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441st Air Expeditionary Squadron
Squadron Boeing B-52 dropping bombs in Vietnam[note 1]
Active1942–1945; 1947–1949; 1952–1960; 1963–1989
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleExpeditionary support
Part ofAir Combat Command
Motto(s)Finis Origine Pendet Latin The End Depends on the Beginning
EngagementsMediterranean Theater of Operations[1]
DecorationsDistinguished Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
French Croix de Guerre with Palm[1]
Insignia
441st Air Expeditionary Squadron emblem (approved 23 January 2018)
441st Bombardment Squadron emblem (approved 3 June 1964)
441st Bombardment Squadron emblem (approved 7 April 1954)[2]
441st Bombardment Squadron emblem (1944-1945)[3]
441st Bombardment Squadron emblem (1943-1944)[3]

The 441st Air Expeditionary Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit. It was converted to provisional status in May 2011.

Its last assignment as a regular unit was to the 320th Bombardment Wing at Mather Air Force Base, California, where it was inactivated on 30 September 1989.

The squadron was first activated during World War II as the 441st Bombardment Squadron. It served in combat in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, where it earned two Distinguished Unit Citations and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm. After V-E Day, the squadron returned to the United States for inactivation.

Although briefly active in the reserve from 1947-1949, the squadron was primarily a Strategic Air Command bomber unit, first with Boeing B-47 Stratojets, then with Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses. Although it did not serve as a unit, the squadron was one of the first to deploy aircraft and aircrew for Operation Arc Light missions in Vietnam. The squadron was inactivated in 1989, in connection with the reduction of strategic forces and the closure of Mather.

History

World War II

Established in mid-1942 as a B-26 Marauder medium bomber group. Trained under Third Air Force in Florida, deployed to England under the VIII Air Support Command, 3d Bombardment Wing.

Operated against targets on the continent during early fall of 1942; deployed to North Africa as part of Twelfth Air Force after Operation Torch landings in Algeria in November. Flew tactical bombing missions against Axis forces in North Africa until the end of the Tunisian Campaign in May 1943. Participated in the Sicilian and Italian Campaigns; liberation of Corsica and Sardinia and the Invasion of Southern France. Supported Allied ground forces in the Western Allied Invasion of Germany, spring 1945 and becoming part of the United States Air Forces in Europe Army of Occupation in Germany, fall 1945. Personnel demobilized in Germany and the squadron inactivated as a paper unit in December 1945.

Reserves

Reactivated in the reserves in 1947. Never manned or equipped.

Strategic Air Command bomber operations

Reactivated in 1952 as a Boeing B-47 Stratojet squadron,. Initially equipped with prototypes of the Boeing RB-47B Stratojet (YRB-47) to perform long-range photo-reconnaissance with a flight of Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers assigned. In November 1953 began to receive production B-47E medium bomber aircraft; prototype reconnaissance aircraft already received exchanged for medium bomber versions. Participated in SAC REFLEX deployments to Europe and North Africa throughout the 1950s. Squadron discontinued, 16 September 1960 and B-47 aircraft sent to storage at Davis-Monthan as part of phaseout of B-47.

Activated as a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress heavy bombardment squadron, absorbing the mission aircraft and personnel of the 72d Bombardment Squadron, which was simultaneously inactivated. Operated B-52Fs until 1968 standing SAC nuclear alert duties, then upgraded to B-52G models. Performed rotational deployments to Western Pacific with B-52Gs, engaging in Operation Arc Light combat missions over Indochina during Vietnam War. Maintained conventional bombing capabilities after end of United States involvement in Vietnam War until inactivation in 1989 as part of retirement of B-52G.

Expeditionary unit

The squadron was converted to provisional status as the 441st Air Expeditionary Squadron and assigned to Air Combat Command to activate as needed.[1]

The 441st Air Expeditionary Squadron reportedly maintains an unpaved runway in Sarrin, Raqqa Governorate.[4][5][6]

Lineage

Activated on 1 July 1942
Redesignated 441st Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 9 October 1944
Inactivated on 6 December 1945
Activated in the reserve on 9 July 1947
Inactivated on 27 June 1949
Discontinued on 15 September 1960
Redesignated 441st Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 15 November 1962 (not organized)
Organized on 1 February 1963
Inactivated on 30 September 1989

Assignments

Stations

Aircraft

See also

References

Notes
  1. ^ Aircraft is Boeing B-52F-70-BW Stratofortress serial 57-162, nicknamed "Casper The Friendly Ghost". This aircraft was the first B-52F used to test conventional bombing in 1964, and later dropped the 50,000th bomb of the Arc Light campaign. B-52Fs could carry 51 bombs and served in Vietnam from June 1965 to April 1966 when they were replaced by "Big Belly" B-52Ds which could carry 108 bombs.
Citations
  1. ^ a b c d e f g Robertson, Patsy (27 March 2018). "Factsheet 441 Air Expeditionary Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  2. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 545-546
  3. ^ a b Watkins, pp. 84-85
  4. ^ Trevithick, Joseph [@FranticGoat] (7 June 2018). "Lotta interesting stuff happening in this picture, reportedly taken in Syria. Armored forklift loading the MV-22 reportedly belongs to the 441st Air Expeditionary Squadron, which runs the site. h/t @obretix" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 9 June 2018 – via Twitter.
  5. ^ "441st Air Expeditionary Squadron Civil Engineer Runway Repair". United States Department of Defense. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  6. ^ "Pictures: First Seen Ever Images Of Mini US Airbase In Syria's Al-Raqqa". Muraselon. 7 June 2018. Archived from the original on 9 June 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2018. Nevertheless, opposition media said that the US airbase is located in "Sarrin" in the western countryside of Al-Raqqa.
  7. ^ a b Station number in Anderson.
  8. ^ a b c d Station number in Johnson

Bibliography

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

External links

Category