863rd Bombardment Squadron

863d Bombardment Squadron
Emblem of the 863d Bombardment Squadron
Active	1942-1945
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Anti-Submarine;Bombardment

The 863d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 493d Bombardment Group, based at Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota. It was inactivated on 28 August 1945.

History

Lineage

• Constituted 518th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 13 Oct 1942

Activated on 18 Oct 1942

Redesignated: 13th Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy) on 29 NOV 1942

Redesignated: 863d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 1 Nov 1943

Inactivated on 28 Aug 1945.

Assignments

• Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command, 18 Oct 1942
• 25th Antisubmarine Wing, 9 Dec 1942
• Second Air Force, 22 Sep 1943
• 493d Bombardment Group, 1 Nov 1943-28 Aug 1945.

Stations

• Grenier Field, New Hampshire, 18 Oct 1942
• Pueblo AAB, Colorado, 22 Sep 1943
• McCook AAF, Nebraska, 1 Nov 1943-1 Jan 1944
• Elveden Hall, England, 1 Jan 1944
• RAF Debach, England, 17 Apr 1944-6 Aug 1945
• Sioux Falls AAF, South Dakota, c. 13-28 Aug 1945

Aircraft

• North American O-47, 1942-1943
• B-25 Mitchell, 1943
• B-24 Liberator, 1943-1944
• C-47 Skytrain, 1944-1945

Operational History

Antisubmarine patrols, Oct 1942-Sep 1943. Combat in ETO, 6 Jun 1944-20 Apr 1945

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.