World War II

461st Bombardment Group Liberators attacking Muhldorf

The 766th Bombardment Squadron was activated at Wendover Field, Utah on 1 July 1943 as one of the four original squadrons assigned to the 461st Bombardment Group. After training with Consolidated B-24 Liberators under the Second and Fourth Air Forces in the United States, the squadron departed for the Mediterranean Theater of Operations on New Year's Day of 1944.^[1][2][3]

The squadron arrived at its combat station, Torretto Airfield, Italy by the end of February 1944.^[1] The air echelon ferried its Liberators to Italy via the Southern Ferry Route, pausing for additional training in North Africa before joining the ground echelon in Italy. The squadron flew its first combat mission in April 1944.^[4]

The squadron was engaged primarily in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, attacking communications, industrial facilities and other enemy strategic targets in Austria, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania and Yugoslavia. It participated in the campaign against Axis petroleum production with attacks against facilities at Most Czechoslovakia; Blechhammer, Germany; and Moosbierbaum and Vienna in Austria. It received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for an attack on petroleum facilities at Ploiești, Romania on 15 July 1944, when it heavily damaged its objective, despite clouds and smoke obscuring the target and opposition by flak and interceptors.^[4]

it also conducted strategic attacks against enemy airfields and aircraft manufacturing centers. On one of its early missions, it attacked an aircraft component manufacturing facility at Budapest, Hungary, battling its way through enemy air defenses. This attack earned the squadron its first DUC.^[4]

The squadron was occasionally diverted from its strategic mission, flying air support and air interdiction missions. During Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France in August 1944, it hit artillery positions. The following month it flew airlift missions, transporting supplies to forces in France. Some of its last missions were flown to support Operation Grapeshot, the spring 1945 offensive in northern Italy.^[4]

Following V-E Day, the squadron flew supplies to prisoners of war in Austria. It began returning to the United States in early July. It reassembled at Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota at the end of the month and was inactivated there on 28 August 1945.^[1][4]

Tactical bomber operations

Prompted by experience in the Korean War, the Air Force decided to increase its air support and air interdiction capabilities to support ground forces in the mid-1950s. As part of this increase, it organized the 461st Bombardment Wing, which included the squadron, at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, in December 1953.^[1] The squadron was intended to be a Martin B-57 Canberra unit, but these aircraft were not available, so it was initially equipped with Douglas B-26 Invaders.^[5] Officer cadre for the squadron was drawn from 4th Tow Target Squadron at George Air Force Base, California. Facilities at Hill required development and combat readiness training did not begin until July 1954.^[6]

After activation, the squadron trained in light bomber operations and participated in exercises, including simulated deployments. In January 1955, the unit began to receive B-57s and was fully equipped by the end of the year. However, Hill's parking and hangar space was inadequate for the B-57s and even as they began to arrive, the unit anticipated a move to Blytheville Air Force Base, Arkansas, which was being developed by the Corps of Engineers for reopening in 1955.^[7][8] In March 1956, the squadron finally moved from Hill to Blytheville.^[1]

The conversion to the Canberra brought a number of changes. The new aircraft was subject to several periods of grounding, and the unit faced shortfalls in the number of aircrew available. The unit's mission was also changed several times, with the delivery of tactical nuclear weapons taking priority over conventional weapons delivery, although conventional weapons remained as a secondary mission.^[9] The squadron inactivated in January 1958 as Tactical Air Command, under budget pressures, prepared to transfer Blytheville to Strategic Air Command (SAC).^[1][5][8]

Assignments

• 461st Bombardment Group, 1 July 1943 – 28 August 1945
• 461st Bombardment Group, 23 December 1953 – 8 January 1958^[1]

Stations

Aircraft

• Consolidated B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945
• Douglas B-26 Invader, 1954–1955
• Martin B-57 Canberra, 1955–1958^[1]

Awards and campaigns

Award streamer	Award	Dates	Notes
	Distinguished Unit Citation	13 April 1944	Budapest, Hungary[1]
	Distinguished Unit Citation	15 July 1944	Ploesti, Romania[1]

Campaign Streamer	Campaign	Dates	Notes
	Air Offensive, Europe	c. 18 February 1944 – 5 June 1944	[1]
	Air Combat, EAME Theater	c. 18 February 1944 – 11 May 1945	[1]
	Rome-Arno	c. 18 February – 9 September 1944	[1]
	Central Europe	22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945	[1]
	Northern France	25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944	[1]
	Southern France	15 August 1944 – 14 September 1944	[1]
	North Apennines	10 September 1944 – 4 April 1945	[1]
	Rhineland	15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945	[1]
	Po Valley	3 April 1945 – 8 May 1945	[1]

Notes

Explanatory notes

Citations

Bibliography

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

• 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.
• Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.

Further reading

• Watkins, Robert A. (2009). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force In World War II. Vol. IV, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-3401-6.