| 864th Bombardment Squadron | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of the 864th Bombardment Squadron | |
| Active | 1943–1966 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Bombardment |
The 864th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 494th Bombardment Wing, based at Sheppard AFB, Texas. It was inactivated on 2 April 1966.
History
Established in late 1943 as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomb squadron; trained under Second Air Force. Deployed to Hawaii Territory and assigned to VII Bomber Command. From Hawaii the squadron was further deployed to the Central and later Southwest Pacific Area, flying very long range combat missions against Japanese airfields on Yap and Koror. Conducted strikes on other bypassed enemy installations in the Pacific and against the Japanese in the Philippines. Late in 1944 hit gun emplacements, personnel areas, ant storage depots on Corregidor and Caballo at the entrance to Manila Bay; bombed radio installations and power plants at Japanese bases in the Philippines; and attacked enemy-held airfields, including Clark Field on Luzon. Early in 1945 struck airfields on Mindanao and ammunition and supply dumps in the Davao Gulf and Illana Bay areas.
Moved to Okinawa in June 1945. Engaged primarily in attacks against enemy airfields on Kyūshū until V-J Day. Also participated in incendiary raids, dropped propaganda leaflets over urban areas of Kyūshū and struck airfields in China, in southern Korea, and around the Inland Sea of Japan.
Transported personnel and supplies from Manila to Tokyo after the war. Returned to the US in December 1945. Inactivated in January 1946.
Reactivated by Strategic Air Command in 1958 as Missile Training squadron at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. Provided training for Italian Air Force personnel in the operation and launching of the PGM-19 Jupiter Intermediate-Range Missie. Inactivated 1 June 1960.
Reactivated under Strategic Air Command in 1963, replacing provisional B-52D Stratofortess squadron at Sheppard AFB, Texas. Performed intercontinental training and deployments, also standing nuclear alert. Inactivated in 1966 when SAC pulled out of Sheppard and turned control of the base over to Air Training Command as part of a reduction in the B-52 force.
Lineage
- Constituted 864th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 14 September 1943
- Activated on 1 December 1943
- Inactivated on 6 January 1946
- Redesignated as: 864th Strategic Missile Squadron (IRBM-Jupiter) on 7 January 1958
- Activated on 15 January 1958
- Redesignated as: 864th Technical Training Squadron on 15 April 1959
- Discontinued on 1 June 1960
- Redesignated as: 864th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 15 November 1962
- Organized on 1 February 1963; receiving personnel/aircraft/equipment from 717th Bombardment Squadron (Inactivated)
- Inactivated on 2 April 1966.
Assignments
- 494th Bombardment Group, 1 December 1943 – 4 January 1946
- 1st Missile Division, 15 January 1958
- 704th Strategic Missile Wing, 23 February 1958
- Attached to 1st Missile Division, 1 November 1958
- 1st Missile Division, 1 July 1959
- Department of the Air Force, 1 June 1960
- Strategic Air Command, 15 November 1962
- 494th Bombardment Wing, 1 February 1963 – 2 April 1966
Stations
- Wendover Field, Utah, 1 December 1943 – 15 April 1944
- Mountain Home AAFld, Idaho, 14 April 1944 – 15 June 1944
- Barking Sands Army Airfield, Hawaii Territory, 15 June 1944 – 30 September 1944
- Angaur Airstrip, Angaur, Palau Islands, 30 September 1944 – 24 June 1945
- Yontan Airfield, Okinawa, 24 June 1945 – 13 December 1945
- Redstone Arsenal. Huntsville, Alabama, 15 January 1958 – 1 June 1960
- Sheppard AFB, Texas, 1 February 1963 – 1 April 1966
Aircraft
- B-25 Mitchell, 1944–1945
- B-52 Stratofortress, 1963–1966
See also
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Mauer, Mauer (1969), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II, Air Force Historical Studies Office, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBN 0892010975
External links
Previously: Hawaiian Air Force (1940-1942) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Airfields |
| .svg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Units |
| ||||||||||||||||||||
