875th Bombardment Squadron
498th Bomb Group B-29 Superfortress
landing at Isely Field Saipan
Active1943–1946
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleHeavy bomber
EngagementsPacific Ocean Theater of World War II
DecorationsDistinguished Unit Citation
Insignia
875th Bombardment Squadron emblem[lower-alpha 1][1]

The 875th Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. The squadron was activated in late 1943 for service during World War II. After training in the United States with Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers, the squadron moved to the Mariana Islands, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Japan, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations before the end of hostilities in August 1945. The squadron returned to the United states in December 1945 and was inactivated in March 1946, and its personnel and equipment transferred to another organization.

History

The squadron was first activated at Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico in November 1943 as one of the four original squadrons of the 498th Bombardment Group, an early Boeing B-29 Superfortress very heavy bomber squadron. The squadron trained in New Mexico and at Great Bend Army Air Field, Kansas with early model B-29s until July 1944, when it began its deployment to the Pacific.[1][2]

The squadron arrived at its combat station, Isely Field, Saipan in September 1944.[1] The squadron's first missions were flown against targets on Iwo Jima and Truk Island. On 24 November 1944, the squadron participated in the first raid on Japan by bombers based in the Mariana Islands. The squadron initially engaged in high altitude daylight attacks against industrial targets in Japan. It was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for an attack on an aircraft manufacturing plant in Nagoya on 13 December 1944.[2]

In March 1945, the Twentieth Air Force changed tactics and the squadron began flying low level night attacks with incendiaries against area targets. The 875th received a second DUC for its actions during a low level raid on urban industries near Kobe and Osaka in June 1945. Squadron operations also included attacks on airfields in Okinawa during the invasion of Okinawa in April 1945. After V-J Day, the squadron remained on Saipan until November and reassembled at March Field, California the following month. It became one of the first bombardment units in Strategic Air Command in March 1946, but was inactivated at MacDill Field, Florida on 4 August and its personnel and equipment were transferred to the 372d Bombardment Squadron, which was simultaneously activated.[1][2][3]

Lineage

  • Constituted as the 875th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 19 November 1943
Activated on 20 November 1943
Inactivated on 4 August 1946[1]

Assignments

  • 498th Bombardment Group, 20 November 1943 – 4 August 1946[1]

Stations

Aircraft

  • Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1944
  • Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1944–1946[1]

Awards and campaigns

Award streamerAwardDatesNotes
Distinguished Unit Citation13 December 1944Japan, 875th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Distinguished Unit Citation1–7 June 1945Japan, 875th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Campaign Streamer Campaign Dates Notes
Air Offensive, Japan7 September 1944 – 2 September 1945875th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Eastern Mandates7 September 1944 – 14 April 1944875th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Western Pacific17 April 1945 – 2 September 1945875th Bombardment Squadron[1]

See also

Notes

Explanatory notes
  1. ↑ Approved 9 November 1944. Description: On an orange disc, border black, a stylized figure of Vulcan in light purple and black, standing over green globe marked with yellow lines of longitude and latitude in base, and holding in the left hand twelve red, jagged lightning flashes arranged seven to dexter, five to sinister, striking a blow with a large light purple and black sledge held aloft in the right hand.
Citations
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 794
  2. 1 2 3 Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 364–365
  3. ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 460–461

References

Public Domain 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.
  • 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.
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