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Rapid expansion of Eighth Air Force creates need for reorganisation, requested by Eaker, apporved by War Department summer of 1943
1st Bombardment Wing redesignated 1st Bombardment Division,
Wing itself then split into smaller wings, each controling two or three heavy bombardment wings when first set up - 1943 saw 1st, 40th, 41st and 92nd wings, 92nd closed down and units transfered to 94th by end of year (in official linage 1st BW remained same unit and 1st Bombardment Division formed as new unit).
New name came into general use in period after approval of scheme but before offifical constitution - used during official history of Army Air Force raid on R/S
1st division attacked Schweinfurt during Regensburg/ Schweinfurt raid 17 August 1943 and took part in return raid on 14 October 1943
The Division lost 45 B-17s during a second raid on Schweinfurt on 14 October 1943.
On 6 March 1944 the division took part in the first large American raid on Berlin (three squadrons from the 3rd BD carried out the first attack on Berlin two days earlier having failed to receive a recall notice). The Division lost 18 aircraft during this attack.
In the week after D-Day the division attacked tactical targets in France. On 15 June it moved on to attack targets further from Normandy, with a focus on Luftwaffe airfields.
On 18 July 1944 the division attacked the German research centre at Peenemunde on the Baltic, on the longest range Eighth Air Force attack into north-eastern Germany of the entire war.
45 B-17s lost
734 736 741
24 February 1945 - attacks oil refinaries in Hamburg
The Schweinfurt-Regensburg Mission, Martin Middlebrook. A very detailed account of the costly American daylight raids on Regensburg and Schweinfurt of 17 August 1943, a pair of maximum effort attacks that were meant to cripple parts of German industry but instead made it clear that even the heavily armed B-17 Flying Fortress couldn't operate without fighter escort. [read full review]
| 30 August 1943 | Constituted as 1st Bombardment Division |
| 13 September 1943 | Activated in England |
| December 1944 | Redesignated 1st Air Division |
| 31 October 1945 | Inactivated |
Major General Robert B. Willliams: 16 September 1943
Major General Howard M Turner: 22 October 1944
Brigadier General Bartlett Beaman: 26 September 1945
Brampton Grange, England: 13 September 1943
Alconbury: 20 September-31 October 1945
| Group | Dates | Aircraft Used |
| 91st Bombardment Group | 1942-1945 | |
| 381st Bombardment Group | 1943-1945 | |
| 398th Bombardment Group | 1944-1945 | |
| 482nd Bombardment Group | 1943 |
Seven groups previously in the wing were transfered to 40th and 41st Bombardment wings as part of creation of 1st Air Divison
| Group | Dates | Aircraft Used |
| 389th Bombardment Group | 1943-1945 | |
| 445th Bombardment Group | 1943-1945 | |
| 453rd Bombardment Group | 1944-1945 |
| Group | Dates | Aircraft Used |
| 2nd Bombardment Group | 1945-1946 | |
| 92nd Bombardment Group | 1943-1946 | |
| 305th Bombardment Group | 1943-1945 | |
| 306th Bombardment Group | 1943-1945 | |
| 384th Bombardment Group | 1945-1946 | |
| 492nd Bombardment Group | 1944-1945 |
| Group | Dates | Aircraft Used |
| 303rd Bombardment Group | 1943-1945 | |
| 379th Bombardment Group | 1943-1945 | |
| 384th Bombardment Group | 1943-1945 | to 40th W |
| Group | Dates | Aircraft Used |
| 20th Fighter Group | 1943-1945 | |
| 352nd Fighter Group | 1943-1945 | |
| 356th Fighter Group | 1944-1945 | |
| 359th Fighter Group | 1943-1945 | |
| 361st Fighter Group | 1944 | |
| 364th Fighter Group | 1944-1945 |
| Group | Dates | Aircraft Used |
| 351st Bombardment Group | 1943 | |
| 401st Bombardment Group | 1943 |
| Group | Dates | Aircraft Used |
| 351st Bombardment Group | 1943-1945 | |
| 401st Bombardment Group | 1943-1945 | |
| 457th Bombardment Group | 1944-1945 |
1943-44: VIII Bomber Command; Eighth Air Force
1944-45: Eighth Air Force;