U.S. ARMY STRATEGIC AIR FORCE
The U.S. Army Strategic Air Force in the Pacific was established on Guam in July 1945. At the same time, the 20th Air Force took over the headquarters of the XXI Bomber Command, also at Guam. Simultaneously the 8th Air Force took over the headquarters of the XX Bomber Command on Okinawa.
By this time the 20th Air Force consisted of five wings of B-29 Bombers. Its fighter component was the VII Fighter Command on Iwo Jima. The 8th Air Force was to be a twin of the 20th; its fighter element was the 301 Fighter Wing at Ie Shima. It was also to have five wings of B-29s, four of which were to be made up of units redeployed from Europe. The information below shows the groups involved and the date they joined (or were planned to join) the Strategic Air Forces in the Western Pacific.
JCS 1455, 9 August 1945 made recommendations regarding the composition of B-29 groups. In August 1945, B-29 groups were organized with three squadrons of eight aircraft each. Rather than deploy B-17s from Europe JCS 1455 recommended that B-29 Groups have four squadrons of nine aircraft each, adding 50% to the number of aircraft in each group.
The 509th Composite Group was equipped with B-29s modified for Atomic missions.
20th Air Force Guam
55 Recon Sq (LR, Weather) B-24 Guam
3 Recon Sq, VLR, Photo & RCM F-13 Guam 18 Sep 44
44 Troop Carrier Sq C-46 Bellows Field, Hawaii 3-Aug-45, Redeploy from ETO
45 Troop Carrier Sq C-46 Kipapa, Hawaii 9-Sep-45, Redeploy from ETO
4 Emergency Rescue Sq Iwo Jima, less dets 25-Aug-45
509 Composite Group North Field, Tinian 29-May-45
393 Bomb Squadron (VH) B-29 North Field, Tinian 30-May-45
320 Troop Carrier Sq C-47, 54 North Field, Tinian 30-May-45
VII Fighter Command Iwo Jima Mar-45
549 Night Fighter Sq P-61 Iwo Jima, North Field 21-Mar-45
41 Photo Squadron F-5 Northwest Field, Guam 13-Jun-45
4 Emergency Rescue Sq OY-10 Iwo Jima, Palau det
21 Fighter Group P-51 D South Field, Iwo Jima 6-Mar-45
15 Fighter Group P-51 D South Field, Iwo Jima 6-Mar-45
506 Fighter Group P-51 D Iwo Jima, North Field 24-Apr-45
414 Fighter Group P-47 N Iwo Jima, North Field 7-Jul-45
73 Bomb Wing (VH) Isley Field, Saipan 24-Aug-44
497 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Isley Field, Saipan 17-Oct-44
498 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Isley Field, Saipan 6-Sep-44
499 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Isley Field, Saipan 18-Sep-44
500 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Isley Field, Saipan 18-Sep-44
313 Bomb Wing (VH) North Field, Tinian 24-Dec-44
6 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 North Field, Tinian 28-Dec-44
9 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 North Field, Tinian 28-Dec-44
504 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 North Field, Tinian 23-Dec-44
505 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 North Field, Tinian 19-Dec-44
314 Bomb Wing (VH) Guam, North Field 16-Jan-45
19 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Guam, North Field 16-Jan-45
29 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Guam, North Field 17-Jan-45
39 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Guam, North Field 18-Feb-45
330 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Guam, North Field 18-Feb-45
58 Bomb Wing (VH) West Field, Tinian 29-Mar-45
40 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 West Field, Tinian 4-Apr-45
444 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 West Field, Tinian 7-Apr-45
468 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 West Field, Tinian 6-Apr-45
462 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 West Field, Tinian 4-Apr-45
315 Bomb Wing (VH) Guam, Northwest Field 5-Apr-45
16 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Guam, Northwest Field 14-Apr-45
331 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Guam, Northwest Field 12-May-45
501 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Guam, Northwest Field 14-Apr-45
502 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Guam, Northwest Field 12-May-45
8th Air Force Kadena 16-Jul-45
1 Recon Sq, VLR, Photo & RCM F-13 Okinawa 9-Sep-45
5 Emergency Rescue Sq OY-10 Okinawa Ready 15 Sep 45
E Flight, 7 Emergency Res Sq OY-10 Okinawa 1-Nov-45
311 Troop Carrier Squadron C-46 Okinawa 22-Aug-45
316 Troop Carrier Squadron C-46 Okinawa 22-Aug-45
301 Fighter Wing
548 Night Fighter Sq P-61 Ie Shima 13-May-45
28 Photo Squadron F-5 Kadena 23-Apr-45
318 Fighter Group P-47N Ie Shima 13-May-45
413 Fighter Group P-47N Ie Shima 20-Jun-45
507 Fighter Group P-47N Ie Shima 30-Jun-45
50 Fighter Group P-51D Ie Shima Ready in USA 1 Oct 45
358 Fighter Group P-51D Ie Shima Ready in USA 1 Oct 45
316 Bomb Wing (VH) Kadena ETA 14-23 Aug 45
333 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Kadena 4-Aug-45
346 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Kadena 7-Aug-45
382 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Kadena 8-Sep-45
383 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Kadena 12-Sep-45
47 Bomb Wing (VH) Bolo Oct 45
489 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Bolo Flight echelon ready 15 Sep
98 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Bolo Flight echelon ready 15 Sep
376 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Bolo Flight echelon ready 15 Oct
450 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Bolo Flight echelon ready 15 Oct
20 Bomb Wing (VH) Futema Dec-45
449 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Futema Flight echelon ready 15 Nov
485 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Futema Flight echelon ready 15 Nov
44 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Futema Flight echelon ready 15 Dec
93 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Futema Flight echelon ready 15 Dec
96 Bomb Wing (VH) Okinawa Jan-46
448 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Okinawa Flight echelon ready 15 Jan
458 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Okinawa Flight echelon ready 15 Jan
466 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Okinawa Flight echelon ready 15 Jan
467 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Okinawa Flight echelon ready 15 Jan
13 Bomb Wing (VH) Okinawa Feb-46
301 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Okinawa Feb-46
454 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Okinawa Feb-46
456 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Okinawa Feb-46
492 Bomb Group (VH) B-29 Okinawa Feb-46