485th Bombardment Squadron

485th Bombardment Squadron
Emblem of the 485th Bombardment Squadron
Active	1917-1946
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Bombardment

The 485th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 505th Bombardment Group. It was inactivated at Northwest Field, Guam on 10 June 1946.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Lineage 1.2 Assignments 1.3 Stations 1.4 Aircraft 2 References

History

Activated in August 1917 as an Air Service Aero Squadron during World War I. Was apparently a non-flying support squadron, deployed to France in early 1918 and supported Air Service operations on the Western Front. Remained in France after the Armistice, returning to New York City, demobilizing in May 1919.

Reactivated as part of the Army reserve forces in 1924, assigned to Wright or Patterson Field at Dayton Ohio. Although designated as a bombardment squadron, it is unclear if the unit had any aircraft assigned to it. Disbanded in 1942.

Reconstituted in 1944 as a B-29 Superfortress Very Heavy bombardment squadron; assigned to Second Air Force for training. Initially assigned to 505th Bombardment Group, however shortages in aircraft and equipment led to personnel being consolidated into other group squadrons; inactivated. Reactivated about a month later; assigned to 501st Bombardment Group. Completed training with new personnel and equipment, and deployed to Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO), being assigned to XXI Bomber Command in the Northern Mariana Islands; assigned to Northwest Field, Guam.

Flew very long range strategic bombardment missions over the Japanese Home Islands, attacking military, industrial and transportation targets. Switched to night incendiary raids attacking major Japanese cities in the spring of 1945, causing massive destruction of urbanized areas. Continued strategic bombing raids and incendiary attacks until Japanese Capitulation in August 1945. Remained in the Mariana Islands until the spring of 1946, inactivated on Guam.

Lineage

• Organized as 73d Aero Squadron on 14 Aug 1917

Redesignated 485th Aero Squadron on 1 Feb 1918.

Demobilized on 20 May 1919

• Reconstituted and consolidated (1936) with 485th Bombardment Squadron which was constituted and allotted to the reserve on 31 Mar 1924

Activated, date unknown [personnel assigned, Sep 1925)

Disbanded on 31 May 1942

• Reconstituted and consolidated (21 Apr 1944) with 485th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) which was constituted on 28 Feb 1944

Activated on 11 Mar 1944.

Inactivated on 10 May 1944

• Activated on 1 Jun 1944

Inactivated on 10 Jun 1946

Assignments

• Unknown, 14 Aug 1917-Mar 1918
• Air Service Production Center No. 2, Mar 1918
• Air Service Spares Depot, Sep 1918-Jan 1919
• Unknown, Jan-20 May 1919
• Fifth Corps Area, 1925(?)-31 May 1942
• 505th Bombardment Group, 11 Mar-10 May 1944
• 501st Bombardment Group, 1 Jun 1944-10 Jun 1946

Stations

Kelly Field, Texas, 14 Aug 1917 Camp Morrison, Virginia, 21 Dec 1917-4 Mar 1918 Romorantin, France, 25 Mar 1918 Detachment operated from St Nazaire to 3 Apr 1918 Unit operated from Gievres, 17 May-9 Jun 1918 Detachment operated from Chatenay-sur-Seine from 11 Sep 1918 Chatenay-sur-Seine, France, 21 Sep 1918 Bordeaux, France, c. 1 Feb 1919-unkn

Mitchel Field, New York, c. 2-20 May 1919 Dayton, Ohio 1925? -31 May 1942? Dalhart Army Air Field, Texas, 11 Mar 1944 Harvard Army Airfield, Nebraska, 12 Mar-10 May 1944 Dalhart Army Air Field, Texas, 1 Jun 1944 Harvard Army Airfield, Nebraska,, 23 Aug 194-7 Mar 1945 Northwest Field, Guam, 14 Apr 1945-10 Jun 1946

Aircraft

• Unknown (if any) prior to 1944
• B-29 Superfortress, 1944-1946

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