388th Electronic Combat Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 388th Electronic Combat Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last assignment was with the 366th Fighter Wing
, based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island
, Washington as a Geographically Separated Unit (GSU).
Deployed to Southern California in early 1943 to the Desert Warfare Center, trained in light bombing while supporting Army maneuvers in the Mojave Desert until October.
Re-equipped with North American A-36 Apache dive bombers and deployed to New Guinea as part of Fifth Air Force. In the Southwest Pacific the squadron attacked Japanese strong points and tactical positions and targets of opportunity in support of MacArthur's campaign along the north coast of New Guinea; then advancing into the Netherlands East Indies and Philippines as part of the Island Hopping campaign. Re-equipped with P-40s; then later A-20 Havocs. Engaged in heavy fighting on Lete; Mindoro and Luzon in the Philippines during 1944-1945.
The squadron moved to Okinawa in mid August and after the Atomic Bomb missions had been flown; remained on Okinawa until December until returning to the United States with most personnel demobilizing. It was inactivated as a paper unit on January 6, 1946.
The squadron was reactivated as a B-29 Superfortress unit in the reserves in 1947, but lack of funding and personnel led to rapid inactivation.
Transferred to Tactical Air Command in the mid 1950s and activated first with F-68 Sabres, then F-100 Super Sabres in 1958. Inactivated in 1959 when its parent 312th TFW was inactivated and re-designated as the 27th TFW. Personnel and equipment of the squadron were re-designated as the 524th Tactical Fighter Squadron.
Reactivated in 1977 as an F-111A training squadron; inactivated 1979. Reactivated in 1981 as an EF-111A Raven electronic warfare aircraft; inactivated 1982. Reactivated in 2004 flying Naval EA-6B prowler electronic warfare aircraft. It inactivated in 2010, replaced by the 390th Electronic Combat Squadron
.
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 assignment was with the 366th Fighter Wing
366th Fighter Wing
The 366th Fighter Wing is a Fighter Wing of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho...
, based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island is a naval air station located in two sections around Oak Harbor, Washington, USA. It was commissioned as an active U.S. Navy installation on 21 September 1942....
, Washington as a Geographically Separated Unit (GSU).
History
Established in early 1942 as a light bomb squadron, equipped with A-24 Banshees, although equipped with export model A-31 Vengeance dive bombers for training. Trained under Third Air Force in the southeast United States, also used for antisubmarine patrols over the Atlantic southeast coast and then Gulf of Mexico.Deployed to Southern California in early 1943 to the Desert Warfare Center, trained in light bombing while supporting Army maneuvers in the Mojave Desert until October.
Re-equipped with North American A-36 Apache dive bombers and deployed to New Guinea as part of Fifth Air Force. In the Southwest Pacific the squadron attacked Japanese strong points and tactical positions and targets of opportunity in support of MacArthur's campaign along the north coast of New Guinea; then advancing into the Netherlands East Indies and Philippines as part of the Island Hopping campaign. Re-equipped with P-40s; then later A-20 Havocs. Engaged in heavy fighting on Lete; Mindoro and Luzon in the Philippines during 1944-1945.
The squadron moved to Okinawa in mid August and after the Atomic Bomb missions had been flown; remained on Okinawa until December until returning to the United States with most personnel demobilizing. It was inactivated as a paper unit on January 6, 1946.
The squadron was reactivated as a B-29 Superfortress unit in the reserves in 1947, but lack of funding and personnel led to rapid inactivation.
Transferred to Tactical Air Command in the mid 1950s and activated first with F-68 Sabres, then F-100 Super Sabres in 1958. Inactivated in 1959 when its parent 312th TFW was inactivated and re-designated as the 27th TFW. Personnel and equipment of the squadron were re-designated as the 524th Tactical Fighter Squadron.
Reactivated in 1977 as an F-111A training squadron; inactivated 1979. Reactivated in 1981 as an EF-111A Raven electronic warfare aircraft; inactivated 1982. Reactivated in 2004 flying Naval EA-6B prowler electronic warfare aircraft. It inactivated in 2010, replaced by the 390th Electronic Combat Squadron
390th Fighter Squadron
The 390th Fighter Squadron is part of the 366th Fighter Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. It operates F-15C Eagle aircraft conducting an air superiority mission.-History:...
.
Lineage
- Constituted 388th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on January 28, 1942
- Activated on March 15, 1942
- Redesignated: 388th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on July 27, 1942
- Redesignated: 388th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on December 6, 1943
- Redesignated: 388th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on July 19, 1945
- Inactivated on December 18, 1945
- Redesignated: 388th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on July 14, 1947
- Activated in the reserve on July 30, 1947
- Inactivated on June 27, 1949
- Redesignated: 388th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on July 29, 1954
- Activated on October 1, 1954
- Redesignated: 388th Tactical Fighter Squadron on July 1, 1958
- Inactivated on February 18, 1959.
- Redesignated: 388th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 7 February 1977.
- Activated on 1 July 1977.
- Inactivated on 30 September 1979.
- Redesignated 388th Electronic Combat Squadron on 29 January 1981.
- Activated on 1 July 1981.
- Inactivated on 15 December 1982.
- Activated on 15 December 2004.
- Inactivated on 27 September 2010.
Assignments
- 312th Bombardment Group, March 15, 1942 – December 18, 1945
- Tenth Air ForceTenth Air ForceThe Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....
, July 30, 1947 - 312th Bombardment Group, August 13, 1947 – June 27, 1949
- 312th Fighter-Bomber Group, October 1954
- 312th Fighter-Bomber (later Tactical Fighter) Wing312th Tactical Fighter WingThe 312th Fighter Bomber Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 832d Air Division and stationed at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico....
, October 8, 1957 – February 18, 1959.
- Attached to Air Task Force 13 [Provisional], 4 September-3 December 1958
- 366th Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 July 1977-30 September 1979; 1 July 1981-15 December 1982
- 366th Operations Group366th Operations GroupThe 366th Operations Group is the flying component of the 366th Fighter Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Air Combat Command. The group is stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.-Overview:...
, 15 December 2004–present
Stations
- Bowman Field, KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, March 15, 1942 - Will Rogers Airport, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, June 12, 1942 - Hunter Field, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, August 18, 1942 - DeRidder Army Airbase, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, February 18, 1943 - Rice Army AirfieldRice Army AirfieldRice Army Airfield is an abandoned World War II airfield located east-southeast of Rice, California, United States...
, 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...
, April 13, 1943 - Salinas Army Air Base, 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...
, August 13 – October 24, 1943 - Jackson Airfield (7 Mile Drome)Jacksons International AirportJacksons International Airport , also known as Port Moresby Airport, is located 5 miles outside Port Moresby, in Papua New Guinea...
, Port MoresbyPort MoresbyPort Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
, New GuineaNew GuineaNew Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, November 30, 1943 - Gusap AirfieldGusap AirportGusap Airport is a general aviation airport in Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. located at the base of the Finisterre Range. It has no scheduled commercial airline service.-History:...
, New GuineaNew GuineaNew Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
,January 3, 1944 - Nadzab Airfield ComplexLae Nadzab AirportLae Nadzab Airport is a regional airport located in Lae, Papua New Guinea. It is served by regional aircraft with domestic flight.-Airlines and destinations:-History:...
, New GuineaNew GuineaNew Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, June 11, 1944 - Hollandia Airfield ComplexSentani AirportSentani Airport is an airport serving Jayapura, the capital of Papua province, Indonesia, on the island of New Guinea. The name of this airport is taken from a lake nearby.-History:...
, Netherlands East Indies, July 4, 1944 - Tanauan AirfieldTanauan AirfieldTanauan Airfield is a World War II airfield located near Tanauan in the province of Leyte, Philippines. It was closed after the war.-History:The airfield was built by the Americans shortly after landing on Leyte in November 1944...
, LeyteLeyteLeyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
, Philippines Commonwealth, November 19, 1944 - McGuire FieldMcGuire FieldFor the airport in the United States, see San José International AirportSan Jose Airport , formerly known as McGuire Field, is an airport serving the general area of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro in the Philippines. It is one of three airports in Occidental Mindoro, the others being Mamburao...
, San JoseSan Jose, Occidental MindoroSan Jose is a 1st class municipality in the province of Occidental Mindoro, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 111,009 people in 22,464 households. According to the 2007 census, the population increased to 118,807 people....
, MindoroMindoroMindoro is the seventh-largest island in the Philippines. It is located off the coast of Luzon, and northeast of Palawan. The southern coast of Mindoro forms the northeastern extremum of the Sulu Sea.-History:...
, Philippines Commonwealth, January 27, 1945
- Mangaldan AirfieldMangaldan AirfieldMangaldan Airfield is a World War II airfield located north of the town of Mangaldan, near Lingayen Gulf, to the east of Dagupan in the province of Pangasinan on the island of Luzon in the Philippines...
, LuzonLuzonLuzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, Philippines Commonwealth, c. February 11, 1945 - Floridablanca Airfield (Basa Air Base)Basa Air BaseBasa Air Base , is a Philippine Air Force base located at Floridablanca, Pampanga in the Philippines....
, LuzonLuzonLuzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, Philippines Commonwealth, April 20, 1945 - Yontan AirfieldYontan AirfieldYontan Airfield is a former military airfield on Okinawa, located near the village of Sobe on the Okinawa western coast. It was closed and turned over to the Japanese government in 1972...
, Okinawa, c. August 12 – December 13, 1945 - Fort LawtonFort LawtonFort Lawton is a United States Army fort located in the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. The fort was included in the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure list.-History:...
, Washington, January 1–4, 1946 - Ellington FieldEllington FieldEllington International Airport is a joint civil-military airport located in the U.S. state of Texas within the city of Houston— southeast of Downtown. Established by the Army Air Service on 21 May 1917, Ellington Field was one of the initial World War I Army Air Service installations when...
, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, July 30, 1947 – June 27, 1949 - Clovis (Later Cannon) AFB, New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, October 1, 1954 – February 18, 1959
- Deployed at Chia Yi AB, FormosaFormosaFormosa or Ilha Formosa is a Portuguese historical name for Taiwan , literally meaning, "Beautiful Island". The term may also refer to:-Places:* Formosa Strait, another name for the Taiwan Strait...
, 4 September-3 December 1958- Mountain Home AFB, IdahoIdahoIdaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, 1 July 1977-30 September 1979; 1 July 1981-15 December 1982 - Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, Washington, 15 December 2004
- Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
Aircraft
- A-31 Vengeance, 1942–1943
- A-24 Banshee, 1942–1943
- North American A-36North American A-36The North American A-36 Apache was the ground-attack/dive bomber version of the North American Aviation P-51 Mustang, from which it could be distinguished by the presence of rectangular, slatted dive brakes above and below the wings...
, 1943 - P-40 Warhawk, 1943–1944
- A-20 Havoc, 1944–1945
- F-86 SabreF-86 SabreThe North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
, 1955–1956 - F-100 Super SabreF-100 Super SabreThe North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
, 1956–1959. - F-111, 1977-1979.
- EF-111, 1981-1982.
- EA-6B Prowler, 2004–present