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The 436th Training Squadron is a non-flying training squadron of the
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
. The 436th Training Squadron, located at
Dyess Air Force Base Dyess Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located about southwest of downtown Abilene, Texas, and west of Fort Worth, Texas. The host unit at Dyess is the 7th Bomb Wing assigned to the Global Strike Command Ei ...
, Texas, is a geographically separated unit within Air Combat Command’s 552nd Air Control Wing, at
Tinker Air Force Base Tinker Air Force Base is a major United States Air Force base, with tenant U.S. Navy and other Department of Defense missions, located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, adjacent to Del City and Midwest City. The ba ...
, Oklahoma. The 436th is one of the oldest units in the United States Air Force, first being organized as the 88th Aero Squadron on 18 August 1917 at
Kelly Field Kelly Field (formerly Kelly Air Force Base) is a Joint-use airport, Joint-Use facility located in San Antonio, Texas. It was originally named after George E. M. Kelly, the first member of the U.S. military killed in the crash of an airplane he ...
, Texas. The squadron deployed to France and fought on the Western Front during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
as a Corps observation squadron. The squadron returned to the United States in 1919. In 1921, it participated in tests off the Atlantic coast of Virginia designed to test the effectiveness of aircraft against battleships. Following the tests the squadron moved to Ohio, where it served as the aviation element of the
5th Division In military terms, 5th Division may refer to: Infantry divisions *5th Division (Australia) * 5th Division (People's Republic of China) * 5th Division (Colombia) * Finnish 5th Division (Continuation War) * 5th Light Cavalry Division (France) * 5th ...
until 1927, when it moved to Texas as a training unit, but was inactivated shortly after the move and its personnel and equipment used to form another squadron. It was reactivated in 1928, becoming a long range reconnaissance unit in 1935. In 1941, it was ordered to reinforce the
air defense Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface (Submarine#Armament, submarine-lau ...
s of the Philippines. On 7 December 1941, elements of the 88th Reconnaissance Squadron were one of the
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is an American four-engined heavy bomber aircraft developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). A fast and high-flying bomber, the B-17 dropped more bombs than any other aircraft during ...
units that landed at
Hickam Field Hickam may refer to: ;Surname * Homer Hickam (born 1943), American author, Vietnam veteran, and a former NASA engineer **'' October Sky: The Homer Hickam Story'', 1999 American biographical film * Horace Meek Hickam (1885–1934), pioneer airpower ...
, Hawaii during the
Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Empire of Japan on the United States Pacific Fleet at its naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. At the tim ...
. Until March 1942, it engaged in combat missions in the Pacific. It moved to the
China Burma India Theater China Burma India Theater (CBI) was the United States military designation during World War II for the China and Southeast Asian or India–Burma (IBT) theaters. Operational command of Allied forces (including U.S. forces) in the CBI was ...
, entering combat in June as the 436th Bombardment Squadron . It converted from the B-17 to the
Consolidated B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models desi ...
in the combat zone in fall 1942. From June through October 1944, the squadron was removed from combat operations and was engaged in airlifting fuel to bases in China to support
Boeing B-29 Superfortress The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a retired American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the Bo ...
strikes. It returned to combat and earned the
Distinguished Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed e ...
for an attack on railroads in Thailand. Following
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 wh ...
, the squadron returned to the United States for inactivation. The squadron was reactivated in 1946 as part of
Strategic Air Command Strategic Air Command (SAC) was a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile compon ...
's (SAC) strike force. In 1948, it began flying
Convair B-36 Peacemaker The Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" is a strategic bomber built by Convair and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1949 to 1959. The B-36 is the largest mass-produced piston-engined aircraft ever built, although it was exceeded in spa ...
s It converted to
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic aircraft, 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 ...
es and dispersed To
Barksdale Air Force Base Barksdale Air Force Base (Barksdale AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, in northwest Louisiana. Much of the base is within the city limits of Bossier City, Louisiana, along the base's western and northwest ...
. It maintained half of its bombers on alert during the
Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
, and placed all planes on alert during the
Cuban Missile Crisis The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis () in Cuba, or the Caribbean Crisis (), was a 13-day confrontation between the governments of the United States and the Soviet Union, when American deployments of Nuclear weapons d ...
. The 436th inactivated in 1963 in a general reorganization of SAC units. The squadron was reactivated in its current role as the 436th Strategic Training Squadron in 1986


Mission

The 436th Training Squadron provides formal training to
Air Combat Command The Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the prim ...
using 14 classes at
Dyess Air Force Base Dyess Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located about southwest of downtown Abilene, Texas, and west of Fort Worth, Texas. The host unit at Dyess is the 7th Bomb Wing assigned to the Global Strike Command Ei ...
, Texas and other programs exported directly to units for local training needs. Training includes flight, ground and weapons safety, Air Force operations resource management system, classroom instructor training, aircrew flight equipment, and computer software use and development. The 436th Training Squadron also develops multimedia and formal presentations used in training program development and formal presentations. Multimedia personnel are based at Dyess and deploy worldwide to perform their mission. Unit products and services are used throughout the
Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and supervising the six U.S. armed services: the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, ...
.


History


World War I

The squadron was organized at
Kelly Field Kelly Field (formerly Kelly Air Force Base) is a Joint-use airport, Joint-Use facility located in San Antonio, Texas. It was originally named after George E. M. Kelly, the first member of the U.S. military killed in the crash of an airplane he ...
, Texas in August 1917 as the 88th Aero Squadron. It deployed to France on in November 1917 and served on the Western Front during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. It engaged in combat as a corps observation squadron from 30 May 1918 until the
Armistice of 11 November 1918 The Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed in a railroad car, in the Compiègne Forest near the town of Compiègne, that ended fighting on land, at sea, and in the air in World War I between the Entente and their las ...
, primarily with
Salmson 2A2 The Salmson 2 A.2, (often shortened to Salmson 2) was a French biplane reconnaissance aircraft developed and produced by Salmson to a 1916 requirement. Along with the Breguet 14, it was the main reconnaissance aircraft of the French army in 1918 a ...
s. After the armistice, it served in the occupation force, until June 1919 when the squadron returned to the United States.


Inter-War era


Observation operations

The squadron returned from Europe in the summer of 1919 and in July was stationed at Scott Field, Illinois, where it began to equip with
Dayton-Wright DH-4 The Airco DH.4 is a British two-seat biplane day bomber of the First World War. It was designed by Geoffrey de Havilland (hence "DH") for Airco, and was the first British two-seat light day-bomber capable of defending itself. It was designe ...
s and
Douglas O-2 The Douglas O-2 was a 1920s American observation aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company, powered by the Liberty engine of WW1 fame, with some later variants using other engines. It was developed into several versions, with 879 being pro ...
s. In the fall, it moved to
Langley Field Langley may refer to: People * Langley (surname), a common English surname, including a list of notable people with the name * Dawn Langley Simmons (1922–2000), English author and biographer * Langley Wakeman Collyer (1885–1947), one ...
, Virginia, where it became part of the
1st Army Observation Group The 7th Operations Group is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 7th Bomb Wing, stationed at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. The 7th Operations Group currently flies the B-1 Lancer. The 7th Operations Group is a direct s ...
. In 1921, it was reassigned to the Air Service Field Officers School, as the 88th Squadron, but it was soon attached to the
1st Provisional Air Brigade The 1st Provisional Air Brigade was a temporary unit of the United States Army Air Service, commanded by Col. Billy Mitchell, operating out of Langley Field, Virginia, that was used in Project B to demonstrate the vulnerability of ships to aerial ...
for operations. With the 1st Brigade, it participated in demonstrations of the effectiveness of aerial bombardment on capital warships from June to September 1921. It deployed a detachment to
Charleston, West Virginia Charleston () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in West Virginia, most populous city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is the county seat of Kanawha County, West Virginia, Kanawha County and ...
for service in connection with civil disorders arising from West Virginia coal strikes in September 1921. In October 1921 the squadron moved from Langley and Charleston to
Godman Field Godman Army Airfield is a military airport located on the Fort Knox United States Army post in Hardin County, Kentucky, United States. It has four runways and is used entirely by the United States Army Aviation Branch The United States Ar ...
, Kentucky to support Army ground forces as part of
Fifth Corps Area The Fifth Corps Area was a military district of the United States Army from 1920-21 to the Second World War. The Fifth Corps Area included the states of Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky. Eventually it became Fifth Service Command on 22 Jul ...
in 1922, it moved to
Wilbur Wright Field Wilbur Wright Field was a military installation and an airfield used as a World War I List of Training Section Air Service airfields, pilot, mechanic, and armorer training facility and, under different designations, conducted United States Army ...
, Ohio, where it became the aviation element of the
5th Division In military terms, 5th Division may refer to: Infantry divisions *5th Division (Australia) * 5th Division (People's Republic of China) * 5th Division (Colombia) * Finnish 5th Division (Continuation War) * 5th Light Cavalry Division (France) * 5th ...
, a Regular Army unit that was inactive, but whose headquarters was manned by
Organized Reserve The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces. History Origi ...
officers.Clay, p. 212 The squadron became the 88th Observation Squadron in 1923. In May 1927, the squadron moved to Brooks Field, Texas, where it was assigned to the
Air Corps Training Center An atmosphere () is a layer of gases that envelop an astronomical object, held in place by the gravity of the object. A planet retains an atmosphere when the gravity is great and the temperature of the atmosphere is low. A stellar atmosphere ...
, as reserve officers were withdrawn from the 5th Division. The squadron was inactivated at Brooks on 1 August, and its personnel and equipment formed the cadre for the
52d School Squadron 5 (five) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number, and cardinal number, following 4 and preceding 6, and is a prime number. Humans, and many other animals, have 5 digits on their limbs. Mathematics 5 is a Fermat pri ...
. The squadron was again activated at
Post Field Henry Post Army Airfield is a military use airport located at Fort Sill in Comanche County, Oklahoma, United States. This military airport is owned by United States Army. Established as Post Field in 1917, it was one of thirty-two Air Service ...
, Oklahoma on 1 June 1928 and assigned to Eighth Corps Area. However, it was attached to the
Field Artillery School The United States Army Field Artillery School (USAFAS) trains Field Artillery Soldiers and Marines in tactics, techniques, and procedures for the employment of fire support systems in support of the maneuver commander. The school further develo ...
to provide support for the school's training mission. Although initially equipped with O-2s, it replaced them in 1930 with
Thomas-Morse O-19 The Thomas-Morse O-19 was an American observation biplane built by the Thomas-Morse Aircraft Company for the United States Army Air Corps. Development The O-19 was based on the earlier Thomas-Morse O-6 biplane. It was a conventional two-seat b ...
s. It also carried
Douglas O-31 The Douglas O-31 was the Douglas Aircraft Company's first monoplane observation straight-wing aircraft used by the United States Army Air Corps. Development Anxious to retain its position as chief supplier of observation aircraft to the USAAC, D ...
monoplane observation aircraft and
Douglas C-1 The Douglas C-1 was a cargo/transport aircraft produced by the Douglas Aircraft Corporation for the United States Army Air Service starting in 1925. Design and development Douglas received an order for nine single-engined transport aircraft in 1 ...
transport on strength. The squadron was assigned once again to a Regular Army inactive unit, the 14th Observation Group, but remained attached to the Field Artillery School. The squadron was reassigned to the
12th Observation Group The 12th Reconnaissance Group is a disbanded United States Army unit. It was last active as the 12th Observation Group, United States Army Air Corps, assigned to the Eighth Corps Area at Brooks Field, Texas. It was inactivated on 30 June 1937. ...
in the spring of 1931, but remained attached to the Field Artillery School until November 1931, when it moved to Brooks Field to join the 12th Group headquarters. In May 1933, it participated in the
General Headquarters Air Force The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical ri ...
exercises in southern California.


Long range reconnaissance operations

In 1935, the squadron was redesignated the 88th Observation Squadron (Long Range, Amphibian) and was assigned to the 1st Wing in November, moving to the new Hamilton Field near
San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
, California. In its first two months in the new unit role, it participated an both General Headquarters Air Force and 1st Wing maneuvers in Florida. Although the squadron operated Douglas OA-4 Dolphin and Sikorsky Y1OA-8 amphibians starting in 1935, it also acquired a number of longer range land based aircraft and in September 1936 it became the 88th Reconnaissance Squadron and was attached to the 7th Bombardment Group. The squadron dropped food and supplies and flew photographic missions in connection with flood-relief operations in central California, in December 1937. It ended its amphibious mission in 1938. The squadron was equipped with multiengine aircraft, primarily the
Martin B-10 The Martin B-10 is a bomber aircraft designed by the Glenn L. Martin Company. It was the first all-metal monoplane bomber to be regularly used by the United States Army Air Corps, having entered service in June 1934.Jackson 2003, p. 246. It wa ...
until 1937, when it transitioned to the
Douglas B-18 Bolo The Douglas B-18 Bolo is an American twin-engined medium bomber which served with the United States Army Air Corps and the Royal Canadian Air Force (as the Digby) during the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was developed by the Douglas Airc ...
. It began receiving early model
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is an American four-engined heavy bomber aircraft developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). A fast and high-flying bomber, the B-17 dropped more bombs than any other aircraft during ...
es in 1939. In January 1940, the squadron participated in joint amphibious exercises at
Fort Ord Fort Ord is a former United States Army post on Monterey Bay on the Pacific Ocean coast in California, which closed in 1994 due to Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) action. Most of the fort's land now makes up the Fort Ord National Monument, ...
, California. It moved to
Fort Douglas Fort Douglas (initially called Camp Douglas) was established in October 1862, during the American Civil War, as a small military garrison about three miles east of Salt Lake City, Utah. Its purpose was to protect the overland mail route and te ...
, Utah in September 1940 when the short runways at Hamilton proved inadequate for B-17 operations, operating out of the runways at Salt Lake City Airport, which was adjacent to Fort Douglas. The following January, the Army took over Salt Lake City's airport as
Salt Lake City Army Air Base Salt Lake City International Airport is a joint civil-military international airport located about west of Downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The airport, along with the much smaller Provo Airport (PVU) and Ogden–Hinckley Airpo ...
, a separate facility which became the squadron's base. In October 1941, the squadron and the rest of the 7th Bombardment Group was ordered to move to
Clark Field Clark is an English language surname with historical links to England, Scotland, and Ireland, ultimately derived from the Latin ''clericus'' meaning "scribe", "secretary" or a scholar within a religious order, referring to someone who was educated ...
, Philippines to build up forces there due to increased tensions between the United States and the Japanese Empire. Due to a lack of planes, some pilots were sent to Seattle to fly new B-17s overseas while the ground echelon departed on 12 November from Salt Lake City, by train, arriving at Angel Island by ferry; sailing on 20 November for Hawaii, on the troopship . At Hawaii, the ''Republic'' joined a convoy escorted by the heavy cruiser the for the Philippines, this was also known as the
Pensacola Convoy The Pensacola Convoy is a colloquialism for a United States military shipping convoy that took place in late 1941 as the Pacific War began. The name was derived from that of its primary escort ship, the heavy cruiser . ''Pensacola'' was officiall ...
. 7 December they had reached the Equator. Hearing the news of the
attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Empire of Japan on the United States Pacific Fleet at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, its naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Territory of ...
, the convoy changed course to
Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
, Australia.


World War II


Operations in the Pacific

The squadron's B-17s being ferried came under attack during their arrival at
Hickam Field Hickam may refer to: ;Surname * Homer Hickam (born 1943), American author, Vietnam veteran, and a former NASA engineer **'' October Sky: The Homer Hickam Story'', 1999 American biographical film * Horace Meek Hickam (1885–1934), pioneer airpower ...
, Hawaii on 7 December in the middle of the Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Empire of Japan on the United States Pacific Fleet at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, its naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Territory of ...
. Some of the planes managed to land at
Haleiwa Fighter Strip Haleiwa Fighter Strip was a military airfield on Oahu, Hawaii. It was used as part of the island's defense in World War II. History This obscure former military strip became famous during the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Originally ...
, one set down on a golf course, and the remainder landed at Hickam under the strafing of Japanese planes. Following the attacks in Hawaii and the Philippines, the decision was made to divert the 7th Bombardment Group to Java, where it would be reunited with its ground echelon and begin operations there starting in January 1942.Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 43-45 However, the 88th Squadron air echelon did not proceed across the Pacific with the other elements of the 7th Group, but remained behind to serve in the
air defense Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface (Submarine#Armament, submarine-lau ...
of Hawaii until 10 February 1942. It spent a brief period flying missions from Nandi Airport in the Fiji Islands, before proceeding to Townsville Airfield, Australia later that month. However, by the time the squadron arrived in the Southwest Pacific, it had been determined that the 7th Group would not remain there, but would be sent forward to reinforce
Allied An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not an explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are calle ...
forces in India. The squadron continued to fly missions from Australia until March 1942, when it moved to India.


Operations from India

The squadron arrived in India in March 1942. It was redesignated the 436th Bombardment Squadron in April 1942. It flew its first mission in the
China Burma India Theater China Burma India Theater (CBI) was the United States military designation during World War II for the China and Southeast Asian or India–Burma (IBT) theaters. Operational command of Allied forces (including U.S. forces) in the CBI was ...
on 4 June 1942. Later that month, the need for reinforcements against General
Erwin Rommel Johannes Erwin Eugen Rommel (; 15 November 1891 – 14 October 1944), popularly known as The Desert Fox (, ), was a German '' Generalfeldmarschall'' (field marshal) during World War II. He served in the ''Wehrmacht'' (armed forces) of ...
's attacks in the Middle East resulted in the withdrawal of most of the 7th Bombardment Group's heavy bombers from the theater, and two of the
group A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together. Groups of people * Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity * Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic iden ...
's squadrons converted to
North American B-25 Mitchell The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Brigadier General Billy Mitchell, William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allies of World War ...
s, leaving the 436th as the only remaining squadron in the group flying B-17s. However,
Clayton Bissell Major General Clayton Lawrence Bissell (July 29, 1896 – December 24, 1972) was an air officer in the United States Army and United States Army Air Forces during World War I and World War II. World War I service Bissell graduated from Valpar ...
, commander of
Tenth Air Force The Tenth Air Force (10 AF) is a unit of the U.S. Air Force, specifically a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). 10 AF is headquartered at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base/Carswell Field (formerly Carswel ...
considered the B-17 unsuitable for the long range operations from India, and in August 1942, the decision was made to convert the group to a
Consolidated B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models desi ...
unit.Bergin Squadron operations were primarily directed against Japanese installations in Burma (Myanmar). The squadron attacked airfields, supply dumps, locomotive manufacturing facilities, and vulnerable sites in the Japanese
line of communications A line of communication (or communications) is the route that connects an operating military unit with its supply base. Supplies and reinforcements are transported along the line of communication. Therefore, a secure and open line of communicat ...
, including docks, warehouses and shipping. Other targets included power plants in China oil refineries and railroads in Thailand, and shipping in the Andaman Sea. On 10 June 1944, the squadron was taken off combat operations and provided support for
Boeing B-29 Superfortress The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a retired American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the Bo ...
raids by transporting fuel to bases in China, an operation that continued through November 1944, then the squadron returned to attacking warehouses, shipping, and troop concentrations in Burma, although it maintained a detachment based at Luliang Airfield, China that continued the fuel transportation mission through January 1945. It received a
Distinguished Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed e ...
for an attack on railroads and bridges in the
Kra Isthmus The Kra Isthmus (, ; ), also called the Isthmus of Kra in Thailand, is the narrowest part of the Malay Peninsula. The western part of the isthmus belongs to Ranong Province and the eastern part to Chumphon Province, both in Southern Thailan ...
of Thailand, the narrowest point on the Malay Peninsula. on 19 March 1945, which disrupted Japanese
lines of communication A line of communication (or communications) is the route that connects an operating military unit with its supply base. Supplies and reinforcements are transported along the line of communication. Therefore, a secure and open line of communicat ...
between
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
and
Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
. The mission lasted over 17 hours and was the longest formation flight in the CBI. In June 1945 it moved to
Tezpur Airfield Tezpur Airport , also known as Salonibari Air Force Station, is a domestic airport and an Indian Air Force Station serving Tezpur, Assam, India. It is located in Salonibari, situated from the city centre. The airport covers an area of 22 acre ...
, India, which placed the squadron on the same station as the 7th Group for the first time since it left the United States. However, later that month, the squadron resumed transporting fuel over
the Hump The Hump was the name given by Allies of World War II, Allied pilots in the Second World War to the eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains over which they flew military transport aircraft from British Raj, India to Republic of China (1912- ...
to China. It continued this mission past
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 wh ...
, ending it in September 1945. The squadron departed India in December 1945 and was inactivated on reaching Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, the Port of Embarkation, on 6 January 1946.


Bridge over the river Kwai

The bridge that was the subject of the film ''
The Bridge on the River Kwai ''The Bridge on the River Kwai'' is a 1957 epic war film directed by David Lean and based on the novel ''The Bridge over the River Kwai'', written by Pierre Boulle. Boulle's novel and the film's screenplay are almost entirely fictional but u ...
'', based on the novel ''
The Bridge over the River Kwai ''The Bridge over the River Kwai'' () is a novel by the French novelist Pierre Boulle, published in French in 1952 and English translation by Xan Fielding in 1954. The story is fictional but uses the construction of the Burma Railway, in 1942& ...
'' has been identified with Bridge 277 of the Burma Railway, over the
Khwae Noi River The River Kwai (), more correctly Khwae Noi (, , 'small tributary') or Khwae Sai Yok (, ), is a river in western Thailand. It rises to the east of the Salween in the north–south spine of the Bilauktaung range near, but not over the border wi ...
. The real bridge was two parallel bridges, one wooden as depicted in the movie and one concrete. The bridges were constructed by
prisoners of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...
in a forced labor camp. On 13 December 1943, an attack was made on the bridge, with the 436th providing
flak Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface ( submarine-launched), and air-bas ...
suppression. Finally, on 13 February 1944, the concrete bridge was rendered unusable, although damage to the wooden bridge was repaired. On 3 April 1945, in an attack led by a crew from the 436th, the wooden bridge was destroyed and not rebuilt during the war.


Strategic Air Command


B-36 era

In October 1946, the squadron was reactivated at
Fort Worth Army Air Field Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth (abbreviated NAS JRB Fort Worth) includes Carswell Field, a military airbase located west of the central business district of Fort Worth, in Tarrant County, Texas, United States. This military ...
, along with other elements of the 7th Bombardment /group and equipped initially with
B-29 Superfortress The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a retired American four-engined Propeller (aeronautics), propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to ...
bombers, and trained in global bombardment operations, flying simulated bombing missions over various cities, as well as performing intercontinental training missions over the Pacific and later to Europe. In late June 1948 the first five
Convair B-36A Peacemaker The Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" is a strategic bomber built by Convair and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1949 to 1959. The B-36 is the largest mass-produced piston-engined aircraft ever built, although it was exceeded in span ...
s were delivered to the
7th Bombardment Wing The 7th Bomb Wing (7 BW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Global Strike Command Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, where it is also the host unit. The 7 BW is one of only two B-1B Lancer strat ...
. The B-36As lacked combat equipment and were used primarily for transition and conversion training. In November 1948, the wing began to receive B-36Bs, which were capable of carrying nuclear weapons, By 1951, almost all B-36As and B-36Bs had been withdrawn from service to be modified to newer configuration. The 7th Wing conducted the first overseas deployment of the B-36 in January 1951, to
RAF Lakenheath Royal Air Force Lakenheath or RAF Lakenheath is a Royal Air Force List of Royal Air Force stations, station near the village of Lakenheath in Suffolk, England, UK, north-east of Mildenhall, Suffolk, Mildenhall and west of Thetford. The insta ...
.
Strategic Air Command Strategic Air Command (SAC) was a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile compon ...
(SAC)’s mobilization for the
Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
highlighted that SAC wing commanders focused too much on running the base organization and not spending enough time on overseeing actual combat preparations. To allow wing commanders the ability to focus on combat operations, the air base group commander became responsible for managing the base housekeeping functions. Under the plan implemented provisionally in 1951, combat squadrons reported directly to the wing commander, who focused primarily on the wing's combat units and the maintenance necessary to support them. The plan became permanent in June 1952, as the 7th Bombardment Group was inactivated. From July to September 1955, the squadron deployed with the wing to
Nouasseur Air Base Nouasseur Air Base near Casablanca in Morocco, was a United States Air Force base from 1951 to 1963. It was designed for B-36 and B-47 bombers but never came into use, and also housed repair units for a period. Today, Nouasseur AB is known as ...
, Morocco.


B-52 era

In 1958, the squadron began to replace its B-36s with
Boeing B-52F Stratofortress The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic aircraft, 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 ...
es. SAC bases with large concentrations of bombers made attractive targets. SAC’s response was to break up its wings and scatter their aircraft over a larger number of bases. SAC began to disperse its B-52 bombers over a larger number of bases, thus making it more difficult for the Soviet Union to knock out the entire fleet with a surprise first strike. On 15 April 1958, SAC ended its B-47 operations at
Barksdale Air Force Base Barksdale Air Force Base (Barksdale AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, in northwest Louisiana. Much of the base is within the city limits of Bossier City, Louisiana, along the base's western and northwest ...
, Louisiana, when the
301st Bombardment Wing The 301st Air Refueling Wing is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force being last assigned to the Strategic Air Command at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, where it was inactivated on 1 June 1992. History : ''See the 301st Operatio ...
moved to
Lockbourne Air Force Base Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base is an Ohio Air National Guard installation at Rickenbacker International Airport near Lockbourne in southern Franklin County. The base was named for the famous early aviator and Columbus native Eddie Ric ...
, Ohio, where it replaced the
26th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing Sixth is the ordinal form of the number six. * The Sixth Amendment, to the U.S. Constitution * A keg of beer, equal to 5 U.S. gallons or barrel * The fraction Music * Sixth interval (music)s: ** major sixth, a musical interval ** minor sixth ...
. 1 August 1958, the 436th dispersed to Barksdale. where it became the strike element of the new
4238th Strategic Wing The 2nd Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command and the Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The wing is also the host unit at Barksdale. The wing was ...
. Starting in 1960, one third of the squadron's aircraft were maintained on fifteen minute alert, fully fueled and ready for combat to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet missile strike. This was increased to half the squadron's aircraft in 1962. Soon after detection of Soviet missiles in Cuba in 1962, on 20 October all B-52 units, including the 436th, were directed to put two additional planes on alert. On 22 October 1/8 of the B-52s were placed on airborne alert. On 24 October SAC went to
DEFCON The defense readiness condition (DEFCON) is an alert state used by the United States Armed Forces. For security reasons, the U.S. military does not announce a DEFCON level to the public. The DEFCON system was developed by the Joint Chiefs of Sta ...
2, placing all aircraft on alert. On 21 November SAC returned to normal airborne alert posture. On 27 November SAC returned to normal ground alert posture as tensions over Cuba eased. In February 1963, The
2nd Bombardment Wing The 2nd Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command and the Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The wing is also the host unit at Barksdale. The wing was ...
moved on paper from
Hunter Air Force Base Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, and killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to obtain the animal's body for meat and useful animal products (fur/ hide, bone/tusks, horn ...
, GeorgiaRavenstein, p. 9 and assumed the aircraft, personnel and equipment of the 4238th Strategic Wing, which was discontinued. The 4238h was a
Major Command A command in military terminology is an organisational unit for which a military commander is responsible. Commands, sometimes called units or formations, form the building blocks of a military. A commander is normally specifically appointed ...
controlled (MAJCON) wing, which could not carry a permanent history or lineage, and SAC wanted to replace it with a permanent unit. The 436th was inactivated and its mission, personnel and equipment were transferred to the 2nd Wing's
20th Bombardment Squadron 020 is the national dialling code for London in the United Kingdom. All subscriber numbers within the area code consist of eight digits and it has capacity for approaching 100 million telephone numbers. The code is used at 170 telephone exch ...
. While these actions were almost tantamount to redesignation, they were not official redesignations."


Training operations

The squadron reactivated in July 1986 at
Carswell Air Force Base Carswell Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force (USAF) base, located northwest of Fort Worth, Texas. For most of its operational lifetime, the base's mission was to train and support heavy strategic bombing groups and wings. Carswe ...
, Texas as the 436th Strategic Training Squadron to supported the SAC mission through classroom instruction, multimedia production, and training aid fabrication. With the disestablishment of SAC and
Tactical Air Command Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Lang ...
in June 1992, the term "strategic" was dropped from the squadron name and the squadron was reassigned to
Air Combat Command The Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the prim ...
as the 436th Training Squadron. In 1993, the squadron moved to
Dyess Air Force Base Dyess Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located about southwest of downtown Abilene, Texas, and west of Fort Worth, Texas. The host unit at Dyess is the 7th Bomb Wing assigned to the Global Strike Command Ei ...
, Texas when Carswell became a joint reserve base. The squadron continues to provide classroom instruction for over 10 courses to students from every major command and multimedia productions used throughout the Department of Defense.


Lineage

* Organized as the 88th Aero Squadron 18 August 1917 : Redesignated 88th Aero Squadron (Corps Observation) on 28 May 1918 : Redesignated 88th Aero Squadron on 27 June 1919 : Redesignated 88th Squadron (Observation) on 14 March 1921 : Redesignated 88th Observation Squadron on 25 January 1923 : Inactivated on 1 August 1927 * Activated on 1 June 1928 : Redesignated 88th Observation Squadron (Long-range, Amphibian) on 1 March 1935 : Redesignated 88th Reconnaissance Squadron on 1 September 1936 : Redesignated 88th Reconnaissance Squadron (Long Range) on 6 December 1939 : Redesignated 88th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) on 20 November 1940 : Redesignated 436th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 22 April 1942 : Redesignated 436th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 3 July 1943 : Inactivated on 6 January 1946 * Redesignated 436th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 1 October 1946 : Activated on 1 October 1946 : Redesignated 436th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 20 July 1948 : Discontinued and inactivated on 1 April 1963 * Redesignated 436th Strategic Training Squadron on 14 February 1986 : Activated on 1 July 1986 : Redesignated 436th Training Squadron on 1 June 1992


Assignments

* Post Headquarters, Kelly Field, 18 August-11 October 1917 *
Aviation Concentration Center Camp Albert L. Mills (Camp Mills) was a military installation on Long Island, New York. It was located about ten miles from the eastern boundary of New York City on the Hempstead Plains within what is now the village of Garden City. In September ...
, 11–27 October 1917 *
American Expeditionary Forces The American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) was a formation of the United States Armed Forces on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I, composed mostly of units from the United States Army, U.S. Army. The AEF was establis ...
, 9–16 November 1917 * 1st Air Depot, 16 November 1917 * 1st Observation Group School, 1 February-28 May 1918 *
I Corps Observation Group The I Corps Observation Group was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I as part of the Air Service, First United States Army. It was demobilized in France after the 1918 Armistice with Germany ...
, 28 May 1918 *
III Corps Observation Group The III Corps Observation Group was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I as part of the Air Service, First United States Army. It was demobilized on 12 May 1919. T ...
, 4 August 1918 (attached to
V Corps Observation Group The V Corps Observation Group was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I as part of the Air Service, First United States Army. It was demobilized in France on 15 February 1919. There is no mo ...
, 12–17 September 1918) *
VII Corps Observation Group The VII Corps Observation Group was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I as part of the First Army Air Service. It was later transferred to the Third Army Air Service as part of the United ...
, 29 November 1918 * American Expeditionary Forces, 1–10 June 1919 * Post Headquarters, Mitchell Field, 27 June 1919 * Post Headquarters, Scott Field, 11 July 1919 *
2d Wing The Second Bombardment Wing, abbreviated as 2nd Bombardment Wing of the United States Army Air Forces is a disbanded unit whose last assignment was with the Continental Air Forces, based at McChord Field, Washington. It was last active in Novemb ...
, 5 September 1919 (attached to 1st Army Observation Group), October 1919 * 1st Army Observation Group, 24 March 1920 * Air Service Field Officer's School, 10 February 1921 – 14 October 1921 (attached to 1st Provisional Air Brigade for operations, 6 May – 3 October 1921) * Fifth Corps Area 15 October 1921 * 5th Division Air Service, 1 July 1923 * Air Corps Training Center 1 May–1 August 1927 * Eighth Corps Area 1 June 1928 (attached to Field Artillery School) * 14th Observation Group, 8 May 1929 (attached to Field Artillery School) * 12th Observation Group 30 June 1931 (attached to Field Artillery School until November 1931) * 1st Wing 1 March 1935 (attached to 7th Bombardment Group after 1 September 1936, air echelon attached to
31st Bombardment Squadron 31 (thirty-one) is the natural number following 30 and preceding 32. It is a prime number. Mathematics 31 is the 11th prime number. It is a superprime and a self prime (after 3, 5, and 7), as no integer added up to its base 10 digits resu ...
, 10 December 1941 – 8 February 1942,
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
) * 7th Bombardment Group 25 February 1942 – 6 January 1946 (air echelon attached to
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
until 14 March 1942) * 7th Bombardment Group, 1 October 1946 – 15 June 1952 (attached to 7th Bombardment Wing after 14 February 1951) * 7th Bombardment Wing 16 June 1952 * 4238th Strategic Wing, 1 August 1958 – 1 April 1963 * Strategic Air Command, 1 July 1986 *
Air Combat Command The Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the prim ...
, 1 June 1992 * 7th Bomb Wing 1 October 1993 * 7th Operations Group 1 July 1994 *
552nd Operations Group The 552d Air Control Wing is an operational wing of the United States Air Force. It has been based at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, since July 1976, operating the Boeing E-3 Sentry. It includes the 552d Operations Group, 552d Maintenance Gr ...
, 30 Sep 2015 * 552nd Training Group, 17 Aug 2018 – present


Stations

* Kelly Field, Texas, 18 August 1917 * Aviation Concentration Center, Garden City, New York, 11–27 October 1917 *
Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome : ''see also: Organization of the Air Service of the American Expeditionary Force'' When the United States entered World War I on 6 April 1917, the Air Service of the United States Army existed only as a branch of the Signal Corps, and was kno ...
, France, 16 November 1917 *
Amanty Airdrome Amanty Airdrome was a temporary World War I airfield in France, used briefly by French units, thereafter by squadrons of the Air Service, United States Army. It was located northwest of Amanty, and approximately south west of Toul, in the Meu ...
, France, 1 February 1918 *
Ourches Aerodrome Ourches Aerodrome, was a temporary World War I airfield in France, used by the Air Service, United States Army. It was west of the commune of Toul, in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. Overview The airfield was buil ...
, France, 28 May 1918 * Francheville Aerodrome, France, 7 July 1918 * Ferme des Greves Aerodrome, France, 4 August 1918 * Goussancourt Airdrome, France, 4 September 1918 * Ferme des Greves Aerodrome, France, 9 September 1918 *
Souilly Aerodrome Souilly Aerodrome was a temporary World War I airfield in France, used by the French Air Service, and by the Air Service, United States Army. It was located south-southwest of Verdun, in the Meuse department in north-eastern France Fran ...
, France, 12 September 1918 * Pretz-en-Argonne Airdrome, France, 14 September 1918 * Souilly Aerodrome, France, 20 September 1918 * Bethelainville Aerodrome, France, 4 November 1918 * Villers-la-Chevre Aerodrome, France, 29 November 1918 *
Trier Airfield Trier Air Base, also known as Trier Euren Airfield, is a former military airfield located in the southwest of Trier, a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It was established in 1910. During World War I it was used by the Deutsche Luftstreitkr� ...
, Germany, 6 December 1918 *
Le Mans Le Mans (; ) is a Communes of France, city in Northwestern France on the Sarthe (river), Sarthe River where it meets the Huisne. Traditionally the capital of the Provinces of France, province of Maine (province), Maine, it is now the capital of ...
, France, 1–10 June 1919 *
Mitchel Field Mitchell may refer to: People and fictional characters *Mitchell (surname), including lists of both people and fictional characters *Mitchell (given name), lists of people and fictional characters Places Australia * Mitchell, Australian Ca ...
, New York, 27 June 1919 * Scott Field, Illinois, 1 July 1919 * Langley Field, Virginia, 5 September 1919 (detachment operated from Charleston, West Virginia, 3–8 September 1921, detachment remained at Charleston until October 1921) * Godman Field, Kentucky, 15 October 1921 * Wilbur Wright Field, Ohio, 11 October 1922 * Brooks Field, Texas, 7 May – 1 August 1927 * Post Field, Oklahoma, 1 June 1928 * Brooks Field, Texas, 5 November 1931 * Hamilton Field, California, 28 September 1935 * Fort Douglas, Utah, 7 September 1940 * Salt Lake City Army Air Base, Utah, c. 15 January – 11 November 1941 *
Archerfield Airport Archerfield Airport is a leased federal airport located in Archerfield, Queensland, Archerfield, to the south of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. For some time, it was the primary airport in Brisbane, but it is now the secondary airport. During ...
, Australia, 22 December 1941 – 4 February 1942 (air echelon operated from Hickam Field, Hawaii, 7 December 1941 – 10 February 1942; Nandi Airport, Fiji Islands, 12–17 February 1942;
RAAF Base Townsville RAAF Base Townsville (formerly RAAF Base Garbutt) is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military airfield, air base located in , west of Townsville in Queensland, Australia. It is the headquarters for No. 1 Wing Australian Air Force Cade ...
, Australia, 20 February – c. 14 March 1942 *
Karachi Karachi is the capital city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Sindh, Pakistan. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, largest city in Pakistan and 12th List of largest cities, largest in the world, with a popul ...
, India, 12 March 1942 (operations from Townsville continued to c. 14 March 1942) *
Allahabad Prayagraj (, ; ISO 15919, ISO: ), formerly and colloquially known as Allahabad, is a metropolis in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.The other five cities were: Agra, Kanpur, Kanpur (Cawnpore), Lucknow, Meerut, and Varanasi, Varanasi (Benar ...
, India, 1 June 1942 * Gaya Airfield, India, 14 November 1942 * Bishnupur Airfield, India, 25 February 1943 *
Panagarh Airfield Air Force Station Arjan Singh , formerly Panagarh Airport, is an airport near Panagarh, a small village in the state of West Bengal in India. It is an air force base under Eastern Air Command of Indian Air Force. It is 24 km southeast of ...
, India, 25 September 1943 * Madhaiganj Airfield, India, 13 December 1943 *
Tezgaon Airfield BAF Base Bashar — also known as Tejgaon Airport — is a Bangladesh Air Force military base in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Bangladesh Army also uses this military base. It is also the National Parade Square of Bangladesh. It served as the country's sole ...
, India, 14 June 1944 * Madhaiganj Airfield, India, 6 October 1944 (detachment based at Luliang Airfield, China, December 1944 – January 1945) * Tezpur Airfield, India, 1 June – 7 December 1945 * Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 5–6 January 1946 * Ft Worth Army Air Field (later Carswell Air Force Base), Texas, 1 October 1946 * Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, 1 August 1958 – 1 April 1963 * Carswell Air Force Base, Texas 1 July 1986 * Dyess Air Force Base, Texas 5 March 1993 – present


Aircraft

* Dorand Avion de Reconnaissance 1 and 2 (AR 1 AR 2), 1918 *
Sopwith 1½ Strutter The Sopwith Strutter is a British single- or two-seat Multirole combat aircraft, multi-role biplane aircraft of the First World War.Lake 2002, p. 40. It was the first British two-seat tractor configuration, tractor fighter and the first Briti ...
, 1918 * Salmson 2A2, 1918–1919 * Dayton-Wright DH-4, 1919–1921 * Douglas O-2, 1919–1927, 1928-1930 * Thomas-Morse O-19, 1930–1935 * Douglas O-31, 1930–1933 * Douglas C-1, 1930–1933 *
Douglas O-43 The Douglas O-43 was a monoplane observation aircraft used by the United States Army Air Corps. Development Five Y1O-31A service-test aircraft were ordered in 1931, and delivered to the USAAC in early 1933 designated Y1O-43. They differed from ...
, 1934–1935 * Douglas O-35, 1935–1937 * Fokker O-27, 1935–1938 * Douglas OA-4 Dolphin, 1935–1938 * Sikorsky Y1OA-8, 1935–1938 * Douglas B-7, 1935–1938 *
Martin B-10 The Martin B-10 is a bomber aircraft designed by the Glenn L. Martin Company. It was the first all-metal monoplane bomber to be regularly used by the United States Army Air Corps, having entered service in June 1934.Jackson 2003, p. 246. It wa ...
, 1935–1938 * Martin B-12, 1936-c. 1937 *
Douglas B-18 Bolo The Douglas B-18 Bolo is an American twin-engined medium bomber which served with the United States Army Air Corps and the Royal Canadian Air Force (as the Digby) during the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was developed by the Douglas Airc ...
, 1937–1940 * Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1939–1942 * Consolidated B-24 Liberator, 1942–1945 * Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1946–1948 * Convair B-36 Peacemaker, 1948–1958 * Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, 1958–1963Aircraft through March 1963 in Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 538-540


Awards and campaigns


See also

*
List of American aero squadrons This is a partial list of original Air Service, United States Army "Aero Squadrons" before and during World War I. Units formed after 1 January 1919, are not listed. Aero Squadrons were the designation of the first United States Army aviation ...
*
B-17 Flying Fortress units of the United States Army Air Forces This is a list of United States Army Air Forces B-17 Flying Fortress units of the United States Army Air Forces, including variants and other historical information. Heavy bomber training organizations primarily under II Bomber Command in t ...
*
United States Army Air Forces in Australia During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces established a series of airfields in Australia for the collective defense of the country, as well as for conducting offensive operations against the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy. From thes ...
*
B-24 Liberator units of the United States Army Air Forces B- may refer to: *B-, a blood type *B- (grade), an academic grade *B − L In particle physics, ''B'' − ''L'' (pronounced "bee minus ell") is a quantum number which is the difference between the baryon number () and the lepton ...
*
List of B-29 Superfortress operators This is a list of Boeing B-29 Superfortress units consisting of nations, their air forces, and the unit assignments that used the B-29 during World War II, Korean War, and post war periods, including variants and other historical information Del ...
*
List of B-52 Units of the United States Air Force The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress has been operational with the United States Air Force since 5 June 1955. This list is of the units it's assigned to, and bases they're stationed at. In addition to the USAF, A single RB-52B (52-008) was flown by ...


References


Notes

; Explanatory notes ; Citations


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * {{USAAF 5th Air Force World War II 0436 Military units and formations in Texas Units and formations of Strategic Air Command Military units and formations of the United States in the Cold War