726th Bombardment Squadron | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Active | 1943-1945 |
Country | ![]() |
Branch | United States Army Air Forces |
Role | Heavy bomber |
Engagements | Mediterranean Theater of Operations |
Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation |
Insignia | |
726 Bombardment Sq emblem [lower-alpha 1] [1] | ![]() |
The 726th Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was last assigned to the 451st Bombardment Group at Dow Field, Maine, where it was inactivated on 26 September 1945. The squadron was activated during World War II as one of the original squadrons of the 451st Bombardment Group. After training in the United States, it served in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. It earned three Distinguished Unit Citations for its combat actions. After VE Day the squadron returned to the United States, where it was inactivated.
The squadron was first activated at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona as one of the four original squadrons of the 451st Bombardment Group. [1] [2] Although original plans were for the squadron to be an Operational Training Unit at Davis-Monthan, instead a cadre of the 451st Group moved to Dyersburg Army Air Base, Tennessee, where the 726th and other elements of the group were filled out by personnel drawn from the 346th Bombardment Group. The squadron commander, Capt Charles C. Haltom, and a model crew joined other members of the group for advanced tactical training with the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics at Orlando Army Air Base, Florida. This cadre joined the remainder of the squadron at Wendover Field, Utah, for training with the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. [3] The squadron continued its training at Fairmont Army Air Field, Nebraska, starting in September. [1] On 18 November, the air echelon of the squadron departed Fairmont for staging at Lincoln Army Air Field, Nebraska to ferry their aircraft via the Southern Ferrying Route to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. The ground echelon left on 26 November for the port of embarkation at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia, for transportation by ship. [4]
The squadron arrived at Gioia del Colle Airfield, Italy at the beginning of January, although the air echelon remained at Telergma Airfield, Algeria until 20 January to conduct additional training. [5] The squadron functioned primarily as a strategic bombing unit, attacking targets like oil refineries, marshalling yards, aircraft factories and airfields in Italy, Germany, France, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Greece and Albania. It earned a Distinguished Unit Citation during Big Week, Eighth Air Force's campaign against German aircraft manufacturing plants, for an attack on a Messerschmitt aircraft factory at Regensburg, Germany on 25 February 1944. It added oak leaf clusters to this award for an attack on oil refineries and marshalling yards at Ploesti, Romania on 5 April 1944 and on Markersdorf-Haindorf Airfield near Vienna, Austria on 23 August 1944. On each of these missions the squadron was opposed by large numbers of enemy interceptor aircraft and heavy flak, but fought its way through to inflict serious damage on the targets and destroy many enemy aircraft. [2]
When returning from the Regensburg attack, runway conditions at Gioia del Colle were so poor that the aircraft of the 451st Group were unable to land there, but spread out among a number of bases in Italy. These poor conditions continued and on 8 March the squadron moved to San Pancrazio Airfield, Italy. The 451st Group's 724th Bombardment Squadron was also relocated there [1] [6]
On 6 April, the 726th moved to Castelluccio Airfield, where it joined the remainder of the group. From its new base, the squadron also flew air support and interdiction missions. It helped prepare the way for Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France in August 1944. The following month its bombers transported supplies to forces operating in Italy, It also supported Operation Grapeshot the final advance of Allied armies in northern Italy. [2] The squadron flew its last mission on 26 April 1945 against marshalling yards at Sachsenburg, Austria. [7]
The squadron left Italy in June 1945. The air echelon ferried their planes back to the United States, while most of the ground echelon sailed on the USS General M. C. Meigs to Newport News, Virginia. [8] The squadron assembled later in the month at Dow Field, Maine, where it was inactivated on 26 September 1945. [1] Personnel that were not discharged from the service on return to the United States were transferred to Air Transport Command units at Dow. [8]
|
|
Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
| Distinguished Unit Citation | 25 February 1944 | Regensburg, Germany [1] |
| Distinguished Unit Citation | 5 April 1944 | Ploesti, Romania [1] |
| Distinguished Unit Citation | 23 August 1944 | Austria [1] |
Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
![]() | Air Offensive, Europe | 2 January 1944–5 June 1944 | [1] |
![]() | Air Combat, EAME Theater | 2 January 1944–11 May 1945 | [1] |
![]() | Naples-Foggia | 2 January 1944–21 January 1944 | [1] |
![]() | Anzio | 22 January 1944–24 May 1944 | [1] |
![]() | Rome-Arno | 22 January 1944–9 September 1944 | [1] |
![]() | Normandy | 6 June 1944–24 July 1944 | [1] |
![]() | Northern France | 25 July 1944–14 September 1944 | [1] |
![]() | Southern France | 15 August 1944–14 September 1944 | [1] |
![]() | North Apennines | 10 September 1944–4 April 1945 | [1] |
![]() | Rhineland | 15 September 1944–21 March 1945 | [1] |
![]() | Ardennes-Alsace | 16 December 1944–25 January 1945 | [1] |
![]() | Central Europe | 22 March 1944–21 May 1945 | [1] |
![]() | Po Valley | 3 April 1945–8 May 1945 | [1] |
The 451st Air Expeditionary Group was a provisional United States Air Force USAFCENT unit. It was assigned to Kandahar Airfield and is also the host unit at Kandahar. It reported to the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing at Bagram Air Base.
The 382d Bombardment Group is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was last stationed at Camp Anza, California, where it was inactivated on 4 January 1946. The group was active from 1942 to 1944 as a heavy bomber training unit. It was reorganized as a very heavy bomber unit and trained for deployment overseas. However, it arrived at its overseas station too late to see combat, and returned to the United States, where it was inactivated.
The 493d Bombardment Group is a former United States Army Air Forces unit that was assigned to the 92d Bombardment Wing during World War II. It the last bombardment group to be assigned to Eighth Air Force. It flew combat missions in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany until shortly before V-E Day, then returned to the United States for inactivation. In 2002, the group was converted to provisional status as the 493d Air Expeditionary Group and assigned to Air Mobility Command to activate or inactivate as needed.
The 491st Bombardment Group is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was activated in October 1943 as a heavy bomber unit, drawing its cadre from the former 17th Antisubmarine Squadron. After training in the United States, the group deployed to the European Theater of Operations, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation in an attack against Misburg. The group flew 187 combat missions. Following V-E Day, the group returned to the United States and was inactivated at McChord Field, Washington in September 1945.
The 865th Technical Training Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 1st Missile Division at Redstone Arsenal. Alabama, where it trained Italian Air Force personnel on the SM-78 Jupiter. It was inactivated on 1 November 1959.
The 855th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. The squadron was first activated as the 522d Bombardment Squadron at Lantana Airport, Florida, in October 1942, when it assumed the personnel and equipment of a National Guard unit engaged in antisubmarine warfare over the Atlantic. The squadron continued antisubmarine patrols as the 17th Antisubmarine Squadron until the summer of 1943, when its mission was transferred to the Navy.
The 725th Strategic Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 451st Strategic Missile Wing at Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado, where it was inactivated on 25 June 1965.
The 724th Strategic Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 451st Strategic Missile Wing at Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado, where it was inactivated on 25 June 1965.
The 852nd Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was activated in October 1943 as a heavy bomber unit. After training in the United States, the squadron deployed to the European Theater of Operations, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation in an attack against Misburg. Following V-E Day, the squadron returned to the United States and was inactivated at McChord Field, Washington in September 1945.
The 853rd Bombardment Squadron was a United States Army Air Forces unit. It was activated in October 1943 as a heavy bomber unit. After training in the United States, the squadron deployed to Great Britain, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation in an attack against Misburg. Following V-E Day, the squadron returned to the United States and was inactivated at McChord Field, Washington in September 1945.
The 854th Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was activated in October 1943 as a heavy bomber unit. After training in the United States, the squadron deployed to the European Theater of Operations, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation in an attack against Misburg. Following V-E Day, the squadron returned to the United States and was inactivated at McChord Field, Washington in September 1945.
The 829th Bombardment Squadron was a squadron of the United States Army Air Forces. It was active during World War II in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations as a Consolidated B-24 Liberator unit, where it earned a Distinguished Unit Citation. Following V-E Day, the squadron returned to the United States and began training with the Boeing B-29 Superfortress at Smoky Hill Army Air Field, Kansas, before inactivating in August 1946.
The 361st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit. It was most recently assigned to the 451st Air Expeditionary Group at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, where it was inactivated on 1 September 2014.
The 833rd Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Army Air Forces unit. It trained as a Consolidated B-24 Liberator unit, and deployed with its planes to the European Theater of Operations, entering combat in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany on 7 May 1944. In July 1944, the squadron converted to Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses, continuing combat with the 486th Bombardment Group until April 1945. Following V-E Day it returned to Drew Field, Florida, where it was inactivated on 7 November 1945.
The 784th Bombardment Squadron is the senior predecessor of the 784th Tactical Air Support Training Squadron. It was organized in August 1943 as a heavy bomber unit. After training in the United States with Consolidated B-24 Liberators, the 784th moved to England, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. Following V-E Day, it returned to the United States, where it began training with Boeing B-29 Superfortresses, but was inactivated in October 1945.
The 787th Air Expeditionary Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit, assigned to United States Air Forces Europe. The squadron has been activated twice for contingency operations in Africa.
The 420th Bombardment Squadron was unit in the United States Army Air Forces. Its last assignment was with 382d Bombardment Group stationed at Camp Anza, California. It was inactivated on 4 January 1946 without seeing combat.
The 860th Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit that was assigned to the 493d Bombardment Group during World War II. It was part of the last bombardment group to be assigned to Eighth Air Force. It flew combat missions until V-E Day, then returned to the United States for inactivation. In 1985, the squadron was consolidated with the 660th Bombardment Squadron, a Strategic Air Command unit that flew Boeing B-47 Stratojets during the Cold War. Although the two squadrons were consolidated as the 967th Airborne Warning and Control Squadron, they have never been active under that designation.
The 743d Bombardment Squadron was first activated in June 1943. After training in the United States with the Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers, the 743d deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, participating in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. It earned two Distinguished Unit Citations for its combat operations. Following V-E Day, it remained in Italy without its flight echelon until inactivating in September 1945
The 727th Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was last assigned to the 451st Bombardment Group at Dow Field, Maine, where it was inactivated on 26 September 1945. The squadron was activated during World War II as one of the original squadrons of the 451st Bombardment Group. After training in the United States, it served in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. It earned three Distinguished Unit Citations for its combat actions. After VE Day the squadron returned to the United States, where it was inactivated.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency