64th Air Division

The 64th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command at Stewart Air Force Base, New York, where it was inactivated on 1 July 1963.

The division was first activated as the 3rd Air Defense Wing in December 1942. After a brief period of organization, it moved to North Africa in February 1943, where it served as an element of Twelfth Air Force, directing air defense and tactical units. The wing added fighter and fighter-bomber forces in the spring of 1943 and was redesignated the 64th Fighter Wing in July. During wing operations in North Africa, Italy and France, it pioneered methods to provide close air support to ground forces. In August 1944, it moved to France, continuing operations in France and Germany until V-E Day. It remained in Germany as part of the occupation forces until inactivating in June 1947.

In April 1952, it was activated in Newfoundland as the 64th Air Division, where it controlled air defense forces in the Arctic. In July 1960, it moved from Pepperrell Air Force Base, Newfoundland to Stewart, transferring operational control of most units to its Goose Air Defense Sector, but expanding its management control to include the Distant Early Warning Line, the Pinetree Line and air defense of Iceland.

The division was first activated at Mitchel Field, New York as the 3rd Air Defense Wing in December 1942. It drew its initial cadre from the Boston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, and San Francisco Air Defense Wings. After a short period of organization and training, the wing departed the United States aboard the MV Sloterdijk on 7 February 1943, arriving in Algeria on 22 February.

The wing's initial mission was air defense of Algiers from Oran Es Sénia Airport under XII Fighter Command. However, this mission was already in the hands of the Royal Air Force (RAF), and within a few days, the wing moved to Thelepte Airfield, Tunisia, where it became part of XII Air Support Command. At Thelepte, the 561st Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion and three independent signal warning companies were assigned to the wing. These units, which had been operating independently, were organized into a provisional battalion for unified control. This arrangement became more regular in July 1943, when the aircraft warning unit was renamed the 2691st Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion (Provisional)(Mobile). These units provided radar coverage over the combat zone and warning of German attacks for installations to the rear. The wing's 82nd Fighter Control Squadron directed strike aircraft and provided radio direction finding for aircraft returning to base. Attached RAF units also provided information from visual observation points near the front lines and from intelligence units monitoring Luftwaffe communications. The wing occasionally augmented the operations section of XII Air Support Command in the Tunisian campaign.

In early July 1943, the wing embarked elements aboard the USS Monrovia, USS Ancon (AGC-4), USS Chase and USS Biscayne. From these ships, wing controllers directed fighters defending the fleet in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily and the fighter-bombers providing air support to the landing forces. During this operation, the wing operated as XII Air Support Command, Advanced, operating to maintain air superiority and providing reconnaissance support for I Armored Corps. For these operations, fighter and reconnaissance units began being assigned to the wing. The 111th Reconnaissance Squadron: was attached to the wing in June 1943, and the 31st and 33d Fighter Groups and 86th Fighter-Bomber Group were assigned in July.

Wing elements landed near Gela with advanced elements, and set up two radar sites on the island. On shore radar operations ceased on 10 July, when wing personnel were pressed to act as infantry to help repel a German counterattack. Operations resumed on 13 July. On 12 July, wing headquarters moved to Gela, and took over control from the elements aboard the Monrovia and its sister ships. In the middle of the month, the wing's fighter and reconnaissance units moved to Sicily from North Africa. Recognizing the changed mission of the wing with the addition of tactical groups, it was redesignated the 64th Fighter Wing in late July.

In Sicily, the wing inaugurated a more efficient system of communication with ground units needing air support. Previously, such request followed the ground force chain of command upward and the air force chain of command downward before being implemented. The wing established liaison teams of operations and intelligence officers with each division, who could transmit requests for support directly to wing headquarters through a special radio net. While still clumsy compared to later systems it was an improvement over previous systems.