506th Bombardment Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 506th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last was assigned to the 44th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Chennault Air Force Base
, Louisiana
. It was inactivated on 15 June 1960
heavy bomb squadron, trained under II Bomber Command
in Utah
and Colorado
. Received deployment orders for the European Theater of Operations
(ETO) in February 1943.
Deployed to England
in March 1943, being assigned to VIII Bomber Command
as a strategic bombardment squadron. Participated in the air offensive over Nazi Germany and Occupied Europe. Engaged in very long range strategic bombing missions to enemy military, industrial and transportation targets in Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany
.
Deployed flight of B-24s to IX Bomber Command in North Africa
during the summer of 1943 and conducted strategic bombardment operations from airfields in Libya
and Tunisia
over enemy targets in the Balkans
and Italy
. Flight detached with aircraft and personnel reassigned to new Fifteenth Air Force
in November 1943.
Remaining squadron in England conducted combat operations until German capitulation in May 1945. Personnel demobilized in England during the summer of 1945; squadron returned to the United States and redesignated a B-29 Superfortress
Very Heavy unit; programmed for deployment to Pacific Theater and to engage in combat over Japan
. Deployment canceled by Japanese capitulation and reassigned to Continental Air Forces Squadron reassigned to 485th Bombardment Group] as part of consolidation of units in March 1946, being transferred to Strategic Air Command in late March. Personnel shortages and budget reductions led to squadron inactivation in August 1946, equipment and personnel reassigned to other SAC units.
The squadron was activated in 1959 as a result of Strategic Air Command
phasing out the B-47 Stratojet
, and additional squadrons were activated as part of the consolation of Stratojet wings, and the replacement of the B-47 by B-52 Stratofortress
es. In March 1961, President John F. Kennedy
directed that the phaseout of the B-47 be accelerated. and the squadron was inactivated on 15 June 1960 as part of the drawdown of the USAF B-47 force, with the aircraft were sent to AMARC storage at Davis-Monthan.
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 44th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Chennault Air Force Base
Chennault Air Force Base
Chennault Air Force Base was a United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base located near Lake Charles, Louisiana. It was closed in 1963.-Origins:...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana 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...
. It was inactivated on 15 June 1960
History
Activated in late 1942 as a B-24 LiberatorB-24 Liberator
The 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...
heavy bomb squadron, trained under II Bomber Command
II Bomber Command
The 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....
in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
and Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. Received deployment orders for the European Theater of Operations
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...
(ETO) in February 1943.
Deployed to England
England
England 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...
in March 1943, being 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...
as a strategic bombardment squadron. Participated in the air offensive over Nazi Germany and Occupied Europe. Engaged in very long range strategic bombing missions to enemy military, industrial and transportation targets in Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
.
Deployed flight of B-24s to IX Bomber Command in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
during the summer of 1943 and conducted strategic bombardment operations from airfields in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
and Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
over enemy targets in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Flight detached with aircraft and personnel reassigned to new Fifteenth Air Force
Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
in November 1943.
Remaining squadron in England conducted combat operations until German capitulation in May 1945. Personnel demobilized in England during the summer of 1945; squadron returned to the United States and redesignated 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...
Very Heavy unit; programmed for deployment to Pacific Theater and to engage in combat over 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...
. Deployment canceled by Japanese capitulation and reassigned to Continental Air Forces Squadron reassigned to 485th Bombardment Group] as part of consolidation of units in March 1946, being transferred to Strategic Air Command in late March. Personnel shortages and budget reductions led to squadron inactivation in August 1946, equipment and personnel reassigned to other SAC units.
The squadron was activated in 1959 as a result of Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The 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...
phasing out the B-47 Stratojet
B-47 Stratojet
The Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
, and additional squadrons were activated as part of the consolation of Stratojet wings, and the replacement of the B-47 by B-52 Stratofortress
B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
es. In March 1961, President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
directed that the phaseout of the B-47 be accelerated. and the squadron was inactivated on 15 June 1960 as part of the drawdown of the USAF B-47 force, with the aircraft were sent to AMARC storage at Davis-Monthan.
Lineage
- Constituted 506th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 24 September 1942
- Activated on 1 October 1942
- Redesignated 506th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 5 August 1945
- Inactivated on 4 August 1946
- Redesignated 506th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 20 August 1958
- Activated on 1 December 1958
- Discontinued on 15 June 1960
Assignments
- 44th Bombardment Group, 1 October 1942
- Attached to 308th Bombardment Group for training, 1 October 1942-c. 16 January 1943
- 485th Bombardment Group, 7 March-4 August 1946
- 44th Bombardment Wing, 1 December 1958
- Department of the Air Force, 15 June 1960
Stations
- Salt Lake City Army Air Base, UtahUtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, 1 November 1942 - Pueblo Army Air Base, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, 1 October 1942 - Wendover Field, UtahUtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, 29 October 1942 - Pueblo Army Air Base, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, c. 20 November 1942-7 February 1943 - RAF ShipdhamRAF ShipdhamRAF Shipdham is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 3 miles S of East Dereham in Norfolk, now used as a privately owned airfield.-USAAF use:...
, 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...
, 17 March 1943-c. 15 June 1945
- Detachment operated from Soluch Airfield, LibyaLibyaLibya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, c. 27 June-c. 1 September 1943 - Detachment operated from Tunis Airport, TunisiaTunisiaTunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, c. 19 September-c. 9 October 1943
- Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South DakotaSouth DakotaSouth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, 26 June 1945 - Great Bend Army Air Field, 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...
, 25 July 1945 - Smoky Hill Army Airfield, 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...
, 14 December 1945-4 August 1946 - Lake Charles 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...
, 1 December 1958-15 June 1960
Aircraft
- 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...
, 1942–1945 - 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...
, 1945–1946 - B-47 StratojetB-47 StratojetThe Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
, 1958–1960