This Page Declassified lAW E012958

, \

!, , ,

j'

: J

J! )1

, II

"

r

I I

J

, f

I

r

i

THIS PAGE Declassified lAW E012958

This Pa e Declassified lAW E012958

Edited by MAURER MAURER

COMBAT SQUADRONS OF THE AIR FORCE

WORLD WAR II

USAF HISTORICAL DIVISION AIR UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 1969

For sale by the Supenntc ndent of Documents, U S Government Printmg Office Washmgton, D C 2040l!-Pnce $825

THIS PAGE Declassified lAW E012958

This Pa e Declassified lAW E012958

Preface

This collection of squadron histories has been prepared by the USAF Historical Division to complement the Divrsion's book, Air Force Combat Units of World War II,o which contains histories of groups, wings, divisions, commands, and air forces. The 1,226 units covered by this volume are the combat (tactical) squadrons that were active between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945. Thus the book does not include earlier squadrons which, having been demobilized, inactivated, or disbanded prior to 7 December 1941, did not have active service during World War II; nor does It include squadrons created after 2 September 1945. Since the policy of the AIr Force, however, has been to use units with prior records of service, and particularly those with the longest and best wartime records, this volume covers most of the combat squadrons that are active at present and that can be expected to be active in the future.

Each squadron is traced from its beginning through 5 March 1963, the fiftieth anniversary of the organization of the rst Aero (later Bombardment) Squadron, the first Army unit to be equipped with aircraft for tactical operations, For each squadron there is a statement of the official lineage and data on the unit's assignments, stations, aircraft and missiles, operations, service streamers, campaign participation, decorations) and emblem (see the Explanatory Notes which follow this Preface).

The most important source materials were the historical reports that the squadrons submitted periodically to the USAF Historical Division for preservation m the permanent historical archives of the U.S. AIr Force. Research in these squadron reports was supplemented by research in the histories of groups and higher organizations, and m general and special orders, operations plans and reports, mISSIon sununaries, organizational directories, station lists, and other prImary sources, most of which are also ill the Division's archives. Two works of great value for reference purposes were the USAF Historical Division's seven-volume history of The Army Air Forces in World War II, edited by Professors W. F. Craven and J. L. Cate, and published by the University of Chicago Press (1948-1958), and the DiVISIon's one-volume history of The United States Air Force in Korea, 1950-1953, wntten by Dr. Robert F. Futrell, and published by Duell, Sloan and Pearce (1963).

(I Washmgton: U.S. Government Prmtmg Office, 1961 (out of pnnt), New York: Frankhn Watts, Inc .• 1963.

III

THIS PAGE Declassified lAW E012958

This Page Declassified lAW E012958

Unfortunately, the available sources did not contain all of the data desired. For example, they did not always provide the exact date of the assignment of a squadron to a particular group, or the date on which a squadron moved from one base to another. Lack of information and various other factors made it impossible to include some data, such as the names of commanding officers, which would have provided better and fuller coverage of the squadron's activities (see Explanatory Notes). Furthermore, much of the material presented in this book represents judgments which the historians made in their efforts to determine facts from fragmentary and conflicting data, but the format provided little opportunity for using the qualifying words and phrases that historians normally employ to indicate weaknesses in their sources or to suggest alternate interpretations of their data. LIke any other U.S. Air Force historical study, this book is subject to revision in the light of evidence that may be discovered or may become available in the future.

Combat Squadrons was prepared under the general direction of Dr.

Albert F. Simpson, Chief of the USAF Historical Division. Supervision of the project was assigned to Dr. Maurer Maurer, Chtef of the Division's Historical Studies Branch. The basic research was performed during 1963- 1964 by five historians under one-year contracts with the War Department Historical Fund: Miss Sarah Frances Hightower (B.A., Newcomb College); Mr. Clinton M. Rouse (A.B.. Stetson University); Mr. Calvin F. Senning (AB.. H~~d University), Mr. James W. Webb (M.A., Louisiana State University);~. Neal Earl Young (B.S .• University of Houston). Mr. Senning remained with the project for an additional year to complete the research and assist WIth the editing.

Miss Marguerite Kennedy and her staff in the archives of the USAF Historical Division provided numerous services to the historians engaged in the research. Mrs. Emylu B. Stueland furnished copies of the unit history cards maintained by the Data Services Center, Headquarters USAF. Technical Sergeants Elliott B. Bowyer, Ellis Williams III. and James H. Horton of the USAF Military Personnel Center provided the 817 unit emblems used in the book. Mrs. LOIS Lynn, Mrs. Wellon Yarbrough, Mrs. Sue Rodgers, Mrs. Mildred Ivey, and Mrs. Patricia Flournoy provided secretarial services for the project. Many other people contributed in many ways to the production of this book.

It was impossible to obtain the copyright owner's permission to use the emblem design approved by the Air Force for the 782d Bombardment Squadron. Mr. Milton Caniff, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Ine., United Feature Syndicate. Walt Disney Productions, and Warner Bros.Seven Arts, Inc., kindly granted permission for use of emblem designs for which they hold copyrights.

IV

THIS PAGE Declassified lAW E012958

This Page Declassified lAW E012958

v

Comments and questions concerning this book may be addressed to the Historical Studies Branch (ASHAF -s ), USAF Historical DIvision, Maxwell AIr Force Base, Alabama 36112.

THIS PAGE Declassified lAW E012958

e Declassified lAW E012958

Explanatory Notes

These notes describe the kinds of information included in the historical sketches and explain the format used in presenting the data.

Heading. The numerical and general functional designation of the squadron at the end of World War II. The units are arranged in numerical order, and alphabetically under each number. The Index should be consulted to locate units not readily identified from the headings.

Lineage. The official USAF statement of the squadrons lineage (see Appendix I). This lineage, or "genealogy," forms the foundation for the unit's history and governs the unit's inheritance of emblem and of honors (service streamers, campaign credits, arrowheads, and decorations). The Air Force lineage system, which is described in Air Force Pamphlet .210-1-4, applies to the Reserve as well as to the regular Air Force. At one time it also applied to the Air National Guard, but ill recent years the National Guard Bureau has used geographical factors to trace the continuity of its air units. As a result, at the time this book was being prepared the Air Force could not determine what history and honors were to be attributed to a Guard unit. Therefore, no information has been included for Air National Guard units subsequent to the allotment of those units to the Guard after World War II.

Assignments. The organizations to which the squadron was assigned.

A single date indicates the date of assignment; where a double date appears, the second date indicates termination of assignment. A semicolon is used to show a change of assignment while the squadron was active; a period indicates that the squadron was Inactivated, demobilized, disbanded, or discontinued. If the squadron was attached to another organization for operational control. the attachment is given in parentheses, with brackets being used to set off parenthetical elements WIthin parentheses. In some instances in the period before the middle of 1942 an assignment was so remote or was of such minor nnportance to the squadron's history that it has been omitted. In such cases, the group or other organization with which the squadron was most closely affiliated is indicated. For this period prior to mid-1942 the words "assigned" and "attached" have been used rather loosely instead of in their strict and official definitions.

Stations. The places where the squadron was stationed at various times, Temporary stations (e.g., bases used during maneuvers and exer-

VI

THIS PAGE Declassified lAW E012958

This Page Declassified lAW E012958

VII

cises, temporary duty and rotational deployments, and extended periods of movement) usually are not listed, but parenthetical notes provide information concerning temporary bases used by the squadron, or by detachments of the squadron, for operations of particular significance, A single date indicates the arrival of the squadron, or a major element of the squadron, at the base. Where a double date appears, the second date, If followed by a semicolon, shows when the squadron, or the first major element of the squadron, began an extended movement; If followed by a period, the second date Indicates that the squadron was inactivated, demobilized, disbanded, or discontinued.

Aircraft. The aircraft, or aircraft and missiles, used by the squadron in traming for and in carrying out its primary functions. Only fragmentary information was available for reserve units; consequently, aircraft are listed only for periods when these units were on extended active duty with the regular Air Force.

Operations. Brief notes relatmg to combat and other wartime activities. Unless otherwise indicated, the operations referred to were principally those implied by the functional designation (i.e., bombardment, fighter, etc.) of the unit at that time. Additional information on the operations of most squadrons can be found by using the data on assignments to refer to the appropriate group histories in Air Force Combat Units of World War II.

Notes under this heading are also used to point out some events of special significance or unusual interest (e.g., participation in Billy Mitchell's experiments with bombers against naval vessels), but such entries were limited by a number of factors. For example, difficulty in identifying the squadrons that took part in various peacetime operations (such as humanitarian missions) in the post-World War II period resulted in a deCISIOn to omit references to such operations. The same difficulty, plus the problem of security classiflcation, made it nnpossible to include data on squadron activities during various international cnses (e.g., Lebanon, Taiwan, Cuba) of recent years.

Other notes under this heading cover facets of a unit's history which seem to require some explanation, for example. IT the entry under «Aircraft" contains no data for a long penod of time during which the squadron was an active (or organized) unit, there may be a note indicating that the squadron was not manned during that time. Training, exercises, maneuvers, and other more or less routine activities in which the squadrons were normally engaged in peacetime are not mentioned in these notes.

Service Streamers. Streamers representing noncombat service ill the various theaters of military operations (see Appendix II). If the squadron

THIS PAGE Declassified lAW E012958

This Page Declassified lAW E012958

participated in one or more campaigns, a streamer for service in that theater is not shown, and a squadron is not entitled to one.

Campaigns. The military campaigns in which the squadron participated (see Appendix II). The listing is based upon the squadron's operations rather than upon campaign credits that have been awarded to the unit. This list will not be used as the basis or authority for claiming or displaying campaign streamers. The official listing of campaign credits is m Air Force Pamphlet 900-2,

Decorations. Citations and other awards recognizing distinguished or meritorious acts performed by the squadron (see Appendix II). Some dates have been revised within brackets because those given in the orders making these awards are obviously in error. As in the case of campaigns, the listing in the book will not be used as the basis or authority for claiming and displaying streamers and other devices representing decorations. Air Force Pamphlet 900-2 contains the official hsting of unit decorations.

Emblem. Official descnption, or blazon in heraldic language, of the squadron's official emblem as of 5 March 1963, with the date on which that emblem was approved for use by the squadron. The United States Government has obtained an assignment of the copyrights on certain of the copyrighted emblems included herein and a license to reproduce and use other of such copyrights. These licenses do not authorize the use of such copyrights by others without the consent of the copyright propnetors.

VIII

THIS PAGE Declassified lAW E012958

This Page Declassified lAW E012958

COMBAT SQUADRONS. •• •

3

Contents

PREFACE

Page

EXPLANATORY NOTES

APPENDIXES

I. GLOSSARY OF LINEAGE TERMS

II. UNIT HONORS" ••

III. ABBREVIATIONS ••• , ,.

INDEX

A. SQUADRONS..... ••

B. GROUPS •••••• ,

C. WINes .

D. MISCELLANEOUS ••••••••

IX

THIS PAGE Declassified lAW E012958

This Page Declassified lAW E012958

COMBAT SQUADRONS OF THE AIR FORCE

WORLD WAR II

THIS PAGE Declassified lAW E012958