835th Air Division

The 835th Air Division was activated at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas on 1 July 1964 as the command headquarters for the 23d Tactical Fighter Wing already stationed there and the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, which was activated at McConnell later that month.Ravenstein, pp. 189–191 Both wings were equipped with the Republic F-105 Thunderchief.Ravenstein, pp. 43–45 The division's 835th Combat Support Group assumed duty as the host organization for McConnell from the 23d Combat Support Group, providing support for all United States Air Force units at McConnell and operating support aircraft.Mueller, pp. 405, 409 The division trained in close air support and air defense missions and participated in joint operations. The division's wings frequently deployed their tactical squadrons overseas, primarily to Southeast Asia.

In November 1965, the 355th Wing moved to Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, leaving behind two of its squadrons, the 354th and 357th Tactical Fighter Squadrons. Until they could rejoin the wing in Thailand, these two squadrons were temporarily assigned directly to the division . The departure of the 355th left McConnell with only a single wing, and base support responsibilities were transferred from the division back to the 23d Wing.

File:165th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron - McDonnell RF-4C-25-MC Phantom 65-0851.jpg.}}]]

At the beginning of 1966, the division's remaining wing, the 23d, added the mission to train F-105 aircrews, primarily for duty in Southeast Asia. After seven months with only a single wing assigned, the 75th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, located at Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas was assigned to the division. The 75th was organized as TAC took over Bergstrom from Strategic Air Command.Ravenstein, p. 113Mueller, p. 32 This wing was equipped with the McDonnell RF-4 Phantom II. In February 1967, it became a replacement training unit for the RF-4C aircraft.

File:192d Reconnaissance Squadron RF-101H 56-018 1968.jpg of the Nevada Air National Guard after being modified as an RF-101H. Sent to the Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center on 1 March 1972 and scrapped on 5 April 1977. {{cite web |url= http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1956.html |last1=Baugher|first1=Joe |title=1956 USAF Serial Numbers|date=May 19, 2023|publisher=Joe Baugher|access-date=August 15, 2023}} This squadron was federalized and assigned to the 123d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. Taken in 1968.}}]]

The 123d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing of the Kentucky Air National Guard was called to active duty in August 1968, along with squadrons from the Arkansas and Nevada Air National Guard. Its components moved from their home stations to Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Missouri with their McDonnell RF-101 Voodoos. While on active duty, the wing deployed its Voodos to Misawa and Itazuke Air Bases in Japan.{{cite web |url= http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/454/029.xml |title=Abstract, History 123 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing Jan 1968 – Jun 1969|publisher=Air Force History Index|access-date=21 July 2015}}{{cite web |url= http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/454/030.xml |title=Abstract, History 123 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing Jul–Dec 1968|publisher=Air Force History Index|access-date=21 July 2015}} 123d elements deployed in the Pacific provided reconnaissance support for Operation Linebacker. The wing was returned to state control and its home station in the spring of 1969.

In December 1969, the 75th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was transferred to Twelfth Air Force, leaving the division once again with a single wing assigned.

The division's final assigned wing was the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing, an F-4 Phantom II wing stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The 49th Wing was reassigned to the wing two months after the 75th Wing was reassigned, on 1 February 1970. The 49th Wing was "dual-based" and committed to support of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization when called upon. From September to October, the entire wing deployed to its former base in Germany, Spangdahlem Air Base.Ravenstein, pp. 78–81

File:8th Tactical Fighter Squadron McDonnell F-4D-25-MC Phantom 64-0945 Holloman AFB 1976.jpg. This plane was transferred to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center on 15 August 1989 and to Holloman AFB for use as a target on 17 December 1997. {{cite web |url= http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1964.html |last1=Baugher|first1=Joe |title=1964 USAF Serial Numbers|date=July 15, 2023|publisher=Joe Baugher|access-date=August 15, 2023}}.}}]]

In November 1970, as the USAF began to transfer portions of its Thunderchief inventory to the Air National Guard, the 23d Wing transferred the focus of its training mission to preparing National Guard pilots for their new aircraft. The 184th Tactical Fighter Group of the Kansas Air National Guard, which was also located at McConnell, became the first Guard unit to train on and equip with the Thunderchief.{{cite web |url= http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/449/004.xml |title=Abstract, History 23 Tactical Fighter Wing Jan–Mar 1971|publisher=Air Force History Index|access-date=22 July 2015}}

The division was inactivated in June 1971 and its two wings were reassigned directly to Twelfth Air Force.

• Established as the 835 Air Division, and activated, on 24 June 1964

: Organized on 1 July 1964

: Inactivated on 30 June 1971

• Tactical Air Command, 24 June 1964 (not organized until 1 July 1964)
• Twelfth Air Force, 23 July 1964 – 30 June 1971

• McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, 1 July 1964 – 30 June 1971{{efn|Division components were also stationed at McConnell, except as noted.}}

Wings

• 23d Tactical Fighter Wing: 1 July 1964 – 30 June 1971
• 49th Tactical Fighter Wing: 1 February 1970 – 30 June 1971 (attached to Seventeenth Air Force 14 September – 7 October 1970)

:: Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico

• 75th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing: 1 July 1966 – 24 December 1969

:: Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas

• 123d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing: by 31 August 1968 – by 31 March 1969

:: Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Missouri

• 355th Tactical Fighter Wing: 21 July 1964 – 8 November 1965Components in AFHRA Factsheet, 835 Air Division, except as otherwise noted.

; Group

• 835th Combat Support Group,: 1 July 1964 – 8 June 1966

; Squadrons

• 354th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 8 – 27 November 1965
• 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 8 November 1965 – 29 January 1966

; Other

• 835th Tactical Hospital, 1 July 1965 – 1 July 1967See Mueller, p. 409 (list of units at McConnell activated with the division).

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• Republic F-105 Thunderchief, 1964–1971
• Lockheed AT-33, 1966–1969
• McDonnell RF-4 Phantom II, 1966–1969
• McDonnell RF-101 Voodoo, 1968–1969
• North American T-39 Sabreliner, 1966–1971
• McDonnell F-4 Phantom II, 1970–1971Aircraft in AFHRA Factsheet, 835 Air Division except as noted.

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• Major General Warren R. Carter Readiness Trophy. 1964. Awarded by the Order of Daedalians annually to the base level unit with the best supply record supporting aircraft or weapons as selected by the Chief of Staff, United States Air Force.{{cite web|url=http://www.daedalians.org/awards/carter.htm|title=Daedalians Logistics Readiness Award: Major General Warren R. Carter Readiness Trophy|publisher=Order of Daedalians|url-status=dead|access-date=22 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723074614/http://www.daedalians.org/awards/carter.htm|archive-date=23 July 2015}} (list of award winners)

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• Col O.E. Gilbert, c. 1 July 1964
• Brig Gen Robert L. "Bob" Cardenas, c. 1 July 1966
• Col Woodward E. Davis Jr., 13 May 1968
• Col Leroy J. Manor, 21 June 1969
• [https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/106134/major-general-edward-p-mcneff/ Col Edward P. McNeff], 17 February 1970 – 30 Jun 71{{cite web |url= https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/106134/major-general-edward-p-mcneff/ |title=Biography, Maj Gen Edwar P. McNeff|date=1 December 1973|publisher=United States Air Force|access-date=23 July 2015}}

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• List of United States Air Force air divisions
• List of F-105 units of the United States Air Force
• List of F-4 Phantom II operators

{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist|40em}}

{{Air Force Historical Research Agency}}

• {{cite book|last=Mueller|first=Robert|title=Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982|url= https://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330255/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-026.pdf |year=1989|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-53-6}}
• {{cite book|last=Ravenstein|first=Charles A.|title=Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977|year=1984|url=https://archive.org/details/airforcecombatwi0000rave|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-12-9|url-access=registration}}

{{Tactical Air Command}}

Category:Military units and formations established in 1964

Category:Air divisions of the United States Air Force

Category:Military units and formations of the United States in the Cold War