353d Bombardment Squadron

353d Bombardment Squadron
Boeing RB-47H Stratojet 53-4292
Active	1942-1964
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Bombardment
Engagements	World War II - American Campaign (Antisubmarine) World War II - EAME Theater
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation (2x) Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
Emblem of the 353d Bombardment Squadron

The 353d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 301st Bombardment Wing, stationed at Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio. It was inactivated on 8 June 1964.

During World War II, the 353d Bombardment Squadron was a B-17 Flying Fortress squadron, assigned to the 301st Bombardment Group, Fifteenth Air Force. It earned Two Distinguished Unit Citations.

History

Established as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombardment squadron in early 1942; trained under Second Air Force. Flew antisubmarine patrols off the California coast from, late May-early June 1942, then over the Mid-Atlantic coast during June–July 1942.

353d Bomb Squadron B-17F 42-3025

Deployed to European Theater of Operations (ETO) in August 1942, being assigned to VIII Bomber Command, one of the first B-17 heavy bomb squadrons assigned to England. Engaged in strategic bombardment operations over Occupied Europe attacking enemy military and industrial targets. Reassigned to Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) as part of Operation Torch invasion of North Africa. Assigned to Twelfth Air Force and operated from desert airfields in Algeria and Tunisia during North African and Tunisian campaign. Assigned to Northwest African Strategic Air Force during Invasion of Sicily and later Italy in 1943. Allocated to Fifteenth Air Force for strategic bombing of Nazi Germany and occupied Europe. Attacked enemy targets primarily in the Balkans; Southern France; Southern Germany and Austria from southern Italy; engaged in shuttle bombing missions to airfields in the Soviet Union during the summer of 1944.

Personnel largely demobilized after German capitulation in May 1945; squadron reassigned to the United States and was programmed for conversion to B-29 Superfortress operations and deployment to Pacific Theater, plans canceled after Japanese capitulation in August 1945. Aircraft sent to storage and unit inactivated largely as a paper unit in October 1945.

Reactivated in 1946 as a Strategic Air Command B-29 strategic bombardment squadron. Deployed to Furstenfeldbruck AB, Germany, July–August 1948; to RAF Station Scrampton, England, October 1948-January 1949; and to RAF Stations Lakenheath and Sculthorpe, May–November 1950 for "show of force" missions in Europe as a result of the Berlin Blockade by the Soviet Union and rising Cold War tensions in Europe. Squadron deployed to Far East Air Forces in February 1951, flying combat missions over North Korea; attacking strategic industrial and military targets during the Korean War.

Returned to the United States in June 1952, being equipped with YRB-47B Stratojet long-range reconnaissance aircraft. Used for strategic reconnaissance missions until 1953 when production RB-47E aircraft received. Flew reconnaissance missions on a worldwide basis. Operations of unit still classified; suspected that squadron deployed frequently to Thule AB, Greenland and flew missions deep into the heart of the Soviet Union, taking a photographic and radar recording of the routes attacking SAC B-52 bombers would follow to reach their targets. Inactivated in 1964 with phaseout of the B-47 from the inventory.

Lineage

• Constituted 353d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 January 1942

Activated on 3 February 1942.

Re-designated 353d Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 5 August 1945

Inactivated on 15 October 1945

• Activated on 4 August 1946

Re-designated 353d Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 28 May 1948

Inactivated on 16 June 1964

Assignments

• 301st Bombardment Group, 3 February 1942 – 15 October 1945; 4 August 1946 (detached 10 February 1951 – 16 June 1952)
• 301st Bombardment Wing, 16 June 1952 – 8 June 1964

Stations

Geiger Field, Washington, 3 February 1942 Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico, 28 May 1942 Operated From: Muroc Army Air Base, California, c. 28 May-14 June 1942 Richard E. Byrd Field, Virginia, 21 June-19 July 1942 RAF Chelveston (AAF-105), England, 19 August 1942 Tafaraoui Airfield, Algeria, 24 November 1942 Biskra Airfield, Algeria, 21 December 1942 Ain M'lila Airfield, Algeria, 16 January 1943 Saint-Donat Airfield, Algeria, 8 March 1943 Oudna Airfield, Tunisia, 6 August 1943

Cerignola Airfield, Italy, 10 December 1943 Lucera Airfield, Italy, 2 February 1944-July 1945 Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota,28 July 1945 Mountain Home Army Air Field, Idaho, 17 August 1945 Pyote Army Air Base, Texas, 23 August-15 October 1945. Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico, 4 August 1946 Smoky Hill Army Airfield, Kansas, 16 July 1947 Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, 7 November 1949 Deployed to Kadena AB, Okinawa, 10 February 1951-16 June 1952 Lockbourne AFB, Ohio, 15 April 1958 – 8 June 1964

Aircraft

• B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942–1945
• B-29 Superfortress 1946-1952
• YRB-47B Stratojet, 1952–1953
• RB-47E Stratojet, 1953–1964

See also

• Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Units of the Mediterranean Theater of Operations

References

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

• 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.