365th Bombardment Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 365th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last was assigned to the 307th Strategic Wing, stationed at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield
, Thailand
. It was inactivated on 30 June 1975.
. Deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO) in September 1942, being assigned to VIII Bomber Command
in England
. Began flying long-range strategic bombardment missions on 17 November 1942 and attacked such targets as submarine pens, docks, harbours, shipyards, motor works, and marshalling yards in France
, Germany
, and the Low Countries
. Continued attacks on enemy cities, manufacturing centers, transportation links and other targets until the German Capitulation in May 1945.
After combat missions ended, moved to St Trond Air Base, Belgium
in July, 1945 where it conducted photo-mapping and intelligence-gathering flights which was called Project: Casey Jones over Europe and North Africa. On 15 December 1945 moved to Lechfeld Airfield, Germany which they had bombed on 18 March 1944 and now used as an occupation base. The squadron was inactivated on October 1946 in Germany.
Reactivated under Strategic Air Command
in 1951 with B-47A (later B) Stratojet medium jet bombers. Began operational strategic bombardment and refueling missions from MacDill AFB, Florida. In 1955, SAC upgraded the squadron to the B-47E, the major production version of the Stratojet. In May 1959, the squadron with B-47s was reassigned to Bunker Hill AFB, Indiana. In September 1960, the squadron upgraded to the B-58 Hustler
supersonic medium bomber; was declared operationally ready in August 1962. Began phasing Down B-58 operations in 1969, inactivated in 1970.
Reactivated in 1972 as a provisional B-52D Stratofortress squadron at U-Tapao Air Base, Thailand. Flew combat missions over Indochina
until 15 August 1973 when combat missions ended. Remained on alert until June 1975 when inactivated.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit. Its last was assigned to the 307th Strategic Wing, stationed at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield
U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield
U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield is a military airfield of the Royal Thai Navy located approximately southeast of Bangkok, near Sattahip on the Gulf of Siam...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. It was inactivated on 30 June 1975.
History
Established in June 1942 as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombardment squadron; trained under Second Air ForceSecond Air Force
The Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
. Deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO) in September 1942, being assigned to VIII Bomber Command
VIII Bomber Command
The VIII Bomber Command is an inactive United States Army Air Forces unit that is better known as the later appellation Eighth Air Force, as was popularized in post-World War II filmsand is frequently called the First Eighth Air Force by its veterans and successors in the services.The command was...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Began flying long-range strategic bombardment missions on 17 November 1942 and attacked such targets as submarine pens, docks, harbours, shipyards, motor works, and marshalling yards in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
. Continued attacks on enemy cities, manufacturing centers, transportation links and other targets until the German Capitulation in May 1945.
After combat missions ended, moved to St Trond Air Base, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
in July, 1945 where it conducted photo-mapping and intelligence-gathering flights which was called Project: Casey Jones over Europe and North Africa. On 15 December 1945 moved to Lechfeld Airfield, Germany which they had bombed on 18 March 1944 and now used as an occupation base. The squadron was inactivated on October 1946 in Germany.
Reactivated under Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
in 1951 with B-47A (later B) Stratojet medium jet bombers. Began operational strategic bombardment and refueling missions from MacDill AFB, Florida. In 1955, SAC upgraded the squadron to the B-47E, the major production version of the Stratojet. In May 1959, the squadron with B-47s was reassigned to Bunker Hill AFB, Indiana. In September 1960, the squadron upgraded to the B-58 Hustler
B-58 Hustler
The Convair B-58 Hustler was the first operational supersonic jet bomber capable of Mach 2 flight. The aircraft was designed by Convair engineer Robert H. Widmer and developed for the United States Air Force for service in the Strategic Air Command during the 1960s...
supersonic medium bomber; was declared operationally ready in August 1962. Began phasing Down B-58 operations in 1969, inactivated in 1970.
Reactivated in 1972 as a provisional B-52D Stratofortress squadron at U-Tapao Air Base, Thailand. Flew combat missions over Indochina
Indochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
until 15 August 1973 when combat missions ended. Remained on alert until June 1975 when inactivated.
Lineage
- Constituted 365th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 Jun 1942
- Activated on 1 Mar 1942
- Inactivated on 31 Oct 1946
- Redesignated 365th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 11 Jun 1947
- Activated on 1 Jul 1947
- Inactivated on 6 Sep 1948
- Redesignated 365th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 20 Dec 1950
- Activated on 2 Jan 1951
- Inactivated on 1 Jan 1970
- Redesignated 365th Provisional Bombardment Squadron on 1 Jul 1972
- Placed in provisional status 1 Jul 1972
- Inactivated on 30 Jun 1975
Assignments
- 305th Bombardment Group, 1 Mar 1942-31 Oct 1946; 1 Jul 1947-6 Sep 1948; 2 Jan 1951
- 305th Bombardment Wing, 16 Jun 1952-1 Jan 1970
- 307th Strategic Wing, 1 Jul 1972-30 Jun 1975
Stations
- Salt Lake City Army Air Base, UtahUtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, 1 March 1942 - Geiger Field, Washington, 11 June 1942
- Muroc Army Air Field, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, 4 July 1942 - Fort Dix Army Air Base, New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, 29 August-4 September 1942 - RAF Grafton UnderwoodRAF Grafton UnderwoodRAF Grafton Underwood is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 4 miles NE of Kettering in Northamptonshire.-RAF use:...
(AAF-106), EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 13 September 1942 - RAF ChelvestonRAF ChelvestonRAF Station Chelveston was a military airfield located on the south side of the A45, 5 miles east of Wellingborough, near the village of Chelveston in Northamptonshire, United Kingdom....
(AAF-105), EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 11 December 1942
- Sint-Truiden Airfield (ALG A-92), BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, 25 July 1945 - AAF Station Lechfeld (ALG R-71), GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, 19 December 1945-31 Oct 1946 - Andrews Field (later, AFB), MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, 1 July 1947-6 September 1948 - MacDill AFB, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, 2 Jan 1951 - Bunker Hill AFB, IndianaIndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, 1 Jun 1959-1 Jan 1970 - U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy AirfieldU-Tapao Royal Thai Navy AirfieldU-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield is a military airfield of the Royal Thai Navy located approximately southeast of Bangkok, near Sattahip on the Gulf of Siam...
, ThailandThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, 1 Jul 1972-30 Jun 1975
Aircraft
- B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942–1946
- B-18 BoloB-18 BoloThe Douglas B-18 Bolo was a United States Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force bomber of the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was built by Douglas Aircraft Company and based on its DC-2 and was developed to replace the Martin B-10....
, 1942 - B-24 LiberatorB-24 LiberatorThe Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
, 1942 - B-29 SuperfortressB-29 SuperfortressThe B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
, 1951 - B-47 StratojetB-47 StratojetThe Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
, 1952–1960 - B-58 HustlerB-58 HustlerThe Convair B-58 Hustler was the first operational supersonic jet bomber capable of Mach 2 flight. The aircraft was designed by Convair engineer Robert H. Widmer and developed for the United States Air Force for service in the Strategic Air Command during the 1960s...
, 1960–1970 - B-52G Stratofortress, 1972–1975