442nd Air Expeditionary Squadron

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This article is about the 442d Air Expeditionary Squadron. For the 442d Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron, see 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group § Units.

442d Air Expeditionary Squadron
442nd Air Expeditionary Squadron Aerial Port Operations at Al Taji Air Base
Active1942–1945; 1947–1949; 1952–1960; 2018-2020
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleExpeditionary Support
Part ofAir Combat Command
Motto(s)Qui Liberata Punire Impius (Latin for 'Those Free to Punish the Wicked')
EngagementsMediterranean Theater of Operations
European Theater of Operations[1]
DecorationsDistinguished Unit Citation
French Croix de Guerre with Palm[1][2]
Insignia
442d Air Expeditionary Squadron emblem[a][3]

The 442nd Air Expeditionary Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit.

The squadron was first activated during World War II as the 442nd Bombardment Squadron. It served in combat in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, where it earned two Distinguished Unit Citations and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm. After V-E Day, the squadron returned to the United States for inactivation.

Although briefly active in the reserve from 1947 to 1949, the squadron was primarily a Strategic Air Command bomber unit with Boeing B-47 Stratojets. The squadron was inactivated in 1960, in connection with the phasing out of the B-47.

Since 2011, the squadron has been active in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

History[edit]

World War II[edit]

Initial organization and training in the United States[edit]

The squadron was first established at MacDill Field, Florida on 1 July 1942 as the 442nd Bombardment Squadron, one of the four original squadrons of the 320th Bombardment Group, a Martin B-26 Marauder medium bomber groupp.[1][5][6] The squadron trained rapidly in Florida, completing Phase I (individual) Operational Training at MacDill and Phase II (aircrew) Operational Training at Drane Field until beginning to move its aircraft to England in August without starting Phase III (unit) training.[7]

The air echelon departed for Baer Field, Indiana on 19 August with initial plans calling for the squadron's air echelon to move to Europe via the North Atlantic Ferrying Route. At Baer Field, it received B-26s direct from the factory. However, these planes were soon withdrawn and transferred to the 319th Bombardment Group, the first B-26 group to fly its bombers across the Atlantic.[7][b] The air echelon continued training at Baer Field with the few Marauders it had remaining. After delays continuing to November, it moved to Morrison Field, Florida to begin ferrying its planes using the South Atlantic Ferrying Route.[1][7]

The ground echelon of the squadron, meanwhile, departed the United States on the RMS Queen Mary on 5 September, arriving at RAF Hethel on 12 September, and moving to RAF Tibenham at the beginning of October.[1][8] In England, it received additional training from units of Eighth Air Force.[7] It departed for North Africa on 21 November 1942.[1][8] The air echelon never conducted operations from England, with their Marauders arriving in North Africa between December 1942 and January 1943.[5]

Combat in the Mediterranean Theater[edit]

320th Group B-26 Marauder after attacking a bridge over the Rhone River near Arles[c]

The squadron and its aircraft arrived at its first true overseas station, Oran Es Sénia Airport, Algeria, in early January 1943.[1] The squadron had mine dropping equipment installed on its bomb racks for attacks against enemy submarines. The squadron was withdrawn from antisubmarine combat in February for rest and the antisubmarine mission was transferred to the Royal Air Force.[9] However, it did not fly its first bombing missions until April 1943, by which time it had moved to Montesquieu Airfield, Algeria from its training base at Tafaraoui Airfield, Algeria. Until July 1943, operating from bases in Algeria and Tunisia, it flew missions against enemy shipping on the approaches to Tunis It flew missions against Tunisia and participated in Operation Corkscrew, the projected invasion of Pantelleria. The following month it provided air support for Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily.[5]

The squadron bombed marshalling yards. bridges airfields, road junctions, viaducts, harbors, fuel and supply dumps, defense positions and other targets in Italy. It supported Operation Avalanche, the landings near Salerno, on the Italian mainland, and knocked out targets to aid the seizure of Naples and to cross the Volturno River. It flew missions against Anzio and Monte Cassino and flew interdiction missions in central Italy in preparation for the Allied approach to Rome.[1][5]

In November 1943, the squadron moved to Decimomannu Airfield on Sardinia[1] to be better positioned to attack targets in central and northern Italy. Its efforts supporting preparations for and execution of the Allied offensive in central Italy in April through June 1944, including the French breathrough of the Gustav Line,[10] earned the squadron a French Croix de Guerre with Palm. On 12 May 1944, in the face of an intense antiaircraft artillery barrage, it bombed enemy troop concentrations near Fondi supporting United States Fifth Army's advance on Rome, for which it was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC).[1] From June to November 1944, it flew interdiction missions in the Po Valley.[5]

Combat in northern Europe and inactivation[edit]

After the Allies carried out Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France, in August 1944, the squadron flew air support missions there, moving to Dijon-Longvic Airfield, France in November. It bombed bridges, railroads, gun positions, barracks, supply and munitions dumps and other targets in France and Germany unitl V-E Day. Near the end of the war, on 15 March 1945, the squadron bombed pillboxes, weapons pits, trenches and roads within the Siegfried Line to enable the breakthrough of the United States Seventh Army, for which it was awarded a second DUC.[5]

Following the end of the war, the squadron moved to AAF Station Herzogenaurach, Germany, where it took part in Operation Eclipse, the air disarmament campaign, acting as teams to disband the Luftwaffe, and packing its most advanced equipment for shipment back to the US,[11] until the fall, when it moved to France to prepare for return to the US. It departed Europe in November 1945 and was inactivated on its arrival at the Port of Embarkation in December.[1][5]

Reserves[edit]

Reactivated in the reserves in 1947. Never manned or equipped.

Strategic Air Command operations[edit]

320th Bombardment Wing B-47 Stratojet[d]

Reactivated in 1952 as a Boeing B-47 Stratojet squadron,. Initially equipped with prototypes of the Boeing RB-47B Stratojet (YRB-47) to perform long-range photo-reconnaissance with a flight of Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers assigned. In November 1953 began to receive production B-47E medium bomber aircraft; prototype reconnaissance aircraft already received exchanged for medium bomber versions. Participated in SAC REFLEX deployments to Europe and North Africa throughout the 1950s. Inactivated in 1960 as part of the phaseout of the B-47, aircraft sent to storage at Davis-Monthan.

Expeditionary operations[edit]

The squadron redesignated as the 442nd Air Expeditionary Squadron and converted to provisional status on 13 May 2011.[1] It activated at Ebril Air Base in Iraq on 17 January 2017 to provide combat support to Operation Inherent Resolve, supporting the movement of cargo and personnel across the Combined Joint Task Force area of operations. It inactivated on the 10 June 2021, with its role passed to the 443rd Air Expeditionary Squadron which activated at Al Asad Air Base.[12]

Lineage[edit]

  • Constituted as the 442nd Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 19 June 1942
Activated on 1 July 1942
Redesignated 442nd Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 9 October 1944
Inactivated on 6 December 1945
  • Redesignated 442nd Bombardment Squadron, Light on 26 May 1947
Activated in the reserve on 9 July 1947
Inactivated on 27 June 1949
  • Redesignated 442nd Bombardment Squadron, Medium and activated on 1 December 1952
Discontinued on 15 September 1960
  • Redesignated 442nd Air Expeditionary Squadron and converted to provisional status on 13 May 2011[1]
Activated 17 January 2017[12]
Inactivated 10 June 2021[12]

Assignments[edit]

  • 320th Bombardment Group, 1 July 1942 – 4 December 1945
  • 320th Bombardment Group, 9 July 1947 – 27 June 1949
  • 320th Bombardment Wing, 1 December 1952 – 15 September 1960
  • Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate as needed after 13 May 2011[1]
* 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, 17 January 2017 – 10 June 2021[12]

Stations[edit]

Aircraft[edit]

  • Martin B-26 Marauder, 1942–1945
  • Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1952–1953
  • Boeing YRB-47B Stratojet, 1953
  • Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1953–1960[1]

References[edit]

Notes[edit]

Explanatory notes
  1. ^ Approved 10 August 1953. Description: On a blue shaded disc, or globe, a blue left palm cut off at the wrist supporting a white globe marked with black meridian lines of latitude and longitude; the globe cross encircled by a red vapor track issuing from a stylized jet bomber bearing toward 3 o'clock in red.
  2. ^ The 319th Bombardment Group suffered several losses on its ferry flight, as winter weather began to impact the northern ferry route and planes were delayed for weather or aircraft malfunctions. As a result, beginning with the 320th Group, further deployments of B-26 units to Europe travelled over the South Atlantic route, Freeman, pp. 15, 55.
  3. ^ Aircraft is Martin B-26G-5-MA Marauder, serial 43-34240. This aircraft was hit by German flak and exploded while attacking a roadblock near Covigliano, Italy on 23 August 1944. There were no survivors reported, though three parachutes were reported. Missing Aircrew Report 7997.
  4. ^ Aircraft is Boeing B-47B-50-BW Stratojet, serial 51-2307. This aircraft was retired to the Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center on 2 September 1960. It is now on display outside Grissom Air Reserve Base, Indiana, but carries the marking of another plane. Baugher, Joe (4 October 2023). "1951 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
Citations
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Robertson, Patsy (23 August 2011). "Factsheet 442 Air Expeditionary Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  2. ^ "Air Force Personnel Services: Unit Awards". Air Force Personnel Center. Retrieved 27 May 2024. (search)
  3. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 547
  4. ^ Watkins, pp. 84-85
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 199-201
  6. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 546-548
  7. ^ a b c d Tannahill, Victor (2003). "320th Bomb Group History:MacDill/Drane". 320th History Preservation. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  8. ^ a b Freeman, p. 255
  9. ^ Tannahill, Victor (2003). "320th Bomb Group History: Tafaroui". 320th History Preservation. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  10. ^ Tannahill, Victor (2003). "320th Bomb Group History: Decicomammu, Sardinia". 320th History Preservation. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  11. ^ Tannahill, Victor (2003). "320th Bomb Group History: Germany". 320th History Preservation. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  12. ^ a b c d e Donaldson, Master Sgt. Araceli (14 June 2021). "443rd AES; Peace through power, their history lives on". US Air Forces Central. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  13. ^ a b Station number in Anderson, p. 20.
  14. ^ Station number in Johnson, p. 51.
  15. ^ Station number in Johnson, p. 25.
  16. ^ Station number in Johnson, p. 29.
  17. ^ Station number in Johnson, p. 2 1.

Bibliography[edit]

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

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