372nd Bombardment Squadron

372nd Bombardment Squadron
B-47 Stratojets on the ramp at Lincoln AFB in 1960
Active	1942–1945; 1946–1965
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Bombardment
Motto(s)	Armed and Alert (1959-1965)
Engagements	Southwest Pacific Theater Korean War [1]
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation [1]
Insignia
372nd Bombardment Squadron emblem [lower-alpha 1] [1]
372nd Bomb Squadron emblem [lower-alpha 2] [2] [3]

The 372nd Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 307th Bombardment Wing at Lincoln Air Force Base, Nebraska, where it was inactivated on 25 March 1965.

The squadron was first activated in April 1942 as one of the original four squadrons of the 307th Bombardment Group. After training in the United States, it deployed to the Pacific, serving mainly in the Southwest Pacific Theater. The squadron earned two Distinguished Unit Citations for its actions in combat. Following V-J Day, it returned to the United States for inactivation.

The squadron was reactivated as a Strategic Air Command (SAC) bomber squadron in 1946. During the Korean War, it deployed to Okinawa and engaged in combat missions under the control of Far East Air Forces. Following the end of hostilities in Korea, it returned to the United States, converting to Boeing B-47 Stratojets. It flew the Stratojet until it was inactivated in 1965 as that plane was withdrawn from the SAC inventory.

History

World War II

The squadron was activated at Geiger Field, Washington on 15 April 1942 as the 372nd Bombardment Squadron, one of the original four squadrons of the 307th Bombardment Group. ^{[4] [5]} It was first equipped with Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses, but while still in training converted to Consolidated B-24 Liberators. In addition to training with these heavy bombers, it also flew some antisubmarine patrols off the Pacific northwest coast. In October 1942, it began its movement to Hawaii. ^{[1] [5]}

B-24D Frenisi at Wakde Airfield

The squadron arrived at Kahuku Army Air Field, Hawaii in November 1942, continuing its training in the Liberator and flying search and antisubmarine patrols in defense of Hawaii as part of Seventh Air Force. In December 1942 and January 1943, it staged through Naval Air Station Midway to attack Wake Island. ^[5]

In February 1943, the squadron was relieved from assignment to Seventh Air Force and began to operate under the control of Thirteenth Air Force, although it did not move forward to Luganville Airfield, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, until June. ^[1] From Guadalcanal, it struck enemy airfields and military installations along with shipping in the Solomon Islands and Bismarck Archipelago. It helped neutralized enemy bases in Yap, Truk and Palau. On 29 March 1944, the squadron made an unescorted daylight attack on heavily defended airfields in the Truk Islands for which it was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC). ^[5]

As American forces moved forward, it supported operations in the Philippines by strikes against enemy shipping in the southern Philippines and striking airfields on Leyte, Luzon, Negros, Ceram and Halmahera and supported Allied operations in the Netherlands East Indies. It flew an unescorted mission attacking the oil refineries at Balikpapan on Borneo on 3 October 1944, for which it was awarded a second DUC. ^[5]

In the closing months of the war in the Pacific, it supported Australian forces on Borneo and attacked targets in Indochina. After V-J Day, it ferried liberated prisoners from Okinawa to the Philippines and flew patrols along the coast of China. It moved to Clark Field in the Philippines in September 1945 and returned to the United States for inactivation at the Port of Embarkation in January 1946. ^{[5] [1]}

Strategic Air Command

Reactivated as Boeing B-29 Superfortress squadron at MacDill Field, Floridan August 1946 as part of Strategic Air Command. Was a training unit for antisubmarine warfare. Deployed to Okinawa during Korean War, carrying out combat operations over Korea throughout the conflict. Remained in Okinawa until November 1954 when it moved on paper to Lincoln Air Force Base, Nebraska, as a Boeing B-47 Stratojet medium jet bomber squadron, performed Operation Reflex deployments to North Africa until phaseout of B-47 in 1965 and inactivated.^{[ citation needed ]}

Lineage

• Constituted as the 372nd Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 January 1942

Activated on 15 April 1942

Redesignated 372nd Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 20 August 1943

Inactivated on 26 December 1945

• Redesignated 372nd Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 15 July 1946

Activated on 4 August 1946

Redesignated 372nd Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 28 May 1948 ^[6]

Inactivated on 25 March 1965

Assignments

• 307th Bombardment Group, 15 April 1942 – 26 December 1945
• 307th Bombardment Group, 4 August 1946 (attached to 307th Bombardment Wing after 10 February 1951) ^[7]
• 307th Bombardment Wing, 16 June 1952 – 25 March 1965 ^[8]

Stations

Geiger Field, Washington, 15 April 1942 Ephrata Army Air Base, Washington, 28 May 1942 Sioux City Army Air Base, Iowa, 1–20 October 1942 Kahuku Army Air Field, Hawaii, 2 November 1942 (0perated from: Henderson Field, Midway Atoll, 22–24 December 1942; Funafuti Airfield, Nanumea, Gilbert Islands, 18–23 April 1943 Luganville Airfield, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, 13 June 1943 (operated from: Koli Airfield, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, 5 August-15 September 1943 and 25 October-3 December 1943) Munda Airfield, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, 9 January 1944

Momote Airfield, Los Negros, Admiralty Islands, 13 May 1944 Wakde Airfield, Netherlands East Indies, c. 22 August 1944 (operated from: Kornasoren (Yebrurro) Airfield, Noemfoor, Schouten Islands, c. 20 September-c. 9 November 1944) Wama Airfield, Morotai, Netherlands East Indies, c. 10 November 1944 Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines, c. 1 September – 7 December 1945 Camp Stoneman, California, 26 December 1945 MacDill Field (later MacDill Air Force Base), Florida, 4 August 1946 (operated from: Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, beginning c. 7 August 1950 Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, 15 August 1953 Lincoln Air Force Base, Nebraska, 19 November 1954 – 25 March 1965 [6]

Aircraft

• Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942
• Consolidated B-24 Liberator, 1942–1945
• Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1946–1954
• Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1955–1965 ^[6]

References

• World War II portal

Notes

Explanatory notes

1. Approved 6 May 1959. Description: On a medium blue disc with a wide Air force blue border, a white disc charged with an Air Force blue globe turning on a perpendicular axis, land areas and grid lines white; over all, two Air Force golden yellow aircraft, shaded golden brown, one in dexter chief flying to sinister chief, one in sinister chief.
2. Approved 16 October 1942.
3. Aircraft is Consolidated B-24D-50-CO, serial 42-40323. This aircraft flew 104 combat missions in the Pacific. Photo taken: 8 September 1944, Wakde Airfield, Netherlands East Indies. It was condemned on 31 October 1944. Baugher, Joe (7 September 2023). "1942 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 30 November 2023.

Citations

1. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 460-461
2. Watkins, pp. 88-89
3. Hubbard, p. 715
4. Maurer, Combat Squadrons. pp. 457-461, 520-521
5. Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 181-182
6. Lineage information through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 460-461.
7. Ravenstein, pp.153-156
8. Assignment information through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 460-461, except as noted.

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• Hubbard, Gerard (1943). "Aircraft Insignia, Spirit of Youth". The National Geographic Magazine. National Geographic Society. LXXXIII (6): 718–722. Retrieved 1 September 2017. (subscription required for web access)
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN   0-912799-02-1. LCCN   61060979 . Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN   0-405-12194-6. LCCN   70605402. OCLC   72556 . Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN   0-912799-12-9 . Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Watkins, Robert A. (2013). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force In World War II. Vol. V, Pacific Theater of Operations. Atglen,PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN   978-0-7643-4346-9.