339th Bombardment Squadron

The 339th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its was last assigned to the 96th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, where it was inactivated on 15 March 1963.

339th Combat Crew Training Squadron
B-47 Stratojet in 96th Bombardment Wing markings
Active	1942–1945; 1947–1949; 1953–1963
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	medium bomber
Engagements	European Theater of Operations[1]
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award[1]
Insignia
339th Bombardment Squadron emblem (approved 27 October 1942)[1]

History

World War II

Established as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber squadron; trained under Second Air Force. Deployed to European Theater of Operations (ETO), assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England, Flew combat missions over Nazi Germany and Occupied Europe until the German capitulation in May 1945.

Reserve operations

Activated as a reserve B-29 Superfortress squadron, 1947. Not equipped or manned; inactivated due to budget reductions, 1949.

Strategic Air Command

Reactivated in 1953 as a Strategic Air Command B-47 Stratojet squadron. Performed global deployments and training until inactivated in 1963. With the phaseout of the B-47 the training aircraft sent to storage at Davis–Monthan and the squadron was inactivated.

Lineage

• Constituted as the 339th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 January 1942

Activated on 15 July 1942

Redesignated 339th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on c. 21 June 1943

Inactivated on 19 December 1945

• Redesignated 339th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 13 May 1947

Activated in the reserve on 29 May 1947

Inactivated on 27 June 1949

• Redesignated 339th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 6 November 1953

Activated on 18 November 1953

Inactivated on 15 March 1963[1]

Assignments

• 96th Bombardment Group, 15 July 1942 – 15 December 1945
• 96th Bombardment Group, 29 May 1947
• 384th Bombardment Group, 8 October 1947 – 27 June 1949
• 96th Bombardment Wing (later 96th Strategic Aerospace) Wing), 18 November 1953 – 15 March 1963[1]

Stations

Salt Lake City Army Air Base, Utah, 15 July 1942 Gowen Field, Idaho, 6 August 1942 Walla Walla Army Air Base, Washington, 16 August 1942 Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota, 29 September 1942 Pocatello Army Airfield, Idaho, 1 November 1942 Pyote Army Air Base, Texas, 3 January-16 April 1943

RAF Great Saling (AAF-485), England, 12 May 1943 RAF Snetterton Heath (AAF-138),[2] England, 12 June 1943 – 11 December 1945 Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 17–19 December 1945 Jackson Army Air Base, Mississippi, 29 May 1947 – 27 June 1949 Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, 18 November 1953[3]

Aircraft

• Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1943–1945
• Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1955–1963[1]

References

Notes

1. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 419-420
2. Station number in Anderson
3. Station information in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 419-420, except as noted.

Bibliography

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

• Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
• 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.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.

External links