393d Bombardment Squadron

393d Bombardment Squadron
Unit name	393d Bombardment Squadron
Dates	1942–1963
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Strategic bombardment
Command structure	Strategic Air Command
Battles	World War II, Cold War

393d Bombardment Squadron was a United States United States Army Air Forces and later United States Air Force unit assigned to strategic bombardment duties from World War II through the early Cold War. Activated in 1942, the squadron served in multiple theaters and under commands including Eighth Air Force, Fifteenth Air Force, and Strategic Air Command, participating in campaigns and deterrent operations that tied into major events such as Operation Overlord and tensions surrounding the Cuban Missile Crisis. The unit transitioned through aircraft types from the B-17 Flying Fortress to the B-52 Stratofortress era as part of broader force structure changes during the postwar period.

History

The squadron was constituted and activated amid the rapid expansion of the United States Army Air Forces in 1942 and trained alongside groups operating under Army Air Forces Training Command and interacting with units from Royal Air Force bomber commands. During World War II the squadron deployed to the European Theater of Operations and later to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, contributing to strategic campaigns coordinated with allied formations such as the Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, and elements of the Free French Air Force. Following V-J Day the unit participated in occupation and demobilization tasks before being inactivated and reactivated in the early Cold War, integrating into Strategic Air Command and assuming a nuclear deterrence role aligned with directives from Department of Defense leadership and strategic planners in the Pentagon.

World War II Operations

Deployed to bases supporting Eighth Air Force and Fifteenth Air Force operations, the squadron flew strategic bombing missions targeting German-occupied Europe industrial centers, oil refineries, and transportation nodes identified by planners in RAF Bomber Command and USAAF strategic intelligence staffs. Missions included long-range raids coordinated with operations such as Operation Tidal Wave planning elements and support for major offensives including Operation Torch follow-on strikes and interdiction in support of Operation Husky. Crews flew against targets in regions associated with the Reichstag-era industrial complex, close to sites tied to Albert Speer’s armaments production, and engaged enemy interceptors including units under the Luftwaffe during escort fights with fighters from groups akin to the Fighter Group (United States) structure. The squadron earned campaign credits linked to the Air Offensive, Europe and Po Valley operations while flying from airfields associated with bases like those used by North African Campaign air forces.

Cold War and Strategic Role

Reactivated for the Cold War, the squadron became part of Strategic Air Command’s global deterrent posture, integrating into alert cycles developed by leaders such as General Curtis LeMay and staff at Offutt Air Force Base. The squadron maintained high-readiness bomber forces capable of executing orders from National Command Authority components and interoperated with reconnaissance units such as RB-47 Stratojet squadrons and tanker wings like those operating the KC-135 Stratotanker. During crises that included heightened tensions around the Berlin Crisis of 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis, the squadron’s operations were synchronized with strategic planning groups in SAC Headquarters and support elements from Tenth Air Force-aligned logistics units. Changing defense priorities and reorganization under the Department of Defense led to shifts in basing and eventual inactivation as newer force structures emerged with the advent of intercontinental ballistic missile deployments managed by Air Force Systems Command coordination.

Aircraft and Equipment

Initially equipped with aircraft such as the B-17 Flying Fortress during World War II, the squadron later transitioned to postwar types aligned with strategic roles including the B-29 Superfortress and subsequent jet-age platforms like the B-47 Stratojet or variants in units contemporaneous with B-52 Stratofortress operations. Support assets included aerial refueling from units flying the KC-97 Stratofreighter and KC-135 Stratotanker, navigation aids supplied by organizations such as United States Air Force electronics maintenance groups, and munitions handled under protocols developed by Air Materiel Command. Avionics and bombing systems were periodically upgraded following recommendations from testing organizations like Air Proving Ground Command and procurement directives coordinated with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base engineering teams.

Lineage and Honors

The squadron’s lineage traces to its constitution in 1942, activation for World War II combat operations, postwar inactivations and reactivations during the Cold War, and final inactivation in the early 1960s under force realignments directed by Secretary of Defense decisions. It received campaign streamers for actions in theaters recognized by Air Force Historical Research Agency criteria and honors reflecting participation in campaigns such as the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign and Cold War readiness citations coordinated through Strategic Air Command award protocols. Unit citations and individual decorations awarded to personnel were processed through boards at Air Force Personnel Center-managed records aligned with criteria from Department of the Air Force awards regulations.

Stations

The squadron operated from training fields in the continental United States including airfields associated with Army Air Bases and later from overseas bases in the United Kingdom and Italy supporting Eighth Air Force and Fifteenth Air Force operations. Cold War basing included strategic locations tied to SAC networks such as Offutt Air Force Base, bomber wings’ home stations, and dispersed forward operating sites employed during crises connected to NATO defense plans. Logistics and maintenance were supported by depots linked to SAC supply chains and repair facilities at bases like Tinker Air Force Base and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Commanders and Notable Personnel

Commanders and aircrew included squadron leaders and operations officers who later held positions in commands such as Strategic Air Command and staff roles at Pentagon headquarters, with some personnel moving into assignments at institutions like United States Air Force Academy or industrial partners at Lockheed and Boeing through military-civilian transition programs. Decorated veterans of the squadron participated in commemorations with organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars and were recognized by historical groups including the Air Force Historical Foundation.

Category:Bombardment squadrons of the United States Air Force Category:Military units and formations of the United States in World War II