456th Bombardment Squadron

The 456th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 323d Bombardment Group, stationed at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It was inactivated on 17 March 1951.

History

Activated as a B-26 Marauder medium bomber squadron; trained under Third Air Force in the southeastern United States. Deployed to European Theater of Operations (ETO); assigned to VIII Bomber Command, 3d Bombardment Division in England. Engaged in combat operations over France and the Low Countries, attacking enemy military targets; formations; airfields; railroads; bridges and other raids to disrupt enemy defends. Coordinated raids with VIII Bomber Command heavy strategic bombardment of military and industrial targeted in Nazi Germany and in Occupied Europe by striking Luftwaffe day interceptor airfields to cause maximum disruption of air defenses when heavy bomber groups returning from bombardment raids. Destroyed many enemy aircraft on the ground; destroyed support buildings; barracks and enemy aircraft on the ground.

After D-Day invasion of Europe, engaged in tactical air support of Allied ground forces, carrying out bombardment attacks against enemy strong points, structures and targets of opportunity when making sweeps of enemy rear areas. Moved from England to Advanced Landing Grounds in France and further eastward as ground forces advanced across continent; engaging enemy targets during the Western Allied invasion of Germany in early 1945. Continued combat operations until German capitulation in May 1945.

Became part of the United States Air Forces in Europe forces in Occupied Germany; summer 1945. Demobilized in Germany in November and squadron inactivated as a paper unit in the United States.

Reactivated as a B-26 Invader reserve light bomber squadron in 1947. Trained in the reserves; activated in 1951 due to the Korean War. Personnel and aircraft reassigned to units of Far East Air Force in South Korea; squadron inactivated as a paper unit in the United States shortly afterward.

Lineage

• Constituted 456th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 19 June 1942

Activated on 4 August 1942

Inactivated on 26 November 1945

• Redesignated 456th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 9 September 1947

Activated in the reserve on 26 September 1947

Ordered to active service 10 March 1951

Inactivated on 17 March 1951.

Assignments

• 323d Bombardment Group, 4 August 1942 – 26 November 1945; 26 September 1947 – 17 March 1951

Stations

Aircraft

• B-26 Marauder, 1942–1945
• B-26 Invader, 1947–1951

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 (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.