427th Bombardment Squadron

The 427th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Strategic Air Command 303d Bombardment Wing, based at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. The unit was inactivated on 1 January 1962.

History

Formed at Kelly Field, Texas as the 38th Aero Squadron after the United States' entry into World War I. Not deployed to Europe, remained in the United States, being assigned to Chanute Field, Illinois, duties undetermined. Demobilized and inactivated in December 1918.

Reactivated in 1933 as the 38th Pursuit Squadron, at Selfridge Field in 1933; reassigned to March Field, California in 1936, redesignated as a reconnaissance squadron and was equipped with a mixture of B-18 Bolo medium bombers; observation aircraft and Northrup A-17A attack dive bombers, all used for reconnaissance. Performed reconnaissance and photographic missions in support of flood-relief operations in Southern California, 2–5 March 1938.

Ordered to Fifth Air Force in the Philippines in November 1941 to reinforce air defenses of the Commonwealth due to rising tensions between the Japanese Empire and the United States. Air echelon departed on 6 November 1941 en route to Philippine Islands, arrived Hickam Field, THawaii Territory, during Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941; ground echelon departed San Francisco aboard ship, 6 December 1941, turned around and returned to March Field on 9 December 1941. In Hawaii, the remains of the air echelon flew patrol and search missions in mid-Pacific under direction of the Hawaiian (later Seventh) Air Force, later departing for Australia where the pilots were organized into other squadrons, the B-18s being used for non-combat duties. Ground personnel reassigned to other squadrons at March; the 38th Reconnaissance Squadron becoming a paper unit.

Assigned administratively to the 19th Bombardment Group at Gowen Field, Idaho in late February 1942. Reequipped and remanned on 13 March 1942, absorbing the personnel and B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 31st Reconnaissance Squadron, which was inactivated. Received new designation as 427th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) and deployed to Southern California flying antisubmarine patrols over the Pacific coast. Completed training in southwest June–August 1942; deploying to European Theater of Operations (ETO) as one of the initial heavy bomber squadrons assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England, September 1942.

Engaged in long-ranger strategic bombardment operations over Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany, September 1942-May 1945. The 427th was one of the most highly decorated squadrons in the Eighth Air Force, attacking enemy military and industrial targets as part of the United States' air offensive against Nazi Germany. After the German Capitulation in May, 1945 was reassigned to Air Transport Command. Reassigned to Casablanca, French Morocco, the squadron used its B-17 bombers as transports, ferrying military personnel from locations in France to Morocco, then south to Dakar in French West Africa or to the Azores for further transportation by other units. Inactivated in place in Morocco in late July 1945.

The squadron was activated in 1959 as a result of Strategic Air Command phasing out the B-47 Stratojet, and additional squadrons were activated as part of the consolation of Stratojet wings, and the replacement of the B-47 by B-52 Stratofortresses. In March 1961, President John F. Kennedy directed that the phaseout of the B-47 be accelerated. and the squadron was inactivated on 1 January 1962 as part of the drawdown of the USAF B-47 force, with the aircraft were sent to AMARC storage at Davis-Monthan.

Lineage

• Organized as 38th Aero Squadron on 12 June 1917

Redesignated Squadron A, Chanute Field, Illinois, on 13 July 1918

Demobilized on 1 December 1918

• Reconstituted and consolidated (1933) with 38th Pursuit Squadron which was constituted on 24 March 1923

Activated on 1 August 1933

Redesignated: 38th Observation Squadron (Long Range, Light Bombardment), and inactivated, on 1 March 1935

• Redesignated: 38th Reconnaissance Squadron, and activated, on September 1936

Redesignated: 38th Reconnaissance Squadron (Long Range) on 6 December 1939

Redesignated: 38th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) on 20 November 1940

Redesignated: 427th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 22 April 1942

Inactivated on 25 July 1945

• Redesignated 427th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 20 August 1958

Activated on 1 December 1958.

Discontinued, and inactivated, on 1 January 1962.

Assignments

• Unknown , 1917–1918.
• 18th Pursuit Group

Attached to 1st Pursuit Group, 1 August 1933 – 1 March 1935

• 1st (later 1st Bombardment) Wing

Attached to 19th Bombardment Group, 1 September 1936

• IV Bomber Command

Associated with: 1st Photographic Group, 10 Jun 1941-22 Apr 1942 (training)

Attached to 19th Bombardment Group, 19 September 1941

• Sierra Bombardment Group, 16 December 1941
• Fourth Air Force, 17 January 1942

Attached to IV Bomber Command, 26 January 1942 (Unmanned and unequipped)

• 19th Bombardment Group, 25 February 1942

Assumed personnel and equipment of 31st Reconnaissance Squadron (Inactivated), 13 March 1942

Attached to 303d Bombardment Group for training, 13 March 1942

• 303d Bombardment Group, 31 March 1942-25 July 1945
• 303d Bombardment Wing, 1 December 1958-1 January 1962.

Stations

Aircraft

• Included JN-4, 1917–1918. Primarily P-26 during period 1933¬1935. In addition to B-10, B-17, and B-18, included OA-4, Y10A-8 and A-17 during period 1936–1941
• B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942–1945
• B-47 Stratojet, 1958–1961.

See also

• List of American Aero Squadrons

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of 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 0-89201-097-5

External links