325th Weapons Squadron

325th Weapons Squadron
Emblem of the 325th Weapons Squadron
Active	1942-1994; 1998--present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Bombardment

Emblem of the 325th Bombardment Squadron (World War II)

The 325th Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the 509th Operations Group, stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.

History

Activated as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomb squadron in early 1942; trained by Third Air Force in the southeastern United States. Deployed to European Theater of Operations (ETO), being assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England, one of the first squadrons being assigned to the command.

In the ETO, the squadron initially trained replacement crews for combat at RAF Bovingdon. During the period from 18 August 1942 through 6 January 43, the squadron flew four combat missions while conducting replacement crew training. Upon completion of its training mission, the 325th moved to RAF Alconbury on 6 January 1943 where it and its parent 92d Bombardment Group underwent reorganization. When they emerged in May 1943, the 92 BG and 325 BS were ready for combat. The group's B-17s, flew their first post-reorganization combat mission on 15 May 1943.

On August 20, 1943, the personnel and aircraft were assumed by the 813th Bombardment Squadron (Pathfinder).

In September 1943, the squadron was re-equipped with replacement personnel and aircraft, and was once again moved, this time to RAF Podington, where it would remain until the until German capitulation in May 1945. The 92d flew its last combat mission on 25 April 1945 when it had the distinction of leading the Eighth Air Force's final sortie of the conflict. The 92 BG flew a total of 308 combat missions.

Reassigned to Air Transport Command in June 1945 as part of Operation Green. Used B-17s as transports, flying demobilized personnel to ATC sites in Morocco and Azores from France. The 325th's aircraft helped move 19,935 troops while also helping to return 5,672 Frenchmen to France. Inactivated in February 1946.

Reactivated as a Strategic Air Command B-29 Superfortress squadron in July 1946. Performed strategic bombardment training until 1950; being deployed to Far East Air Forces and flying combat missions over North Korea. Under control of the FEAF Bomber Command (Provisional) until October 20, the squadron bombed factories, refineries, iron works, hydroelectric plants, airfields, bridges, tunnels, troop concentrations, barracks, marshalling yards, road junctions, rail lines, supply dumps, docks, vehicles and other strategic and interdiction targets. Returned to Spokane AFB, Washington in late October and November 1950.

Re-equipped with B-36 Peacemaker intercontinental strategic bomber in 1951. Engaged in training operations on a worldwide scale; being upgraded to B-52 Stratofortress in 1957 standing nuclear alert until being stood down in 1994 at the end of the Cold War.

Reactivated as a B-2 Spirit bomb squadron in 1998. Taken off operational flying status, being redesignated as a weapons training squadron at Whiteman in 2005, assuming assets on inactivated 715th Weapons Squadron.

Lineage

• Constituted 325 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 January 1942

Activated on 1 March 1942

Redesignated 325 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 29 September 1944

Inactivated on 28 February 1946

• Redesignated 325 Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 15 July 1946

Activated on 4 August 1946

Redesignated: 325 Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 28 May 1948

Redesignated: 325 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 16 June 1951

Redesignated: 325 Bomb Squadron on 1 September 1991

Inactivated on 1 July 1994

• Activated on 6 January 1998

Redesignated: 325th Weapons Squadron 9 September 2005

Organized 9 September 2005 assuming assets of 715th Weapons Squadron

Assignments

• 92d Bombardment Group, 1 March 1942-28 February 1946
• 92d Bombardment Group, 4 August 1946

Attached to 92d Bombardment Wing, 16 February 1951-15 June 1952

• 92d Bombardment (later, 92d Strategic Aerospace; 92d Bombardment) Wing, 16 June 1952
• 92d Operations Group, 1 September 1991-1 July 1994
• 509th Operations Group, 6 January 1998–present

Stations

• Barksdale Field, Louisiana, 1 March 1942
• MacDill Field, Florida, 26 March 1942
• Sarasota Army Airfield, Florida, 18 May-July 1942
• RAF Bovingdon (AAF-112), England, August 1942
• RAF Alconbury (AAF-102), England, January 1943
• RAF Podington (AAF-109), England, 15 September 1943
• Istres Air Base, France, June 1945-28 February 1946
• Fort Worth Army Airfield, Texas, 4 August 1946

• Smoky Hill Army Airfield, Kansas, 26 October 1946
• Spokane AAFld (later, Spokane AFB; Fairchild AFB), Washington, 20 June 1947-1 July 1994

Deployed at Yokota Air Base, Japan, 9 July-29 October 1950

Deployed at Andersen AFB, Guam, 16 October 1954-12 January 1955 and 26 April-5 July 1956

• Whiteman AFB, Missouri, 6 January 1998–present

Aircraft

• B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942–1946
• B-29 Superfortress, 1946, 1947–1951
• B-36 Peacemaker, 1951–1957
• B-52 Stratofortress, 1957–1994
• B-2 Spirit, 1998–2005

References

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

• Mauer, Mauer (1969), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II, Air Force Historical Studies Office, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBN 0892010975