381st Bombardment Squadron

381st Bombardment Squadron
B-47 Stratojet rocket-assisted takeoff
Active	1942-1945; 1947-1949; 1952-1965
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	medium bomber
Engagements	Mediterranean Theater of Operations [1]
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award [1]
Insignia
381st Bombardment Squadron emblem [lower-alpha 1] [1]
381 Bombardment Sq emblem (World War II) [2]

The 381st Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 310th Bombardment Wing at Schilling Air Force Base, Kansas, where it was inactivated on 25 March 1965.

The squadron was organized in March 1942 and trained in the Southeastern United States with North American B-25 Mitchells. In September, the air echelon of the unit moved to the United Kingdom in preparation for Operation Torch, the allied invasion of North Africa. In November, the squadron was reunited in French Morocco. It continued in combat in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations until V-E Day, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations. It was inactivated in September 1945 in Italy.

From 1947 to 1949, the squadron was active in the reserve, but does not appear to have been fully manned or equipped with operationa aircraft during this time. It was activated again in March 1952, and operated Boeing B-47 Stratojets until inactivating at the end of 1965 as the B-47 was withdrawn from service.

History

World War II

Initial organization and training

The squadron was activated at Davis-Monthan Field in March 1942 as the 381st Bombardment Squadron, one of the four original squadrons of the 310th Bombardment Group. ^{[3] [4]} It moved the same day to Jackson Army Air Base, Mississippi, where it began training with North American B-25 Mitchells. ^[1] A portion of the ground echelon sailed for the United Kingdom aboard the RMS Queen Mary on 5 September 1942 ^{[lower-alpha 2]} , while the remainder sailed directly for North Africa from the United States. The air echelon ferried the squadron's Mitchells via the North Atlantic ferry route, but bad weather delayed their movement, with the bombers arriving at RAF Hardwick between October and December 1942. ^[5]

Combat in the Mediterranean heater

B-25 Mitchells of the 310th Bombardment Group attacking the Brenner Pass in 1944

In November 1942, the squadron flew its planes to Mediouna Airfield, French Morocco, to support Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa, although some remained behind in England until as late as March 1943. ^[5] The squadron engaged primarily in air support and interdiction in Tunisia, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Italy and Southern France. Through May 1943, it also attacked shipping and harbor facilities to cut the logistics lines of the Afrika Corps. It bombed marshalling yards, rail lines, highways, bridges, viaducts, troop concentrations, gun emplacements, shipping, harbors and other objectives in North Africa. ^[3] It moved forward to Tunisia with the allied forces, locating at Dar el Koudia Airfield in June. It bombed airfields, landing grounds and gun emplacements, supporting Operation Corkscrew, the reduction of Pantelleria and Lampedusa islands during June 1943. The following month it supported Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. ^[3]

On 27 August 1943, the squadron conducted a mission against marshalling yards in Benevento, Italy. Despite heavy antiaircraft artillery, it effectively bombed the target and destroyed several enemy interceptor aircraft making persistent attacks. For this action, it was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC). From August 1943 to the end of hostilities in the spring of 1945, it struck German lines of communication, bridges, rail lines, marshalling yards, viaducts, tunnels and road junctions in Italy. From January through June 1944, it gave air support to ground forces in the drive toward Rome. The squadron also engaged in psychological warfare missions, dropping propaganda leaflets behind enemy lines. ^[3]

In August 1944, it supported Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France from its base in Ghisonaccia Airfield, Corsica. On 10 March 1945, the squadron maintained close formation in the face of severe antiaircraft fire in successfully attacking the railroad bridge at Ora, a vital link in the German supply line to Italy. For this action, it was awarded its second DUC. ^[3] In April 1945, it moved to Italy and was inactivated in theater in September 1945. ^[1]

Reserve operations

The squadron was reactivated as part of the reserve in 1947, it is unclear whether or not the squadron was manned or equipped. It was inactivated later that year.^{[ citation needed ]}

Strategic Air Command

It was reactivated on 28 March 1952 as a Strategic Air Command (SAC) squadron, ^[1] although it did not become operational until 4 April. ^[6] receiving Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombardment training from the 90th Bombardment Wing between April and August 1952. The squadron acted as a training unit until 1954 when it replaced the propeller-driven B-29s with new Boeing B-47E Stratojet swept-wing medium bombers. These aircraft were capable of flying at high subsonic speeds and were primarily designed for penetrating the airspace of the Soviet Union. By the early 1960s, the B-47s were considered to be reaching obsolescence, and were being phased out of SAC's strategic arsenal. They were sent to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona in early 1965; the unit became non operational on 25 February, ^[6] and was inactivated on 25 March.

Lineage

• Constituted as the 381st Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 28 January 1942

Activated on 15 March 1942

• Redesignated 381st Bombardment Squadron, Medium c. 30 August 1943

Inactivated on 12 September 1945

• Redesignated 381st Bombardment Squadron, Light on 11 March 1947

Activated in the reserve on 9 August 1947

Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949

• Redesignated 381st Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 15 March 1952

Activated on 28 March 1952

Inactivated on 25 March 1965 ^{[7] [8]}

Assignments

• 310th Bombardment Group, 15 March 1942 –12 September 1945
• 310th Bombardment Group, 9 August 1947 – 27 June 1949
• 310th Bombardment Wing (later 310th Strategic Aerospace Wing), 28 March 1952 – 25 March 1965 ^{[7] [6]}

Stations

Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 15 March 1942 Jackson Army Air Base, Mississippi, 15 March 1942 Key Field, Mississippi, 25 April 1942 Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina, 18 May 1942 Walterboro Army Air Field, South Carolina, 14 August 1942 Greenville Army Air Base, South Carolina, 18 September – 17 October 1942 RAF Hardwick (Station 104), [9] England, September–November 1942 (air echelon) [5] Mediouna Airfield, French Morocco, 18 November 1942 Telergma Airfield, Algeria, 21 December 1942 Berteaux Airfield, Algeria, 1 January 1943

Dar el Koudia Airfield, Tunisia, c. 6 June 1943 Menzel Temime Airfield, Tunisia, 5 August 1943 (operated from Oudna Airfield, Tunisia after 11 October 1943) Philippeville Airfield, Algeria, 18 November 1943 Ghisonaccia Airfield, Corsica, France, 21 January 1944 Fano Airfield, Italy, 7 April 1945 Pomigliano Airfield, Italy, c. 15 August – 12 September 1945 Bedford Army Air Field, Massachusetts, 9 August 1947 – 27 June 1949 Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas, 28 March 1952 Smoky Hill Air Force Base (later Schilling Air Force Base), Kansas, 3 September 1952 – 25 March 1965 [10] [8]

Aircraft

• North American B-25 Mitchell, 1942-1945
• Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1952-1954
• Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1954-1965 ^{[7] [8]}

References

Notes

Explanatory notes

1. Approved 7 March 1956. Description: On an Air Force yellow shield, a stylized black eagle, on his breast an outlined sphere with longitude and latitude lines, on the sphere a stylized dove and twelve stars, grouped three, eight and one, all white; above the eagle three red lightning bolts radiating in chief, below the eagle two branches of olive each with thirteen leaves green.
2. Freeman refers to this as the air echelon on page 265, but contradicts this on page 15, which has more detail on the 310th Group's time in England.

Citations

1. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 470-471
2. Watkins, pp. 80-81
3. Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 184-186
4. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 468-471, 525-526
5. Freeman, p. 265
6. Ravenstein pp. 158-159
7. Lineage through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 470-471
8. See Ravenstein pp. 158-159 (dates assigned to 310th Wing).
9. Station number in Anderson, p. 19.
10. Station information through March 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 468-469, except as noted.

Bibliography

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

• 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.
• 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. (2009). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force In World War II. Vol. IV, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations. Atglen,PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN   978-0-7643-3401-6.