"Established as the 8th Pursuit Wing, it conducted training from 1940 to 1941. As a paper unit, it moved to India and then to Egypt in December 1942."[1]
It finally gained personnel and aircraft, and became operational as the 57 Bombardment Wing in March 1944. "Initially, the 57th flew close air support missions against enemy troops and gun emplacements in the vicinity of Anzio, Italy; later, it flew bombing missions against railway marshalling yards at Foligno, Littoria, and Terni, Italy. Between 19 March 1944 and 11 May 1944 the 57th took part in Operation Strangle to destroy Italian marshalling yards, railroad repair facilities and other rail targets such as bridges, tunnels, and viaducts. It continued to fly close air support and interdiction missions in Italy throughout the war, and supported the invasion of southern France on 15 August 1944."[1] The unit was inactivated at the end of the war.
Reactivated as an intermediate command echelon of Strategic Air Command in 1951, the 57th Air Division assumed a supervisory role of subordinate bombardment units. "Its units trained to conduct long range bombardment, air refueling, and strategic reconnaissance operations around the world. Between 1965 and 1969, division units supported Operation Arc Light bombing and Operation Young Tiger air refueling operations in Southeast Asia. In 1980 the 57th reorganized to employ Strategic Air Command conventional strategic forces (bomber, tanker, and reconnaissance) in crisis situations worldwide."[1]
It was inactivated in June 1991[1] due to budget constraints and the reduction of forces after the end of the Cold War.
Lineage
Established as the 8th Pursuit Wing on 19 October 1940
Activated on 6 November 1940
Inactivated on 1 November 1941
Redesignated 8th Fighter Wing on 6 July 1942
Activated on 24 July 1942
Redesignated 57th Bombardment Wing on 6 April 1943
68th Bombardment Wing: 1 July 1964 – 1 July 1965; attached 10 August – 1 September 1966, assigned 2 September 1966 – 2 July 1969.
92d Bombardment Wing: 16 April 1951 – 16 June 1952. 16 June 1952 – 4 September 1956 (detached 14 October 1954 – 12 January 1955 and 26 April – 6 July 1956); 23 January 1987 – 15 June 1988
98th Bombardment Wing: 16 April 1951 – 16 June 1952 (detached 16 April 1951 – 16 June 1952). 16 June 1952 – 25 November 1953 (detached entire period)
99th Bombardment Wing (see 99th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing)
111th Bombardment Wing (later 111 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing): 21 April 1951 – 1 January 1953
99th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (later 99th Bombardment Wing): 1 January 1953 – 2 July 1969 (detached 29 January – 25 April 1956; c. 1 October 1967-c. 1 April 1968 and c. 23 September 1968-c. 1 April 1969)
111th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (see 111th Bombardment Wing)[1]
Groups
12th Bombardment Group: 1 November 1943 – 1 January 1944 (detached 1 November 1943 – 1 January 1944)
321st Bombardment Group: 1 November 1943 – 1 January 1944 (detached 4 November 1943 – 1 January 1944) 1 March 1944 – 12 September 1945 (detached 20 August – 12 September 1945)
340th Bombardment Group: 1 November 1943 – 1 January 1944 (detached 1 November 1943 – 1 January 1944); 1 March 1944 – 26 July 1945[1]
^Heraldic description: Per bendazure and gules, a bend argent between in chief a globe of the third (color) lined sable emitting three lightning flashes or and issuing from base a hand holding a torch of the fourth (color) garnished of the fifth (color) flammant of the second (color)and silver.
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