726th Bombardment Squadron

726th Bombardment Squadron
Active	1943-1945
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Bombardment

The 726th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 451st Bombardment Group, stationed at Dow Field, Maine. It was inactivated on 26 September 1945.

History

Activated as a B-24 Liberator heavy bombardment squadron in May 1943; assigned to II Bomber Command for training. Primarily trained in the midwest. Received deployment orders for the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) in November 1943.

Deployed to Southern Italy in January 1944; entered combat in January 1944, being assigned to Fifteenth Air Force. Air echelon training in Algeria for several weeks before joining the remainder of the group in Italy. Engaged in very long range strategic bombing missions to enemy military, industrial and transportation targets in Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Yugoslavia. Attacked such targets as oil refineries, marshalling yards, aircraft factories, bridges, and airfields in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, and Greece.

At times the squadron also flew support and interdictory missions. Helped to prepare the way for and participated in the invasion of Southern France in August 1944. Transported supplies to troops in Italy during September 1944. Supported the final advances of Allied armies in northern Italy in April 1945.

Returned to the US in June 1945, forming at Dow Field, Maine. Unit personnel were demobilized throughout the summer of 1945. Inactivated on 26 September 1945.

Lineage

Constituted as 726th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 6 Apr 1943

Activated on 1 May 1943

Inactivated on 26 Sep 1945

Assignments

451st Bombardment Group, 1 May 1943-26 Sep 1945

Stations

Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 1 May 1943 – 5 June 1943
Dyersburg Army Air Base, Tennessee, 3 June 1943
Wendover Field, Utah c. 18 July 1943
Fairmont AAFld, Nebraska 9 September – 16 November 1943

Gioia del Colle Airfield, Italy c. 10 January 1944
San Pancrazio Airfield, Italy c. 5 March 1944
Castelltuccio Airfield, Italy c. 6 April 1944 – June 1945
Dow Field, Maine c. 19 June – 16 September 1945

Aircraft

B-24 Liberator 1943–1945

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.

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