333d Bombardment Group
Encyclopedia
The 333d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last was assigned to the 316 Bombardment Wing
, stationed at Kadena Air Base
, Okinawa. It was inactivated on 28 May 1946
. Trained pilots and aircrews from July 1942 to April 1944.
Realigned as an operational B-29 Superfortress
very heavy bomb group in July 1944. Trained under Second Air Force until June 1945, being deployed to Okinawa as part of the new Eighth Air Force
in the Pacific Theater. Arrived in Okinawa but Japanese Capitulation led to drawdown of Eighth Air Force and the squadron never was engaged in combat. Flew show-of-force missions over Occupied Japan
and aircraft helped evacuate prisoners of war from Japan and China to airfields in the Philippines. Personnel demobilized and aircraft flown to storage in the United States in May 1946 and the unit was inactivated as a paper unit in Okinawa on 28 May.
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 316 Bombardment Wing
316th Air Division
The 316th Airlift Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, assigned to Seventeenth Air Force, being stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany...
, stationed at Kadena Air Base
Kadena Air Base
, is a United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Kadena Air Base is the hub of U.S. airpower in the Pacific, and home to the USAF's 18th Wing and a variety of associate units.-Units:The 18th Wing is the host unit at Kadena...
, Okinawa. It was inactivated on 28 May 1946
History
Established as a B-17 Flying Fortress Operational Training Unit (OTU) for replacement personnel under Second Air ForceSecond 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....
. Trained pilots and aircrews from July 1942 to April 1944.
Realigned as an operational 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...
very heavy bomb group in July 1944. Trained under Second Air Force until June 1945, being deployed to Okinawa as part of the new Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
in the Pacific Theater. Arrived in Okinawa but Japanese Capitulation led to drawdown of Eighth Air Force and the squadron never was engaged in combat. Flew show-of-force missions over Occupied Japan
Occupied Japan
At the end of World War II, Japan was occupied by the Allied Powers, led by the United States with contributions also from Australia, India, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. This foreign presence marked the first time in its history that the island nation had been occupied by a foreign power...
and aircraft helped evacuate prisoners of war from Japan and China to airfields in the Philippines. Personnel demobilized and aircraft flown to storage in the United States in May 1946 and the unit was inactivated as a paper unit in Okinawa on 28 May.
Assignments
- II Bomber CommandII Bomber CommandThe II Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Second Air Force, based at Fort George Wright, Washington. It was inactivated on 6 October 1943....
, 15 July 1942 – 1 April 1944 - 21st Bombardment Wing, 7 July 1944 – 31 August 1945
- 316 Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy316th Air DivisionThe 316th Airlift Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, assigned to Seventeenth Air Force, being stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany...
, 31 August 1945 – 28 May 1946
Stations assigned
- Topeka Army Air Base, KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, 15 July 1942 - Dalhart Army Airfield, Texas, 22 February 1943 – 1 April 1944; 7 July 1944 – 13 January 1945
- Great Bend Army AirfieldGreat Bend Army AirfieldGreat Bend Army Airfield is a closed United States Air Force base. It is located west-southwest of Great Bend, Kansas, and was closed in 1946. Today it is used as Great Bend Municipal Airport....
, KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, 13 January – 18 June 1945 - Kadena AB, Okinawa 5 August 1945 – 28 May 1946
Operational Units
- B-24 LiberatorB-24 LiberatorThe Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
squadrons- 466th Bombardment Squadron966th Airborne Air Control SquadronThe 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron is part of the 552d Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates the E-3 Sentry aircraft conducting airborne command and control missions.-Mission:...
, 15 July 1942—1 April 1944 - 467th Bombardment Squadron467th Bombardment SquadronThe 467th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 333d Bombardment Group, stationed at Dalhart Army Air Field, Texas. It was inactivated on 1 April 1944-History:...
, 15 July 1942—1 April 1944 - 468th Bombardment Squadron68th Air Refueling SquadronThe 68th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 305th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Bunker Hill Air Force Base, Indiana. It was inactivated on 25 March 1965.-History:...
, 15 July 1942—1 April 1944 - 469th Bombardment Squadron, 15 July 1942—1 April 1944
- 466th Bombardment Squadron
- B-29 SuperfortressB-29 SuperfortressThe 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...
squadrons- 435th Bombardment Squadron435th Bombardment SquadronThe 435th Bombardment Squadron, also known as the "Kangaroo" Squadron, is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Eighth Air Force 333d Bombardment Group, based at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa...
, 7 July 1944 – 28 May 1946 - 460th Bombardment Squadron460th Bombardment SquadronThe 460th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 333d Bombardment Group, stationed at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. It was inactivated on 28 May 1946.-History:...
, 7 July 1944 – 28 May 1946 - 507th Bombardment Squadron507th Bombardment SquadronThe 507th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 333d Bombardment Group, stationed at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. It was inactivated on 28 May 1946.-History:...
, 7 July 1944 – 28 May 1946
- 435th Bombardment Squadron