| Twentieth Air Force Twentieth Air Force was formed during World War II, exclusively as a heavy strategic bombardment organization. Headquartered in the United States, under command of General Henry H. Arnold, with direction from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, its B-29 components operated in the China-Burma-India and Pacific theaters, carrying the air war to the Japanese. Operations climaxed with atomic attacks on Japan in August 1945. 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. - Lineage
- Established as Twentieth Air Force, and activated on April 4, 1944, at Washington D.C., and assigned to Army Air Forces. Moved to Harmon Field, Guam, Mariana Islands, in July 1945 with assignment to U.S. Army Strategic Air Forces. Assigned to Pacific Air Command, U.S. Army, (later Far East Air Forces), on December 6, 1945. Moved without personnel or equipment to Kadena AB, Ryukyu Islands, on May 16, 1949. Inactivated on March 1, 1955. Assigned to Strategic Air Command on March 29, 1991. Activated at Vandenberg AFB, California, on September 1, 1991. Relieved from assignment to Strategic Air Command and assigned to Air Combat Command on June 1, 1992. Relieved from assignment to Air Combat Command and assigned to Air Force Space Command on July 1, 1993. Moved from Vandenberg AFB, California, to F. E. Warren AFB, Wyoming, effective October 1, 1993.
- The preceding web-site text was obtained from the Air Force Historical Agency. The text layout has been modified to conform to this webpage and for ease of reading.
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