Constituted as 16th Bombardment Wing on 19 Oct 1940. Activated on 18
Dec 1940. Apparently did not have sufficient personnel for effective
training and operations. Inactivated on 1 Sep 1941.
Activated on 23 Jun 1942. Assigned to Second AF. Redesignated 16th
Bombardment Training Wing in Jan 1943, 16th Bombardment Operational
Training Wing in Apr 1943, and 16th Bombardment Operational Training Wing
(Very Heavy) in May 1945. Began training heavy bombardment groups and
personnel in Jun 1942; later changed to very heavy bombardment training,
which lasted until operations ceased late in 1945. Inactivated on 9 Apr
1946. Disbanded on 8 Oct 1948.
Groups. 45th: 1941. 46th: 1941. (Various groups assigned for training,
1942-1945.)
Stations. Langley Field, Va, 18 Dec 1940; Bowman Field, Ky, Mar-1 Sep
1941. Wendover Field, Utah, 23 Jun 1942; Biggs Field, Tex, Nov 1942;
Davis-Monthan Field, Ariz, c. 1 Jun 1943; Biggs Field, Tex, Oct 1943;
Colorado Springs, Colo, Dec 1945-9 Apr 1946.
Commanders. Brig Gen Junius W Jones, c. Apr-c. 1 Sep 1941. Col Ernest H
Lawson, 23 Jun 1942; Brig Gen Robert B Williams, 4 Apr 1943; Col Walter R
Agee, May 1943; Brig Gen Newton Longfellow, 11 Oct 1943; Col Claude E
Duncan, c. 25 Nov 1945-unkn.
Campaigns. American Theater.
Decorations. None. Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986 |
