488th Bombardment Squadron

488th Bombardment Squadron
B-47 Stratojet, last aircraft flown by the squadron [note 1]
Active	1942–1945; 1947–1949; 1952–1963
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	medium bomber
Engagements	Mediterranean Theater of Operations [1]
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation [1]
Insignia
488th Bombardment Squadron emblem [note 2] [1]
488th Bombardment Squadron emblem World War II [2]

The 488th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 340th Bombardment Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, where it was inactivated on 1 September 1963.

History

488th Bombardment Squadron B-25 on landing approach to Gaudo Airfield, Italy in early 1944

World War II

Established as a North American B-25 Mitchell medium bomber squadron in mid-1942, trained by Third Air Force in the southeastern United States. Deployed to IX Bomber Command in Egypt initially in March 1943 via Air Transport Command South Atlantic Route through Caribbean, Brazil, Liberia, Central Africa and Sudan, then reassigned to Mediterranean Theater of Operations, and to XII Bomber Command in Tunisia. Supported Allied ground forces in Tunisian Campaign; participated in Invasions of Sicily and Italy during 1943, supporting Allied ground forces with tactical bombing of enemy targets. Participated in liberation of Corsica during the spring of 1944, then returned to Italy engaging in attacks on enemy ground forces and targets in the Po Valley during the spring of 1945.

This was the squadron Joseph Heller flew in as a bombardier, his experiences leading him to write the famous anti-war novel, Catch-22.

Personnel demobilized in Italy during summer of 1945; squadron returned to the United States, being prepared for deployment to Pacific Theater for use as a tactical bomb squadron in programmed Invasion of Japan. Japanese capitulation led to squadron's inactivation in November 1945.

Reserve operations

Activated as a light bomber squadron in the postwar Air Force reserves in 1947; inactivated in 1949 due to budget reductions.

Strategic Air Command

Reactivated in October 1952 as a Strategic Air Command (SAC) Boeing B-47 Stratojet squadron. Initially equipped with prototypes of the Boeing RB-47B Stratojet (YRB-47) to perform long-range photo-reconnaissance with a flight of Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers assigned. In November 1953 began to receive production B-47E medium bomber aircraft; prototype reconnaissance aircraft already received exchanged for medium bomber versions. Participated in SAC Reflex deployments to Europe and North Africa throughout the 1950s and 1960s.

In 1963 with the phaseout of the B-47 the aircraft sent to storage at Davis–Monthan and inactivated.

Lineage

• Constituted as the 488th Bombardment Squadron (Medium)' on 10 August 1942

Activated on 20 August 1942

Redesignated 488th Bombardment Squadron, Medium c. 20 August 1943

Inactivated on 7 November 1945

• Redesignated 488th Bombardment Squadron, Light on 8 October 1947

Activated in the reserve on 31 October 1947

Inactivated on 19 August 1949

• Redesignated 488th Bombardment Squadron, Medium' on 3 October 1952

Activated on 20 October 1952

Inactivated on 1 September 1963 ^{[3] [4]}

Assignments

• 340th Bombardment Group, 20 August 1942 – 7 November 1945
• 340th Bombardment Group, 31 October 1947 – 19 August 1949
• 340th Bombardment Wing, 20 October 1952 – 1 September 1963 ^{[3] [5]}

Stations

Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina, 20 August 1942 Walterboro Army Air Field, South Carolina, 1 December 1942 – 30 January 1943 RAF Kabrit, Egypt, 29 March 1943 Medenine Airfield, Tunisia, c. 13 April 1943 Sfax Airfield, Tunisia, 16 April 1943 Hergla Airfield, Tunisia, 3 June 1943 Comiso Airfield, Sicily, Italy, c. 2 August 1943 Catania Airport, Sicily, Italy, 27 August 1943 San Pancrazio Airfield, Italy 29 October 1943

Foggia Airfield, Italy, 25 November 1943 Pompeii Airfield, Italy, 2 January 1944 Gaudo Airfield, Italy, 22 March 1944 Alesani Airfield, Corsica, France, c. 11 April 1944 Rimini Airfield, Italy, 7 April – 16 July 1945 Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina, 9 August 1945 Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina, c. 2 October – 7 November 1945 Tulsa Municipal Airport, Oklahoma, 31 October 1947 – 19 August 1949 Sedalia Air Force Base (later Whiteman Air Force Base), Missouri, 20 October 1952 – 1 September 1963 [3] [6]

Aircraft

• North American B-25 Mitchell, 1942–1945
• Boeing YRB-47 Stratojet, 1954–1955
• Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1955–1963 ^{[3] [7]}

References

Notes

Explanatory notes

1. Aircraft is Boeing B-47E-BW, serial 51-2394.
2. Approved 16 September 1954.
3. Aircraft is North American B-25J-1, serial 43-27900, "Bottoms-Up II".

Citations

1. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 586-587
2. Watkins, pp. 88-89
3. Lineage information through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 586-587
4. See Ravenstein, p. 179 (dates assigned to 340th Wing); Mueller, p. 589 (dates stationed at Whiteman AFB).
5. Ravenstein, p. 179
6. Mueller, p. 589
7. See Ravenstein, p. 179 (aircraft flown by to 340th Wing).

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.
• Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN   0-912799-53-6 . 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. (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.