Created as the first operational MQ-9 Reaper squadron in 2006,[4] the squadron flew its final sortie on 31 January 2020, following which its personnel and equipment were withdrawn, although it remained active as a "dormant" unit.[5]
History
World War I
The first predecessor of the squadron was organized as the 42nd Aero Squadron on 17 June 1917, shortly after the United States declared war on Germany. Based at Camp Kelly, Texas, the squadron trained new pilots as part of the United States Army Air Service until it was demobilized on 21 February 1919.[1]
Interwar years
The second predecessor of the squadron was organized in 1922 as the 42nd Squadron (School) and became the 42nd School Squadron in January 1923 as part of the 10th School Group at Kelly Field. In April 1924 it was consolidated with the 42nd Aero Squadron. The 42nd squadron continued its flying training role as part of the United States Army Air Corps in 1926, and was assigned to the Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field in 1931.[1]
On 1 March 1935, with the activation of the General Headquarters Air Force, the squadron was redesignated the 42nd Bombardment Squadron, although it remained a training squadron at Kelly until its inactivation in September 1936.[1]
On 1 February 1940, squadron was activated as one of the original four squadrons of the 11th Bombardment Group at Hickam Field, Hawaii.[1][6] Beginning in May 1941, the squadron began training with the Boeing B-17D Flying Fortress, with the capability to fly longer missions from its base at Hickam.[1][7][8]
World War II
11th Group B-17F Flying Fortress bombers over the Southwest Pacific in 1942[d]
The squadron was at Hickam during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. The squadron flew patrol and search missions from the Hawaiian Islands, including air support during the Battle of Midway.[7][9] In June 1942, shortly after the Battle of Midway, the 11th Group was authorized as a mobile force by the Army Air Forces in order to respond to a Navy request by Admiral Nimitz for long-range armed search planes to locate Japanese fleets, accompanied with firepower to withstand defending Japanese interceptors while tracking the fleet. The 11th Group left Hawaii to support Navy operations in the South Pacific Theater during the Guadalcanal and Northern Solomon Islands Campaigns.[9]
The squadron moved to the New Caledonia on 22 July 1942 and became part of Thirteenth Air Force. It bombed airfields, supply dumps, ships, docks, troop positions, and other objectives in the South Pacific from July to November 1942, and received a Distinguished Unit Citation for those operations. It continued operations in the South Pacific, attacking Japanese airfields, installations, and shipping until late March 1943.[1][7]
11th Group B-24 Liberators after attacking Iwo Jima on 15 December 1944
The squadron returned to Hawaii and the control of Seventh Air Force on 8 April 1943. In Hawaii, the squadron equipped with Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers, which it flew until the end of the war.[7] Its training Included missions against Wake Island and other central Pacific bases held by the Japanese.[9] It deployed to the Gilbert Islands on 9 November 1943 and resumed combat participating in the Allied offensive through the Gilbert, Marshall and Marianas Islands, while operating from Funafuti, Tarawa, and Kwajalein.[1][7]
"The [squadron] moved to Guam on 25 October 1944 and attacked shipping and airfields in the Volcano and Bonin Islands. It moved to Okinawa on 2 July 1945 to participate in the final phases of the air offensive against Japan, bombing railways, airfields, and harbor facilities on Kyushu and striking Japanese airfields in Eastern China."[7]
Postwar operations in the Pacific
After V-J Day, the squadron flew surveillance and reconnaissance missions over China and ferried former prisoners of war to the Philippines. In December 1945 the squadron moved without personnel or equipment to Fort William McKinley, Philippines. At the end of April 1946, it was designated as a very heavy bomber unit. The following month, it moved to Northwest Field, Guam and began to re-equip with Boeing B-29 Superfortresses, but terminated all operations and training by October. The squadron remained on Guam on paper until inactivating on 20 October 1948.[1][7]
In 1960 was reassigned to the 4043rd Strategic Wing, being re-equipped with B-52E intercontinental heavy bombers. The squadron moved to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio by SAC to disperse its heavy bomber force. Conducted worldwide strategic bombardment training missions and providing nuclear deterrent. Was inactivated in 1963 when SAC inactivated its strategic wings, replacing them with permanent Air Force Wings. Squadron was inactivated with its aircraft, personnel and equipment transferred to the 34th Bombardment Squadron.
Unmanned aerial vehicles
On 9 November 2006, the squadron was redesignated the 42nd Attack Squadron and reactivated at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, initially as part of the 57th Wing before being assigned as one of the six unmanned aerial vehicle squadrons of the 432nd Wing, and the only squadron designated as an attack squadron.
The 42nd received its first General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper on 13 March 2007. Officially combat-operational in Afghanistan since September 2007, the typical MQ-9 system consists of several aircraft, a ground control station, communications equipment/links, spares, and active duty and/or contractor personnel. The crew consists of one unmanned aerial system pilot, one sensor operator and one mission intelligence coordinator.
The squadron flew its last combat sortie on 31 January 2020, following which all personnel and equipment were withdrawn from the unit, although it remained active as a paper unit."[5]
Lineage
42nd Aero Squadron
Organized as the 42nd Aero Squadron on 13 June 1917
Demobilized on 21 February 1919
Reconstituted on 8 April 1924 and consolidated with the 42nd School Squadron as the 42nd School Squadron[1]
42nd Attack Squadron
Authorized 10 June 1922 as the 42nd Squadron (School)
Organized on 5 July 1922
Redesignated 42nd School Squadron on 25 January 1923
Consolidated with the 42nd Aero Squadron on 8 April 1924
Redesignated 42nd Bombardment Squadron on 1 March 1935
Inactivated on 1 September 1936
Organized as a Regular Army Inactive unit on 23 November 1936[2]
Redesignated 42nd Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 22 December 1939
Activated on 1 February 1940
Redesignated 42nd Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 11 December 1940
Redesignated 42nd Bombardment Squadron, Heavy c. 1 August 1944
Redesignated 42nd Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 30 April 1946
Inactivated on 20 October 1948
Redesignated 42nd Bomb Squadron, Heavy and activated on 1 December 1948
Discontinued and inactivated on 1 February 1963
Redesignated 42nd Attack Squadron and activated on 9 November 2006[1]
^Approved 20 January 1925. Description: A blue shield charged with a gold torch paleways, in the chief a white triangle displaying a puma observing its prey, dark brown shading into gray on under side with stripes of very dark brown, crouching on a brown branch of a tree.
^Regular Army Inactive units were units that were constituted in the regular army. Although they were not activated, they were organized with reserve personnel during the 1920s and 1930s. Even though they had reserve personnel assigned, they were not Organized Reserve units. Because they had no regular personnel they were still considered inactive in the regular army. Clay, p. vi.
^The Boeing B-17F-20-BO Flying Fortress, serial 41-24531 visible on the right was shot down by a Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter over Tonolei harbour, Buna Island, Solomon Islands on 18 November 1942. During the attack the pilot Maj. Allen J. Seward, and the copilot Lt. Jack Lee were killed. One engine caught on fire, but Col. LaVerne Saunders made a water landing about 50 km from Tonolei harbour near a very small island. An Australian coastwatcher reached the survivors about three hours later. The crew was taken to Vella Lavella Island an picked up by a Navy Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina and returned to Guadalcanal.
^Probably Post Headquarters, Kelly Field and Wilbur Wright Field.
Williams, E. Kathleen (1948). "Prelude to War, Chapter 5 Deployment of the AAF on the Eve of Hostilities". In Craven, Wesley F.; Cate, James L (eds.). The Army Air Forces in World War II(PDF). Vol. I, Plans and Early Operations. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. LCCN48003657. OCLC704158. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
United States
United States Air Force
