322d Bombardment Squadron

RAF Bassingborn 322d BS 91st BG 1944 Photo was probably taken sometime in early 1944.

The 322d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 91st Bombardment Wing, stationed at Glasgow Air Force Base, Montana. It was inactivated on 25 June 1968.

History

Established as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomb squadron in early 1942; trained under Third Air Force in the southeastern United States with final training under Second Air Force in Washington. Deployed to European Theater of Operations (ETO), assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England, being one of the first heavy bomb squadrons arriving in England. The 322d was one of the most highly decorated strategic heavy bomb squadrons in the European Theater, flying combat missions over Nazi Germany and Occupied Europe until the German capitulation in May 1945. Most personnel demobilized in England immediately after the end of the war in Europe, Squadron returned to the United States with a small headquarters staff and was planned to be re-equipped and remanned as a B-29 Superfortress squadron. Japanese capitulation canceled plans and was inactivated as a paper unit in the United States during November 1945.

Activated in Japan during 1950 as a result of the Korean War. Equipped with RB-29 reconnaissance bombers for strategic reconnaissance missions over Korea, and the Northern Pacific coast of Communist China and the Soviet Union. Re-equipped with RB-45C Tornado jet reconnaissance aircraft, flying reconnaissance and mapping combat missions over Korea until being assigned to the United States in mid-1952. Re-equipped with RB-47E Stratojets, performed various reconnaissance missions on a worldwide scale until inactivation in 1957.

Activated as a SAC B-52D Stratofortress heavy bomber squadron in 1963 as a redesignation of the provisional 326th Bombardment Squadron. Deployed to Western Pacific, engaging in Arc Light combat missions over Indochina beginning in 1966 - 1968. Inactivated due to budget reductions and closure of Glasgow AFB in 1968.

Lineage

• Constituted 322d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 January 1942

Activated on 15 April 1942

Inactivated on 7 November 1945

• Redesignated 322d Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) on 23 May 1950

Activated in Japan on 6 July 1950

Inactivated on 8 November 1957

• Redesignated 322d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), and activated on 15 November 1962

Organized on 1 February 1963 by redesignation of 326th Bombardment Squadron

Inactivated on 25 June 1968

Assignments

• 91st Bombardment Group, 15 April 1942 – 7 November 1945
• 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Group, 6 July 1950
• 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 28 May 1952 – 8 November 1957
• Strategic Air Command, 15 November 1962
• 91st Bombardment Wing, 1 February 1963 – 25 June 1968

Detached to Advanced Echelon, 3d Air Division: 11 September 1966–31 March 1967; 15 February–30 April 1968

Not Operational: 1 May-25 June 1968

Stations

• Harding Army Air Field, Louisiana, 15 April 1942
• MacDill Field, Florida, 16 May 1942
• Walla Walla Army Air Base, Washington, c. 28 June-24 August 1942
• RAF Kimbolton (AAF-117), England, 13 September 1942 (ground echelon), early October 1942 (air echelon)
• RAF Bassingbourn (AAF-121), England, 14 October 1942 – 23 June 1945
• Drew Field, Florida, 3 July-7 November 1945
• Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, 6 July 1950

Deployed to Johnson AB and Yokota AB, Japan 6 July 1950-28 May 1952

• Lockbourne AFB, Ohio, 11 September 1951 – 8 November 1957
• Glasgow AFB, Montana, 1 February 1963 – 25 June 1968

Deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam for Arc Light Missions, 11 September 1966-c. 31 March 1967

Deployed to Kadena AB, Okinawa for Arc Light Missions, 16 February-c. 30 April 1968

Aircraft

• B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942–1945
• RB-29 Superfortress, 1950
• RB-45C Tornado, 1950–1953
• RB-47E Stratojet, 1953–1957
• B-52D Stratofortress, 1963–1968

See also

• List of B-52 Units of the United States Air Force

References

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

• 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.