Constituted as 5th Heavy Bombardment Processing Headquarters on 9 Feb
1943 and activated on 17 Feb. Assigned to Second AF. Redesignated 73d
Bombardment Operational Training Wing (Heavy) in Aug 1943. Inactivated on
15 Oct 1943.
Redesignated 73d Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy). Activated on 20 Nov
1943. Moved to Saipan, Jul-Sep 1944, and assigned to Twentieth AF. Engaged
in very heavy bombardment operations from Oct 1944 to Aug 1945. Returned
to the US late in 1945. Assigned to Strategic Air Command on 21 Mar 1946.
Inactivated on 31 May 1946.
Allotted to the reserve. Activated on 12 Jun 1947. Redesignated 73d Air
Division (Bombardment) in Apr 1948. Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949.
Redesignated 73d Air Division (Weapons). Activated on 8 Jul 1957.
Assigned to Air Defense Command. No combat elements were assigned at the
time of activation.
Groups. 338th: 1947-1949. 381st: 1947-1949. 497th: 1943-1946. 498th:
1943-1946. 499th: 1943-1946. 500th: 1943-1946.
Stations. Walker AAFld, Kan, 17 Feb 1943; Smoky Hill AAFld, Kan, 30
Jun-15 Oct 1943. Smoky Hill AAFld, Kan, 20 Nov 1943; Colorado Springs,
Colo, 29 Feb-17 Jul 1944; Isley Field, Saipan, 24 Aug 1944-20 Oct 1945;
MacDill Field, Fla, 15 Jan-31 May 1946. Orchard Place Aprt, Ill, 12 Jun
1947-27 Jun 1949. Tyndall AFB, Fla, 8 Jul 1957-.
Commanders. Col Thomas H Chapman, 2 Jul-15 Oct 1943. Col Thomas H
Chapman, 27 Nov 1943; Brig Gen Emmett O'Donnell Jr, 15 Mar 1944; Col
Morris Lee, 16 Sep 1945; Col Neil B Harding, 28 Jan-14 May 1946. Col
Milton H Ashkins, 1957-.
Campaigns. American Theater; Air Offensive, Japan; Eastern Mandates;
Western Pacific.
Decorations. None.
Insigne. Shield: Azure, a diminished border argent, issuant from base
and sinister two piles throughout bendwise the sinister overlapping the
dexter and terminating upon the border of the last, each charged with an
arrowhead sable garnished of the second and emitting a flight trail
throughout or edged gules. Motto: Mors Aggressoribus - Death to
Aggressors. (Approved 9 Apr 1958.) Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986
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