The 716th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...

unit. It was last assigned to the 449th Bombardment Wing at

Kincheloe Air Force Base Kincheloe Air Force Base was a United States Air Force (USAF) base during the Cold War. Built in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in 1943 during World War II, the base was in service The base was known by various names, including Kinross Munic ...

, Michigan, where it was inactivated on 30 September 1977. The

squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...

was first activated in May 1943. After training in the United States, the squadron deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. The squadron was awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations for its actions during the war. Following

V-E Day Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945, marking the official end of World War II in Europe in the Easte ...

, the 716th returned to the United States and trained with Boeing B-29 Superfortresses, becoming one of the first bomber units in Strategic Air Command (SAC) before inactivating in August 1946. The squadron was reactivated by SAC at Kincheloe in 1963 and served with Boeing B-52 Stratofortress aircraft until inactivating.

History

World War II

The

was first activated in May 1943 at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona as one of the four original squadrons of the 449th Bombardment Group.Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 715–716Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 323–324 It trained with Consolidated B-24 Liberators at Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico and Bruning Army Air Field, Nebraska before departing for the Mediterranean Theater of Operations in November 1943. 449th B-24 with Bar A painted on tail

The squadron assembled at its combat station,

Grottaglie Airfield Taranto-Grottaglie "Marcello Arlotta" Airport ( it, Aeroporto di Taranto-Grottaglie "Marcello Arlotta") is an airport serving Taranto and Grottaglie, both ''comunes'' in the province of Taranto in Italy. The airport is located from the city of M ...

in Southern Italy, in early January 1944, from which it mainly undertook strategic bombing missions. It attacked

oil refineries An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where petroleum (crude oil) is transformed and refined into useful products such as gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, asphalt base, fuel oils, heating oil, kerosene, lique ...

, communications centers, aircraft factories and industrial facilities in Italy, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Albania and Greece. It was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for its actions on 4 April 1944, when the squadron, along with the other elements of the 449th Group, operated without fighter escort in an attack on railroad marshalling yards near

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...

. The attacking group was heavily outnumbered by German

interceptor aircraft An interceptor aircraft, or simply interceptor, is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically for the defensive interception role against an attacking enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Aircraft that are c ...

. Despite this, it succeeded in destroying its assigned target and also inflicted heavy losses on the defending fighters. It was awarded a second DUC for an attack against oil refineries near Ploesti, attacking through heavy smoke that obscured the target area and despite intense enemy fire. The squadron attacked gun emplacements to support Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France in August 1944. It attacked troop concentrations, bridges and viaducts during

Operation Grapeshot The spring 1945 offensive in Italy, codenamed Operation Grapeshot, was the final Allied attack during the Italian Campaign in the final stages of the Second World War. The attack into the Lombard Plain by the 15th Allied Army Group started on ...

, the Fifteenth Army Group offensive in Northern Italy in the spring of 1945. Shortly after

, in May 1945, the squadron returned to the United States. The squadron reformed at

Sioux Falls Army Air Field Sioux Falls Regional Airport , also known as Joe Foss Field, is a public and military use airport three miles northwest of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States. It is named in honor of aviator and Sioux Falls native Joe Foss, who later served a ...

, South Dakota at the end of May. The squadron then began training with Boeing B-29 Superfortress very heavy bombers. After

V-J Day Victory over Japan Day (also known as V-J Day, Victory in the Pacific Day, or V-P Day) is the day on which Imperial Japan surrendered in World War II, in effect bringing the war to an end. The term has been applied to both of the days on ...

and the end of the War in the Pacific, the squadron moved to Grand Island Army Air Field, Nebraska, where it became one of the first

bomber A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry (such as bombs), launching torpedoes, or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. The first use of bombs dropped from an air ...

units of Strategic Air Command (SAC) in March 1946. In August 1946, the 28th Bombardment Group replaced the 449th Group at Grand Island, and the squadron was inactivated and its personnel and equipment were transferred to the

77th Bombardment Squadron #REDIRECTSecret Agent 077 Secret Agent 077 is a fictional superspy, lead character in a trilogy of Eurospy films starring Ken Clark as Dick Malloy (or Maloy).p.274 Blake, Matt & Deal, David ''The Eurospy Guide'' 2004 Luminary Press However "077" ...

on 4 August 1946.

Cold War

In February 1963, The 449th Bombardment Wing was organized at

, Michigan, where it assumed the aircraft, personnel and equipment of the discontinued 4239th Strategic Wing. The 4239th was a

Major Command Major Command or Major Commands are large formations of the United States Armed Forces. Historically, a Major Command is the highest level of command. Within the United States Army, the acronym MACOM is used for Major Command. Within the United Stat ...

controlled (MAJCON) wing, which could not carry a permanent history or lineage, and SAC wanted to replace it with a permanent unit.Ravenstein, ''Combat Wings'', pp. 244–245 As part of this reorganization, the 716th Squadron was activated and assumed the mission, personnel and equipment of the 93d Bombardment Squadron, which was simultaneously inactivated. One half of the squadron's

Boeing B-52H Stratofortress The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air ...

es were maintained on fifteen minute alert, fully fueled and ready for combat to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet missile strike. In addition, the squadron trained for strategic bombardment missions. From May 1968 through June 1975, the squadron provided aircrews to support SAC operations in Southeast Asia. In July 1977, the squadron began to draw down in anticipation of the closing of Kinchloe, and it was inactivated when the base closed in September 1977.

Lineage

* Constituted as the 716th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 6 April 1943 : Activated on 1 May 1943 : Redesignated 716th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy c. 1944 : Redesignated 716th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 23 May 1945 : Inactivated on 4 August 1946 * Redesignated 716th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy and activated, on 15 November 1962 (not organized) : Organized on 1 February 1963Lineage, including assignments, stations and aircraft, through March 1963 in Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 715–716. : Inactivated on 30 September 1977''See'' Ravenstein, ''Combat Wings'', pp. 244–245 (assignment to 449th Wing and closure of Kinchloe)

Assignments

* 449th Bombardment Group, 1 May 1943 – 4 August 1946 * Strategic Air Command, 15 November 1962 (not organized) * 449th Bombardment Wing, 1 February 1963 – 30 September 1977

Stations

* Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 1 May 1943 * Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico, 5 July 1943 * Bruning Army Air Field, Nebraska, 12 September-26 November 1943 * Grottaglie Airfield, Italy, c. 6 January 1944 – 15 May 1945 * Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, 29 May 1945 *

Dalhart Army Air Field Dalhart Army Air Base is a former World War II military airfield complex near the city of Dalhart, Texas. It operated three training sites for the United States Army Air Forces from 1943 until 1945. The majority of the namesake city of Dalhart, ...

, Texas, 24 July 1945 * Grand Island Army Air Field, Nebraska, 8 September 1945 – 4 August 1946 * Kincheloe Air Force Base, Michigan, 1 February 1963 – 30 September 1977

Aircraft

* Consolidated B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945 * Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1945 * Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1946 * Boeing B-52H Stratofortress, 1963–1977

Awards and campaigns

References

Notes

Bibliography

* * * * * * {{USAAF 2d Air Force World War II Units and formations of Strategic Air Command Bombardment squadrons of the United States Air Force Strategic bombing squadrons of the United States Army Air Forces Military units and formations established in 1943