III Bomber Command

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III Bomber Command
Active1941-1946
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleCommand and training of bomber units

The III Bomber Command is an inactive United States Army Air Forces formation. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.

It trained bombardment organizations and personnel, and patrolled in search of enemy submarines.

Lineage[]

  • Constituted as the 3rd Bomber Command on 4 September 1941[note 1]
Activated on 5 September 1941
  • Redesignated III Bomber Command on 18 September 1942
Inactivated on 8 April 1946
Disbanded on 8 October 1948[1]

Assignments[]

Components[]

Wings
  • 323d Combat Crew Training Wing, 22 February 1945 – 8 April 1946[3]
Groups
  • 3rd Bombardment Group (Dive), 8 December 1941 - 2 January 1942[4]
  • 12th Bombardment Group, 18 April – 16 August 1942[5]
  • 21st Bombardment Group, 11 March – 2 May 1942; 8 May 1942 – 10 October 1943[6]
  • 46th Bombardment Group, 8 May – c. 8 July 1942; 6 August 1943 – 1 May 1944[7]
  • 47th Bombardment Group, 1 May – 10 August 1942 (attached to 3d Ground Air Support Command after 29 June 1942)[8]
  • 48th Bombardment Group, 8 May – 10 August 1942[9]
  • 85th Bombardment Group (Dive), March 1942
  • 335th Bombardment Group, 31 July 1942 – 1 May 1944?
Squadrons
  • : 19 November 1944 – 2 January 1945[10]
  • 3d Reconnaissance Squadron; 5 June 1941 – 25 February 1942 (attached to 13th Bombardment Group)[11]
  • 35th Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter); 15 August – 1 September 1943[12]
  • 38th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bombardment; 15 August – 1 September 1943[13]

Stations[]

  • Drew Field, Florida, 5 September 1941
  • MacDill Field, Florida, c. September 1941
  • Army Air Base, Savannah, Georgia, c. 10 December 1941
  • MacDill Field, Florida, c. 15 December 1941 – 8 April 1946[1]

References[]

Notes[]

Explanatory notes
  1. ^ Maurer indicates unit was constituted as the "III" Bomber Command. However, the unit was constituted and activated with an arabic number in its name. The use of roman numerals to designate Army Air Forces combat commands did not begin until September 1942. "Air Force Historical Research Agency Organizational Reconds: Types of USAF Organizations". Air Force History Index. 9 January 2008. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
Citations
  1. ^ a b Maurer, Combat Units, p.439
  2. ^ Haulman, Daniel L. (4 April 2019). "Factsheet Third Air Force (USAFE)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  3. ^ "Factsheet 323 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 10 May 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  4. ^ Robertson, Patsy (26 June 2017). "Factsheet 3 Operations Group (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  5. ^ Robertson, Patsy (26 June 2017). "Factsheet 12 Operations Group (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  6. ^ Haulman, Daniel (27 June 2017). "Factsheet 21 Operations Group (AFSPC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  7. ^ Robertson, Patsy (4 September 2008). "Factsheet 46 Test Wing (AFMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  8. ^ Robertson, Patsy E. (7 July 2017). "Factsheet 47 Operations Group (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  9. ^ Robertson, Patsy E. (7 July 2017). "Factsheet 48 Operations Group (USAFE)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  10. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 7
  11. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 37-38
  12. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 170
  13. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 181

Bibliography[]

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

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