III Tactical Air Command

III Tactical Air Command
A-20 Havoc light bomber from a training unit
Active	1942-1945
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army  United States Air Force[note 1]
Role	Command and training of tactical units
Engagements	World War II

The III Tactical Air Command was a United States Army Air Forces formation. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. It was disbanded on 24 October 1945. The command was established in 1941 as the 3rd Air Support Command. It was responsible for training tactical units and aircrews for the Army Air Forces, except for the period from August 1943 through March 1944, when it specialized in training reconnaissance units.

General Headquarters Air Force (GHQ AF) reorganized its four regional air districts as Numbered Air Forces in the spring of 1941. By the fall of that year, each of these had organized as a support command and three combat commands.^[1] In the summer of 1941 GHQ AF decided to establish commands to direct its air support mission in each numbered air force, plus one additional command reporting directly to GHQ AF.^[2] 3rd Air Force organized 3rd Air Support Command.^[3][2] However, by early 1942, most of the command's trained personnel had moved overseas, leading GHQ AF to believe it had little more than the "remnants" of the command remaining.^[2] As a result, it was decided to disband the command on 16 March 1942.^{[4] [check quotation syntax]} However, in May, the Army Air Forces (AAF) reaffirmed that each of the continental numbered air forces would have an air support command and the 3rd Air Force established a new 3rd Air Support Command at Birmingham Airport on 19 May.^[5][6]

The AAF determined that its continental air forces would specialize in their training operations and that all their air support commands would be reassigned to Third Air Force.^[6] At various times, the III Tactical Air Command trained dive bombardment, light bombardment, and reconnaissance organizations and personnel; also gave air support to ground units in training and participated in air-ground maneuvers and demonstrations. In October of 1942, AAF directed that half of the observation groups assigned to the command were to be reduced to 50% strength or less with their personnel used to form new tow target squadrons, or transferred to heavy bomber Operational Training Unit (OTU)s or Replacement Training Unit (RTU)s.^[7]

In the summer of 1943, the Army Air Forces had begun to act to combine tactical and photographic reconnaissance functions, and in July, directed Third Air Force to establish a reconnaissance command that would train all tactical and photographic units and operate replacement training units for the personnel of those units. As a result the command was redesignated III Reconnaissance Command and became the central training agency for reconnaissance units, with wings at Key Field and Will Rogers Field.^[8]

The command was disbanded in 1945. In 1947, when the United States Air Force (USAF) became independent, the Army transferred all Army Air Forces, Air Service and Air Corps units (there were a number of Air Corps units that had never been in the Army Air Forces, and a few Air Service units) to the USAF.^{[citation needed]}

• Constituted as the 3rd Ground Air Support Command on 15 May 1942^{[note 2]}

Activated on 19 May 1942.

Redesignated III Air Support Command c. 18 September 1942

Redesignated III Reconnaissance Command 18 August 1943^[8]

Redesignated III Tactical Air Command c. 10 March 1944

Disbanded on 24 October 1945^[9]

• Third Air Force, 19 May 1942 – 24 October 1945^[5][10]

Divisions

• I Tactical Air Division (later III Tactical Air Division, III Reconnaissance Command): c. 10 March 1944 – 1944^[5]
• II Tactical Air Division: c. 10 March 1944 – 24 October 1945^[5]
• III Tactical Air Division (later I Tactical Air Division): c. 10 March 1944 – 24 October 1945^[5]

Wings

• 22d Bombardment Training Wing: 5 December 1942 – 6 August 1943^[11]
• 88th Reconnaissance Training Wing: 18 August – 20 December 1943^[12][13] (thereafter disbanded).
• 89th Reconnaissance Training Wing: 18 August 1943 – c. 1 April 1944^[12]

Groups

Squadrons

• Birmingham Airport (later Birmingham Army Air Base), Alabama, 19 May 1942
• Barksdale Field, Louisiana, c. 1 April 1944 – 24 October 1945^[5]

Explanatory notes

Citations

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Cate, James L.; Williams, E. Kathleen (1948). "Prelude to War, Chapter 4, The Air Corps Prepares for War, 1939-41". In Craven, Wesley F; Cate, James L (eds.). The Army Air Forces in World War II (PDF). Vol. I, Plans and Early Operations. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. LCCN 48003657. OCLC 704158. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Futrell, Robert F. (September 1956). "Command of Observation Aviation: A Study in Control of Tactical Airpower, USAF Historical Study No. 24" (PDF). Research Studies Institute, USAF Historical Division, Air University. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• White, Jerry (August 1949). "Combat Crew and Unit Training in the AAF 1939-1945, USAF Historical Study No. 61" (PDF). Air Historical Office, United States Air Force. Retrieved 30 January 2022.