640th Bombardment Squadron

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640th Bombardment Squadron
409bg-a26.jpg
Douglas A-26 Invader of the 640th BombardmentSquadron
Active1943-1945
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
BranchFlag of the United States Air Force.svg  United States Air Force
Role Light bombardment
Insignia
640th Bombardment Squadron Emblem [lower-alpha 1] [1] 640th Bombardment Squadron - Emblem.png

The 640th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Army Air Forces unit. After training with Douglas A-20 Havocs in the United States the squadron deployed to the European Theater of World War II, where it engaged in combat until the Surrender of Germany. It was last assigned to the 409th Bombardment Group at Westover Field, Massachusetts, where it was inactivated on 7 November 1945.

Contents

History

The 640th Bombardment Squadron was activated in June 1943 at Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma and equipped with Douglas A-20 Havocs as one of the four original squadrons of the 409th Bombardment Group. The squadron trained under Third Air Force in Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana. [1] [2] The squadron deployed to the European Theater of Operations in March 1944, where it became part of IX Bomber Command of Ninth Air Force. [2]

The 640th initially flew sweeps over Occupied France from its base in England, attacking coastal defenses, V-1 flying bomb and V-2 rocket sites, airfields, and other targets in France in preparation for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy. After D-Day, the squadron supported ground forces during the Battle of Normandy by hitting gun batteries, rail lines, bridges, communications, and other objectives. During July 1944, it aided the Allied offensive at Caen and Operation Cobra, the breakthrough at Saint-Lô with attacks on enemy troops, flak positions, fortified villages, and supply dumps. [2]

The squadron moved to Advanced Landing Grounds in France in September 1944, providing Third Army with close air support in its advance toward Germany through November. [2]

In December, the squadron converted to Douglas A-26 Invaders. It then participated in the Battle of the Bulge by attacking lines of communications and logistics. The squadron continued combat operations until May, flying its last combat mission against an ammunition dump in Czechoslovakia on 3 May. [2]

The unit returned to the United States and initially was stationed at Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina where it prepared to deploy to the Pacific Theater of Operations for operations against the Japanese Home Islands. The deployment to the Pacific Theater was cancelled with the Surrender of Japan in August.[ citation needed ] The 640th was inactivated at Westover Field, Massachusetts in early November. [1]

Lineage

Redesignated 640th Bombardment Squadron, Light in 1944
Inactivated on 7 November 1945 [1]

Assignments

Stations

Aircraft

Campaigns

Campaign StreamerCampaignDatesNotes
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png Air Offensive, Europe7 March 1944 – 5 June 1944 [1]
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png Normandy6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944 [1]
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png Northern France25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944 [1]
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png Rhineland`5 September 1944 – 21 March 1945 [1]
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png Ardennes-Alsace16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945 [1]
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png Central Europe22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945 [1]
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png Air Combat, EAME Theater7 March 1944 – 11 May 1945 [1]

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References

Notes

Explanatory notes
  1. ↑ Approved 14 March 1944. Description: Over and through a black disc, a white skull, winged gold, with machine guns issuing from eye sockets, firing proper, resting on large light turquoise blue aerial bomb, tail banded red, nose fuse gold.
Citations
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Maurer, p. 690
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 294–295
  3. ↑ Station number in Anderson, p. 22.
  4. ↑ Station number in Johnson, p. 18.
  5. ↑ Station number in Johnson, p. 21.

Bibliography

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