XIII Bomber Command

XIII Bomber Command
XIII Bomber Command
	Command B-24 Liberator in 1944
Active	1943–1946
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army Air Forces
Role	Command of bomber units
Engagements	Southwest Pacific Theater ; China-Burma-India Theater ; Central Pacific Theater

Last updated September 28, 2023

The XIII Bomber Command was an inactive United States Army Air Forces formation. It was last assigned to Thirteenth Air Force, based at Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines. It was inactivated on 15 March 1946.

History

XIII Bomber Command was a World War II command and control organization for Thirteenth Air Force. Its mission was to provide command and control authority of Army Air Force bombardment organizations within the Thirteenth Air Force Area of Responsibility.

Participated in the following campaigns: Central Pacific; China Defensive; Guadalcanal; New Guinea; Northern Solomons; Eastern Mandates; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines; China Offensive.

Lineage

Constituted as the XIII Bomber Command on 14 December 1942

Activated on 13 January 1943

Inactivated on 15 March 1946

Disbanded on 8 October 1948^[1]

Assignments

Thirteenth Air Force, 13 January 1943 – 15 March 1946^[2]

Stations

Pekoa Airfield, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, 13 January 1943
Carney Airfield, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, 20 August 1943
Momote Airfield, Los Negros Island, Admiralty Islands, June 1944
Wakde Airfield, Wakde, Netherlands East Indies. 3 September 1944
Wama Airfield, Morotai, Netherlands East Indies. 17 October 1944
Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines, 27 August 1945 – 15 March 1946^[1]

Components

Groups

5th Bombardment Group, 13 January 1943 – 15 December 1945^[3]
11th Bombardment Group, 9 November 1943 – 15 March 1946
42d Bombardment Group, 22 April 1943 – 25 December 1945 (attached to 308th Bombardment Wing, c. 24 August 1944; 310th Bombardment Wing, 3 September 1944; Thirteenth Air Task Force, c. 15 September 1944; XIII Fighter Command, 1 October 1944; XIII Bomber Command Rear Echelon, 9 January – 24 February 1945; XIII Fighter Command, c. 22 March – c. September 1945)^[4]
307th Bombardment Group, February 1943 – December 1945^[5]
494th Bombardment Group: under operational control 20–27 March 1945)^[6]

Squadrons

5th Tactical Air Communications Squadron: 20 October – 28 November 1945^[7]
9th Tactical Air Communications Squadron: 20 October – 28 November 1945^[8]
14th Tow Target Squadron: c. November – 27 December 1945^[9]
342d Fighter Squadron: attached c. 25 August – 22 September 1944^[10]
550th Night Fighter Squadron: attached 14 February – 7 April 1945^[11]

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References

Notes

Explanatory notes

↑ Aircraft is Consolidated B-24D-50-CO Liberator, serial 42-40323 of the 424th Bombardment Squadron.

Citations

1 2 Maurer, Combat Units, p. 451
↑ Kane, Robert B. (21 October 2011). "Factsheet Thirteenth Air Force (Air Forces Pacific) (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
↑ Bailey, Carl E. (8 May 2018). "Factsheet 5 Operations Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
↑ Haulman, Daniel (13 June 2018). "Factsheet 42 Air Base Wing (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
↑ Maurer, Combat Units, p. 451 (years only).
↑ Bailey, Carl E., Lineage & Honors History of the 494 Air Expeditionary Group (AMC), 28 April 2003, Air Force Historical Research Agancy
↑ Dollman, TSG David (15 May 2017). "Factsheet 5 Air Support Operations Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
↑ Dollman, TSG David (27 March 2017). "Factsheet 9 Air Support Operations Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 80
↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 424
↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 654

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 . Retrieved 17 December 2016.

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[1] Aircraft is Consolidated B-24D-50-CO Liberator, serial 42-40323 of the 424th Bombardment Squadron.

[Maurer13BC-2] 1 2 Maurer, Combat Units, p. 451

[3] Kane, Robert B. (21 October 2011). "Factsheet Thirteenth Air Force (Air Forces Pacific) (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 24 December 2021.

[4] Bailey, Carl E. (8 May 2018). "Factsheet 5 Operations Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 27 December 2021.

[5] Haulman, Daniel (13 June 2018). "Factsheet 42 Air Base Wing (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 30 December 2021.

[6] Maurer, Combat Units, p. 451 (years only).

[7] Bailey, Carl E., Lineage & Honors History of the 494 Air Expeditionary Group (AMC), 28 April 2003, Air Force Historical Research Agancy

[8] Dollman, TSG David (15 May 2017). "Factsheet 5 Air Support Operations Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 17 July 2018.

[9] Dollman, TSG David (27 March 2017). "Factsheet 9 Air Support Operations Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 14 January 2021.

[10] Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 80

[11] Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 424

[12] Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 654

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