The IV Bomber Command is a disbanded
United States Air Force headquarters. It was established in September 1941, shortly before the
attack on Pearl Harbor to command bomber units assigned to
4th Air Force. Following the entry of the United States into
World War II, it flew patrols off the Pacific coast. However, its main efforts soon began organizing and training bomber units and aircrews. It was disbanded at
San Francisco, California on 31 March 1944.
History
Background and organization
GHQ Air Force (GHQ, AF) had been established with two major combat functions, to maintain a striking force against long range targets, and the
air defense of the United States.[2] In the spring of 1941, GHQ, AF reorganized its Southwest Air District as
4th Air Force. To carry out its mission of training and maintaining a strike force, 4th Air Force organized a provisional Bomber Command, 4th Air Force at
March Field by April 1941. In September, the provisional command was replaced by 4th Bomber Command at
Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona in September 1941. The command moved to
Hamilton Field, California, after the
attack on Pearl Harbor.[1] The new command drew much of its initial
cadre from the
1st Bombardment Wing, which had been stationed at Davis-Monthan since May.[3]
In late 1943, some
heavy bomber training was moved from
Second Air Force, which had been the primary command for that training, to the command in order to enable combined training between
fighters and bombers. In conjunction with this transfer, the command adopted the three phase training system for its training units: Phase I (individual training); Phase II (crew training) and Phase III (unit training).[5]
In the spring of 1944, the AAF reorganized its training units to provide more flexibility in manning, rather than continuing to use rigid
table of organization units.[6] In this reorganization, the command was disbanded on 31 March 1944 and its personnel absorbed into the 400th AAF Base Unit (Headquarters, Fourth Air Force).[1][7]
Lineage
Constituted as the 4th Bomber Command on 1 September 1941[note 2]1[note 3]
Activated on 19 September 1941
Redesignated IV Bomber Command on 18 September 1942
^Haulman says assignment began on 5 September. According to Maurer, the command was not activated until the 19th of the month. Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 441-442
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.
LCCN48003657.
OCLC704158. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Goss, William A. (1955). "The Organization and its Responsibilities, Chapter 2 The AAF". In Craven, Wesley F.; Cate, James L. (eds.).
The Army Air Forces in World War II(PDF). Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
LCCN48003657.
OCLC704158. Retrieved 17 December 2016.