B-24 Liberator units of the United States Army Air Forces

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See also:
List of B-24 Liberator operators
Main article:
B-24 Liberator
Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona
. In 1959 the aircraft was taken out of storage and flown to the museum for restoration and display. It was the last B-24 flight made by the USAF.
376th Bombardment Group
, to which it was originally assigned in September 1943.
The last active USAF B-24, 44-51228 in 1952, just prior to its retirement

This is a list of United States Army Air Forces Consolidated B-24 Liberator units and formations during World War II including variants and other historical information. Heavy bomber training organizations primarily under II Bomber Command in the United States and non-combat units are not included.

The USAAF took delivery of its first B-24As in June 1941, although the B-24D was the first production model delivered in quantity in July 1942. B-24s were assigned to every combat Air Force; at peak inventory, the USAAF had 6,043 B-24 Liberators operating worldwide in September 1944.

Following the end of World War II, the Liberator was rapidly withdrawn from USAAF service, being replaced by the

RFC Kingman, Arizona
in 1945, as the war in Europe had ended and B-29s were doing most of the long-range bombing work in the Pacific.

Only a few Liberators were still around when the

578th Bombardment Squadron
.

Combat Organizations

Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command

Established in October 1942 to deal with the U-boat threat; formed largely from the resources of I Bomber Command. Inactivated in August 1943 when antisubmarine mission was taken over by the United States Navy.

FOOTNOTE: Seventy-seven domestic Antisubmarine B-24D were transferred to the USN as PB4Y-1 in exchange for future allocations.

Fifth Air Force

Originally formed as the Philippine Department Air Force in August 1941; Stationed in the

Papua, recovery of New Guinea, liberation of the Philippines and the Battle of Okinawa
and Formosa.

  • 20th Combat Mapping Squadron
Activated with F-7As in October 1943 (later flew F-7B/F-7B H2X)
Operated from
Occupied Japan
Inactivated 1946

Sixth Air Force

Sixth Air Force begin in February 1917, formally established as Panama Canal Air Force in October 1940. Control of USAAF operations in the Caribbean. Primarily flew antisubmarine patrols over both the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific Ocean approaches to the Panama Canal
.

  • 6th Bombardment Group
Received LB-30s (March 1942) and B-24Ds (September 1942)
3d Bombardment Squadron
25th Bombardment Squadron
29th Bombardment Squadron
74th Bombardment Squadron
395th Bombardment Squadron
397th Bombardment Squadron
6th BG reassigned to United States in November 1943; B-24s remained with various 6th AF squadrons under VI Bomber Command until 1946

Seventh Air Force

Initially formed as the Hawaiian Air Force in October 1940. Operated primarily in

Pacific Ocean Areas
under USN control until July, 1945 when assigned to FEAF.

Eighth Air Force

Was primary heavy bombardment Air Force in the

3d Bombardment Divisions
.

Ninth Air Force

XXIX Tactical Air Command
).

Tenth Air Force

Constituted February 1942. Moved to

China-Burma-India
theater.

  • 7th Bombardment Group
Formed September 1918; deployed to Philippines September 1940; withdrawn to Australia late December 1941; combat in Java Jan-March 1942; deployed to India. Transitioned from B-17C/Ds to B-24s at Karachi, March 1942
9th Bombardment Squadron
436th Bombardment Squadron
492d Bombardment Squadron
493d Bombardment Squadron
Inactivated December 1945

Eleventh Air Force

Formed February 1942. Based in

Japanese Home Islands
in 1943.

  • 28th Composite Group
Received LB-30s and B-24s at
Elmendorf Field
, Alaska, 1942
21st Bombardment Squadron
36th Bombardment Squadron
404th Bombardment Squadron
Inactivated October 1945

Twelfth Air Force

Formed November 1942. Operated B-24s in

Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) primarily supporting Fifth Army (XII Tactical Air Command) in Italy
, also operating in Southern France and Germany supporting Seventh Army.

Twelfth Air Force had several B-17 Flying Fortress groups which were transferred from
VIII Bomber Command in England when the command was formed in the fall of 1942. In Tunisia, the Liberator-equipped 98th and 376th Bombardment Groups were briefly transferred from Ninth Air Force in October 1943 to the command. All of Twelfth AF's heavy bomb groups were reassigned to Fifteenth Air Force
in November.

Thirteenth Air Force

Formed on 14 December 1942. Operated primarily in

Pacific Theater of Operations
(PTO)

  • 868th Bombardment Squadron
Established in July 1943 with SB-24 RADAR aircraft; assigned directly to 13th AF Headquarters. Flew low level, anti-shipping strikes under the cover of darkness. Also flew as pathfinders for high-altitude bombers. Special missions were flown against land targets at night and one of the intentions was to prevent the Japanese from sleeping. Stationed in
Okinawa
. Inactivated December 1945

Fourteenth Air Force

Formed out of the

China-Burma-India Theater

  • 308th Bombardment Group
Formed with B-24s in April 1942; deployed to China in March 1943
373d Bombardment Squadron
374th Bombardment Squadron
375th Bombardment Squadron
425th Bombardment Squadron
Inactivated October 1945

Fifteenth Air Force

Activated in

Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) operating from airfields in Southern Italy. Had 15 B-24 groups. Bombing raids against targets in Italy, then took part in raids on Germany, Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, and Romania
. Supported the invasion of southern France.

  • 376th Bombardment Group
Previously served with both the Ninth and Twelfth Air Forces before being assigned to the Fifteenth Air Force in November 1943. Stationed in Tunisia and later Southern Italy. Inactivated November 1945.
Assigned directly to 15th AF Headquarters. Flew B-17s, B-24s and other aircraft types as needed. Engaged in special operations in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, December 1944-May 1945
859th Bombardment Squadron
885th Bombardment Squadron

Twentieth Air Force

Constituted April 1944. Primarily equipped with Boeing B-29 Superfortresses but there were two reconnaissance squadrons equipped with B-24s and F-7s that were stationed on the Northern Mariana Islands. Both units reported to XXI Bomber Command Headquarters.

  • 3d Reconnaissance Squadron
Active September 1944-September 1945.
Flew photographic, electronic, and weather reconnaissance missions in Western Pacific
  • 55th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron
Activated as 655th Reconnaissance Squadron, January 1945; redesignated June 1945.
Flew weather reconnaissance flights for XXI Bomber Command headquarters target and route planning for bombardment missions. Inactivated April 1946.

References

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

  • Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, AL: Office of Air Force History.
    ISBN 0-89201-092-4
    .
  • 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
    .

External links
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