The squadron established itself at its combat station, RAF Thorpe Abbotts, on 9 June 1943, flying its first combat mission on 25 June. Until the end of the war, the squadron was primarily employed in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. Until January 1944, it concentrated its operations on airfields in France, and industrial targets and naval facilities in France and Germany. On 17 August 1943, it participated in an attack on a factory manufacturing Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters in Regensburg, Germany, which seriously disrupted production of that plane. Although the mission called for fighter escort, the fighter group assigned to protect the squadron's formation missed the rendezvous and the wing formation proceeded to the target unescorted. Enemy fighter opposition focused on the low "box", formed in part by the squadron. Ten of the 21 Flying Fortresses flown by the 100th Group were lost on this mission. Unknown to AAF intelligence at the time, the attack also destroyed almost all of the fuselage construction equipment for Germany's secret Me 262 jet fighter. Rather than returning to England, the unit turned south and recovered at bases in North Africa.[8] For this action, the squadron was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC).[5]
From January to May 1944, the 349th attacked airfields, industrial targets, marshalling yards, and missile sites in Western Europe. During Big Week, it participated in the concentrated attack on the German aircraft industry. In March, it conducted a series of long range attacks against Berlin, for which it was awarded a second DUC.[5] The raid of 6 March was to be the costliest mission flown by Eighth Air Force during the war. German fighter controllers detected that the formation including the squadron was unprotected by fighter escorts and concentrated interceptor attacks on it. Twenty-three B-17s from the formation failed to return.[9][c] Two days later, German fighters shot down the leader of the 45th Combat Bombardment Wing, and the 100th Group took the lead in another attack on Berlin.[10] From the summer of 1944, the 349th concentrated on German oil production facilities.[5]
The squadron flew its last mission on 20 April 1945. Following, V-E Day, the squadron was initially programmed to be part of the occupation forces in Germany, but that plan was cancelled in September, and between October and December, the squadron's planes were ferried back to the United States or transferred to other units in theater.[7] Its remaining personnel returned to the United States in December and the squadron was inactivated at the Port of Embarkation on 19 December 1945.[1]
"Bloody Hundredth"
Starting with the Regensburg mission of August 1943, the squadrons of the 100th Bombardment Group began suffering losses among the highest in VIII Bomber Command.[11] On 8 October, it lost seven aircraft on a raid on Bremen, including its lead and deputy lead aircraft.[12] Only two days later, it lost twelve aircraft on an attack on Münster, again including the lead aircraft. The only group plane returning from that mission had lost two engines and had two wounded on board.[13][d] Its highest one day loss occurred on the 6 March 1944 attack on Berlin, when 15 bombers failed to return.[14] On 11 September 1944, the Luftwaffe put up its heaviest opposition in months, destroying 11 of the group's bombers.[15] On 31 December 1944, half the 1st Bombardment Division's losses consisted of a dozen 100th bombers.[16] With a group authorization of 40 B-17s, it lost 177 planes to enemy action.[7] It became a legend for these losses and was referred to as the "Bloody Hundredth."[7]
Air Force reserve
T-6 Texans as flown by the squadron in the reserveA Beechcraft AT-7as flown by the squadron in the reserve
The squadron was again activated in the reserve at Miami Army Air Field, Florida and assigned to the 100th Group on 29 May 1947. There, its training was supervised by the 473d AAF Base Unit (later the 2585th Air Force Reserve Training Center) of Air Defense Command (ADC).[17] It was nominally a very heavy bomber squadron, but it does not appear the squadron was fully staffed and it was equipped only with training aircraft.[1]
In 1948 Continental Air Command (ConAC) assumed responsibility for managing reserve and Air National Guard units from ADC.[18] The 349th was inactivated when ConAC reorganized its reserve units under the wing base organization system in June 1949.[1] The squadron's personnel and equipment, along with other reserve units at Miami were transferred to elements of the 435th Troop Carrier Wing.[17]
Strategic Air Command
100th Wing B47 parked at a Reflex base
Reactivated under Strategic Air Command received new, swept wing Boeing B-47 Stratojets in 1956 which were designed to carry nuclear weapons and to penetrate Soviet air defenses with its high operational ceiling and near supersonic speed. The squadron flew the B-47 for about a decade when by the mid-1960s it had become obsolescent and vulnerable to new Soviet air defenses. The squadron began to send its Stratojets to Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center at Davis–Monthan AFB for retirement in 1965, the last being retired in 1966, one of the last B-47 Squadrons.[citation needed]
Miami Army Air Field (later Miami International Airport), Florida (1947–1949)
Portsmouth Air Force Base (later Pease Air Force Base), New Hampshire, 1 January 1956 – 30 April 1966 (deployed to RAF Brize Norton, England 4 January–1 April 1958)
^Approved 11 January 1977. Description: On a Blue globe gridlined Gray enveloped by a Red band all within a narrow Black border, two aerodynamic symbols in horizontal flight, engaged in air refueling, the topmost symbol and connector Gray, the lower symbol Black all between a Yellow sunburst in the top of the disc to dexter, and a Yellow lightning bolt issuing from base in sinister.
^Approved 24 May 1957. Description: A black disc bordered blue, over all a white shield edged black, charged with a knight's head in profile, wearing an open visored helmet, blue, highlights white, outlines and shadows black.
^In addition to the squadrons of the 100th Group, the formation included those of the 95th Bombardment Group.
^This plane, named Rosie's Riveter, was lost in the spring of 1945, but its crew was able to bail out in Russian held territory.
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. ISBN978-0-87938-638-2.
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. ISBN978-0-7643-1987-7.
United States
United States Air Force
.png)
.jpg)
