3rd Air Support Command: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 19:31, 10 December 2021

Latest revision as of 02:17, 9 April 2025

(25 intermediate revisions by 8 users not shown)

Line 1:

{{about|the 3d Air Support Command disbanded in March 1942|the III3rd Air Support Command establishedorganized in May 1942|III Tactical Air Command}}

{{Use American English|date=February 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}

{{Infobox military unit

|unit_name= III3rd Air Support Command

|image=Douglas B-18A airplane in flight (00910460 121).jpg

|image=

|image_size=300px

|caption=

|caption=[[B-18A Bolo]] of the command's [[3d Bombardment Group]]

|dates=1941-1942

|country={{USA}}

|branch={{army|USA}}<br/>{{air force|USA}}<ref group=note>In September 1947, when the United States Air Force became an independent service, all former Air Corps units were put under its control, including disbanded units.</ref>

|allegiance=

|branch={{air force|USA}}

|type=

|role=Command and training of reconnaissance and light bomber forces

Line 20 ⟶ 21:

|march=

|mascot=

|battles=[[antisubmarine warfare|Antisubmarine campaign, American Theater]]

|battles=

|notable_commanders=

|anniversaries=

Line 27 ⟶ 28:

}}

The '''III3rd Air Support Command''' was a [[United States Army Air Forces]] formation.command, assigned Itsto lastthe assignment[[3rd Air Force]] throughout its existence. It was withorganized at [[ThirdHunter Army Airfield|Army Air ForceBase, Savannah]], stationedGeorgia. at By early 1942, most of its trained personnel had been lost to overseas theaters. It moved to [[Drew Field]], [[Florida]]., where Itit was inactivateddisbanded on 16 March 1942.

Trained air force organizations for support operations and assisted in training ground forces. Also conducted antisubmarine patrols.

==History==

[[General Headquarters Air Force]] (GHQ AF) reorganized its four regional air districts as [[Numbered Air Force]]s in the spring of 1941. By the fall of that year, each of these had organized as a support command and three combat commands.<ref>Cate & Williams, pp. 152, 155</ref>

[[File:North American O-47B 1941.jpg|thumb|North American O-47B during the 1941 war games]]

===Lineage===

In the summer of 1941 GHQ AF had decided to establish commands to direct its [[air support]] mission in each numbered air force, plus one additional command reporting directly to GHQ AF. These commands would be manned from inactivating [[wing (military aviation unit)|wings]], and would initially control only observation squadrons, which would be transferred from the control of the corps and divisions, although they would remain attached to these ground units.<ref name=Futrell13>Futrell, p. 13</ref> [[3rd Air Force]] organized '''3rd Air Support Command''' at [[Hunter Army Airfield|Army Air Base, Savannah]], Georgia in September 1941, where it drew its [[cadre (military)|cadre]] and equipment from the [[17th Air Division|17th Bombardment Wing]], which was simultaneously inactivated.<ref name=MaurerIIIASC>Maurer, p. 439</ref><ref name=Futrell13/> New observation groups were formed and assigned, with cadres drawn from [[National Guard (United States)|National Guard]] squadrons that had been mobilized in 1940 and 1941.<ref name=Futrell13/>

* Constituted as the '''3rd Air Support Command''' on 21 August 1941<ref group=note>Maurer indicates unit was constituted as the "III" Air Support Command. However the use of [[roman numeral]]s to designate Army Air Forces combat commands did not begin until September 1942.</ref>

The command trained air force organizations for support operations and assisted in training ground forces.<ref name=MaurerIIIASC/> During the [[Carolina Maneuvers]] of 1941, the command was attached to [[IV Corps (United States)|IV Corps]]. Unlike the opposing force, the command's headquarters were located about sixty miles distant from that of the ground forces it supported, giving it greater freedom of action. As a result, its forces were used more aggressively and more frequently in an offensive role, than those of the opposing force.<ref>Futrell, p. 19</ref> After the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]] it also conducted [[anti-submarine warfare|antisubmarine patrols]].<ref name=MaurerIIIASC/>

However, by early 1942, the command's first commander, Asa N. Duncan, like two of the other commanders of air support commands had moved overseas, and similar demands led GHQ AF to believe it had little more than the "remnants" of the command remaining.<ref name=Futrell13/> As a result, it was decided to disband the command. Its [[headquarters]] were moved to [[Drew Field]], Florida on 1 March and it was disbanded there on 16 March 1942.<ref name=MaurerIIIASC/>

=== Lineage= ==

* Constituted as the '''3rd Air Support Command''' on 21 August 1941<ref group=note>Maurer indicates unit was constituted as the "III" Air Support Command. However, the unit was constituted and activated with an [[arabic number]] in its name. The use of [[roman numeral]]s to designate Army Air Forces combat commands did not begin until September 1942. {{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/433913/types-of-usaf-organizations/ |title=Air Force Historical Research Agency Organizational Reconds: Types of USAF Organizations|date=9 January 2008|publisher=Air Force History Index|access-date=19 September 2016}}</ref>

: Activated on 1 September 1941

: Disbanded on 16 March 1942<ref name=MaurerIIIASC>Maurer, p. 439</ref>

===Assignments===

* [[Third3rd Air Force]], 1 September 1941 – 16 March 1942<ref name=MaurerIIIASC/><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.afhradafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/433194433565/firstthird-air-force-air-forces-northern-accusafe/ |last1=Haulman|first1=Daniel L.|title=Factsheet Third Air Force (USAFE)|date=4 April 4, 2019|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=9 December 9, 2021}}</ref>

===Components===

* [[3rd Bombardment Group]], 1 September – 8 December 1941; 2 January – February 1942<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/434142/3-operations-group-pacaf/ |last1=Robertson|first1=Patsy|title=Factsheet 3 Operations Group (PACAF)|date=26 June 2017|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=27 December 2021}}</ref>

* Various observation and light bombardment organizations

* [[27th Bombardment Group]], 1 September – c. 20 November 1941.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/1913364/27-special-operations-group-afsoc/ |last1=Haulman|first1=Daniel L.|title=Factsheet 27 Special Operations Group (AFSOC)|date=23 July 2019|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=29 December 2021}}</ref>

* [[416th Bombardment Group]]

* [[67th Observation Group]], 1 September 1941 – [16] March 1942.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/432383/67-cyberspace-operations-group-acc |last1=Ream|first1=Margaret|title=Factsheet 67 Cyberspace Operations Group (AFSPC)|date=21 March 2021|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=29 December 2021}}</ref>

* [[68th Observation Group]], 1 September 1941 – [16] March 1942.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/433415/53-electronic-warfare-group-acc/ |last1=Stephens|first1=Maj Tonia|title=Factsheet 53 Electronic Warfare Group (ACC)|date=19 June 2017|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=29 December 2021}}</ref>

* [[85th Bombardment Group]], 10 February - 16 March 1942<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/433508/85-group/ |last1=Robertson|first1=Patsy|title=Factsheet 85 Group|date=29 September 2008|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=10 January 2022}}</ref>

* [[312th Bombardment Group]], 15-16 March 1942<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/434012/312-aeronautical-systems-group-afmc/ |last1=Bailey|first1=Carl E.|title=Factsheet 312 Aeronautical Systems Group (AFMC|date=27 December 2007|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=10 January 2022}}</ref>

===Stations===

* [[Hunter Army Airfield|Savannah Army Air Base]], Savannah, Georgia, 1 September 1941

* [[Drew Field]], Florida, 1–16 March 1942<ref name=MaurerIIIASC/>

===Campaigns===

{| class="wikitable"

|- style="background:#efefef;"

! Campaign Streamer

! Campaign

! Dates

! Notes

|-

|[[File:American Campaign Streamer.png|200px]]||Antisubmarine||7 December 1941 – 16 March 1942||<ref name=MaurerIIIASC/>

|}

== References ==

===Notes===

; Explanatory notes

Line 59 ⟶ 81:

===Bibliography===

{{Air Force Historical Research Agency}}

* {{cite book|last1=Cate|first1=James L. |last2=Williams|first2=E. Kathleen |editor=Craven, Wesley F |editor2=Cate, James L|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Nov/05/2001329898/-1/-1/0/AFD-101105-005.pdf |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170218064307/http://media.defense.gov/2010/Nov/05/2001329898/-1/-1/0/AFD-101105-005.pdf |url-status= dead |archive-date= 18 February 2017 |access-date=17 December 2016| title=The Army Air Forces in World War II|volume=I, Plans and Early Operations|year=1948|publisher=University of Chicago Press|___location=Chicago, IL|oclc=704158|lccn=48003657|chapter=Prelude to War, Chapter 4, The Air Corps Prepares for War, 1939-41}}

* {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Air Force Combat Units of World War II|orig-year= 1961|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf |edition=reprint|year=1983|publisher=Office of Air Force History|___location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-02-1|lccn=61060979}}

* {{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/Portals/16/documents/Studies/1-50/AFD-090602-049.pdf |last1=Futrell|first1=Robert F.|title=Command of Observation Aviation: A Study in Control of Tactical Airpower, USAF Historical Study No. 24|date=September 1956|publisher=Research Studies Institute, USAF Historical Division, Air University |access-date=23 January 2022}}

* {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Air Force Combat Units of World War II|orig-year= 1961|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf |archive-url= https://archive.today/20210115181723/https://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf |url-status= dead |archive-date= 15 January 2021 |edition=reprint|year=1983|publisher=Office of Air Force History|___location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-02-1|lccn=61060979}}

{{USAAF 3d Air Force World War II}}