The 436th is one of the oldest units in the United States Air Force, first being organized as the 88th Aero Squadron on 18 August 1917 at Kelly Field, Texas. The squadron deployed to France and fought on the Western Front during World War I as a Corps observation squadron.[4]
The 436th Training Squadron provides formal training to Air Combat Command using 14 classes at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas and other programs exported directly to units for local training needs.[5]
Training includes flight, ground and weapons safety, Air Force operations resource management system, classroom instructor training, aircrew flight equipment, and computer software use and development. The 436th Training Squadron also develops multimedia and formal presentations used in training program development and formal presentations. Multimedia personnel are based at Dyess and deploy worldwide to perform their mission. Unit products and services are used throughout the Department of Defense.[5]
The squadron was organized in August 1917 as the 88th Aero Squadron. It deployed to France in November 1917 and served on the Western Front during World War I . It engaged in combat as a corps observation squadron from 30 May 1918 until the Armistice of 11 November 1918. After the armistice subsequently served in the occupation force, until June 1919 when the squadron returned to the United States.[1]
Inter-War era
Redesignated as the 88th Squadron in 1921 and assigned to Langley Field, Virginia. Participated in demonstrations of effectiveness of aerial bombardment on warships, June–September 1921. Deployed for service in connection with civil disorders arising from West Virginia coal strike, September 1921. Redesignated 88th Observation Squadron in 1921 the squadron moved from Langley to support Army ground forces at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; then to Texas in 1927 at Brooks Field to patrol the Mexican Border; to Oklahoma in 1928 to support Fort Sill, then back to Brooks Field in 1931.
Squadron moved to California in 1935 and was assigned to the new Hamilton Field near San Francisco, as part of the 12th Observation Group. Became a coastal patrol squadron operating amphibian aircraft, then began to operate modern Martin B-10 bombers in 1936 in the reconnaissance mission when attached as the fourth squadron of the 7th Bombardment Group, 1st Wing, General Headquarters Air Force. The squadron dropped food and supplies and flew photographic missions in connection with flood-relief operations in central California, 12–13 December 1937; upgraded to the B-18 Bolo in 1938, and in 1939 to early-model Boeing B-17B Flying Fortress for long range reconnaissance patrols. Moved to Fort Douglas, Utah in 1940 when the short runways at Hamilton proved inadequate for B-17 operations, with a secondary move to Salt Lake City Army Air Base in January 1941 where it was upgraded to the B-17E.
In October 1941, was ordered to Clark Field, Philippines Commonwealth to build up forces there due to increased tensions between the United States and the Japanese Empire. Due to a lack of planes, some pilots were sent to Seattle to fly new B-17s overseas while the remainder departed on 12 November from Salt Lake City, by train, arriving at Angel Island by ferry; They remained at Angel Island until 20 November, now bound for Hickam Field, Hawaii Territory, on the troopship 'Republic'. The 'Republic' arrived 28 November. After an overnight refueling, they reboarded the 'Republic'; just outside Pearl Harbor they joined a convoy of 13 Freighters and an escort of a light cruiser the "Pensacola" bound for the Philippines, this was also known as the 'Pensacola Convoy'. 7 December they had reached the Equator. Hearing the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor, they changed course, from the Philippines, now re-directed to Brisbane, Australia via Suva, Fiji. The B-17s ended up coming in under attack during their arrival at Hickam on 7 December. Some of the planes managed to land at Haleiwa Fighter Strip, one set down on a golf course, and the remainder landed at Hickam under the strafing of Japanese planes.
World War II
436th B-24J Liberator unloading fuel after flying "The Hump"[c]
After the Pearl Harbor Attack, the surviving aircraft operated from Hawaii until February 1942, becoming part of the air defense forces of the Territory. Moved to Australia with the 7th Bomb Group where the squadron reformed in northern Queensland in late February. Became part of the new Fifth Air Force. Moved to Java in the Dutch East Indies an attempt to stop the Japanese advance, however the small force of B-17s could do very little to stem the tide of the Japanese advance, launching valiant but futile attacks against the masses of Japanese shipping and returned to RAAF Townsville in early March.
Redesignated as the 436th Bombardment Squadron in April 1942 and left its B-17Es in Australia, being reassigned to the new Tenth Air Force in India where it was re-equipped with long-range Consolidated B-24D Liberators. For the balance of the war, carried out long distance heavy bomb raids over Japanese targets primarily in Burma, Thailand and Indochina; a theater with little news coverage, see China Burma India Theater; although also attacked Japanese targets in Southeastern China attacking airfields, fuel and supply dumps, locomotive works, railways, bridges, docks, warehouses, shipping, and troop concentrations in Burma and struck oil refineries in Thailand, power plants in China and enemy shipping in the Andaman Sea. (A more complete account is available in Lt Col (Ret) William Henderson's book, "From China Burma India to the River Kwai") Ceased bombing operations in late May 1945 and was attached to the Air Transport Command to haul gasoline from India over the Himalayas to China. Squadron demobilized in India, leaving B-24s to Indian Colonial forces, inactivated as a paper unit in the United States in early 1946.
Strategic Air Command
Reactivated in 1946 as a B-29 Superfortress bombardment squadron and trained in global bombardment operations flying simulated bombing missions over various cities, as well as performing intercontinental training missions over the Pacific and later to Europe. In June 1948 the first Consolidated B-36A Peacekeeper was delivered. Operated B-36s until 1958 when the squadron began conversion to the B-52 Stratoforterss.
In 1959 was reassigned to Strategic Air Command (SAC)'s 4238th Strategic Wing, being re-equipped with B-52F Stratofortress intercontinental heavy bombers. It moved to Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana 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 aircraft/personnel/equipment being redesignated 20th Bombardment Squadron in an in-place, name-only transfer.
Training operations
The squadron reactivated in July 1986 at Carswell Air Force Base, Texas as the 436th Strategic Training Squadron to supported the SAC mission through classroom instruction, multimedia production, and training aid fabrication. With the disestablishment of SAC and Tactical Air Command in June 1992, the term "strategic" was dropped from the squadron name and the squadron was reassigned to Air Combat Command as the 436th Training Squadron. In 1993, the squadron moved to Dyess Air Force Base, Texas when Carswell became a joint reserve base. The squadron continues to provide classroom instruction for over 10 courses to students from every major command and multimedia productions used throughout the Department of Defense.[1][5]
Lineage
Organized as the 88th Aero Squadron 18 August 1917
Redesignated 88th Aero Squadron (Corps Observation) on 28 May 1918
Redesignated 88th Aero Squadron on 27 June 1919
Redesignated 88th Squadron (Observation) on 14 March 1921[6]
Redesignated 88th Observation Squadron' on 25 January 1923
Inactivated on 1 August 1927
Activatedon 1 June 1928
Redesignated 88th Observation Squadron (Long-range, Amphibian) on 1 March 1935
Redesignated 88th Reconnaissance Squadron on 1 September 1936
Redesignated 88th Reconnaissance Squadron (Long Range) on 6 December 1939
Redesignated 88th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) on 20 November 1940
Redesignated 436th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 22 April 1942
Redesignated 436th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 3 July 1943
Inactivated on 6 January 1946
Redesignated 436th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 1 October 1946
Activated on 1 October 1946
Redesignated 436th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 20 July 1948
7th Bombardment Group 1 September 1936 – 6 January 1946 (air echelon attached to 31st Bombardment Squadron, 10 December 1941 – 8 February 1942; United States Navy, until 14 March 1942)
7th Bombardment Group, 1 October 1946 – 15 June 1952 9attached to 7th Bombardment Wing after 14 February 1951)
Langley Field, Virginia, 5 September 1919 (operated from Charleston, West Virginia, 3–8 September 1921, detachment remained at Charleston until October 1921)
Archerfield Airport, Australia, 22 December 1941 – 4 February 1942 (air echelon operated from: Hickam Field, Hawaii, 7 December 1941 – 10 February 19420; Nandi Airport, Fiji Islands, 12–17 February 1942; RAAF Base Townsville, Australia, 20 February – c. 14 March 1942
^Approved 2 February 1924. Description: A rough rider in black in silhouette on an orange disc. This emblem was based on one approved for the 88th Aero Squadron on 15 November 1918 by the American Expeditionary Force. "World War I Aero Squadrons". Cross and Cockade Journal. Society of World War I Aero Historians. 5 (2): 145. 1964.
^Aircraft is B-24J-185-CO Liberator, serial 44-40852. Taken at 1944 Kunming, China on 6 September 1944.
Gorrell, Col. Edgar S. (1974). History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917-1919. Series E: Squadron Histories. Vol. 9 History of the 72d, 73d, 85th, and 88th–90th Aero Squadrons. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration. OCLC215070705.
United States
United States Air Force
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