488th_Bombardment_Squadron Knowpia

488th Bombardment Squadron
488th Bombardment Squadron
	B-47 Stratojet, last aircraft flown by the squadron
Active	1942–1945; 1947–1949; 1952–1963
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	medium bomber
Engagements	Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation
Insignia
488th Bombardment Squadron emblem
488th Bombardment Squadron emblem World War II

The 488th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 340th Bombardment Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, where it was inactivated on 1 September 1963.

History edit

488th Bombardment Squadron B-25 on landing approach to Gaudo Airfield, Italy in early 1944^{[note 3]}

World War II edit

Established as a North American B-25 Mitchell medium bomber squadron in mid-1942, trained by Third Air Force in the southeastern United States. Deployed to IX Bomber Command in Egypt initially in March 1943 via Air Transport Command South Atlantic Route through Caribbean, Brazil, Liberia, Central Africa and Sudan, then reassigned to Mediterranean Theater of Operations, and to XII Bomber Command in Tunisia. Supported Allied ground forces in Tunisian Campaign; participated in Invasions of Sicily and Italy during 1943, supporting Allied ground forces with tactical bombing of enemy targets. Participated in liberation of Corsica during the spring of 1944, then returned to Italy engaging in attacks on enemy ground forces and targets in the Po Valley during the spring of 1945.

This was the squadron Joseph Heller flew in as a bombardier, his experiences leading him to write the famous anti-war novel, Catch-22.

Personnel demobilized in Italy during summer of 1945; squadron returned to the United States, being prepared for deployment to Pacific Theater for use as a tactical bomb squadron in programmed Invasion of Japan. Japanese capitulation led to squadron's inactivation in November 1945.

Reserve operations edit

Activated as a light bomber squadron in the postwar Air Force reserves in 1947; inactivated in 1949 due to budget reductions.

Strategic Air Command edit

Reactivated in October 1952 as a Strategic Air Command (SAC) Boeing B-47 Stratojet squadron. Initially equipped with prototypes of the Boeing RB-47B Stratojet (YRB-47) to perform long-range photo-reconnaissance with a flight of Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers assigned. In November 1953 began to receive production B-47E medium bomber aircraft; prototype reconnaissance aircraft already received exchanged for medium bomber versions. Participated in SAC Reflex deployments to Europe and North Africa throughout the 1950s and 1960s.

In 1963 with the phaseout of the B-47 the aircraft sent to storage at Davis–Monthan and inactivated.

Lineage edit

Constituted as the 488th Bombardment Squadron (Medium)' on 10 August 1942

Activated on 20 August 1942

Redesignated 488th Bombardment Squadron, Medium c. 20 August 1943

Inactivated on 7 November 1945

Redesignated 488th Bombardment Squadron, Light on 8 October 1947

Activated in the reserve on 31 October 1947

Inactivated on 19 August 1949

Redesignated 488th Bombardment Squadron, Medium' on 3 October 1952

Activated on 20 October 1952

Inactivated on 1 September 1963^[3]^[4]

Assignments edit

340th Bombardment Group, 20 August 1942 – 7 November 1945
340th Bombardment Group, 31 October 1947 – 19 August 1949
340th Bombardment Wing, 20 October 1952 – 1 September 1963^[3]^[5]

Stations edit

Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina, 20 August 1942
Walterboro Army Air Field, South Carolina, 1 December 1942 – 30 January 1943
RAF Kabrit, Egypt, 29 March 1943
Medenine Airfield, Tunisia, c. 13 April 1943
Sfax Airfield, Tunisia, 16 April 1943
Hergla Airfield, Tunisia, 3 June 1943
Comiso Airfield, Sicily, Italy, c. 2 August 1943
Catania Airport, Sicily, Italy, 27 August 1943
San Pancrazio Airfield, Italy 29 October 1943

Foggia Airfield, Italy, 25 November 1943
Pompeii Airfield, Italy, 2 January 1944
Gaudo Airfield, Italy, 22 March 1944
Alesani Airfield, Corsica, France, c. 11 April 1944
Rimini Airfield, Italy, 7 April – 16 July 1945
Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina, 9 August 1945
Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina, c. 2 October – 7 November 1945
Tulsa Municipal Airport, Oklahoma, 31 October 1947 – 19 August 1949
Sedalia Air Force Base (later Whiteman Air Force Base), Missouri, 20 October 1952 – 1 September 1963^[3]^[6]

Aircraft edit

North American B-25 Mitchell, 1942–1945
Boeing YRB-47 Stratojet, 1954–1955
Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1955–1963^[3]^[7]

References edit

Notes edit

Explanatory notes

^ Aircraft is Boeing B-47E-BW, serial 51-2394.
^ Approved 16 September 1954.
^ Aircraft is North American B-25J-1, serial 43-27900, "Bottoms-Up II".

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 586-587
^ Watkins, pp. 88-89
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Lineage information through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 586-587
^ See Ravenstein, p. 179 (dates assigned to 340th Wing); Mueller, p. 589 (dates stationed at Whiteman AFB).
^ Ravenstein, p. 179
^ Mueller, p. 589
^ See Ravenstein, p. 179 (aircraft flown by to 340th Wing).

Bibliography edit

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 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
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.