791st Bombardment Squadron

791st Bombardment Squadron
Emblem of the 791st Bombardment Squadron
Active	1943-1946
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Bombardment

The 791st Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 468th Bombardment Group, stationed at Roswell Army Airfield, New Mexico. It was inactivated on 31 March 1946.

History

Established as a B-24 Liberator heavy bombardment squadron in mid-1943 and activated on 1 August. Trained under II Bomber Command in Idaho and Utah. In January 1944 the squadron received deployment orders for the European Theater of Operations (ETO). Moved to RAF Rackheath, Norfolk in England, February–March 1944, and was assigned to the VIII Bomber Command.

Upon arrival in England engaged in very long range strategic bombardment operations over Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany. In combat, the unit served chiefly as a strategic bombardment organization, attacking the harbor at Kiel, chemical plants at Bonn, textile factories at Stuttgart, power plants at Hamm, steel works at Osnabrück, the aircraft industry at Brunswick, and other objectives.In combat, the unit served chiefly as a strategic bombardment organization, attacking the harbor at Kiel, chemical plants at Bonn, textile factories at Stuttgart, power plants at Hamm, steel works at Osnabrück, the aircraft industry at Brunswick, and other objectives. Attacked German communications and fortifications during the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944 – January 1945. Hit enemy transportation to assist the Allied assault across the Rhine in March 1945.

After the German Capitulation in May 1945, the squadron was ordered back to the United States for B-29 transition and redeployment to the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO). Redeployed to the US June/July 1945. Upon arrival, most of the group was demobilized due to their combat service in Europe; a cadre of officers and men was formed at Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota on 25 August.

At Sioux Falls, the unit was reformed with newly trained pilots, aircrews and ground personnel. The reformed group was sent to Harvard Army Airfield, Nebraska for initial Second Air Force training. The Japanese Capitulation in early August canceled the planned deployment to the Pacific, however the group continued to train

Due to the advanced training state of the squadron received new B-29 Superfortresses and completed training. In December 1945 was assigned to a permanent base at Clovis AAF, New Mexico as part of Continental Air Forces. Reassigned in March 1946 to the 468th Bombardment Group due to personnel and funding shortages. Inactivated on 31 March 1946 along with the 468th BG.

Lineage

• Constituted 790th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 19 May 1943

Activated on 1 Aug 1943

Redesignated 790th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 5 Aug 1945

Inactivated on 31 Mar 1946.

Assignments

• 467th Bombardment Group, 1 Aug 1943-7 Mar 1946
• 468th Bombardment Group, 7-31 Mar 1946

Stations

• Wendover Field, Utah, 1 Aug 1943
• Mountain Home Army Air Field, Idaho, 8 Sep 1943
• Kearns Army Airfield, Utah 17 Oct 1943
• Wendover Field, Utah, 2 Nov 1943-12 Feb 1944
• RAF Rackheath (AAF-145), England, 11 Mar 1944-12 Jun 1945
• Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, 15 Jul 1945

• Fairmont Army Airfield, Nebraska, 25 Jul 1945
• Alamogordo Army Airfield, New Mexico, 22 Aug 1945
• Harvard Army Airfield, Nebraska, 8 Sep 1945
• Clovis Army Airfield, New Mexico,7 Jan 1946
• Roswell Army Airfield, New Mexico, 7-31 Mar 1946

Aircraft

• B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945
• B-17 Flying Fortress, 1945–1946
• B-29 Superfortress, 1946

References

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

• 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.