Twentieth Air Force
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Twentieth Air Force is one of numbered air forces that comprise the United States Air Force. The Twentieth has responsibility for the Air Force's portion of the nuclear deterrant forces of the United States. The Twentieth is under command of the United States Air Force Space Command and ultimately the United States Strategic Command. During World War II, the Twentieth was a U.S. Army Air Force heavy strategic bombardment formation which served in the China-Burma-India and Pacific regions of the war.
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History
World War II operations
During World War II, it was headquartered in the United States, under command of General Henry H. (Hap) Arnold, with direction from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, its B-29 components operated in the China-Burma-India theatre and Pacific theater of operations, carrying the air war to the Japanese. Operations climaxed with atomic attacks on Japan in August 1945.
Initally under the command of Hap Arnold, and later Curtis LeMay. In March 1945 Twentieth Air Force was placed under the U.S. Strategic Air Forces in the Pacific which was commanded by General Carl Spaatz.
Initially the attack was made via China as that was the only allied held territory in within the flying range of Japan. The arrangements made with the Chinese national forces under the command of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek to construct airbases in China and supply a strategic air arm was codenamed Operation Matterhorn. It was organized by XX Bomber Command operating out of India. All supplies for the operation had to be flown over the Hump from India into China as sections of the Burma Road were under Japanese control. This was never a satisfactory arrangement because not only were the Chinese Airbases difficult to supply, B29s operating from them could only reach Japan if they substituted some of the bomb load for extra fuel tanks in the bomb-bays.
When Admiral Chester Nimitz's island-hopping campaign towards Japan, captured islands close enough to Japan to be within the range of B29s, XXI Bomber Command organized a much more effective bombing campaign of the Japanes home islands. Based in the Marianas (Guam and Tinian in particular) during World War II. They were assigned the responsibility of destroying Japan's industry. Because of the long ranges involved, the Twentieth airforce was equipped with B-29's, the longest range bomber in the world at the time.
The damage done by the Twentieth airforce was devastating to Japan's industry, and severely crippled its ability to fight. It was they who firebombed Tokyo on the night of March 9 - March 10, 1945, as well as dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The flight route from Marianas to Japan took bombers within radar and figher range of Iwo Jima. The loss of Iwo Jima deprived the Japanese of an important strategic point for their defense against the Twentieth Airforce.
Commands During World War II
- VII Fighter Command 1945
- XX Bomber Command 1944-45
- XXI Bomber Command 1944-45
Post World War II history
Following the war, Twentieth Air Force remained in the Pacific and served in combat for a short time during the Korean war. Later it was involved primarily in air defense of the Ryukyu Islands until inactivation in March 1955. Since 1991, the Twentieth Air Force has controlled the inter-continental ballistic missile force. The current commander is Major General Frank Klotz. Prior to assuming his current position, General Klotz was the Director for Nuclear Policy and Arms Control with the National Security Council at the White House.
Organization
Constituent units of the Twentieth Air Force are as follows:
Facilities
Facilities utilized by the Twentieth Air Force include the following:
- Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyoming: Headquarters of 20th Air Force and 90th Space Wing
- Malstrom AFB, Montana: Headquarters of 343rd Space Wing
- Minot AFB, Minot, North Dakota: Headquarters of 91st Space Wing