98th Bombardment Wing (World War II)
Encyclopedia
The 98th Bombardment Wing is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Force Reserve, based at Bedford Field, Massachusetts
. It was inactivated on 27 June 1949.
As the 3rd Wing, the unit was one of the original wings of the GHQ Air Force on 1 March 1935.
. Performed peacetime training operations. Assigned to MacDill Field, Floria
, 1940 and assigned to USAAC Southeast Air District, becoming part of III Bomber Command
just prior to World War II.
Deployed to England and was reassigned to VIII Bomber Command
in June 1942 as Medium Bomber command and control organization, component units being equipped with B-26 Marauder
s. Reassigned to Ninth Air Force
when 9th was reformed in England as tactical air force to support ground forces in upcoming invasion of France
. Performed combat operations supporting allied ground forces until V-E Day
Postwar service as Air Force reserve unit, 1947–1949
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 United States Air Force Reserve, based at Bedford Field, 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 27 June 1949.
As the 3rd Wing, the unit was one of the original wings of the GHQ Air Force on 1 March 1935.
Lineage
- Authorized on the inactive list as 3d Wing on 24 March 1923
- Redesignated as: 3d Attack Wing in 1929
- Activated on 15 June 1932
- Redesignated as 3d Wing in 1935
- Redesignated 3d Bombardment Wing in 1940
- Inactivated on 5 September 1941
- Activated on 7 June 1942
- Redesignated as: 98th Combat Bombardment Wing (Medium) in November 1943
- Redesignated as: 98th Bombardment Wing (Medium) in June 1945
- Inactivated on 27 November 1945.
- Redesignated 3rd Bombardment Wing (Light) and allotted to the reserve
- Activated on 20 December 1946
- Redesignated 3rd Air Division (Bombardment) in April 1948
- Inactivated on 27 June 1949
Assignments
- United States Army Air CorpsUnited States Army Air CorpsThe United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
, 15 June 1932 - General Headquarters Air Force, 1 March 1935
- Southeast Air District, 2 October 1940
- III Bomber CommandIII Bomber CommandThe III Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.-Lineage:...
, 5 September 1941 - VIII Bomber CommandVIII Bomber CommandThe 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...
, 7 June 1942 - IX Bomber Command, 16 October 1943 – 27 November 1945
- United States Air Force Reserve, 20 December 1946 – 27 June 1949
Stations
- Fort CrockettFort CrockettFort Crockett is a government reservation on Galveston Island overlookingthe Gulf of Mexico originally built as a defense installation to protect the city and harbor of Galveston and to secure the entrance to Galveston Bay,...
, Texas, 15 June 1932 - 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...
, 27 February 1935 - MacDill Field, Florida, 2 October 1940 – 5 September 1941
- Detrick FieldFort DetrickFort Detrick is a U.S. Army Medical Command installation located in Frederick, Maryland, USA. Historically, Fort Detrick was the center for the United States' biological weapons program ....
, 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...
, 7 June–August 1942 - Elvedon Hall (AAF-116), England, c. 12 September 1942
- Marks Hall (AAF-160), England, 12 June 1943
- RAF Earls Colne (AAF-358), England, November 1943
- RAF BeaulieuRAF BeaulieuRAF Station Beaulieu was a World War II airfield in the New Forest, Hampshire, England. It was also known as Beaulieu airfield, Beaulieu aerodrome and USAAF Station AAF 408...
(AAF-408), England, 18 July – 19 August 1944 - Lessay Airfield (A-20), France, 23 August 1944
- Chartres Airfield (A-40), France, 24 September 1944
- Laon/Athies Airfield (A-69), France, 3 October 1944
- HavrincourtHavrincourtHavrincourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in Nord-Pas-de-Calais in France.-Situation:The village lies about 14 kilometres south-west of Cambrai near the Havrincourt service area on the Autoroute A2...
, France, 1 February 1945 - Venlo Airfield (Y-55), NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, c. 3 May 1945 - Tienen, Belgium, c. July 1945
- AAF Station Kitzingen, Germany, August 1945
- Namur Airfield, Belgium, c. October–November 1945
- Bedford Field, 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...
, 20 December 1946 – 27 June 1949
Components
- GHQ Air Force (Air Force Combat Command, 1941)
- 3d Bombardment Group: 1932–1940
- 13th Bombardment Group13th Bombardment GroupThe 13 AEG was re-activated by Thirteenth AF as the air component of Joint Task Force-Support Forces Antarctica . The 13 AEG includes the 304th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron and the 139th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron who fly the C-17 and LC-130 aircraft supporting the operation, respectively. ...
: 1941 - 10th Pursuit Group: 1932–1939
- 29th Bombardment Group29th Bombardment GroupThe 29th Flying Training Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit last based at Craig AFB, Alabama. It was inactivated when Craig AFB was closed as a budget reduction action after the Vietnam War....
: 1940–1941 - 44th Bombardment Group44th Missile WingThe 44th Missile Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Twentieth Air Force, being assigned to Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. It was deactivated on 4 July 1994....
: 1941
- VIII Bomber Command
- 322d Bombardment Group: 1 December 1942 – 16 October 1943
- 323d Bombardment Group: 1 May – 16 October 1943
- 386th Bombardment Group: 3 June – 16 October 1943
- 387th Bombardment Group: 25 June – 16 October 1943
- Ninth Air Force
- 323d Bombardment Group: 16 October 1943 – 16 July 1945 (B-26 Marauder)
- 387th Bombardment Group: 16 October 1943 – November 1945 (B-26 Marauder)
- 394th Bombardment Group394th Bombardment GroupThe 394th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the XII Fighter Command stationed at AAF Station Kitzingen, Germany. It was inactivated on 15 February 1946...
: 11 March 1944 – September 1945 (B-26 Marauder) - 397th Bombardment Group397th Bombardment WingThe 397th Bombardment Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit, last assigned to the Strategic Air Command 45th Air Division. It was last stationed at Dow Air Force Base, Maine, and was inactivated on 25 April 1968....
: 15 April 1944 – November 1945 (B-26 Marauder) - 305th Bombardment Group305th Air Mobility WingThe 305th Air Mobility Wing is a United States Air Force strategic airlift and air refueling wing under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command...
: 1945 (B-17 Flying Fortress) - 306th Bombardment Group: 1945 (B-17 Flying Fortress)
- Air Force Reserve
- 310th Bombardment Group: 1947–1949
- 341st Bombardment Group: 1947–1949
Operations
One of the original wings of GHQ Air Force, Formed in Texas, reassigned to Barksdale Field, LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana 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...
. Performed peacetime training operations. Assigned to MacDill Field, Floria
Floria
Floria is a small village in the Selinoprovince of southwest Crete, Greece. Floria is part of theKandanos municipality and, according to the latest census, hasaround 60 inhabitants.On 23 May 1941 and while the Battle of Crete was unfolding,...
, 1940 and assigned to USAAC Southeast Air District, becoming part of III Bomber Command
III Bomber Command
The III Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.-Lineage:...
just prior to World War II.
Deployed to England and was reassigned 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 June 1942 as Medium Bomber command and control organization, component units being equipped with B-26 Marauder
B-26 Marauder
The 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....
s. Reassigned 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....
when 9th was reformed in England as tactical air force to support ground forces in upcoming invasion of France
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
. Performed combat operations supporting allied ground forces until V-E Day
Postwar service as Air Force reserve unit, 1947–1949