37th Bomb Squadron

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37th Bomb Squadron
37th Bomb Squadron Rockwell B-1 Lancer being prepared for Operation Odyssey Dawn at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., March 27, 2011.
Active	13 June 1917 - 5 April 1919 1 September 1933 - 31 January 1938 1 February 1940 - 26 November 1945 19 May 1947 - 10 September 1948 10 May 1952 - 25 June 1958 1 July 1977 - 1 October 1982 1 January 1987 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Strategic Bombing
Part of	Air Combat Command 12th Air Force 28th Bomb Wing 28th Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	Ellsworth Air Force Base
Nickname	Tigers
Mascot	Billy
Engagements	Doolittle Raid Operation Desert Fox Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom
Decorations	DCU AFOUA FCdG w/Palm ROK PUC
Insignia
37th Bomb Squadron emblem

The 37th Bomb Squadron (37 BS) is part of the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. It operates B-1 Lancer aircraft providing strategic bombing capability.

The squadron is one of the oldest in the United States Air Force, its origins dating to 13 June 1917, being organized at Kelly Field, Texas. The squadron deployed to England as part of the American Expeditionary Force during World War I. The squadron saw combat during World War II, and later became part of the Strategic Air Command (SAC) during the Cold War.

Mission

Provide rapid, decisive and sustainable combat airpower anytime, anywhere.

History

World War I

Established as a World War I Aero Squadron in Texas; deployed to France in September 1917. The squadron participated in aircraft construction from 1917–1918 and conducted flying training in 1918. Returned to the United States and inactivated in 1919.

Inter-war years

Reactivated in 1933 as a Pursuit Squadron, equipped with P-6 Hawks, A-8 Shrike and A-17A Nomad attack aircraft. Assigned to the Southeast Air District, flying coastal patrol missions from Langley Field, then Barksdale Field. Moved to Colorado and re-equipped with B-18 Bolo medium bombers; deploying to the Pacific Northwest.

World War II

The 37th It flew antisubmarine patrols from, December 1941–c. March 1942. The squadron also contributed aircrews for the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo, Japan on 6 April 1942. After the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor, the squadron flew antisubmarine patrols over the Northwest Pacific coast until May 1942.

After the Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands, squadron was deployed to the Alaska Territory. Flew combat missions during the Aleutian Campaign from forward bases on Adak and Amchitka during 1943 with B-25 Mitchells, attacking enemy targets on the occupied islands until their surrender.

A B-26B of the 37th Bomb Squadron with extensive flak damage over Europe, September 1943.

Returned to the Continental United States in late 1943; re-equipped with B-24 Liberator heavy bombers and trained under Second Air Force. Deployed to European Theater of Operations (ETO); being assigned to Eighth Air Force in England. Engaged in various special operations missions as a CARPETBAGGER unit, assisting resistance forces by dropping supplies, weapons and personnel over Occupied Europe until August 1944. Engaged in PSYOPS warfare against Nazi Germany, dropping leaflets and flying other combat missions until the German capitulation in May 1945.

Most of squadron personnel demobilized in England during the summer of 1945, unit returned to the United States and being redesignated as a Very Heavy B-29 Superfortress bombardment squadron. War in Pacific Theater ended before unit completed training and the squadron was inactivated in October 1945.

Cold War

Reactivated in 1947 under Tactical Air Command but not manned or equipped. Inactivated in 1948. As a result of the Korean War, the squadron was reactivated again as part of Far East Air Force and equipped with B-26 Invader bombers equipped for night attacks. Carried out attacks on Communist forces primarily over South Korea until the Korean War armistice in 1953, then withdrawn to Japan where it remained until it was demobilized and administratively reassigned to Eglin #9 Field in 1955.

Re-equipped with Martin B-57A Canberra jet bombers and conducted evaluation testing of the aircraft at Eglin; transitioned to B-66B Destroyers in 1956, the first squadron to receive the new tactical bomber. Deployed to RAF Sculthorpe, England briefly in 1958 before returning to Eglin and performing more testing on B-66s with Jet Assisted Take Off (JATO) and until being inactivated due to budget cuts later in the year.

Reactivated as a B-52 Stratofortress squadron in 1977; inactivated in 1982 as part of the inactivation of the B-52D.

Modern era

Reactivated in 1987 as a B-1 Squadron

Lineage

37th Aero Squadron emblem

Organized as 37th Aero Squadron on 13 Jun 1917

Demobilized on 15 Apr 1919

Reconstituted, and re-designated 37th Pursuit Squadron, on 24 Mar 1923

Activated on 1 Sep 1933

Re-designated 37th Attack Squadron on 1 Mar 1935

Inactivated on 31 Jan 1938

Re-designated 37th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 6 Dec 1939

Activated on 1 Feb 1940

Re-designated 37th Bombardment Squadron, Medium, on 9 Oct 1944

Inactivated on 26 Nov 1945

Re-designated 37th Bombardment Squadron, Light, on 29 Apr 1947

Activated on 19 May 1947

Inactivated on 10 Sep 1948

Re-designated 37th Bombardment Squadron, Light, Night Intruder, on 8 May 1952

Activated on 10 May 1952

Re-designated 37th Bombardment Squadron, Tactical, on 1 Oct 1955

Inactivated on 25 Jun 1958

Re-designated 37th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 16 Jun 1977

Activated on 1 Jul 1977

Inactivated on 1 Oct 1982

Activated on 1 Jan 1987

Re-designated 37th Bomb Squadron on 1 Sep 1991.

Assignments

Unknown, 13 Jun-Sep 1917
Third Aviation Instruction Center, Sep 1917-Jan 1919
Unknown, Jan-15 Apr 1919
18th Pursuit Group (attached to 8th Pursuit Group), 1 Sep 1933
2d Wing (attached to 8th Pursuit Group), 1 Mar 1935-31 Jan 1938
28th Composite Group, 1 Feb 1940
17th Bombardment Group, 23 Apr 1941-26 Nov 1945; 19 May 1947-10 Sep 1948; 10 May 1952-25 Jun 1958

Attached to the 17th Bombardment Wing, 8 Jun 1957-25 Jun 1958

28th Bombardment Wing, 1 Jul 1977-1 Oct 1982; 1 Jan 1987
28th Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991-.

Stations

Camp Kelly, Texas, 13 Jun-11 Aug 1917
Étampes, France, 18 Sep 1917
Issoudun, France, 23 Sep 1917
Bordeaux, France, c. 6 Jan-c. 18 Mar 1919
Mitchel Field, New York, c. 5-15 Apr 1919
Langley Field, Virginia, 1 Sep 1933-31 Jan 1938
Barksdale Field, Louisiana, 1 Feb 1940
Lowry Field, Colorado, 10 Jul 1940
Pendleton Field, Oregon, 29 Jun 1941
Lexington County Airport, South Carolina, 16 Feb 1942
Barksdale Field, Louisiana, 24 Jun-18 Nov 1942
Telergma Airfield, Algeria, 21 Dec 1942
Sedrata Airfield, Algeria, c. 13 May 1943
Djedeida Airfield, Tunisia, c. 25 Jun 1943

Villacidro Airfield, Sardinia, c. 5 Dec 1943
Poretta Airfield, Corsica, 21 Sep 1944
Dijon Airfield (Y-9), France, 20 Nov 1944
Linz Airport, Austria, c. 16 Jun 1945
Horsching, Austria, (Ground echelon), 6 Jul 1945
Clastres Airfield, France, c. 3 Oct-c. 17 Nov 1945
Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts, 25-26 Nov 1945
Langley Field (later, AFB), Virginia, 19 May 1947-10 Sep 1948
Pusan East (K-9) Air Base, South Korea, 10 May 1952
Miho AB, Japan, c. 9 Oct 1954-c. 19 Mar 1955
Hurlburt Field, Florida, 1 Apr 1955
RAF Alconbury, England, 11 May 1958
Hurlburt Field, Florida, 12 May-25 Jun 1958
Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, 1 Jul 1977-1 Oct 1982; 1 Jan 1987–present)

Aircraft

Avro 504 (1918)
Sopwith Camel (1918)
DH-4 (1918)
Nieuport 27 (1918)
P-6 Hawk (1933–1935)
A-8 Shrike (1935–1936)
A-17 Nomad (1936–1938)

B-18 Bolo (1940–1941)
B-25 Mitchell (1941–1942)
B-26 Marauder (1942–1945, 1952–1956)
B-57 Canberra (1955–1956)
B-66 Destroyer (1956–1958)
B-52 Stratofortress (1977–1982)
B-1 Lancer (1987–present))

References

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

Bibliography

Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
USAF 34th Bomb Squadron History
28th Operations Group Fact Sheet

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