715th Weapons Squadron: Difference between revisions

715th Weapons Squadron
715th Weapons Squadron
	] Emblem of the SAC 715th Bombardment Squadron, Medium
Active	1943-1966; 1970-1990; 2003-2005
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Weapons Training

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Revision as of 15:21, 5 July 2010

The 715th Weapons Squadron (715 WPS) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the USAF Weapons School at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. It was inactivated 9 September 2005

History

Activated in mid 1943 as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomb squadron, trained under Second Air Force. Deployed to England in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) during November 1943, assigned to VIII Bomber Command as a strategic bombardment squadron. Participated in the air offensive over Nazi Germany and Occupied Europe until German capitulation in May 1945. Personnel demobilized in England and returned to the United States; squadron reassigned to Second Air Force and re-equipped with B-29 Superfortresses, being trained for deployment to Pacific Theater. Japanese capitulation canceled deployment and was assigned to Fort Worth AAF, Texas as Continental Air Forces, later Strategic Air Command squadron.

Original host unit inactivated due to budget and personnel shortages in May 1946; squadron reassigned and consolidated into 509th Composite Group. B-29s modified into atomic capable silverplate configuration and stood nuclear alert. Upgraded to B-50s in 1950; then into the jet age when it received new, swept wing B-47 Stratojets in 1955 which were designed to carry nuclear weapons and to penetrate Soviet air defenses with its high operational ceiling and near supersonic speed. The squadron flew the B-47 for about a decade when by the mid-1960s it had become obsolescent and vulnerable to new Soviet air defenses. The squadron began to send it's stratojets to AMARC at Davis-Monthan AFB for retirement in 1965, and the unit inactivated in 1966.

Reactivated as General Dynamics FB-111 strategic bomber squadron in 1970 when aircraft became part of SAC's nuclear deterrent force. Inactivated in 1990 with retirement of weapons system.

Became non-flying weapons squadron associated with B-2 Spirit as part of 509th Bomb Wing, 2003. Inactivated and re-designated 325th Weapons Squadron, 9 September 2005.

Lineage

Constituted 715th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 6 April 1943

Activated on 1 May 1943

Redesignated: 715th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 5 August 1945

Redesignated: 715th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 2 July 1948

Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 June 1966

Activated on 1 January 1970

Inactivated on 30 September 1990

Redesignated 715th Weapons Squadron on 11 August 2003

Activated on 13 August 2003.

Inactivated and replaced by the 325th Weapons Squadron, 9 September 2005

Assignments

448th Bombardment Group, 1 May 1943
509th Composite (later, 509 Bombardment) Group, 6 May 1946

Attached to 509th Bombardment Wing, 17 November 1947-14 September 1948 and 1 February 1951-15 June 1952

509th Bombardment Wing, 16 June 1952-25 June 1966; 1 January 1970-30 September 1990
USAF Weapons School, 13 August 2003-9 September 2005

Stations

Gowen Field, Idaho, 1 May 1943
Wendover Field, Utah, 4 July 1943
Sioux City Army Air Base, Iowa, 11 September-7 November 1943
RAF Seething (AAF-146), England, 25 November 1943-5 July 1945
Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, 15 July 1945
McCook Army Airfield, Nebraska, 25 July 1945

Biggs Field, Texas, 23 August 1945
McCook Army Airfield, Nebraska, 8 September 1945
Fort Worth Army Air Field, Texas, 12 December 1945
Roswell AAFld (later, Walker AFB), New Mexico, 26 June 1946
Pease AFB, New Hampshire, 1 July 1958-25 June 1966; 1 January 1970-30 September 1990
Whiteman AFB, Missouri, 13 August 2003-9 September 2005

Aircraft

B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945
B-29 Superfortress, 1945–1951
B-50 Superfortress, 1950–1955
B-47 Stratojet, 1955–1965
FB-111, 1971-1990.

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

@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 Activated in mid 1943 as a [[B-24 Liberator]] heavy bomb squadron, trained under Second Air Force.   Deployed to [[England]] in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) during November 1943, assigned to [[VIII Bomber Command]] as a strategic bombardment squadron.   Participated in the air offensive over Nazi Germany and Occupied Europe until German capitulation in May 1945.   Personnel demobilized in England and returned to the United States; squadron reassigned to [[Second Air Force]] and re-equipped with [[B-29 Superfortress]]es, being trained for deployment to Pacific Theater.   Japanese capitulation canceled deployment and was assigned to Fort Worth AAF, Texas as [[Continental Air Forces]], later [[Strategic Air Command]] squadron.
-Original host unit inactivated due to budget and personnel shortages in May 1946; squadron reassigned and consolidated into [[509th Composite Group]].  B-29s modified into atomic capable silverplate configuration and stood nuclear alert.  Upgraded to B-50s in 1950; [[B-47 Stratojet]] in 1955 until phaseout of B-47s and unit inactivated in 1966.    Reactivated as General Dynamics [[FB-111]] strategic bomber squadron in 1970 when aircraft became part of SAC's nuclear deterrent force.   Inactivated in 1990 with retirement of weapons system.
+Original host unit inactivated due to budget and personnel shortages in May 1946; squadron reassigned and consolidated into [[509th Composite Group]].  B-29s modified into atomic capable silverplate configuration and stood nuclear alert.  Upgraded to B-50s in 1950; then into the jet age when it received new, swept wing [[B-47 Stratojet]]s in 1955 which were designed to carry nuclear weapons and to penetrate Soviet air defenses with its high operational ceiling and near supersonic speed. The squadron flew the B-47 for about a decade when by the mid-1960s it had become obsolescent and vulnerable to new Soviet air defenses.    The squadron began to send it's stratojets to AMARC at Davis-Monthan AFB for retirement in 1965, and the unit inactivated in 1966.
+Reactivated as General Dynamics [[FB-111]] strategic bomber squadron in 1970 when aircraft became part of SAC's nuclear deterrent force.   Inactivated in 1990 with retirement of weapons system.
 Became non-flying weapons squadron associated with [[B-2 Spirit]] as part of 509th Bomb Wing, 2003.  Inactivated and re-designated 325th Weapons Squadron, 9 September 2005.