B-25C Mitchells of the 434th Bombardment Squadron flying under the No. 3 Wing, South African Air Force, Ismailia Airfield, Egypt on approach from over the Mediterranean to enemy targets in Libya during late August 1942.
The 434th was established as a Northwest Air District Reconnaissance squadron at McChord Field in 1941. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, it flew antisubmarine and defensive patrols over the Pacific Northwest coast until February 1942, when it was reassigned to Louisiana, flying antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico.
The squadron was re-equipped with modern B-25 Mitchell medium bombers in California during April 1942, after which it deployed to Egypt to support British forces in the Western Desert Campaign and was assigned to IX Bomber Command. The squadron's ground personnel were transported by ship around the Cape of Good Hope to India, then on to Cairo. In the meantime, its aircraft were flown via the transcontinental route to Morrison Field, Florida, where they were fitted with long range auxiliary fuel ranks before departing via the South Atlantic route to South America, crossing the Atlantic to Liberia, and then flying north across central Africa to Cairo by way of Khartoum.
From August 1942 to June 1943, the 434th supported the British Eighth Army as they advanced into Tunisia and later participated in the invasion of Sicily and Italy. The squadron remained in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations until February 1944.
In March 1944, the squadron was reassigned to reinforce Tenth Air Force in the China Burma India Theater and was relocated across the Middle East to India. It provided tactical bombardment support to British forces in Burma until the Japanese capitulation in August 1945. The 434th was demobilized in India during the fall of 1945, with its aircraft sent to reclamation or reassigned to friendly foreign air forces, and was finally inactivated as a paper unit in late January 1946.
Lineage
Constituted 19th Reconnaissance Squadron (Light) on 20 November 1940
Activated on 15 January 1941
Redesignated: 94th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 14 August 1941
Redesignated: 94th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) on 30 December 1941
Redesignated: 434th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 22 April 1942
Inactivated on 22 January 1946.
Assignments
12th Bombardment Group: attached 15 January 1941; assigned 14 August 1941 – 22 January 1946.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
January 31, 2023
434th, bombardment, squadron, this, article, includes, list, references, related, reading, external, links, sources, remain, unclear, because, lacks, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, december, 2012. This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations December 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message The 434th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit It was last assigned to the 12th Bombardment Group stationed at Fort Lawton Washington It was inactivated on 22 January 1946 434th Bombardment SquadronEmblem of the 434th Bombardment SquadronActive1940 1946CountryUnited StatesBranchUnited States Air ForceTypeBombardment B 25C Mitchells of the 434th Bombardment Squadron flying under the No 3 Wing South African Air Force Ismailia Airfield Egypt on approach from over the Mediterranean to enemy targets in Libya during late August 1942 Contents 1 History 1 1 Lineage 1 2 Assignments 1 3 Stations 1 4 Aircraft 2 ReferencesHistory EditThe 434th was established as a Northwest Air District Reconnaissance squadron at McChord Field in 1941 After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor it flew antisubmarine and defensive patrols over the Pacific Northwest coast until February 1942 when it was reassigned to Louisiana flying antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico The squadron was re equipped with modern B 25 Mitchell medium bombers in California during April 1942 after which it deployed to Egypt to support British forces in the Western Desert Campaign and was assigned to IX Bomber Command The squadron s ground personnel were transported by ship around the Cape of Good Hope to India then on to Cairo In the meantime its aircraft were flown via the transcontinental route to Morrison Field Florida where they were fitted with long range auxiliary fuel ranks before departing via the South Atlantic route to South America crossing the Atlantic to Liberia and then flying north across central Africa to Cairo by way of Khartoum From August 1942 to June 1943 the 434th supported the British Eighth Army as they advanced into Tunisia and later participated in the invasion of Sicily and Italy The squadron remained in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations until February 1944 In March 1944 the squadron was reassigned to reinforce Tenth Air Force in the China Burma India Theater and was relocated across the Middle East to India It provided tactical bombardment support to British forces in Burma until the Japanese capitulation in August 1945 The 434th was demobilized in India during the fall of 1945 with its aircraft sent to reclamation or reassigned to friendly foreign air forces and was finally inactivated as a paper unit in late January 1946 Lineage Edit Constituted 19th Reconnaissance Squadron Light on 20 November 1940Activated on 15 January 1941 Redesignated 94th Bombardment Squadron Light on 14 August 1941 Redesignated 94th Reconnaissance Squadron Medium on 30 December 1941 Redesignated 434th Bombardment Squadron Medium on 22 April 1942 Inactivated on 22 January 1946 Assignments Edit 12th Bombardment Group attached 15 January 1941 assigned 14 August 1941 22 January 1946 Associated with 1st Photographic Group 10 Jun 1941 22 Apr 1942 training Stations Edit McChord Field Washington 15 January 1941 Esler Army Airfield Louisiana 27 February 3 July 1942Operated from Stockton Army Airfield California 24 May 24 June 1942Ismailia Airfield Egypt 14 August 1942 Landing Ground 88 Egypt 29 September 1942 RAF Gambut Libya 5 December 1942 Magrun Landing Ground Libya 14 December 1942 RAF Gambut Libya 17 December 1942 RAF Castel Benito Libya 16 February 1943 El Assa Airfield Libya 8 March 1943 Medenine Airfield Tunisia 3 April 1943 Sfax Airfield Tunisia 17 April 1943 Hergla Airfield Tunisia 2 June 1943 Ponte Olivo Airfield Sicily 2 August 1943 Gerbini Airfield Sicily 22 August 1943 Foggia Airfield Italy 2 November 1943 Gaudo Airfield Italy 18 January 6 February 1944 Kurmitola Airfield India 21 March 1944 Madhaiganj Airfield India 13 June 1944 Comilla Airfield India 21 July 1944 Fenny Airfield India 27 November 1944Operated from Magwe Airfield Burma 5 24 May 1945Karachi Airport India 17 September 1945 Karachi Airport India 22 November 24 December 1945 Fort Lawton Washington 21 22 January 1946 Aircraft Edit B 18 Bolo 1941 1942 B 23 Dragon 1941 1942 B 25 Mitchell 1942 1945 A 26 Invader 1945References Edit World War II portal This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 434th Bombardment Squadron amp oldid 1083558983, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
