829th Bombardment Squadron | |
---|---|
Active | 1943-1946 |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Air Force |
Role | heavy bomber |
Part of | Fifteenth Air Force |
Engagements | Mediterranean Theater of Operations |
Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation |
Insignia | |
829th Bombardment Squadron emblem [1] |
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 squadron was activated at Fairmont Army Air Field, Nebraska as one of the four that made up the 485th Bombardment Group. It trained with Consolidated B-24 Liberators until March 1944, when it deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations in March 1944. The squadron's ground echelon arrived at its base at Venosa Airfield, Italy in April, but when the air echelon arrived in theater, it remained in Tunisia for additional training. [2] [3]
The squadron entered combat in May 1944, and primarily flew long range strategic bombing missions against targets in Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Yugoslavia, bombing marshalling yards, oil refineries, airfields, heavy industry, and other strategic objectives. The squadron was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for continuing an attack on an oil refinery near Vienna, Austria on 26 June 1944 despite heavy fighter opposition. [3]
The 829th was occasionally diverted from the strategic campaign to carry out some support and interdiction operations. It struck bridges, harbors, and troop concentrations in August 1944 to aid with Operation Dragoon, the invasion of Southern France. It also hit communications lines and other targets during March and April 1945 to support the advance of the British Eighth Army in northern Italy. [3]
The unit departed Italy in May 1945. In late July, it reassembled at Sioux City Army Air Base, Iowa and was redesignated as a very heavy unit the following month. In September, it moved to Smoky Hill Army Air Field, Kansas and began training with Boeing B-29 Superfortresses. When Strategic Air Command was formed in March 1946, the squadron became one of its first operational squadrons. In August 1946, the squadron was inactivated and its mission, personnel and B-29s were transferred to the 342d Bombardment Squadron, which was simultaneously activated at Smoky Hill. [2] [4]
Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Distinguished Unit Citation | 26 June 1944 | Vienna Austria 828th Bombardment Squadron [2] |
Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Air Offensive, Europe | c. 9 May 1944–5 June 1944 | 829th Bombardment Squadron [2] | |
Air Combat, EAME Theater | c. 9 May 1944–11 May 1945 | 829th Bombardment Squadron [2] | |
Central Europe | c. 9 May 1944–21 May 1945 | 829th Bombardment Squadron [2] | |
Rome-Arno | c. 9 May 1944–9 September 1944 | 829th Bombardment Squadron [2] | |
Normandy | 6 June 1944–24 July 1944 | 829th Bombardment Squadron [2] | |
Northern France | 25 July 1944–14 September 1944 | 829th Bombardment Squadron [2] | |
Southern France | 15 August 1944–14 September 1944 | 829th Bombardment Squadron [2] | |
North Apennines | 10 September 1944–4 April 1945 | 829th Bombardment Squadron [2] | |
Rhineland | 15 September 1944–21 March 1945 | 829th Bombardment Squadron [2] | |
Po Valley | 3 April 1945–8 May 1945 | 829th Bombardment Squadron [2] |
The 485th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command. As a provisional unit, the 485 AEW may be inactivated or activated at any time by Air Combat Command. The wing was last known to be active during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 at Tabuk Regional Airport, Saudi Arabia, in 2003.
The 462d Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional unit of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to Air Mobility Command to activate or inactivate as needed to meet operational requirements. Its last assignment was at Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory.
The 467th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Forces unit. Its last assignment was to the Strategic Air Command, being stationed at Clovis Army Airfield, New Mexico. It was inactivated on 4 August 1946.
The 346th Bombardment Group is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was last assigned to the 316th Bombardment Wing at Kadena Airfield, Okinawa, where it was inactivated on 30 June 1946. The group was originally a heavy bomber training unit, but was inactivated in a general reorganization of Army Air Forces training units in 1944. It was reorganized as a Boeing B-29 Superfortress group later that year. It moved to Okinawa in 1945, but arrived too late to participate in combat.
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 2d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment as a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress squadron was with the Strategic Air Command 22d Bombardment Wing stationed at March Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 1 October 1982. The unit was redesignated as the 2d Strategic Squadron as a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker rotational squadron with the 306th Strategic Wing and was last active at RAF Mildenhall, England in 1992.
The 831st Bombardment Squadron was a squadron of the United States Army Air Forces. It was activated in 1942 as the 516th Bombardment Squadron and flew antisubmarine missions off the Atlantic coast as the 11th Antisubmarine Squadron. Later, it saw combat in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations as a Consolidated B-24 Liberator unit, where it earned a Distinguished Unit Citation during the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. Following V-E Day, the squadron returned to the United States and was inactivated at Sioux City Army Air Base, Iowa on 20 August 1945.
The 97th Operations Group is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the 97th Air Mobility Wing of Air Education and Training Command. It is stationed at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma.
The 90th Operations Group is the operational component of the 90th Missile Wing of the United States Air Force. It is stationed at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, and is assigned to Twentieth Air Force of Air Force Global Strike Command. The group is responsible for maintaining and operating on alert the wing's assigned LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The 830th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 509th Bombardment Wing at Pease Air Force Base, New Hampshire. It was active during World War II in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations as a Consolidated B-24 Liberator unit, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. 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. When its parent group was inactivated in 1946, it moved to Roswell Army Air Field, New Mexico, where it joined the United States' first nuclear-capable unit, the 509th Composite Group. The squadron remained part of the 509th until it was inactivated when the wing converted to the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress.
The 506th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 44th Bombardment Wing at Chennault Air Force Base, Louisiana, where it was inactivated on 15 June 1960.
The 343d Bomb Squadron is a United States Air Force Reserve squadron, assigned to the 307th Operations Group. It is stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.
The 715th Weapons Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the USAF Weapons School at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, where it served from 2003 until 9 September 2005 as an advanced training unit with the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit.
The 828th 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 ans transferring its personnel to another unit that was activated in its place.
The 716th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 449th Bombardment Wing at Kincheloe Air Force Base, Michigan, where it was inactivated on 30 September 1977.
The 676th Bombardment Squadron is a former unit of the United States Army Air Forces, last assigned to the 444th Bombardment Group at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona.
The 920th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 379th Bombardment Wing at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan where it was inactivated on 30 September 1992.
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 845th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 489th Bombardment Group. It was assigned to the 489th Bombardment Group, flying Consolidated B-24 Liberators. After training in the United States, it moved to England and engaged in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany until V-E Day. It returned to United States in 1945 and began training with the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, but was inactivated at March Field, California on 17 October 1945.
The 788th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. During World War II, as the 788th Bombardment Squadron, it was assigned to the 467th Bombardment Group as a Consolidated B-24 Liberator squadron in 1943. After training in the United States, it moved to the European Theater of Operations the following year. It saw combat until the surrender of Germany in May 1945, earning a French Croix de Guerre with Palm for its actions contributing to the liberation of France. From May to August 1944, the squadron was detached to the 801st Bombardment Group (Provisional) engaging in Operation Carpetbagger operations. After V-E Day, the squadron returned to the United States and transitioned into the Boeing B-29 Superfortress It was inactivated on 4 August 1946 at Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency