365th Bombardment Squadron
The 365th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was first activated in March 1942. After training with Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers in the United States, the squadron deployed to the European Theater of Operations, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. The squadron was twice awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation for its combat actions. Following V-E Day, it moved to the continent of Europe and engaged in photographic mapping until inactivating in December 1946.
| 365th Bombardment Squadron | |
|---|---|
 B-58A Hustler, last type flown by the squadron[note 1] | |
| Active | 1942-1946; 1947-1948; 1951-1970 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Bombardment |
| Engagements | European Theater of Operations[1] |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award[1] |
| Insignia | |
| 365th Bombardment Squadron emblem[1][note 2] |  |
| 365th Bombardment Squadron emblem[note 3][2] |  |
| World War II fuselage code[2] | XK |
The squadron was briefly active on paper from 1947 to 1949. It was activated again in 1951 as a strategic bomber unit, flying Boeing B-47 Stratojets. In 1949, it moved to Indiana, where it converted to the Convair B-58 Hustler. It was inactivated in 1970, when the Hustler was phased out of service.
History
World War II
The squadron was established in June 1942 as a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombardment unit which trained under the Second Air Force. It deployed to the European Theater of Operations in September 1942, being assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England. The squadron began flying long-range strategic bombardment missions on 17 November 1942 and attacked such targets as submarine pens, docks, harbors, shipyards, motor works and marshalling yards in France, Germany and the Low Countries. It continued its attacks on enemy cities, manufacturing centers, transportation links and other targets until the German capitulation in May 1945.
After combat missions ended, the squadron moved to Sint-Truiden Airfield, Belgium in July 1945 where it conducted photographic mapping and intelligence gathering flights called Project Casey Jones over Europe and North Africa. On 15 December 1945 it moved to Lechfeld Airfield, Germany which it had bombed on 18 March 1944 and now used as an occupation base. The squadron was inactivated in December 1946 in Germany.
Strategic Air Command
The squadron, along with a number of other units, was activated at Andrews Field in 1947 as a paper unit.[3] It was not manned or equipped before inactivating on 6 September 1948[1]
Reactivated under Strategic Air Command (SAC) in 1951 with Boeing B-47 Stratojet medium jet bombers,[1] it began flying operational strategic bombardment and refueling missions from MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. In 1955, SAC upgraded the squadron to the B-47E, the major production version of the Stratojet. In May 1959, the squadron, with B-47s, moved to Bunker Hill Air Force Base, Indiana.
B-58 operations
The squadron began training crews on the Convair B-58 Hustler in 1961, replacing its Stratojets. The squadron also was equipped with training models of the Hustler.[1]
At the beginning of the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, Only six B-58s in the entire SAC inventory were on alert. Even these aircraft were "second cycle" (follow on) sorties. Training was suspended, and the squadron, along with SAC's other B-58 squadrons, began placing its bombers on alert. By the first week of November, 84 B-58s were standing nuclear alert, and as SAC redeployed its Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers, 20 of these were "first cycle" sorties.[note 5] Within a short time, this grew to 41 bombers. By 20 November, SAC resumed its normal alert posture, and half the squadron's aircraft were kept on alert.[4][5]
In December 1965, Robert S. McNamara, Secretary of Defense announced a phaseout program that would further reduce SAC’s bomber force. This program called for the mid-1971 retirement of all B-58s and some Boeing B-52 Stratofortress models.[6] With the removal of the B-58 from SAC's bomber force, the squadron was inactivated at the end of January 1970.
Lineage
- Constituted as the 365th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 January 1942
- Activated on 1 March 1942
- Redesignated 365th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy c. 20 August 1943
- Inactivated on 25 December 1946
- Redesignated 365th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 11 June 1947
- Activated on 1 July 1947
- Inactivated on 6 September 1948
- Redesignated 365th Bombardment Squadron Medium on 20 December 1950
Assignments
- 305th Bombardment Group, 1 March 1942
- XII Tactical Air Command, 1 November 1946 – 25 December 1946
- 305th Bombardment Group, 1 July 1947 – 6 September 1948
- 305th Bombardment Group, 2 January 1951 (attached to 305th Bombardment Wing after 10 February 1951)[9]
- 305th Bombardment Wing, 16 June 1952 – 1 January 1970[9][10]
Stations
|
|
Aircraft
- Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942–1946
- Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1951-1953
- Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1952–1960
- Convair B-58 Hustler, 1960–1970[7][9]
References
Notes
- Explanatory notes
- Aircraft is Convair TB-58A-CF Hustler, serial 55-662. Originally a YB-58A, converted to TB-58A and used as chase plane at Edwards AFB for the XB-70 project; then assigned to the 305th Bombardment Wing and set record by flying 256 sorties without a late or missed takeoff. Sent to Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center on 17 January 1970 and scrapped on 21 July 1977. Brewer, Alex P.; Brewer, Randy A. "B-58.com, The B-58 Hustler Page: Inventory". B-58.com. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
- Approved 20 June 1952. Description: On a shield, blue, two swords, natural colors crossed horizontally, bordered golden yellow, over which is an eagle, natural colors, facing to the right, wings spread horizontally, perched on top of a globe, natural colors, bordered golden yellow, and with latitude and longitude lines white.
- World War II
- Aircraft is Lockheed Vega built Boeing B-17F-35-VE Flying Fortress, serial 42-5910. This aircraft was originally assigned to the 326th Bombardment Squadron and named "Ruthie". It was badly shot up by fighters on the 4 July 1943, mission to Nantes but managed to return to RAF Alconbury. After being repaired she was transferred to the 365th and renamed "Hell Cat". She ran out of fuel and crash landed at Hawkinge, England on 15 September 1943. She was scrapped two days later. Photo taken at RAF Chelveston.
- The availability of KC-135s to refuel the B-58s was the main factor in relegating them to the second cycle of the war plan. KC-135s were primarily dedicated to refueling B-52s. See Kipp et al. p. 30 and following for SAC bomber actions during the Cuban Crisis.
- This squadron is not related to the Bombardment Squadron, Provisional, 365, that was designated and activated on 1 July 1972 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam and assigned to the Strategic Wing, Provisional, 72. It moved U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield, Thailand on 1 January 1973, where it was attached to the 307th Strategic Wing. The squadron served as headquarters for Boeing B-52D Stratofortress crews and aircraft deployed to Southeast Asia until it was inactivated on 30 June 1975.
- Citations
- Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 451-452
- Watkins, pp. 54-55
- Mueller, pp. 8-9
- Kipp et al. , pp. 57-58, 61
- "Abstract (Unclassified), History of the Strategic Bomber since 1945 (Top Secret, downgraded to Secret)". Air Force History Index. 1 April 1975. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
- Knaack, p. 248 n.41
- Lineage and Aircraft information through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 451-452.
- See Ravenstein, p. 150 (end of assignment to 305th Wing); Mueller, p. 214 (end of stationing at Grissom).
- Ravenstein, pp. 150-151
- Assignment information through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 451-452, except as noted.
- Station Number in Anderson, p. 19.
- Station Number in Anderson, p. 46.
- Station Number in Johnson, p. 23.
- Station Number in Johnson, p. 40.
- Station information through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 451-452, except as noted.
- Mueller, p. 214
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
- Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- Freeman, Roger A. (1970). The Mighty Eighth: Units, Men and Machines (A History of the US 8th Army Air Force). London, England, UK: Macdonald and Company. ISBN 978-0-87938-638-2.
- Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
- Kipp, Robert; Peake, Lynn; Wolk, Herman. "Strategic Air Command Operations in the Cuban Crisis of 1962, SAC Historical Study No. 90 (Top Secret NOFORN, FRD, redacted and declassified)". Strategic Air Command. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
- Knaack, Marcelle Size (1988). Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems. Vol. 2, Post-World War II Bombers 1945-1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-59-5.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- 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.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Watkins, Robert (2008). Battle Colors: Insignia and Markings of the Eighth Air Force In World War II. Vol. I (VIII) Bomber Command. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-1987-7.
