322d Bombardment Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 322d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last was assigned to the 91st Bombardment Wing, stationed at Glasgow Air Force Base
, Montana
. It was inactivated on 25 June 1968.
in the southeastern United States with final training under Second Air Force
in Washington. Deployed to European Theater of Operations (ETO), assigned to VIII Bomber Command
in England, being one of the first heavy bomb squadrons arriving in England. The 322d was one of the most highly decorated strategic heavy bomb squadrons in the European Theater, flying combat missions over Nazi Germany and Occupied Europe until the German capitulation in May 1945. Most personnel demobilized in England immediately after the end of the war in Europe, Squadron returned to the United States with a small headquarters staff and was planned to be re-equipped and remanned as a B-29 Superfortress
squadron. Japanese capitulation canceled plans and was inactivated as a paper unit in the United States during November 1945.
Activated in Japan
during 1950 as a result of the Korean War
. Equipped with RB-29 reconnaissance bombers for strategic reconnaissance missions over Korea, and the Northern Pacific coast of Communist China
and the Soviet Union
. Re-equipped with RB-45C Tornado jet reconnaissance aircraft, flying reconnaissance and mapping combat missions over Korea until being assigned to the United States in mid 1952. Re-equipped with RB-47E Stratojets, performed various reconnaissance missions on a worldwide scale until inactivation in 1957.
Activated as a SAC B-52D Stratofortress heavy bomber squadron in 1963 as a redesignation of the provisional 326th Bombardment Squadron. Deployed to Western Pacific, engaging in Arc Light
combat missions over Indochina beginning in 1966 - 1968. Inactivated due to budget reductions and closure of Glasgow AFB in 1968.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit. Its last was assigned to the 91st Bombardment Wing, stationed at Glasgow Air Force Base
Glasgow Air Force Base
Glasgow Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located approximately north of the city of Glasgow, Valley County, Montana, not far from the Canadian border...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. It was inactivated on 25 June 1968.
History
Established as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomb squadron in early 1942; trained under Third Air ForceThird Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
in the southeastern United States with final training under Second Air Force
Second Air Force
The Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
in Washington. Deployed to European Theater of Operations (ETO), assigned to VIII Bomber Command
VIII Bomber Command
The VIII Bomber Command is an inactive United States Army Air Forces unit that is better known as the later appellation Eighth Air Force, as was popularized in post-World War II filmsand is frequently called the First Eighth Air Force by its veterans and successors in the services.The command was...
in England, being one of the first heavy bomb squadrons arriving in England. The 322d was one of the most highly decorated strategic heavy bomb squadrons in the European Theater, flying combat missions over Nazi Germany and Occupied Europe until the German capitulation in May 1945. Most personnel demobilized in England immediately after the end of the war in Europe, Squadron returned to the United States with a small headquarters staff and was planned to be re-equipped and remanned as a B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
squadron. Japanese capitulation canceled plans and was inactivated as a paper unit in the United States during November 1945.
Activated in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
during 1950 as a result of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. Equipped with RB-29 reconnaissance bombers for strategic reconnaissance missions over Korea, and the Northern Pacific coast of Communist China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
and the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. Re-equipped with RB-45C Tornado jet reconnaissance aircraft, flying reconnaissance and mapping combat missions over Korea until being assigned to the United States in mid 1952. Re-equipped with RB-47E Stratojets, performed various reconnaissance missions on a worldwide scale until inactivation in 1957.
Activated as a SAC B-52D Stratofortress heavy bomber squadron in 1963 as a redesignation of the provisional 326th Bombardment Squadron. Deployed to Western Pacific, engaging in Arc Light
Arc Light
Arc Light is the debut novel by Eric L. Harry, a techno-thriller about limited nuclear war published in 1994 and written in 1991-2.As China and Russia clash in Siberia in June 1999, nuclear missiles strike the United States. The U.S. retaliates against Russia, and World War III begins...
combat missions over Indochina beginning in 1966 - 1968. Inactivated due to budget reductions and closure of Glasgow AFB in 1968.
Lineage
- Constituted 322d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 January 1942
- Activated on 15 April 1942
- Inactivated on 7 November 1945
- Redesignated 322d Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) on 23 May 1950
- Activated in Japan on 6 July 1950
- Inactivated on 8 November 1957
- Redesignated 322d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), and activated on 15 November 1962
- Organized on 1 February 1963 by redesignation of 326th Bombardment Squadron326th Bombardment SquadronThe 326th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 4141st Strategic Wing, stationed at Glasgow Air Force Base, Montana. It was inactivated on 1 February 1963.-World War II:...
- Inactivated on 25 June 1968
Assignments
- 91st Bombardment Group, 15 April 1942-7 November 1945
- 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Group, 6 July 1950
- 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 28 May 1952-8 November 1957
- Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air CommandThe Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
, 15 November 1962 - 91st Bombardment Wing, 1 February 1963-25 June 1968
- Detached to Advanced Echelon, 3d Air Division: 11 September 1966–31 March 1967; 15 February–30 April 1968
- Not Operational: 1 May-25 June 1968
Stations
- Harding Army Air Field, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, 15 April 1942 - MacDill Field, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, 16 May 1942 - Walla Walla Army Air Base, Washington, c. 28 June-24 August 1942
- RAF KimboltonRAF KimboltonRAF Kimbolton is a former World War II airfield in England, located 8 miles west of Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire.-USAAF use:The airfield was originally built in 1941 for RAF Bomber Command, then expanded to Class A airfield standards for use by American heavy bombers during 1942. Kimbolton was...
(AAF-117), EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 13 September 1942 (ground echelon), early October 1942 (air echelon) - RAF BassingbournRAF BassingbournRAF Bassingbourn is a former military airbase located in Cambridgeshire approximately north of Royston, Hertfordshire and south west of Cambridge. During World War II it served first as an RAF station and then as a bomber base of the U.S. Eighth Air Force...
(AAF-121), EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 14 October 1942-23 June 1945 - Drew Field, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, 3 July-7 November 1945 - Barksdale AFB, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, 6 July 1950
- Deployed to Johnson AB and Yokota AB, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
6 July 1950-28 May 1952- Lockbourne AFB, OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, 11 September 1951-8 November 1957 - Glasgow AFB, MontanaMontanaMontana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, 1 February 1963-25 June 1968
- Lockbourne AFB, Ohio
- Deployed to Andersen AFB, GuamGuamGuam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
for Arc Light Missions, 11 September 1966-c. 31 March 1967 - Deployed to Kadena AB, Okinawa for Arc Light Missions, 16 February-c. 30 April 1968
Aircraft
- B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942–1945
- RB-29 Superfortress, 1950
- RB-45C TornadoB-45 TornadoThe North American B-45 Tornado was the United States Air Force's first operational jet bomber, and the first jet aircraft to be refueled in the air. The B-45 was an important part of the United States's nuclear deterrent for several years in the early 1950s, but was rapidly succeeded by the Boeing...
, 1950–1953 - RB-47E Stratojet, 1953–1957
- B-52D Stratofortress, 1963–1968