330th Bombardment Squadron

330th Combat Training Squadron

Emblem of the 330th Bombardment Squadron
Active 1942–1991
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
Type Bombardment
World War II squadron emblem

The 330th Combat Training Squadron is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the 461st Air Control Wing based at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia.

History

Established in early 1942 initially as a B-24 Liberator reconnaissance squadron, flying antisubmarine patrols. Later being redesignated as a heavy bomb group; trained under Third Air Force in Florida. Completed training in late 1942; deploying to European Theater of Operations (ETO) as one of the initial heavy bomber squadrons assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England, September 1942.

Engaged in long-range strategic bombardment operations over Occupied Europe. Deployed to IX Bomber Command in Egypt in December 1942; operating from airfields in Libya and Tunisia. Raided enemy military and industrial targets in Italy and in the southern Balkans, including the Nazi-controlled oilfields at Polesti, Romania, receiving a Distinguished Unit Citation for its gallantry in that raid. Also flew tactical bombing raids against Afrika Korps defensive positions in Tunisia; supporting British Eighth Army forces in their advance to Tunis, in September and October 1943.

Returned to England with disestablishment of IX Bomber Command in North Africa. From England, resumed long-range strategic bombardment raids on Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany, attacking enemy military and industrial targets as part of the United States' air offensive. The squadron was one of the most highly decorated units in the Eighth Air Force, continuing offensive attacks until the German capitulation in May 1945.

Returned to the United States in June 1945; being re-manned and re-equipped with B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers. Trained for deployment to the Central Pacific Area to carry out very long range strategic bombing raids over Japan. Japanese capitulation in August canceled plans for deployment, instead became Continental Air Command (later Strategic Air Command) B-29 squadron.

During the Cold War, the squadron was equipped with new weapons systems as they became available, performing strategic bombardment training with the B-50 Superfortress, an advanced version of the B-29 in 1950. The B-50 gave the unit the capability to carry heavy loads of conventional weapons faster and farther as well as being designed for atomic bomb missions if necessary. By 1951, the emergence of the Soviet Mig-15 interceptor in the skies of North Korea signaled the end of the propeller-driven B-50 as a first-line strategic bomber. Received B-47 Stratojet jet bombers in 1954, and in 1955 began receiving early model of the B-52 Stratofortress. Inactivated in 1963 due to retirement of the B-52B and also budget restrictions.

Reactivated in 1988 as the 330th Combat Flight Instructor Squadron. The 330 CFIS received aircraft from the inactivating 320th Bombardment Wing (441st BS) at Mather AFB. Inactivated in 1991 after the end of the Cold War and the reduction of the B-52 fleet.

Lineage

Activated on 1 March 1942
Redesignated: 330th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 20 August 1943
Redesignated: 330th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 23 May 1945
Redesignated: 330th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 28 May 1948
Redesignated: 330th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 1 February 1955
Inactivated on 15 September 1963
Redesignated as 330th Combat Flight Instructor Squadron on 5 Aug 1988
Activated on 24 Aug 1988.
Redesignated as 330th Flying Training Squadron on 1 Jun 1992.
Inactivated on 20 Jan 1994.
Redesignated as 330th Combat Training Squadron on 28 Jun 2002.
Activated on 13 Aug 2002.
Allotted to the National Guard Bureau on 1 Oct 2002.
Relieved from allotment to the National Guard Bureau, and assigned to Air Combat Command, on 1 Oct 2011.

Assignments

Stations

Air echelon operated from: Tafaraoui Airfield, Algeria, 7–15 December 1942
Air echelon operated from: RAF Gambut, Libya, 16 December 1942-25 February 1943
Air echelon operated from: Benghazi Airport, Libya, 27 June-25 August 1943
Air echelon operated from: Oudna Airfield, Tunisia, 18 September-3 October 1943

Aircraft

See also

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

    External links

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