668th Bomb Squadron: Difference between revisions
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==History== |
==History== |
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Established in early 1943 as a B-25 Mitchell Operational Training Squadron under Third Air Force. Recieved A-20 Havocs and trained in attack and light bombardment tactics; deployed to European Theater of Operations in early 1944, assigned to Ninth Air Force in England. |
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From England, engaged in tactical bombardment of enemy targets mainly in coastal areas of France and the Low Countries. Attacked V-weapon sites in France. Flew a number of missions against airfields and coastal defenses to help prepare for the invasion of Normandy. Supported the invasion in June 1944 by striking road junctions, marshalling yards, bridges, and railway overpasses. Assisted ground forces at Caen and St Lo in Jul and at Brest later in the summer, by hitting transportation facilities, supply dumps, radar installations, and other targets. In spite of intense resistance, the group bombed bridges, railways, rolling stock, and a radar station to disrupt the enemy's retreat through the Falaise gap, 6–9 August 1944. Assisted the airborne attack on Holland in September. Supported the assault on the Siegfried Line by pounding transportation, warehouses, supply dumps, and defended villages in Germany. |
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Converted to A-26 Invader aircraft in November 1944. Attacked transportation facilities, strong points, communications centers, and troop concentrations during the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944— January 1945. Aided the Allied thrust into Germany by continuing its strikes against transportation, communications, airfields, storage depots, and other objectives, February—May 1945. Bombed flak positions in support of the airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945. Demobilized in France after the German Capitulation during the summer of 1945; squadron inactivated as a paper unit in November. |
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Activated as a Strategic Air Command B-52 Stratofortress squadron in 1963, replacing a provisional squadron at Griffis AFB, New York. Conducted strategic bombardment training and air refueling operations to meet SAC commitments, including supporting SAC operations in the Far East and Southeast Asia with B-52 crews, June 1968-1975; flying combat missions over Indochina as part of Operation Arc Light; Linebacker I and Linebacker II. Deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1990/1991 and flew combat missions over Iraq and Kuwait as part of Operation Desert Storm. |
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Inactivated in 1995 due to closure of Griffiss AFB. |
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=== Lineage=== |
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Revision as of 20:04, 22 June 2010
| 668th Bombardment Squadron | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of the 668th Bomb Squadron (ACC) | |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Bombardment |
The 668th Bomb Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 416th Operations Group. It was last stationed at Griffiss Air Force Base, New York, and was inactivated on 1 January 1995.
History
Established in early 1943 as a B-25 Mitchell Operational Training Squadron under Third Air Force. Recieved A-20 Havocs and trained in attack and light bombardment tactics; deployed to European Theater of Operations in early 1944, assigned to Ninth Air Force in England.
From England, engaged in tactical bombardment of enemy targets mainly in coastal areas of France and the Low Countries. Attacked V-weapon sites in France. Flew a number of missions against airfields and coastal defenses to help prepare for the invasion of Normandy. Supported the invasion in June 1944 by striking road junctions, marshalling yards, bridges, and railway overpasses. Assisted ground forces at Caen and St Lo in Jul and at Brest later in the summer, by hitting transportation facilities, supply dumps, radar installations, and other targets. In spite of intense resistance, the group bombed bridges, railways, rolling stock, and a radar station to disrupt the enemy's retreat through the Falaise gap, 6–9 August 1944. Assisted the airborne attack on Holland in September. Supported the assault on the Siegfried Line by pounding transportation, warehouses, supply dumps, and defended villages in Germany.
Converted to A-26 Invader aircraft in November 1944. Attacked transportation facilities, strong points, communications centers, and troop concentrations during the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944— January 1945. Aided the Allied thrust into Germany by continuing its strikes against transportation, communications, airfields, storage depots, and other objectives, February—May 1945. Bombed flak positions in support of the airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945. Demobilized in France after the German Capitulation during the summer of 1945; squadron inactivated as a paper unit in November.
Activated as a Strategic Air Command B-52 Stratofortress squadron in 1963, replacing a provisional squadron at Griffis AFB, New York. Conducted strategic bombardment training and air refueling operations to meet SAC commitments, including supporting SAC operations in the Far East and Southeast Asia with B-52 crews, June 1968-1975; flying combat missions over Indochina as part of Operation Arc Light; Linebacker I and Linebacker II. Deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1990/1991 and flew combat missions over Iraq and Kuwait as part of Operation Desert Storm.
Inactivated in 1995 due to closure of Griffiss AFB.
Lineage
- Constituted 668th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 25 Jan 1943
- Activated on 5 Feb 1943
- Inactivated on 11 Oct 1945
- Redesignated 668th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), and activated, on 15 Nov 1962
- Organized on 1 Feb 1963; receiving personnel/aircraft/equipment from 75th Bombardment Squadron (Inactivated)
- Redesignated 668th Bomb Squadron, 1 Jun 1992
- Inactivated on 1 Jan 1995
Assignments
- 416th Bombardment Group, 5 Feb 1943-11 Oct 1945
- Strategic Air Command, 15 Nov 1962
- 416th Bombardment Wing, 1 Feb 1963
- 416th Operations Group, 1 Jun 1992-1 Jan 1995
Stations
- Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma, 5 Feb 1943
- Lake Charles Army Air Field, Louisiana, 4 Jun 1943
- Laurel Army Airfield, Mississippi, 1 Nov 1943-1 Jan 1944
- RAF Wethersfield (AAF-170), England, 2 Feb 1944
- Melun Airfield (A-55), France, 25 Sep 1944
- Laon/Athies Airfield (A-69), France, 10 Feb 1945
- Cormeilles en Vexin Airfield (A-59), France, c. 25 May 1945
- Laon/Athies Airfield (A-69), France, 27 Jul-13 Sep 1945
- Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts, 10-11 Oct 1945
- Griffiss AFB, New York, 1 Feb 1963-1 Jan 1995
Aircraft
- B-25 Mitchell, 1943
- A-20 Havoc, 1943-1944
- A-26 Invader, 1944-1945
- B-52G/H Stratofortress, 1963-1995
See also
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
External links
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