444th Air Expeditionary Squadron
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2012) |
| 444th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron | |
|---|---|
 An instructor from the squadron prepares to conduct a night vision goggle training mission with an Afghan Air Force student | |
| Active | 1942–1945; 1947–1949; 1958–1960; unknown |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Expeditionary Support |
| Part of | Air Combat Command |
| Engagements | Mediterranean Theater of Operations[1] |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation French Croix de Guerre with Palm[1] |
| Insignia | |
| 444th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron emblem |  |
| 444th Bombardment Squadron emblem[note 1][2] |  |
| Patch with 444th Bombardment Squadron emblem (World War II)[3] |  |
The 444th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group at Shindand Air Base, Afghanistan, where it trained Afghan Air Force pilots with light aircraft and helicopters.
The squadron was activated during World War II. It participated in combat in the Mediterranean and European Theater of Operations, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation and a French Croix de Guerre with Palm. It remained in Europe after V-E Day, returning to the United States for inactivation in December 1945.
The squadron was briefly active in the reserves from 1947 to 1949, but does not appear to have been fully manned or equipped with operational aircraft. It was activated again in 1959, when Strategic Air Command expanded its Boeing B-47 Stratojet wings from three to four operational squadrons. However, the B-47 was being withdrawn from service and the squadron was inactivated along with its parent wing the following year.
History[edit]
World War II[edit]
Established in mid-1942 as a Martin B-26 Marauder medium bomber group. Trained under Third Air Force in Florida, deployed to England under the VIII Air Support Command, 3d Bombardment Wing.
Operated against targets on the continent during early fall of 1942; deployed to North Africa as part of Twelfth Air Force after Operation Torch landings in Algeria in November. Flew tactical bombing missions against Axis forces in North Africa until the end of the Tunisian Campaign in May 1943. Participated in the Sicilian and Italian Campaigns; liberation of Corsica and Sardinia and the Invasion of Southern France. Supported Allied ground forces in the Western Allied Invasion of Germany, spring 1945 and becoming part of the United States Air Forces in Europe Army of Occupation in Germany, fall 1945. Personnel demobilized in Germany and the squadron inactivated as a paper unit in December 1945.
Reserves[edit]
Reactivated in the reserves in 1947. Never manned or equipped.
Strategic Air Command[edit]
From 1958, the Boeing B-47 Stratojet wings of Strategic Air Command (SAC) began to assume an alert posture at their home bases, reducing the amount of time spent on alert at overseas bases. The SAC alert cycle divided itself into four parts: planning, flying, alert and rest to meet General Thomas S. Power’s initial goal of maintaining one third of SAC's planes on fifteen minute ground alert, fully fueled and ready for combat to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet missile strike.[4] To implement this new system B-47 wings reorganized from three to four squadrons.[4][5] The 444th was activated at March Air Force Base as the fourth squadron of the 320th Bombardment Wing.[1] In September, the phaseout of the B-47 be accelerated resulted in the squadron and 320th Wing being inactivated on 15 September 1960, with the aircraft were sent to AMARC storage at Davis-Monthan.
Expeditionary operations[edit]
The squadron was converted to provisional status and redesignated 444th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron. It provided training in helicopters and light Cessna 182 aircraft to the Afghan Air Force. This included training with the use of night vision goggle while flying the MH-6 Little Bird at Shindand Air Base.[6]
Lineage[edit]
- Constituted as the 444th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 19 June 1942
- Activated on 1 July 1942
- Redesignated 444th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 9 October 1944
- Inactivated on 8 December 1945
- Redesignated 444th Bombardment Squadron, Light on 26 May 1947
- Activated in the reserve on 9 July 1947
- Inactivated on 27 June 1949
- Redesignated 444th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 6 October 1958
- Activated on 1 January 1959
- Discontinued on 15 September 1960
- Converted to provisional status and redesignated 444th Air Expeditionary Squadron on 13 May 2011[1]
- Redesignated 444th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron on 13 May 2011
- Activated by March 2012
- Inactivated unknown date
Assignments[edit]
- 320th Bombardment Group, 1 July 1942 – 4 December 1945
- 320th Bombardment Group, 9 July 1947 – 27 June 1949
- 320th Bombardment Wing, 1 January 1959 – 15 September 1960[1]
- Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate as needed[1]
Stations[edit]
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Aircraft[edit]
- Martin B-26 Marauder, 1942–1945
- Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1959–1960[1]
- None while in provisional status, the unit operated Afghan Air Force aircraft
References[edit]
- Notes
- Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h Robertson, Patsy (22 August 2011). "Factsheet 444 Air Expeditionary Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 549
- ^ Watkins, pp. 84-85
- ^ a b Schake, p. 220 (note 43)
- ^ "Abstract (Unclassified), History of the Strategic Bomber since 1945 (Top Secret, downgraded to Secret)". Air Force History Index. 1 April 1975. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
- ^ a b Wassem, Capt Anastasia (19 March 2013). "NVG training increases AAF capabilities". US Air Forces Central Public Affairs. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
- ^ a b Station number in Anderson.
- ^ a b c d Station number in Johnson.
Bibliography[edit]
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL yes: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - 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. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Schake, Col Kurt W. (1998). Strategic Frontier: American Bomber Bases Overseas, 1950-1960 (PDF). Trondheim, Norway: Norwegian University of Science and Technology. ISBN 978-8277650241. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
- 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.