347th Bombardment Squadron
| 347th Bombardment Squadron | |
|---|---|
Distinguished Unit Citation | |
| Insignia | |
| Patch with 347th Bombardment Squadron emblem[b][1] |  |
| 347th Bombardment Squadron emblem[c][2] |  |
The 347th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive
4047th Strategic Wing, and was inactivated at McCoy Air Force Base
, Florida on 1 April 1963.
The squadron was first activated in 1942. After training in the United States, it moved to the
V-E Day, the squadron remained in Italy until November 1945, when it was inactivated. The squadron was activated in the reserves
from 1947 to 1949, but does not appear to have been fully manned or equipped.
In 1953, the squadron was activated as the 347th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron as part of Strategic Air Command. It returned to the bombardment mission two years later, and served in this role until inactivating in 1963.
History
World War II
The
Mediterranean Theater of Operations.[1]
The squadron's ground echelon went by ship from
Morrison Field, Florida, then along the South Atlantic Route.[citation needed] The ground and air echelons of the squadron were reunited at Navarin Airfield, Algeria in March 1943. It moved forward to Oudna Airfield, Tunisia after the Allies drove Axis forces from North Africa in May 1943. The squadron concentrated on targets such as airfields, harbor facilities, shipping, viaducts and bridges in North Africa, Sicily and Italy.[3] In early June 1943, the squadron participated in Operation Corkscrew, the reduction of Pantelleria Island in preparation for the invasion of Sicily.[4]
The squadron helped neutralize enemy
Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC).[3]
In November 1943, the 347th became part of
marshaling yards, aircraft factories, and other strategic objectives. On 23 April 1944, the squadron participated in an attack on aircraft factories in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, despite heavy enemy interceptor opposition. For this action, it was awarded a second DUC.[3]
Following
V-E Day, the squadron became part of the occupation forces in Italy, until inactivating in November 1945.[1][3]
Air Force reserve
The squadron was again activated under
Strategic Air Command
The squadron was reactivated in January 1953 at
Boeing B-52D Stratofortress
intercontinental heavy bombers.
In 1961 it moved to
367th Bombardment Squadron
, which was simultaneously activated.
Lineage
- Constituted as the 347th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 January 1942
- Activated on 1 June 1942
- Redesignated 347th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 29 September 1944
- Inactivated on 8 November 1945
- Redesignated 347th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 13 May 1947
- Activated in the reserve on 29 May 1947
- Inactivated on 27 June 1949
- Redesignated 347th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Heavy and activated on 1 January 1953.
- Redesignated 347th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 1 October 1955
- Discontinued and inactivated on 1 April 1963[1]
Assignments
- 99th Bombardment Group, 1 June 1942 – 8 November 1945
- 99th Bombardment Group, 29 May 1947 – 27 Jun 1949
- 99th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (later 99th Bombardment Wing), 1 January 1953
- 4047th Strategic Wing, 1 September 1961 – 1 April 1963[1]
Stations
|
|
Aircraft
- Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942–1945
- Convair B-36 Peacemaker, 1953–1956
- Convair RB-36 Peacemaker, 1953–1956
- Boeing B-52D Stratofortress, 1956–1963[1]
Awards and campaigns
| Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Distinguished Unit Citation | 5 July 1943 | Sicily[1] |
|
Distinguished Unit Citation | 23 April 1944 | Austria[1] |
| Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Air Offensive, Europe | 16 March 1943 – 5 June 1944 | [1] |
|
Tunisia | 16 March 1943 – 13 May 1943 | [1] |
|
Air Combat, EAME Theater | 16 March 1943 – 11 May 1945 | [1] |
|
Sicily | 14 May 1943 – 17 August 1943 | [1] |
|
Naples-Foggia | 18 August 1943 – 21 January 1944 | [1] |
|
Anzio | 22 January 1944 – 24 May 1944 | [1] |
|
Rome-Arno | 22 January 1944 – 9 September 1944 | [1] |
|
Central Europe | 22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945 | [1] |
|
Normandy | 6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944 | [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] |
See also
- Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Units of the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
- List of B-52 Units of the United States Air Force
References
Notes
- Explanatory notes
- ^ Aircraft is Boeing B-52D-75-BO Stratofortress, serial 56-591, Tommy's Tigator.
- properand a bolt of lightning red.
- ^ Approved 18 February 1944.
- 340th Bombardment Squadron on 14 November 1943, but was ditched in the Mediterranean after a mission to Toulon, France on 20 November. Baugher, Joe (2 June 2023). "1942 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 430-431
- ^ Watkins, pp. 76–77
- ^ a b c d Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 170-171
- ^ Rodgers, pp. 16, 29
- ^ a b Ravenstein, pp. 281-283
- ^ See Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 431 (no aircraft listed as assigned to the squadron from 1947 to 1949)
- ^ "Abstract, Mission Project Closeup, Continental Air Command". Air Force History Index. 27 December 1961. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
- ^ Knaack, p. 25
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. 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. OCLC 72556. 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.
- Rodgers, Edith C. (May 1947). "The Reduction of Pantelleria and Adjacent Islands, USAF Historical Study No. 52 8 May – 14 June 1943" (PDF). Air Historica Offic, Headquarters, Army Air Forces. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
- 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.
