"24th Bombardment Squadron" redirects here. For the 24th Bombardment Squadron (Light) or the 24th Bombardment Squadron, Medium (June 1952 to January 1953), see 24th Tactical Air Support Squadron.
This article's lead sectionmay be too short to adequately summarize the key points. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article.(August 2020)
Constituted in spring 1944 as a B-29 Superfortress very heavy bombardment squadron. When training was completed moved to North Field Tinianin the Mariana Islands of the Central Pacific Area in January 1945 and assigned to XXI Bomber Command, Twentieth Air Force. Its mission was the strategic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands and the destruction of its war-making capability.
Flew "shakedown" missions against Japanese targets on Moen Island, Truk, and other points in the Carolines and Marianas. The squadron began combat missions over Japan on 25 February 1945 with a firebombing mission over Northeast Tokyo. The squadron continued to participate in wide area firebombing attack, but the first ten-day blitz resulting in the Army Air Forces running out of incendiary bombs. Until then the squadron flew conventional strategic bombing missions using high explosive bombs.
The squadron continued attacking urban areas with incendiary raids until the end of the war in August 1945, attacking major Japanese cities, causing massive destruction of urbanized areas. Also conducted raids against strategic objectives, bombing aircraft factories, chemical plants, oil refineries, and other targets in Japan. The squadron flew its last combat missions on 14 August when hostilities ended. Afterwards, its B 29s carried relief supplies to Allied prisoner of war camps in Japan and Manchuria.
Squadron remained in Western Pacific, assigned to Twentieth Air Force on Okinawa. Maintained as a strategic bombardment squadron until inactivated due to budget reductions in late 1948. Some aircraft scrapped on Tinian; others flown to storage depots in the United States.
Strategic Air Command
Reactivated in 1951 and redesigned as a heavy bomb squadron, the unit was initially issued with B-29s for training. It was equipped with B-36 Peacemaker intercontinental strategic bombers in 1953 for operational use. It began with B-36Fs; the featherweight B-36J was added, the squadron operating both types. These aircraft carried a yellow stripe on the tip of the vertical stabilizer, the lip of the jet intakes and the "nose cone" of the jet itself along with an 'R' inside a triangle as a tail code. SAC (Strategic Air Command), eliminated tail codes in 1953. In 1957 the B-36s were replaced by B-52E Stratofortresses and all squadron markings were eliminated. The squadron remained equipped with the B-52s until the closure of Walker AFB in 1967.
It was re-equipped with RC-135 Cobra Ball/Cobra Eye aircraft to support theater and national level intelligence consumers with near real-time on-scene collection, analysis and dissemination capabilities. The squadron was inactivated as part of the post Cold War drawdown in 1994 and replaced by the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron.
Operations and decorations
Combat Operations: Combat in Western Pacific, 27 Jan-14 Aug 1945.
Campaigns: World War II: Eastern Mandates; Western Pacific; Air Offensive, Japan.
^Lineage through March 1963 in Maurer,Combat Squadrons, pp. 125–126
^ abDepartment of the Air Force/MPM Letter 662q, 19 Sep 85, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Tactical Squadrons
^ abAir Force Organizational Status Change Report, August 2007, Historical Division, Air Force Historical Research Agency
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II(PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN0-912799-02-1. 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. ISBN0-405-12194-6. 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. ISBN0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
External links
"A Tale of Two Airplanes" by Kingdon R. "King" Hawes, Lt Col, USAF (Ret.)
August 23, 2023
24th, expeditionary, reconnaissance, squadron, 24th, bombardment, squadron, redirects, here, 24th, bombardment, squadron, light, 24th, bombardment, squadron, medium, june, 1952, january, 1953, 24th, tactical, support, squadron, 24th, reconnaissance, squadron, . 24th Bombardment Squadron redirects here For the 24th Bombardment Squadron Light or the 24th Bombardment Squadron Medium June 1952 to January 1953 see 24th Tactical Air Support Squadron 24th Reconnaissance Squadron redirects here For other uses see 24th Reconnaissance Squadron disambiguation This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article s lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article August 2020 This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations December 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message The 24th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron is a provisional unit of the United States Air Force It is assigned to United States Air Forces Europe to activate or inactivate as needed Its last known attachment was to the 100th Air Refueling Wing stationed at RAF Mildenhall Suffolk UK in 2007 24th Expeditionary Reconnaissance SquadronRC 135S Cobra Ball in flightActive1942 1948 1951 1967 1967 1994Country United StatesBranch United States Air ForceRoleaerial reconnaissanceMotto s We Observe the Unknown post 1967 DecorationsDistinguished Unit CitationAir Force Outstanding Unit AwardInsignia24th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron emblemPatch with 24th Reconnaissance Squadron Cobra Ball Logo24th Bombardment Squadron emblem approved 24 November 1944 1 Contents 1 History 1 1 B 29 Superfortress operations against Japan 1 2 Strategic Air Command 1 3 Operations and decorations 2 Lineage 2 1 Assignments 2 2 Stations 2 3 Aircraft 3 See also 4 References 4 1 Notes 4 2 Bibliography 5 External linksHistory EditB 29 Superfortress operations against Japan Edit Squadron B 29 on a strike against Osaka note 1 Constituted in spring 1944 as a B 29 Superfortress very heavy bombardment squadron When training was completed moved to North Field Tinianin the Mariana Islands of the Central Pacific Area in January 1945 and assigned to XXI Bomber Command Twentieth Air Force Its mission was the strategic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands and the destruction of its war making capability Flew shakedown missions against Japanese targets on Moen Island Truk and other points in the Carolines and Marianas The squadron began combat missions over Japan on 25 February 1945 with a firebombing mission over Northeast Tokyo The squadron continued to participate in wide area firebombing attack but the first ten day blitz resulting in the Army Air Forces running out of incendiary bombs Until then the squadron flew conventional strategic bombing missions using high explosive bombs The squadron continued attacking urban areas with incendiary raids until the end of the war in August 1945 attacking major Japanese cities causing massive destruction of urbanized areas Also conducted raids against strategic objectives bombing aircraft factories chemical plants oil refineries and other targets in Japan The squadron flew its last combat missions on 14 August when hostilities ended Afterwards its B 29s carried relief supplies to Allied prisoner of war camps in Japan and Manchuria Squadron remained in Western Pacific assigned to Twentieth Air Force on Okinawa Maintained as a strategic bombardment squadron until inactivated due to budget reductions in late 1948 Some aircraft scrapped on Tinian others flown to storage depots in the United States Strategic Air Command Edit Reactivated in 1951 and redesigned as a heavy bomb squadron the unit was initially issued with B 29s for training It was equipped with B 36 Peacemaker intercontinental strategic bombers in 1953 for operational use It began with B 36Fs the featherweight B 36J was added the squadron operating both types These aircraft carried a yellow stripe on the tip of the vertical stabilizer the lip of the jet intakes and the nose cone of the jet itself along with an R inside a triangle as a tail code SAC Strategic Air Command eliminated tail codes in 1953 In 1957 the B 36s were replaced by B 52E Stratofortresses and all squadron markings were eliminated The squadron remained equipped with the B 52s until the closure of Walker AFB in 1967 It was re equipped with RC 135 Cobra Ball Cobra Eye aircraft to support theater and national level intelligence consumers with near real time on scene collection analysis and dissemination capabilities The squadron was inactivated as part of the post Cold War drawdown in 1994 and replaced by the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron Operations and decorations Edit Combat Operations Combat in Western Pacific 27 Jan 14 Aug 1945 Campaigns World War II Eastern Mandates Western Pacific Air Offensive Japan Decorations Distinguished Unit Citations Tokyo Japan 25 May 1945 Japanese Empire 9 19 Jul 1945 Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 May 1960 31 May 1962 Lineage Edit24th Bombardment Squadron Constituted as the 24th Bombardment Squadron Very Heavy on 28 March 1944Activated on 1 April 1944 Inactivated on 18 October 1948Redesignated the 24th Bombardment Squadron Medium on 20 December 1950Activated on 2 January 1951 Redesignated the 24th Bombardment Squadron Heavy on 16 June 1952 2 Inactivated and discontinued on 25 January 1967Consolidated with the 24th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron on 19 September 1985 as the 24th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron 3 24th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron Constituted as 24th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron on 20 December 1966Activated on 25 March 1967Consolidated with the 24th Bombardment Squadron Medium on 19 September 1985 3 Redesignated as 24th Reconnaissance Squadron on 7 July 1992 Inactivated on 30 June 1994Redesignated 24th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron on 2 July 2007 4 Activated on 4 August 2007 4 Assignments Edit 6th Bombardment Group 1 April 1944 18 October 1948 2 January 1951 6th Bombardment Wing later Strategic Aerospace Wing 16 June 1952 25 January 1967 6th Strategic Wing later 6th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing 25 March 1967 55th Operations Group 7 July 1992 30 June 1994 United States Air Forces Europe 2 July 2007 to activate or inactivate as needed401st Air Expeditionary Group 4 August 2007 100th Air Refueling Wing attached 16 August 2007 unknown dd Stations Edit Dalhart Army Air Field Texas 1 April 1944 Grand Island Army Air Field Nebraska 26 May 18 November 1944 North Field Tinian 28 December 1944 Clark Field Luzon Philippines 13 March 1946 Kadena AB Okinawa 1 June 1947 18 October 1948 Walker AFB New Mexico 2 January 1951 25 January 1967 Eielson AFB Alaska 25 March 1967 Offutt AFB Nebraska 7 July 1992 30 June 1994 RAF Mildenhall England 4 August 2007 Aircraft Edit B 17 Flying Fortress 1944 B 29 Superfortress 1944 1947 1951 1952 RB 36 Peacemaker 1953 1957 B 52 Stratofortress 1957 1967 RC 135S COBRA BALL 1967 1992 RC 135V W RIVET JOINT 1994 PresentSee also Edit World War II portalList of B 52 Units of the United States Air ForceReferences EditNotes Edit Explanatory notes Aircraft is Boeing B 29A 45 BN Superfortress serial 44 61784 Incendiary Journey on 1 June 1945 Citations Maurer Combat Squadrons pp 125 126 Lineage through March 1963 in Maurer Combat Squadrons pp 125 126 a b Department of the Air Force MPM Letter 662q 19 Sep 85 Subject Reconstitution Redesignation and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Tactical Squadrons a b Air Force Organizational Status Change Report August 2007 Historical Division Air Force Historical Research Agency Bibliography Edit This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency 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 amp Honors Histories 1947 1977 PDF Washington DC Office of Air Force History ISBN 0 912799 12 9 Retrieved 17 December 2016 External links Edit A Tale of Two Airplanes by Kingdon R King Hawes Lt Col USAF Ret Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 24th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron amp oldid 1150330588, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
