| 61st Bombardment Squadron | |
|---|---|
Emblem of the 61st Bombardment Squadron (World War II) |
|
| Active | 1940-1945; 1947-1962 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Bombardment |
The 61st Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 70th Bombardment Wing. It was last stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, and was inactivated on 25 June 1962.
Contents |
Established in November 1940 as a B-17 Flying Fortress Heavy Bombardment squadron organized at Fort Douglas, Utah; assigned to the GHQ Air Force Northwest Air District at Geiger Field, Washington where the squadron flew training missions and also reconnaissance missions along the Northwest Pacific Coast. After the Pearl Harbor Attack, became first an Operational Training Unit (OTU) at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, later converting to a B-24 Liberator Replacement Training Unit (RTU).
Inactivated in April 1944 with the phaseout of heavy bomber training, reactivated and redesignated as a B-29 Superfortress Very Heavy bomb squadron and reassigned to Kansas for training on the B-29. Received new aircraft from the Boeing factory in Wichita, and prepared for overseas deployment. In early 1945 the squadron deployed to the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO) and was assigned to the XXI Bomber Command, Twentieth Air Force on Guam. Conducted very long range strategic bombardment raids over Japan beginning in April 1945, bombing military and industrial targets over the Japanese Home Islands and participated in incendiary raids on urban areas until the Japanese Capitulation in August. Also supported the Allied invasion of Okinawa by attacking airfields that served as bases for kamikaze pilots. Returned to the United States, November–December 1945 for inactivation.
Reactivated in 1947 in the reserve at Hamilton Field, California, but it is unclear whether or not the unit had any assigned aircraft of personnel. It was inactivated in 1949 due to budgetary reductions.
Reactivated under Strategic Air Command in 1955 as an RB-47 Stratojet squadron flying strategic reconnaissance missions to meet SAC's global reconnaissance commitments from October 1955–1962, but on a reduced scale after February 1958 when events showed the vulnerability of the RB-47 and the development of the U-2 aircraft. Converted to standard B-47 medium bombers in late 1961 but inactivated in 1962 prior to becoming combat ready.
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.