The 18th Composite Wing served as part of the defense force for the Hawaiian Islands from 1 May 1931 – 29 January 1942.

It inactivated after suffering disastrous losses in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (7 December 1941).

[1] Redesignated as the 18th Air Division on 1 July 1959, it assured that assigned wings were organized, manned, trained, and equipped to conduct long-range bombardment operations using either nuclear or conventional weapons.

Between 1965 and 1968, subordinate units of the 18th loaned aircraft and aircrews to SAC organizations for combat during the Vietnam War.

[1] Wings Groups This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency