852d Bombardment Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 852d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last assignment was with 491st Bombardment Group
stationed at McChord Field, Washington.
as a B-24 Liberator
heavy bomb squadron; assigned to II Bomber Command
for training. Reassigned to Biggs Field near El Paso
, Texas
on 11 November 1943 and trained there until January 1944 when, during training, most of ground unit was transferred to Pratt Army Airfield
, Kansas
, to augment a new B-29 Superfortress
group being trained by Second Air Force
. Throughout November and December, personnel strength was further reduced by transfer to other B-24 groups of personnel. Reassigned to Pueblo Army Air Base, Colorado
in January 1944 to complete training. New B-24s were assigned to the group from Consolodated and training was completed by April.
After training was completed the air echelon was then deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO). Began movement overseas on 21 April 1944 via South Atlantic Route via Morrison Field, Florida, via Trinidad, Brazil, Dakar and Marrakesh, French Morocco, then to the United Kingdom. Performed strategic bombardment combat missions over Nazi Germany and enemy held territory striking communications centers, oil refineries, storage depots, industrial areas, shipyards, and other targets in such places as Berlin, Hamburg, Kassel, Cologne, Gelsenkirchen, Bielefeld, Hanover, and Magdeburg; on one occasion attacked the headquarters of the German General Staff at Zossen, Germany. Continued operations until end of combat in Europe, April 1945.
Squadron returned to United States and was programmed for B-29 operations in Pacific. End of war with Japan in August 1945 led to squadron demobilization and inactivation in September 1945.
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 491st Bombardment Group
491st Bombardment Group
The 491st Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the II Bomber Command, stationed at McChord Field, Washington. It was inactivated on 8 September 1945....
stationed at McChord Field, Washington.
History
Activated 1 October 1943 at Davis-Monthan Field, ArizonaArizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
as a B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The 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...
heavy bomb squadron; assigned to II Bomber Command
II Bomber Command
The II Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Second Air Force, based at Fort George Wright, Washington. It was inactivated on 6 October 1943....
for training. Reassigned to Biggs Field near El Paso
El Paso
El Paso, a city in the U.S. state of Texas, on the border with Mexico.El Paso may also refer to:-Geography:Colombia:* El Paso, CesarSpain:*El Paso, Santa Cruz de TenerifeUnited States:...
, Texas
Texas
Texas 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...
on 11 November 1943 and trained there until January 1944 when, during training, most of ground unit was transferred to Pratt Army Airfield
Pratt Army Airfield
Pratt Army Airfield is a closed United States Air Force base. It is located north-northwest of Pratt, Kansas, and was closed in 1946. Today it is used as Pratt Regional Airport....
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, to augment a new B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The 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...
group being trained by Second Air Force
Second 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....
. Throughout November and December, personnel strength was further reduced by transfer to other B-24 groups of personnel. Reassigned to Pueblo Army Air Base, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
in January 1944 to complete training. New B-24s were assigned to the group from Consolodated and training was completed by April.
After training was completed the air echelon was then deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO). Began movement overseas on 21 April 1944 via South Atlantic Route via Morrison Field, Florida, via Trinidad, Brazil, Dakar and Marrakesh, French Morocco, then to the United Kingdom. Performed strategic bombardment combat missions over Nazi Germany and enemy held territory striking communications centers, oil refineries, storage depots, industrial areas, shipyards, and other targets in such places as Berlin, Hamburg, Kassel, Cologne, Gelsenkirchen, Bielefeld, Hanover, and Magdeburg; on one occasion attacked the headquarters of the German General Staff at Zossen, Germany. Continued operations until end of combat in Europe, April 1945.
Squadron returned to United States and was programmed for B-29 operations in Pacific. End of war with Japan in August 1945 led to squadron demobilization and inactivation in September 1945.
Lineage
- Constituted 852d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 14 September 1943
- Activated on 1 October 1943
- Inactivated on 8 September 1945
Assignments
- 491st Bombardment Group491st Bombardment GroupThe 491st Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the II Bomber Command, stationed at McChord Field, Washington. It was inactivated on 8 September 1945....
, 1 October 1943-8 September 1945
- ETO fuselage code: 3Q
Stations
- Davis-Monthan Field, ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, 1 October 1943 - El Paso Army Airfield, 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...
, 11 November 1943-1 January 1944 - Uassigned Station, 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...
(Ground Echelon), 1 January 1944 - RAF North PickenhamRAF North PickenhamRAF North Pickenham is a former Royal Air Force base near North Pickenham, in Norfolk. It was originally opened in 1944 and finally closed in 1965.-USAAF use:...
, 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...
, March 1944 - RAF Metfield, 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...
, April 1944 - RAF North PickenhamRAF North PickenhamRAF North Pickenham is a former Royal Air Force base near North Pickenham, in Norfolk. It was originally opened in 1944 and finally closed in 1965.-USAAF use:...
, 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...
, 15 August 1944-5 July 1945 - McChord Field, Washington, 17 July-8 September 1945.