USAF Patches - Strategic Air Command, bombers, fighters, air divisions and more

 

SAC Command Structure

    The Strategic Air Command headquarters were at Offut AFB, Nebraska.  The resources were divided between numbered air forces.  Each had it's own command post. The bases and wings were then grouped by The original purpose of air divisions was to provide a higher authority when two or more wings shared a base.    However, even after the "one wing - one base" policy went into effect, the Air Divisions remained as an intermediary authority between numbered air forces and wings.  Only eighteen men were assigned to a division, so there were very few patches ever made and they are the rarest of all SAC patches.  We thank Jerry Ponder for the use of the photographs which come from his books on Air Force Pocket Insignia.  
SAC
The Strategic Air Command headquarters were located at Offutt AFB, Nebraska. Three pages show the evolution of the SAC shield and some humorous variations.  Plus other patches depicting SAC humor.
Air Forces
During its peak of operations, the continental command was divided between four numbered air forces.  Each had its own command post and oversaw operations within its area. 
Air Divisions 
The numbered air forces were then broken down into air divisions.  Usually they commanded one or more wings and often several bases.
Combat Support Groups
Each SAC base had a combat support group that maintained the base.
Airborne Command
The Looking Glass Airborne Command Post units
Missile Command
Command post for missiles
Special Units
 
Non-SAC Units
Units that worked closely with SAC, but were not part of it,
such as NORAD, shown at left.