454th Flying Training Squadron

454th Flying Training Squadron
T-43 Gator Navigator trainier
Active	1942–1945; 1949–1951; 1955–1957; 1973–1993
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Navigator training
Motto(s)	Set to Go (after 1956)
Engagements	European Theater of Operations [1]
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation [1]
Insignia
Patch with 454th Flying Training Squadron emblem
454th Fighter-Bomber Squadron emblem [note 1] [1]
454th Bombardment Squadron emblem [2]
World War II fuselage code [2]	RJ

The 454th Flying Training Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 323d Flying Training Wing at Mather Air Force Base, California, where it was inactivated on 1 October 1993.

History

World War II

Squadron B-26C Marauders

Activated as a Martin B-26 Marauder medium bomber squadron; trained under Third Air Force in the southeastern United States. Deployed to European Theater of Operations  ; assigned to VIII Bomber Command, 3d Bombardment Division in England. Engaged in combat operations over France and the Low Countries, attacking enemy military targets; formations; airfields; railroads; bridges and other raids to disrupt enemy defences. Coordinated raids with VIII Bomber Command heavy strategic bombardment of military and industrial targeted in Nazi Germany and in Occupied Europe by striking Luftwaffe day interceptor airfields to cause maximum disruption of air defenses when heavy bomber groups were returning from bombardment raids. Destroyed support buildings; barracks and enemy aircraft on the ground.

After D-Day invasion of Europe, engaged in tactical air support of Allied ground forces, carrying out bombardment attacks against enemy strong points, structures and targets of opportunity when making sweeps of enemy rear areas. Moved from England to Advanced Landing Grounds in France and further eastward as ground forces advanced across continent; engaging enemy targets during the Western Allied invasion of Germany in early 1945. Continued combat operations until German capitulation in May 1945.

Became part of the United States Air Forces in Europe forces in Occupied Germany; summer 1945. Demobilized in Germany in November and squadron inactivated as a paper unit in the United States.

Reserve operations

Reactivated as a Douglas B-26 Invader reserve light bomber squadron in 1947. Trained in the reserves; mobilized in 1951 due to the Korean War. Personnel and aircraft reassigned to other units and squadron inactivated.

Fighter-Bomber operations

Reactivated as the 454th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, a Tactical Air Command fighter squadron in 1955; inactivated in 1957 due to budget reductions.

Navigator training

Reactivated by Air Training Command as a navigator training squadron in 1972; inactivated with the closure of Mather Air Force Base and the inactivation of its host unit in 1993.

Lineage

• Constituted as the 454th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 19 June 1942

Activated on 4 August 1942

Redesignated 454th Bombardment Squadron, Medium c.20 August 1943

Inactivated on 26 November 1945

• Redesignated 454th Bombardment Squadron, Light on 9 September 1947

Activated in the reserve on 26 September 1947

Ordered to active service 10 March 1951

Inactivated on 17 March 1951.

• Redesignated 454th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 9 May 1955

Activated on 8 August 1955

Inactivated on 1 September 1957 ^[3]

• Redesignated 454th Flying Training Squadron and activated on 1 April 1973

Inactivated on 1 October 1993

Assignments

• 323d Bombardment Group, 4 August 1942 – 26 November 1945
• 323d Bombardment Group, 26 September 1947 – 17 March 1951
• 323d Fighter-Bomber Group, 8 August 1955 – 1 September 1957 ^[3]
• 323d Flying Training Wing, 1 April 1973 – 1 October 1993

Stations

Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina, 4 August 1942 MacDill Field, Florida, 21 August 1942 Myrtle Beach Bombing Range, South Carolina, 2 November 1942 – 25 April 1943 RAF Horham (AAF-119), [4] England, 1 May 1943 RAF Earls Colne (AAF-358), [5] England, 14 June 1943 RAF Beaulieu (AAF-408), [6] England, 21 July 1944 Lessay Airfield (A-20), [7] France, 26 August 1944 Chartres Airfield (A-40), [8] France, 21 September 1944 Laon/Athies Airfield (A-69), [9] France, 13 October 1944

Denain/Prouvy Airfield (A-83), [10] France, 9 February 1945 Innsbruck, Austria, c. 15 May 1945 AAF Station Nesselwang, Germany, 9 July 1945 AAF Station Schongau (R-79), [11] Germany, c. July 1945 Clastres Airfield, [12] France, October – c. 12 December 1945 Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts, 11–12 December 1945 Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, 26 September 1947 – 17 March 1951 Bunker Hill Air Force Base, Indiana, 8 August 1955 – 1 September 1957 [13] Mather Air Force Base, California, 1 April 1973 – 1 October 1993

Aircraft

• Martin B-26 Marauder, 1942–1945
• Douglas B-26 Invader, 1947–1951
• North American F-86 Sabre, 1955–1956
• North American F-100 Super Sabre, 1957-1957 ^[3]
• Convair T-29 Flying Classroom 1973-1975
• Boeing T-43 1973-1993

References

Notes

Explanatory notes

1. Approved 6 December 1956.
2. Aircraft are Martin B-26C Marauders, serial 42-107614 (RJ-H) "Lady Luck III" and 41-35253 (RJ-S) "Black Magic IV", taken on 6 December 1944

Citations

1. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp.559-560
2. Watkins, pp.100-101
3. Lineage information through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp.559-560.
4. Station number in Anderson, p. 20.
5. Station number in Anderson, p. 25.
6. Station number in Anderson, p. 28.
7. Station number in Johnson, p. 15.
8. Station number in Johnson, p. 17.
9. Station number in Johnson, p. 20.
10. Station number in Johnson, p. 22.
11. Station number in Johnson, p. 40.
12. Station number in Johnson, p. 49.
13. Station information through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp.559-560, 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.
• 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 (2008). Battle Colors. Vol. III Insignia and Markings of the Ninth Air Force In World War II. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN   978-0-7643-2938-8.