668th Bombardment Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 668th Bomb Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. It was last assigned to the 416th Operations Group. It was last stationed at Griffiss Air Force Base
, New York
, and was inactivated on 1 January 1995.
medium bomber Operational Training Squadron under Third Air Force
. Received A-20 Havoc light attack bombers and trained in attack and light bombardment tactics; deployed to European Theater of Operations
(ETO) in early 1944, assigned to Ninth Air Force
in England
.
From England, engaged in tactical bombardment of enemy targets mainly in coastal areas of France
and the Low Countries
. Attacked V-weapon sites in France. Flew a number of missions against airfields and coastal defenses to help prepare for the invasion of Normandy. Supported the invasion in June 1944 by striking road junctions, marshalling yards, bridges, and railway overpasses. Assisted ground forces at Caen
and St Lo in Jul and at Brest
later in the summer, by hitting transportation facilities, supply dumps, radar installations, and other targets. In spite of intense resistance, the group bombed bridges, railways, rolling stock, and a radar station to disrupt the enemy's retreat through the Falaise gap, 6–9 August 1944. Assisted the airborne attack on Holland in September. Supported the assault on the Siegfried Line by pounding transportation, warehouses, supply dumps, and defended villages in Germany.
Converted to A-26 Invader
aircraft in November 1944. Attacked transportation facilities, strong points, communications centers, and troop concentrations during the Battle of the Bulge
, December 1944–January 1945. Aided the Allied thrust into Germany by continuing its strikes against transportation, communications, airfields, storage depots, and other objectives, February–May 1945. Bombed flak positions in support of the airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945. Demobilized in France after the German Capitulation during the summer of 1945; squadron inactivated as a paper unit in November.
Activated as a Strategic Air Command
B-52 Stratofortress
squadron in 1963, replacing a provisional squadron at Griffiss AFB, New York
. Conducted strategic bombardment training and air refueling operations to meet SAC commitments, including supporting SAC operations in the Far East and Southeast Asia
with B-52 crews, June 1968–1975; flying combat missions over Indochina
as part of Operation Arc Light
; Linebacker I and Linebacker II. Deployed to Saudi Arabia
in 1990–1991 and flew combat missions over Iraq
and Kuwait
as part of Operation Desert Storm.
Inactivated in 1995 due to closure of Griffiss AFB.
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. It was last assigned to the 416th Operations Group. It was last stationed at Griffiss Air Force Base
Griffiss Air Force Base
Griffiss Air Force Base, is a former United States Air Force base, located in Rome, New York, about NW of Utica. Missions at Griffiss AFB included fighter interceptors, electronic research, installation, and support activities, aerial refueling, and bombers...
, New York
New York
New 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...
, and was inactivated on 1 January 1995.
History
Established in early 1943 as a B-25 MitchellB-25 Mitchell
The 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...
medium bomber Operational Training Squadron under Third Air Force
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
. Received A-20 Havoc light attack bombers and trained in attack and light bombardment tactics; deployed to European Theater of Operations
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...
(ETO) in early 1944, assigned to Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
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...
.
From England, engaged in tactical bombardment of enemy targets mainly in coastal areas of 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...
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....
. Attacked V-weapon sites in France. Flew a number of missions against airfields and coastal defenses to help prepare for the invasion of Normandy. Supported the invasion in June 1944 by striking road junctions, marshalling yards, bridges, and railway overpasses. Assisted ground forces at Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
and St Lo in Jul and at Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
later in the summer, by hitting transportation facilities, supply dumps, radar installations, and other targets. In spite of intense resistance, the group bombed bridges, railways, rolling stock, and a radar station to disrupt the enemy's retreat through the Falaise gap, 6–9 August 1944. Assisted the airborne attack on Holland in September. Supported the assault on the Siegfried Line by pounding transportation, warehouses, supply dumps, and defended villages in Germany.
Converted to A-26 Invader
A-26 Invader
The Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
aircraft in November 1944. Attacked transportation facilities, strong points, communications centers, and troop concentrations during the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
, December 1944–January 1945. Aided the Allied thrust into Germany by continuing its strikes against transportation, communications, airfields, storage depots, and other objectives, February–May 1945. Bombed flak positions in support of the airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945. Demobilized in France after the German Capitulation during the summer of 1945; squadron inactivated as a paper unit in November.
Activated as a 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...
B-52 Stratofortress
B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
squadron in 1963, replacing a provisional squadron at Griffiss AFB, New York
New York
New 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...
. Conducted strategic bombardment training and air refueling operations to meet SAC commitments, including supporting SAC operations in the Far East and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
with B-52 crews, June 1968–1975; flying 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...
as part of Operation Arc Light
Arc Light
Arc Light is the debut novel by Eric L. Harry, a techno-thriller about limited nuclear war published in 1994 and written in 1991-2.As China and Russia clash in Siberia in June 1999, nuclear missiles strike the United States. The U.S. retaliates against Russia, and World War III begins...
; Linebacker I and Linebacker II. Deployed to Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
in 1990–1991 and flew combat missions over Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
as part of Operation Desert Storm.
Inactivated in 1995 due to closure of Griffiss AFB.
Lineage
- Constituted 668th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 25 Jan 1943
- Activated on 5 Feb 1943
- Inactivated on 11 Oct 1945
- Redesignated 668th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), and activated, on 15 Nov 1962
- Organized on 1 Feb 1963; receiving personnel/aircraft/equipment from 75th Bombardment Squadron75th Bombardment SquadronThe 75th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 4039th Strategic Wing, stationed at Griffiss Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on 1 February 1963.-History:...
(Inactivated) - Redesignated 668th Bomb Squadron, 1 Jun 1992
- Inactivated on 1 Jan 1995
Assignments
- 416th Bombardment Group, 5 Feb 1943 – 11 Oct 1945
- Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air CommandThe 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...
, 15 Nov 1962 - 416th Bombardment Wing416th Bombardment WingThe 416th Bombardment Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Air Combat Command, being stationed at Griffiss Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on 30 September 1995....
, 1 Feb 1963 - 416th Operations Group, 1 Jun 1992 – 1 Jan 1995
Stations
- Will Rogers Field, 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...
, 5 Feb 1943 - Lake Charles Army Air 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...
, 4 Jun 1943 - Laurel Army Airfield, MississippiMississippiMississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, 1 Nov 1943 – 1 Jan 1944 - RAF WethersfieldRAF WethersfieldMDPGA Wethersfield is a Ministry of Defence facility in Essex, England; it is located north of the village of Wethersfield—about north-west of the town of Braintree...
(AAF-170), 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...
, 2 Feb 1944 - Melun Airfield (A-55), 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...
, 25 Sep 1944 - Laon/Athies Airfield (A-69), 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...
, 10 Feb 1945 - Cormeilles en Vexin Airfield (A-59), 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. 25 May 1945 - Laon/Athies AirfieldLaon-Athies Air BaseLaon-Athies Air Base is an abandoned military airfield, which is located near the city of Laon in the Aisne department of France.Its history begins before World War II, when it was originally a grass civil airdrome...
(A-69), France, 27 Jul – 13 Sep 1945 - 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...
, 10–11 Oct 1945 - Griffiss AFB, 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...
, 1 Feb 1963 – 1 Jan 1995
- Flight of aircraft and personnel deployed to 1708th Provisional Bombardment Wing, Prince Abdulla AB, JeddahJeddahJeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
, Saudi ArabiaSaudi ArabiaThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, Aug 1990–Mar 1991 (Operation Desert Storm) - Flight of aircraft and personnel deployed to 806th Provisional Bombardment Wing, RAF FairfordRAF FairfordRAF Fairford is a Royal Air Force station in Gloucestershire, England. It is a standby airfield, not in everyday use. Its most prominent use in recent years has been as an airfield for United States Air Force B-52s during the 2003 Iraq War, Operation Allied Force in 1999, and the first Gulf War in...
, 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...
, Jan–Mar 1991 (Operation Desert Storm)
Aircraft
- 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...
, 1943 - A-20 Havoc, 1943–1944
- A-26 InvaderA-26 InvaderThe Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
, 1944–1945 - B-52G/H Stratofortress, 1963–1995