The 372nd Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 307th Bombardment Wing at Lincoln Air Force Base, Nebraska, where it was inactivated on 25 March 1965.
| 372nd Bombardment Squadron | |
|---|---|
 B-47 Stratojets on the ramp at Lincoln AFB in 1960 | |
| Active | 1942–1945; 1946–1965 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Bombardment |
| Motto(s) | Armed and Alert (1959-1965) |
| Engagements | Southwest Pacific Theater Korean War[1] |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation[1] |
| Insignia | |
| 372nd Bombardment Squadron emblem[a][1] |  |
| 372nd Bomb Squadron emblem[b][2][3] |  |
The squadron was first activated in April 1942 as one of the original four squadrons of the 307th Bombardment Group. After training in the United States, it deployed to the Pacific, serving mainly in the Southwest Pacific Theater. The squadron earned two Distinguished Unit Citations for its actions in combat. Following V-J Day, it returned to the United States for inactivation.
The squadron was reactivated as a Strategic Air Command (SAC) bomber squadron in 1946. During the Korean War, it deployed to Okinawa and engaged in combat missions under the control of Far East Air Forces. Following the end of hostilities in Korea, it returned to the United States, converting to Boeing B-47 Stratojets. It flew the Stratojet until it was inactivated in 1965 as that plane was withdrawn from the SAC inventory.
History
editWorld War II
editThe squadron was activated at Geiger Field, Washington on 15 April 1942 as the 372nd Bombardment Squadron, one of the original four squadrons of the 307th Bombardment Group.[4][5] It was first equipped with Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses, but while still in training converted to Consolidated B-24 Liberators. In addition to training with these heavy bombers, it also flew some antisubmarine patrols off the Pacific northwest coast. In October 1942, it began its movement to Hawaii.[1][5]
The squadron arrived at Kahuku Army Air Field, Hawaii in November 1942, continuing its training in the Liberator and flying search and antisubmarine patrols in defense of Hawaii as part of Seventh Air Force. In December 1942 and January 1943, it staged through Naval Air Station Midway to attack Wake Island.[5]
In February 1943, the squadron was relieved from assignment to Seventh Air Force and began to operate under the control of Thirteenth Air Force, although it did not move forward to Luganville Airfield, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, until June.[1] From Guadalcanal, it struck enemy airfields and military installations along with shipping in the Solomon Islands and Bismarck Archipelago. It helped neutralized enemy bases in Yap, Truk and Palau. On 29 March 1944, the squadron made an unescorted daylight attack on heavily defended airfields in the Truk Islands for which it was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC).[5]
As American forces moved forward, it supported operations in the Philippines by strikes against enemy shipping in the southern Philippines and striking airfields on Leyte, Luzon, Negros, Ceram and Halmahera and supported Allied operations in the Netherlands East Indies. It flew an unescorted mission attacking the oil refineries at Balikpapan on Borneo on 3 October 1944, for which it was awarded a second DUC.[5]
In the closing months of the war in the Pacific, it supported Australian forces on Borneo and attacked targets in Indochina. After V-J Day, it ferried liberated prisoners from Okinawa to the Philippines and flew patrols along the coast of China. It moved to Clark Field in the Philippines in September 1945 and returned to the United States for inactivation at the Port of Embarkation in January 1946.[5][1]
Strategic Air Command
editReactivated as Boeing B-29 Superfortress squadron at MacDill Field, Floridan August 1946 as part of Strategic Air Command. Was a training unit for antisubmarine warfare. Deployed to Okinawa during Korean War, carrying out combat operations over Korea throughout the conflict. Remained in Okinawa until November 1954 when it moved on paper to Lincoln Air Force Base, Nebraska, as a Boeing B-47 Stratojet medium jet bomber squadron, performed Operation Reflex deployments to North Africa until phaseout of B-47 in 1965 and inactivated.[citation needed]
Lineage
edit- Constituted as the 372nd Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 January 1942
- Activated on 15 April 1942
- Redesignated 372nd Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 20 August 1943
- Inactivated on 26 December 1945
- Redesignated 372nd Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 15 July 1946
- Activated on 4 August 1946
- Redesignated 372nd Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 28 May 1948[6]
- Inactivated on 25 March 1965
Assignments
edit- 307th Bombardment Group, 15 April 1942 – 26 December 1945
- 307th Bombardment Group, 4 August 1946 (attached to 307th Bombardment Wing after 10 February 1951)[7]
- 307th Bombardment Wing, 16 June 1952 – 25 March 1965[8]
Stations
edit
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|
Aircraft
edit- Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942
- Consolidated B-24 Liberator, 1942–1945
- Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1946–1954
- Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1955–1965[6]
References
editNotes
edit- Explanatory notes
- ^ Approved 6 May 1959. Description: On a medium blue disc with a wide Air force blue border, a white disc charged with an Air Force blue globe turning on a perpendicular axis, land areas and grid lines white; over all, two Air Force golden yellow aircraft, shaded golden brown, one in dexter chief flying to sinister chief, one in sinister chief.
- ^ Approved 16 October 1942.
- ^ Aircraft is Consolidated B-24D-50-CO, serial 42-40323. This aircraft flew 104 combat missions in the Pacific. Photo taken: 8 September 1944, Wakde Airfield, Netherlands East Indies. It was condemned on 31 October 1944. Baugher, Joe (7 September 2023). "1942 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
- Citations
- ^ a b c d e f Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 460-461
- ^ Watkins, pp. 88-89
- ^ Hubbard, p. 715
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons. pp. 457-461, 520-521
- ^ a b c d e f Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 181-182
- ^ a b c Lineage information through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 460-461.
- ^ Ravenstein, pp.153-156
- ^ Assignment information through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 460-461, except as noted.
Bibliography
edit
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Hubbard, Gerard (1943). "Aircraft Insignia, Spirit of Youth". The National Geographic Magazine. LXXXIII (6). National Geographic Society: 718–722. Retrieved 1 September 2017. (subscription required for web access)
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Watkins, Robert A. (2013). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force In World War II. Vol. V, Pacific Theater of Operations. Atglen,PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-4346-9.