432d Bombardment Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 432d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last was assigned to the 17th Bombardment Group, stationed at Camp Miles Standish, Massachusetts
. It was inactivated on 26 November 1945.
Reactivated in 1940 as a reconnaissance squadron, assigned to GHQAF at March Field, California. Reassigned to Pacific Northwest Air District in June 1940, mission being reconnaissance and observation. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, flew antisubmarine patrols over Oregon/Washington coastline.
Reassigned to Lexington County Airport (later Columbia Army Airfield), South Carolina in early 1942. Public mission was to perform antisubmarine patrols over southeast coast; actual mission was to train aircrews for Doolittle Raid with B-25 Mitchell medium bombers. Some aircrew from squadron later participated in the raid, the balance of the squadron completed training in Louisiana before being deployed to Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) as part of Operation Torch forces; being formed into XII Bomber Command in Algeria during December 1942.
Transitioned to B-26 Marauder medium bomber in Algeria; engaged in combat operations over North Africa supporting American and later Allied ground forces in Tunisia. Provided tactical air support in liberation of Sardinia and Corsica, 1943-1944. Flew tactical bombardment missions of enemy targets in Italy and Southern France from airfields in Corsica, later supporting Allied ground forces during Invasion of Southern France, August 1944. Moved into Southern France and performed tactical bombardment of enemy targets during Allied drive northward into Eastern France; participating in Western Allied invasion of Germany during March-April 1945.
Remained in Europe after German capitulation, becoming part of United States Air Forces in Europe occupation forces, being assigned to American Occupation Zone in Austria. Squadron returned to France in November 1945 and demobilized. Inactivated as a paper unit in the United States.
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 17th Bombardment Group, stationed at Camp Miles Standish, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. It was inactivated on 26 November 1945.
History
Activated during World War I. Deployed to France and constructed facilities, maintained aircraft, and trained observers in Zone of Advance, 1917–1919; prepared for combat as observation unit in Ju1 1918, but never went to front. Returned to the United States and demobilized in 1919.Reactivated in 1940 as a reconnaissance squadron, assigned to GHQAF at March Field, California. Reassigned to Pacific Northwest Air District in June 1940, mission being reconnaissance and observation. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, flew antisubmarine patrols over Oregon/Washington coastline.
Reassigned to Lexington County Airport (later Columbia Army Airfield), South Carolina in early 1942. Public mission was to perform antisubmarine patrols over southeast coast; actual mission was to train aircrews for Doolittle Raid with B-25 Mitchell medium bombers. Some aircrew from squadron later participated in the raid, the balance of the squadron completed training in Louisiana before being deployed to Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) as part of Operation Torch forces; being formed into XII Bomber Command in Algeria during December 1942.
Transitioned to B-26 Marauder medium bomber in Algeria; engaged in combat operations over North Africa supporting American and later Allied ground forces in Tunisia. Provided tactical air support in liberation of Sardinia and Corsica, 1943-1944. Flew tactical bombardment missions of enemy targets in Italy and Southern France from airfields in Corsica, later supporting Allied ground forces during Invasion of Southern France, August 1944. Moved into Southern France and performed tactical bombardment of enemy targets during Allied drive northward into Eastern France; participating in Western Allied invasion of Germany during March-April 1945.
Remained in Europe after German capitulation, becoming part of United States Air Forces in Europe occupation forces, being assigned to American Occupation Zone in Austria. Squadron returned to France in November 1945 and demobilized. Inactivated as a paper unit in the United States.
Lineage
- Organized as 89th Aero Squadron on 19 August 1917
- Demobilized on 19 May 1919.
- Reconstituted and consolidated (1936) with 89th Observation Squadron (Long Range, Light Bombardment) which was constituted on 1 March 1935
- Redesignated: 89th Reconnaissance Squadron on 24 October 1936
- Redesignated: 89th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium Range) on 22 December 1939
- Activated on 1 February 1940
- Redesignated: 89th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) on 20 November 1940
- Redesignated: 432d Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 22 April 1942
- Inactivated on 26 November 1945
Assignments
- Unknown, 19 August-November 1917
- 1st Air Depot, November 1917
- 2d Corps Aeronautical School, February 1918-January 1919
- Unknown January-19 May 1919
- 17th Bombardment Group: attached, 1 February 1940; assigned, 25 February 1942-26 November 1945
- Associated with: 1st Photographic Group1st Photographic GroupThe 1st Photographic Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 311th Photographic Wing, stationed at Buckley Field, Colorado. It was inactivated on 5 October 1944.-History:...
, 10 Jun 1941-22 Apr 1942 (training)
Stations
- Kelly Field, 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...
, 19 August 1917 - Garden CityGarden City, New YorkGarden City is a village in the town of Hempstead in central Nassau County, New York, in the United States. It was founded by multi-millionaire Alexander Turney Stewart in 1869, and is located on Long Island, to the east of New York City, from mid-town Manhattan, and just south of the town of...
, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, c. 6–27 October 1917 - Colombey-les-Belles, FranceFranceThe 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...
, 16 November 1917 - Chatillon-sur-Seine, FranceFranceThe 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...
, 17 February 1918 - St Nazaire, FranceFranceThe 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...
, c. 14 January 1919-unkn - Garden CityGarden City, New YorkGarden City is a village in the town of Hempstead in central Nassau County, New York, in the United States. It was founded by multi-millionaire Alexander Turney Stewart in 1869, and is located on Long Island, to the east of New York City, from mid-town Manhattan, and just south of the town of...
, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, c. 25 March-19 May 1919 - March 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...
, 1 February 1940 - McChord Field, Washington, 26 June 1940
- Pendleton Army Airfield, OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, 29 June 1941; - McChord Field, Washington, c. 30 December 1941
- Pendleton Army Airfield, OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, c. 24 January 1942 - Lexington County Airport, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, 15 February 1942
- Barksdale Field, 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...
, 22 June-18 November 1942 - Telergma AirportTelergma AirportTelergma Airport is a joint-use civilian/military airport in Algeria , just south of the city of Telerghma, about 300 km east of Algiers-History:...
, AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, c. 22 December 1942 - Sedrata Airfield, AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, c. 13 May 1943 - Djedeida AirfieldDjedeida AirfieldDjedeida Airfield is an airfield in Tunisia, located approximately 10 km east-northeast of El Battan, and 30 km west of Tunis. The airfield was built prior to 1942 and used by the German Luftwaffe. It was attacked and seized by the American II Army on 25 November 1942...
, TunisiaTunisiaTunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, c. 25 June 1943 - Villacidro Airfield, SardiniaSardiniaSardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
, 5 November 1943 - Poretta AirportPoretta AirportBastia – Poretta Airport or Aéroport de Bastia - Poretta is an airport serving Bastia on the island of Corsica. It is located south southeast of Bastia in Lucciana, both communes of the Haute-Corse département in France....
, CorsicaCorsicaCorsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
, c. 21 September 1944 - Dijon Air Base, FranceFranceThe 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...
, 22 November 1944 - AAF Station LinzLinz AirportLinz Airport , also known as Blue Danube Airport , is an airport near Linz, Austria.-Airlines and destinations:-Cargo airlines:-Accidents and incidents:...
, AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, c. 18 June 1945; - Zell am SeeZell am SeeZell am See is the capital city of the Zell am See district in the Austrian state of Salzburg. The city has about 10,000 inhabitants.Zell am See is a tourist destination and a transportation hub for the region...
, AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, 4 July 1945 (Ground echelon) - Clastres Airfield, FranceFranceThe 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...
, c. 3 October-c. 17 November 1945 (Ground echelon) - Camp Myles StandishCamp Myles StandishCamp Myles Standish was a U.S. Army camp located in Taunton, Massachusetts. It functioned as a prisoner-of-war camp, a departure area for about a million U.S...
, MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, 25–26 November 1945
Aircraft
- Dorand ARDorand AR- References :* Munson, Kenneth - Bombers, Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft 1914 - 1919 ISBN 0-7537-0918-X-See also:...
and other types for training observers, 1918 - Breguet 14Breguet 14-See also:-References:*Tomasz J. Kowalski, Samolot Breguet 14, TBiU no.197, Warsaw 2002, ISBN 83-11-09461-6...
when preparing for combat, 1918 - 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....
, 1940 - B-23 DragonB-23 Dragon|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to American Aircraft of World War II. London: Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd., 2002, , First edition 1982. ISBN 1-85152-706-0....
, 1940–1941 - B-25 MitchellB-25 MitchellThe North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
, 1941–1942 - B-26 MarauderB-26 MarauderThe Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
, 1942–1945