The 98th Bombardment Wing is an inactive United States Army Air Forces unit. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Force Reserve, based at Bedford Field, Massachusetts. It was inactivated on 27 June 1949.
History
As the 3d Wing, the unit was one of the original wings of the GHQ Air Force on 1 March 1935. It was formed in Texas, reassigned to Barksdale Field, Louisiana. Performed peacetime training operations. Assigned to MacDill Field, Florida, 1940 and assigned to USAAC Southeast Air District, becoming part of III Bomber Command just prior to World War II.
It was deployed to England and was reassigned to VIII Bomber Command in June 1942 as a medium Bomber command and control organization component units being equipped with B-26 Marauders.
It was redesignated as the 98th Combat Bombardment Wing (Medium) in November 1943. The wing was reassigned to Ninth Air Force when 9th was reformed in England as tactical air force to support ground forces in upcoming invasion of France. Performed combat operations supporting allied ground forces until V-E Day
It served postwar as an Air Force reserve unit, 1947–1949.
Lineage
Authorized on the inactive list as 3d Wing on 24 March 1923
Redesignated as: 3d Attack Wing in 1929
Activated on 15 June 1932
Redesignated as 3d Wing in 1935
Redesignated 3d Bombardment Wing in 1940
Inactivated on 5 September 1941
Activated on 7 June 1942
Redesignated as: 98th Combat Bombardment Wing (Medium) in November 1943
Redesignated as: 98th Bombardment Wing (Medium) in June 1945
Inactivated on 27 November 1945. Redesignated 3d Bombardment Wing (Light) and allotted to the reserve Activated on 20 December 1946 Redesignated 3d Air Division (Bombardment) in April 1948 Inactivated on 27 June 1949
Assignments
United States Army Air Corps, 15 June 1932
General Headquarters Air Force, 1 March 1935
Southeast Air District, 2 October 1940
III Bomber Command, 5 September 1941
VIII Bomber Command, 7 June 1942
VIII Air Support Command, 1943
IX Bomber Command, 16 October 1943 – 27 November 1945
United States Air Force Reserve, 20 December 1946 – 27 June 1949
Stations
Fort Crockett, Texas, 15 June 1932
Barksdale Field, Louisiana, 27 February 1935
MacDill Field, Florida, 2 October 1940 – 5 September 1941
Detrick Field, Maryland, 7 June–August 1942
Elvedon Hall (AAF-116), England, c. 12 September 1942
Marks Hall (AAF-160), England, 12 June 1943
RAF Earls Colne (AAF-358), England, November 1943
RAF Beaulieu (AAF-408), England, 18 July – 19 August 1944
Lessay Airfield (A-20), France, 23 August 1944
Chartres Airfield (A-40), France, 24 September 1944
Laon/Athies Airfield (A-69), France, 3 October 1944
Havrincourt, France, 1 February 1945
Venlo Airfield (Y-55), Netherlands, c. 3 May 1945
Tienen, Belgium, c. July 1945
AAF Station Kitzingen, Germany, August 1945
Namur Airfield, Belgium, c. October–November 1945
Bedford Field, Massachusetts, 20 December 1946 – 27 June 1949
Components
GHQ Air Force (Air Force Combat Command, 1941) 3d Bombardment Group: 1932–1940 13th Bombardment Group: 1941 10th Pursuit Group: 1932–1939 29th Bombardment Group: 1940–1941 44th Bombardment Group: 1941
VIII Bomber Command
322d Bombardment Group: 1 December 1942 – 16 October 1943
323d Bombardment Group: 1 May – 16 October 1943
386th Bombardment Group: 3 June – 16 October 1943
387th Bombardment Group: 25 June – 16 October 1943
Ninth Air Force
323d Bombardment Group: 16 October 1943 – 16 July 1945 (B-26 Marauder) 387th Bombardment Group: 16 October 1943 – November 1945 (B-26 Marauder) 394th Bombardment Group: 11 March 1944 – September 1945 (B-26 Marauder) 397th Bombardment Group: 15 April 1944 – November 1945 (B-26 Marauder) 305th Bombardment Group: 1945 (B-17 Flying Fortress) 306th Bombardment Group: 1945 (B-17 Flying Fortress)
Air Force Reserve
310th Bombardment Group: 1947–1949
341st Bombardment Group: 1947–1949
References
Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. . Johnson, David C. (1988), U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO), D-Day to V-E Day; Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.