453d Electronic Warfare Squadron | |
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Active | 1942-1945, 1949-1951, 1955-1957, 1973-1993, c. 2000–present |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Air Force |
Role | Electronic Warfare |
Part of | Air Combat Command |
Motto(s) | Every Crow a Tiger [1] |
Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation [2] Air Force Outstanding Unit Award [3] |
Insignia | |
453d Electronic Warfare Squadron emblem | |
453d Fighter-Bomber Squadron emblem [note 1] [2] | |
453d Bombardment Squadron emblem [4] |
The 453d Electronic Warfare Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 850th Spectrum Warfare Group and is stationed at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
The 453d provides electronic warfare (EW) support to Department of Defense and coalition warfighters. It provides EW support through four flights, operating to provide radio frequency (RF) and other EW analyses and create a realistic training environment for the warfighter. Its products and services are utilized in a variety of areas, including mission planning, training, and exercises.
The squadron was first activated as the 453d Bombardment Squadron at Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina on 4 August 1942 as one of the four original squadrons of the 323d Bombardment Group. After Phase I training at MacDill Field, Florida with Martin B-26 Marauders, the squadron trained for combat at Myrtle Beach Bombing Range, South Carolina until late April 1943, when the ground echelon departed Myrtle Beach for England, sailing on the RMS Queen Elizabeth on 5 May. The air echelon of the squadron had moved to Baer Field, Indiana in February. At Baer, it received new B-26Cs, then proceeded to the United Kingdom via the south Atlantic ferry route by June. [2] [5] [6]
The squadron began operations with Eighth Air Force in July 1943 as part of the first raid on the European continent by B-26s. [6] When Ninth Air Force moved to the United Kingdom in the fall of 1943, the squadron became part of it. It attacked airports, industrial factories, marshalling yards and military targets in France and the Low Countries. During Big Week the squadron attacked Leeuwarden and Venlo Airfields. The squadron also attacked V-weapons launch sites in France. [5]
In preparation for Operation Overlord, the Invasion of Normandy, the 453d attacked coastal defenses and other targets in northwestern France. on D-Day it attacked lines of communication and fortifications on the coast. It was part of the aerial barrage during the opening stage of Operation Cobra, the breakout at Saint Lo. [5]
In late August 1944, the squadron left England for Lessay Airfield, an advanced landing ground in France. From the continent, it began flying night missions, with its first night mission against batteries near Saint-Malo. It also carried out night missions against ammunition dumps and fuel storage areas. In September, it attacked fortifications near Brest, France, and as allied forces advanced across France, toward the Siegfried Line shifted its operations primarily to targets in eastern France. The squadron was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for striking transportation hubs used by the Wehrmacht to bring reinforcements to the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge. [5]
The 453d flew interdiction missions in the Ruhr as the Allies drove across Germany and attacked enemy communications. It flew its last combat in April 1945, then moved to Kempten, Germany, where it participated in the program to disarm Germany. It returned to the United States in November and was inactivated at Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts, the port of embarkation, a day later. [2] [5]
The squadron was reactivated under Continental Air Command (ConAC) as a reserve unit at Tinker Air Force Base in June 1949, when ConAC reorganized its reserve units under the wing base organization system. [2] At Tinker, it trained under the supervision of ConAC's 2592d Air Force Reserve Training Center. [7] The squadron flew a mix of trainers and Douglas A-26 Invaders. [8] The unit was manned at only 25% of its normal strength. [9] All reserve combat units were mobilized for the Korean war. [10] The squadron was mobilized on 10 March 1951. Its personnel and aircraft were used as fillers for other organizations ond the squadron was inactivated a week later. [2] [11]
Reformed as the 453d Flying Training Squadron at Mather Air Force Base California in 1973. [12] As part of the 323d Flying Training Wing, the 453d provided electronic warfare officer (EWO) training to newly-winged or transitioning USAF navigators destined for EWO assignments in the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, Rockwell B-1 Lancer, General Dynamics EF-111 Raven, Republic F-105D Wild Weasel, McDonnell F-4G Wild Weasel IV and V, Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joint, Boeing RC-135S Cobra Ball and Boeing RC-135U Combat Sent, Lockheed AC-130 Spectre, Lockheed MC-130 Combat Talon and Combat Shadow; Lockheed EC-130E Airborne Battle Command & Control Center and Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call, or other selected USAF aircraft from 1973–1993.
The 453d Electronic Warfare Squadron is the fusion of the core EW functions from the original AF Electronic Warfare Center. It was formed from the AF Special Communications Center of Excellence's EW Effectiveness Analysis Mission (Comfy Coat).
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This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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