760th Bombardment Squadron

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760th Bombardment Squadron
460th Bombardment Group B-24 Liberators Formation.jpg
Active1943–1945
CountryFlag of the United States.svg  United States
BranchFlag of the United States Air Force.svg  United States Air Force
Role Heavy bomber
Engagements Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Decorations Distinguished Unit Citation

The 760th Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit, activated during World War II. After training in the United States, it deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. The squadron earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for its attack against a target in Austria despite adverse weather and stiff enemy opposition. Following V-E Day, the squadron moved to Brazil, where it became part of Air Transport Command, returning troops to the United States. It was inactivated on 26 September 1945.

Contents

History

The 760th Bombardment Squadron was first activated at Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico on 1 July 1943 as one of the four original squadrons of the 460th Bombardment Group. [1] [2] A cadre of the unit's air echelon went to Orlando Army Air Base, Florida for specialized training with the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics. In August, the unit was filled out with ground personnel at Kearns Army Air Base, Utah, then moved to Chatham Army Air Field, Georgia to complete its training with Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers. [3] Upon completing training, the squadron departed for the Mediterranean Theater of Operations in January 1944. [1] [2]

The squadron completed its deployment to Spinazzola Airfield, Italy by the middle of February 1944, and entered the strategic bombing campaign against Germany the following month, with an attack on a marshalling yard and docks at Metković, Yugoslavia. [4] It attacked oil refineries and storage facilities, railroads, industrial areas, including aircraft manufacturing plants in Austria, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Romania and Yugoslavia. [2]

On 26 July 1944, the squadron was part of a 460th Group formation that led the 55th Bombardment Wing on an attack against an airfield and aircraft manufacturing plant at Zwolfaxing, Austria. It attacked the target through heavy enemy flak and adverse weather, for which it was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation. [2]

The squadron was occasionally diverted from the strategic bombing mission to perform air interdiction and close air support missions. In August 1944, it supported Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France, by attacking submarine pens, marshalling yards and artillery batteries in the area of the amphibious landings. It struck lines of communications, railroads, ammunition dumps and other targets in connection with Operation Grapeshot, the allied offensive in Northern Italy. [2] The squadron flew its last mission against a target in northern Italy on 26 April 1945. [4]

After V-E Day, the 460th Group and its squadrons were transferred to the South Atlantic Division, Air Transport Command, moving to Parnamirim Field, near Natal, Brazil to participate in the Green Project. Green Project was aimed at transporting 50,000 military personnel a month from the European and Mediterranean Theaters back to the United States, with priority for those that plans called for redeploying to the Pacific. [5] The squadron's combat veterans proved none too happy with this assignment, [6] but continued supporting the project until the squadron inactivated on 26 September 1945. [1]

Lineage

Activated on 1 July 1943
Inactivated on 26 September 1945

Assignments

Stations

Aircraft

Awards and campaigns

Award streamerAwardDatesNotes
Streamer PUC Army.PNG Distinguished Unit Citation 26 July 1944Austria [1]
Campaign StreamerCampaignDatesNotes
Streamer EAMEC.PNG Air Offensive, Europec. 11 February 1944 – 5 June 1944 [1]
Streamer EAMEC.PNG Air Combat, EAME Theaterc. 11 February 1944 – 11 May 1945 [1]
Streamer EAMEC.PNG Rome-Arnoc. 11 February 1944 – 9 September 1944 [1]
Streamer EAMEC.PNG Central Europe22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945 [1]
Streamer EAMEC.PNG Normandy6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944 [1]
Streamer EAMEC.PNG Northern France25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944 [1]
Streamer EAMEC.PNG Southern France15 August 1944 – 14 September 1944 [1]
Streamer EAMEC.PNG North Apennines10 September 1944 – 4 April 1945 [1]
Streamer EAMEC.PNG Rhineland15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945 [1]
Streamer EAMEC.PNG Po Valley3 April 1945 – 8 May 1945 [1]
Streamer AC.PNG American Theater without inscription15 June 1945 – 25 September 1945 [1]

See also

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References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 741
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Maurer, Combat Units, p. 335
  3. Glantzburg, Hughes. "460th Bombardment Group (H): History of the 460th Bombardment Group". 15af.com. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  4. 1 2 Glantzburg, Hughes. "460th Bombardment Group (H): 460th Bombardment Group Targets 1944-1945" (PDF). 15af.com. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  5. Heck, pp. 216-217
  6. Heck, p. 219

Bibliography

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency