397th Bombardment Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 397th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last assignment was with the VI Bomber Command
, based at Rio Hato Army Air Base
, Panama
. It was inactivated on 1 November 1946.
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 assignment was with the VI Bomber Command
VI Bomber Command
The VI Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Sixth Air Force, based at Albrook Field, Canal Zone...
, based at Rio Hato Army Air Base
Rio Hato Airport
Río Hato Airport is an airport and former Panamanian Defense Base in Panama, Río Hato.-International Airport:In 2011 the Government of Panama gave the order to proceed for the project to rebuild the airport...
, Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. It was inactivated on 1 November 1946.
Heraldry
On a blue diamond piped with red with its long axis horizontal a white sword pointing to the dexter [sic] behind a white shield displaying a black portcullis. (Approved 5 May 1924.)Lineage
- Organized as 7th Aero Squadron on 29 March 1917
- Redesignated: 7th Squadron on 14 March 1921
- Redesignated: 7th Observation Squadron on 25 January 1925
- Redesignated: 7th Reconnaissance Squadron on 1 September 1937
- Redesignated: 7th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium Range) on 6 December 1939
- Redesignated: 7th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) on 20 November 1940
- Redesignated: 397th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 11 May 1942
- Inactivated on 1 November 1946.
Assignments
- Panama Canal Department, 29 March 1917
- 3d Observation (later 6th Observation, later 6th Composite, later 6th Bombardment) Group6th Air Mobility WingThe United States Air Force's 6th Air Mobility Wing is the host wing for MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. It is part of Air Mobility Command's Eighteenth Air Force....
, assigned on 30 September 1919, attached on 1 February 1940, and assigned on 5 May 1942
- Associated with: 1st Photographic Group1st Photographic GroupThe 1st Photographic Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 311th Photographic Wing, stationed at Buckley Field, Colorado. It was inactivated on 5 October 1944.-History:...
, 10 Jun 1941-22 Apr 1942 (training)- VI Bomber CommandVI Bomber CommandThe VI Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Sixth Air Force, based at Albrook Field, Canal Zone...
, 1 November 1943-1 November 1946.
- VI Bomber Command
Stations
- AnconAncón, PanamaAncón is a "corregimiento" in central Panama , northeast of the [town-]limits of the town of Balboa. Ancon Hill is also the name of a large hill that overlooks Panama City, and served as a form of protection from pirates, and sea invasion...
, Panama Canal ZonePanama Canal ZoneThe Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
, 29 March 1917 - Corozal, Panama Canal ZonePanama Canal ZoneThe Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
, 16 April 1917 - Empire, Panama Canal ZonePanama Canal ZoneThe Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
, May 1917 - Fort ShermanFort ShermanFort Sherman is a former United States Army base located on Toro Point at the Atlantic end of the Panama Canal, on the western bank of the Canal directly opposite Colón . It was the primary defensive base for the Atlantic sector of the Canal, and was also the center for US jungle warfare training...
, Panama Canal ZonePanama Canal ZoneThe Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
, c. 29 August 1917 - CristobalCristóbal, ColónCristóbal is a port in the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal. It is located on the western edge of Manzanillo Island and is part of the Panamanian city and province of Colón...
, Panama Canal ZonePanama Canal ZoneThe Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
, March 1918 - Coco Walk (later France Field)Enrique Adolfo Jiménez AirportEnrique Adolfo Jiménez Airport is a commercial airport located in Colón, Panama, offering scheduled airline flights to the national capital, Panama City, and to other destinations....
, Panama Canal ZonePanama Canal ZoneThe Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
, May 1918 - Howard Field, Panama Canal ZonePanama Canal ZoneThe Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
, 26 November 1941 - David FieldEnrique Malek International Airport-Accidents and incidents:On July 13, 1943, there was an accident at this airfield that claimed the life of 12 airmen when their B-17 Flying Fortress stalled during approach and crashed in the runway....
, PanamaPanamaPanama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, 11 December 1941 - Talara AfldCap. FAP Victor Montes Arias Airport-External links:...
, PeruPeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, 18 August 1942 - Rio Hato Army Air BaseRio Hato AirportRío Hato Airport is an airport and former Panamanian Defense Base in Panama, Río Hato.-International Airport:In 2011 the Government of Panama gave the order to proceed for the project to rebuild the airport...
, PanamaPanamaPanama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, c. 4 May 1943 - Seymour Island AirfieldSeymour AirportSeymour Airport is an airport serving the island of Baltra, one of the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador.- Facilities :The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, Galapagos IslandsGalápagos IslandsThe Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator in the Pacific Ocean, west of continental Ecuador, of which they are a part.The Galápagos Islands and its surrounding waters form an Ecuadorian province, a national park, and a...
, c. 7 April 1944 - Rio Hato Army Air BaseRio Hato AirportRío Hato Airport is an airport and former Panamanian Defense Base in Panama, Río Hato.-International Airport:In 2011 the Government of Panama gave the order to proceed for the project to rebuild the airport...
, PanamaPanamaPanama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, c. 6 February 1945-1 November 1946.
Aircraft
- JN-4, R-3 (R-9), and R-4, during period 1917-1919
- DH-4, included JN-4, HS2L, 0A-1, and 0-2, during period 1919-1931
- 0-19, 1930–1937
- OA-4, 1930–1936
- B-10, 1936–1939
- B-18, 1938–1942
- B-17, 1941–1942
- LB-30 (B-29A), 1942–1944
- A-17A, 1943
- RB-17, 1943
- B-24, 1943-1946.