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365th Bombardment Squadron

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365th Bombardment Squadron
Squadron B-17 Flying Fortress "Hell Cat"[note 1]
Active1942-1946; 1947-1948; 1951-1970
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleBombardment
EngagementsEuropean Theater of Operations[1]
DecorationsDistinguished Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award[1]
Insignia
365th Bombardment Squadron emblem[1][note 2]
365th Bombardment Squadron emblem (World War II)[2] XK
World War II fuselage code[2]XK

The 365th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit.[note 3] It was first activated in March 1942. After training with Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers in the United States, the squadron deployed to the European Theater of Operations, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. The squadron was twice awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation for its combat actions. Following V-E Day, it moved to the continent of Europe and engaged in photographic mapping until inactivating in December 1946.

The squadron was briefly active on paper from 1947 to 1949. It was activated again in 1951 as a strategic bomber unit, flying Boeing B-47 Stratojets. In 1949, it moved to Inidana, where it converted to the Convair B-58 Hustler. It was inactivated in 1969, when the Hustler was phased out of service.

History

World War II

The squadron was established in June 1942 as a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombardment unit which trained under the Second Air Force. It deployed to the European Theater of Operations in September 1942, being assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England. The squadron began flying long-range strategic bombardment missions on 17 November 1942 and attacked such targets as submarine pens, docks, harbors, shipyards, motor works and marshalling yards in France, Germany and the Low Countries. It continued its attacks on enemy cities, manufacturing centers, transportation links and other targets until the German capitulation in May 1945.

After combat missions ended, the squadron moved to Sint-Truiden Airfield, Belgium in July 1945 where it conducted photographic mapping and intelligence gathering flights called Project Casey Jones over Europe and North Africa. On 15 December 1945 it moved to Lechfeld Airfield, Germany which it had bombed on 18 March 1944 and now used as an occupation base. The squadron was inactivated in December 1946 in Germany.

Strategic Air Command

The squadron, along with a number of other units, was activated at Andrews Field in 1947 as a paper unit.[3] It was not manned or equipped before inactivating on 6 September 1948[1]

Reactivated under Strategic Air Command (SAC) in 1951 with Boeing B-47 Stratojet medium jet bombers,[1] it began flying operational strategic bombardment and refueling missions from MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. In 1955, SAC upgraded the squadron to the B-47E, the major production version of the Stratojet. In May 1959, the squadron, with B-47s, moved to Bunker Hill Air Force Base, Indiana. The squadron upgraded to the Convair B-58 Hustler supersonic medium bomber in September 1960, it was declared operationally ready in August 1962. It began phasing down B-58 operations in 1969 and was inactivated in 1970.[citation needed]

Lineage

  • Constituted as the 365th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 January 1942
Activated on 1 March 1942
Redesignated 365th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy c. 20 August 1943
Inactivated on 25 December 1946
  • Redesignated 365th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 11 June 1947
Activated on 1 July 1947
Inactivated on 6 September 1948
  • Redesignated 365th Bombardment Squadron Medium on 20 December 1950
Activated on 2 January 1951[4]
Inactivated on 1 January 1970[5]

Assignments

Stations

Aircraft

References

Notes

Explanatory notes
  1. ^ Aircraft is Lockheed Vega built Boeing B-17F-35-VE Flying Fortress, serial 42-5910. This aircraft was originally assigned to the 326th Bombardment Squadron and named "Ruthie". It was badly shot up by fighters on the 4 July 1943, mission to Nantes but managed to return to RAF Alconbury. After being repaired she was transferred to the 365th and renamed "Hell Cat". She ran out of fuel and crash landed at Hawkinge, England on 15 September 1943. She was scrapped two days later. Photo taken at RAF Chelveston.
  2. ^ Approved 20 June 1952.
  3. ^ This squadron is not related to the Bombardment Squadron, Provisional, 365, that was designated and activated on 1 July 1972 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam and assigned to the Strategic Wing, Provisional, 72. It moved U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield, Thailand on 1 January 1973, where it was attached to the 307th Strategic Wing. The squadron served as headquarters for Boeing B-52D Stratofortress crews and aircraft deployed to Southeast Asia until it was inactivated on 30 June 1975.
Citations
  1. ^ a b c d e Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 451-452
  2. ^ a b Watkins, pp. 54-55
  3. ^ Mueller, pp. 8-9
  4. ^ a b Lineage and Aircraft information through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 451-452.
  5. ^ See Ravenstein, p. 150 (end of assignment to 305th Wing); Mueller, p. 214 (end of stationing at Grissom).
  6. ^ a b c Ravenstein, pp. 150-151
  7. ^ Assignment information through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 451-452, except as noted.
  8. ^ Station Number in Anderson, p. 19.
  9. ^ Station Number in Anderson, p. 46.
  10. ^ Station Number in Johnson, p. 23.
  11. ^ Station Number in Johnson, p. 40.
  12. ^ Station information through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 451-452, except as noted.
  13. ^ Mueller, p. 214

Bibliography

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

  • Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  • Freeman, Roger A. (1970). The Mighty Eighth: Units, Men and Machines (A History of the US 8th Army Air Force). London, England, UK: Macdonald and Company. ISBN 978-0-87938-638-2.
  • Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2017.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  • 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.
  • 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 (2008). Battle Colors: Insignia and Markings of the Eighth Air Force In World War II. Vol. I (VIII) Bomber Command. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-1987-7.
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