air Division there.[5][8] This left only a single wing at Pinecastle, so there was no longer a need for a division level organization there. The 813th was inactivated and the 321st wing was reassigned directly to Second Air Force,[4] while the personnel and equipment of the 813th Air Base Group were transferred to the wing's 321st Air Base Group.[9]
The division was reactivated at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho in 1959 as an operational headquarters for the B-47 bomber wing at Mountain Home and the 4061st Air Refueling Wing, which flew KC-97s from Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana.[1][10] The division also assumed responsibility for SAC base units located at bases in Canada where tankers were forward deployed.[11]
In the spring of 1962 SAC units with responsibility for both bomber and missile forces were redesignated to include the term aerospace in their designations. The 813th became the 813th Strategic Aerospace Division, while its 9th wing became the 9th Strategic Aerospace Wing. In July 1962, the 4364th Support Squadron was activated at Mountain Home and assigned to the division, but attached to the 9th wing.[1][12] The squadron was one of four EB-47 airborne radio relay squadrons activated by SAC to provide communications with SAC elements during a strike against the United States as an airborne counterpart to its underground command posts.[14] The 4364th was inactivated a little less than three years later in March 1965,[15] when the Post-Attack Command and Control System was transferred to air refueling units flying Boeing EC-135Cs and located at bases with the command posts.[14]
4364th Support Squadron (Airborne Radio Relay), (later 4364th Post Attack Command Control Squadron): 20 July 1962 - 25 March 1965[16] (attached to 9th Strategic Aerospace Wing)[12]
Other
4240th USAF Dispensary: 15 June 1954 – 1 June 1956[18]
Aircraft and Missiles
Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1954–1956; 1959–1966
Boeing EB-47 Stratojet, 1962–1965
Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter, 1954–1956; 1959–1965
^Approved 19 April 1965. Description: bendy of five piecesazure and argent, the first, third and fifth stripes spattered with mullets of the last [color mentioned] overall in pale a missile gray fimbriated dark gray winged or garnished brown its nose enveloped by an atomic symbol azure, all within a diminished bordure gold.
^The 3520th Flying Training Wing was redesignated as a Combat Crew Training Wing in September 1954.
^Aircraft is Boeing KC-97G-21-BO Stratofreighter, serial 52-838, City of Great Falls. This plane was later converted to a KC-97L with the addition of two J47 jet engines. Baugher, Joe (15 July 2023). "1952 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
^Colonel McCoy was killed in the crash of a B-47 while commanding the 321st Bombardment Wing in 1957. Pinecastle was renamed McCoy Air Force Base in his honor. "Behind the Legend of Col Mike McCoy". Orlando Sentinel. 7 October 2007. Archived from the original on 23 May 2011. Retrieved 10 May 2014..
United States
United States Air Force
