| 414th Bombardment Squadron | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of the 414th Bombardment Squadron | |
| Active | 1942-1945; 2011- |
| Country |
 United States |
| Branch |
 United States Air Force |
| Type | Reconnaissance |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation |
The 414th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit. The squadron served with the 97th Bombardment Group as the 414th Bombardment Squadron during World War II and flew combat missions from Marcianise Airfield, Italy, where it was inactivated on 29 October 1945.
History[]
Boeing B-17F-5-BO (S/N 41-24406) "All American III" of the 97th Bomb Group, 414th Bomb Squadron, in flight after a collision with a German fighter. The tail section remained attached to the fuselage by a few spars and a narrow section of aluminum skin. Once back on the ground, the weight of the tail caused structural failure. The aircraft was repaired and was eventually salvaged in March 1945.
Established in early 1942 as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomb squadron; trained under Third Air Force in Florida. Deployed to European Theater of Operations (ETO) in mid-June 1942, being assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England. The squadron was one of the first B-17 heavy bomb squadrons in the ETO. During the summer of 1942, engaged in long range strategic bombardment of enemy military, transport and industrial targets, primarily in France and the Low Countries with limited fighter escorts.
Reassigned to the Twelfth Air Force in England, being deployed to Algiers as part of the initial Operation Torch forces that arrived in North Africa. Squadron aircraft carried Triangle-O on tail. Engaged in bombardment of enemy targets in Algeria and Tunisia as part of the North African Campaign, and attacked enemy strong points around Tunis as part of the Tunisian Campaign. Continued heavy bomb missions of enemy targets in Sicily and Southern Italy and in late 1943 was reassigned to new Fifteenth Air Force formed in Southern Italy. From airfields around Foggia, conducted long-range strategic bombardment missions over Southern Europe and the Balkans of enemy targets until the German Capitulation in May 1945. Demobilized squadron personnel and aircraft were sent to the United States for reclamation in the fall of 1945; being inactivated in Italy in October.
The squadron was converted to provisional status as the 414th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron and assigned to United States Air Forces Europe (USAFE) in the summer of 2011. USAFE activated it for the first time at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey in the fall.
Lineage[]
- Constituted as the 24th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) on 28 January 1942
- Activated on 3 February 1942
- Redesignated 414th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 22 April 1942
- Redesignated 414th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy ca. 6 March 1944
- Inactivated on 29 October 1945
- Converted to provisional status and redesignated 414th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron on 19 July 2011[1]
- Activated on 15 October 2011[2]
Assignments[]
- 97th Bombardment Group, 3 February 1942 - 29 October 1945
- United States Air Forces Europe to activate or inactivate as needed, 19 July 2011
- 39th Expeditionary Operations Group, 15 October 2011 -
Stations[]
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Aircraft[]
- B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942-1945
References[]
Notes[]
Bibliography[]
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
- Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, AL: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
The original article can be found at 414th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron and the edit history here.